300g 358 bullets...

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thepitchedlink

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Hello all. Got myself a BLR in .358 and gonna start building hunting loads with 225g Sierras. But this is also suppossed to be a bear stopper so I'm looking for the heaviest hunk of lead I can find to make a few thumpers. Any thoughts on where to get some big 35's? Thanks
 
thepitchedlink said:
Hello all. Got myself a BLR in .358 and gonna start building hunting loads with 225g Sierras. But this is also suppossed to be a bear stopper so I'm looking for the heaviest hunk of lead I can find to make a few thumpers. Any thoughts on where to get some big 35's? Thanks
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I don't know anybody in Canada that sells heavier than 250 gr bullets for the 35's. I would imagine that the 225 Sierra's are for deer or similar medium game. For an all around bullet that can also be used for bear look at the 250 Partition it's too heavy for deer but it would be a good one bullet choice if bears are to be encountered while hunting other game. My personal choice for deer in the 358 Win is the 200gr Hornady Spitzer. For heavier bullets Northfork bullets has them but in the US.
bigbull
 
I think the 250 grain bullets are ideal for the .358 win when you need a "thumper" The case is a bit small to drive bigger bullets without sacrificing too much speed. Woodleigh makes heavy bullets for the 35's, but I suggest they are best used in .35 whelen and the Norma mag. It's a question of balance. Try the 250 gr. Speers, either hot-cor or GS. I've killed a lot of elk and moose with them. Consistently reliable. The .35's are very good "big critter" guns.
( I do not own a .358 but I do own and hunt with .356, and 3 - 35 whelens, and my brother uses a .358)
Some would say the 225 Sierra is a perfect match in the .358 for hunting everything, but in one instance I actually found that bullet too tough for deer when shot at 2600FPS from my .35 Whelen at deer. Minimal expansion, long tracking job. A sample of one is too small, but I that's how we form opinions!
 
I have several hundred 275 grain and 300 grain Barnes Originals that are no longer made. I also have some 275 grain Hawks. At the low velocity that a 358 will give these bullets expansion will be low and penetration excessive for North American game. The 225 Nosler Partition will be better in every respect as in the 358 as they can be given a velocity ensuring expansion to 250+ yards.

After an enormous testing regime my recomendations for bullets:

358-350 Rem Mag and Whelen.... 225 Nosler Partition, all around. Practice with 225 Sierras worked to the same POI. I wouldn't use the Sierra's on game as they shed cores easily and/or often fail to expand in this particular weight. (Longwalker's experience above is typical)

358 Norma Magnum....250 Nosler Partition, practice with the 250 Speer to the same POI and/or use the Speers for lighter game reserving the Nosler for tough stuff.

The 250 Speer would be a good low cost alternative to the Nosler at 358 velocities being completely adequate for use to 200 yards or so.

The following is an article I wrote to summarize my results. I didn't test the Swift bullet but IMO the velocity simply isn't there in a small caseto make the bullet sing like it's suppose to. You need the Norma if you like the idea of 280-310 grainers IMO.

http://www.35cal.com/35bullet_study/35bullet_study1.html
 
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Hey, thanks for the replys. I'm going to start with 225 Sierras for my first loads and as a hunting bullet. My quest for the heavier bullet is because I'm going to carry this gun as a bear defence weapon as well and want the most stopping power I can get. I inderstand that at any distance, the heavier bullets won't be moving fast enough to expand properly, as the 358 Winnie just can't push then hard enough. I'm looking for maximum energy at under 100yds, probably more like 30yds. At that range I think the 275-300g bullet might still be moving fast enough to expand and provide lots of "wallop".

Well, that's funny, as I was writting this the phone rang and it's Corlanes in DC, telling me some othe stuff is in. He has 310g Woodleighs, so one box on the way!! Now I can start my own testing!!
 
I hope you aren't recoil sensitive!!(LOL) I had a BLR in 358W.I loaded up some 250 gr Speer roundnose bullets over 40 or 42 grains of IMR 3031.(Can't remember the weight now)Boy,that rifle kicked like a mule.If you are using it for bear you won't notice the recoil anyway but just be prepared when you are shooting from the bench. Cheers Bac4
 
I have shot two deer with 225 Sierras. Both died but performance was less than spectacular. The core and jacket parted ways shortly after penetration in both deer with no exit wounds. I now use 225 partitions. My son killed a 1100lb moose with it this fall. Bang - Flop! Sold!
 
Honestly if you are interested in killing a bear quick the 225 Nosler Partition will do a better job than 310 grain bullets. 2400ft/sec is a good minimum speed to give a bit of shocking power. At 1900-2000ft/sec you generally have much less impact on game than a heavy enough bullet going faster.

As for the Sierra..it's the worst performing bullet in caliber 35 IMO.
 
I hunt black bears at close range. With my .358s I have used 250Speer HCs for that purpose driven as fast as possible - 2200MV or thereabouts. They work for me. I prefer the 250s over the 225s in the 358Win as I believe they stop bears better (more"wallop") than 225s - for in close use especially. A large customer may appear (I hope so) with lots of fat that a 250 may serve better.

Takujualuk has recommended the 225Partition and I like that one too as the best 225 for the 358Win. It is close to perfection in the 358 and can be driven at around 2500MV with the right powders. This is perhaps a more flexible "all around use" bullet for the 358 I believe - especially for more reach. It's shorter length conserves space for powder too.

I also would say going over 250gr may (???) be a mistake due to the 358s smaller boiler room as Longwalker, Takujualuk and others have commented already. You'll get more penetration but lose some shocking power ("wallop") if little expansion occurs. That may(???) not be best in defense situations. If I was going to use a 280 or 300 I'd check with the manufacturer as to the bullet's recommended lowest terminal effective velocity.

Have fun testing out that 358 BLR with some "thumper" class pills.
 
Hey guys, thanks for the replys, looks like there is lots of info out there for the old .358 if ya just ask. I will pick up some 250 partitions as well, and really believe that the 310's won't work properly at 358 speeds, but it will be fun trying.
 
Finally did some 358 shootin'

Well finally tried some 301g Woodleighs in the 358, using IMR 4895 the numbers look like this:
38g 1823fps
39g 1910
39.5 1990
40g 2018

The 40g load shows a flatter primer then the others and there appears to be a bit of a lip on the firing pin indent (start of a crater I think). Doing the energy calculations shows that the 225g bullets moving at 2450 have more energy, 2998 lb vs the 310's at 2000 with 2750lb. What would be the best powder choice for trying to move these big bullets with the 358?
I have, IMR 4895, Varget, IMR 4064 and IMR 3031
If I can get the 310's to 2100fps, then they have 3035 lb of energy. By the way, Woodleights suggests impact velocities of 18-2200fps for this 310g bullet.
This may be a waste of time with the 358, but it is fun!!
 
The M.T. Chambers 250gr. hard cast,flat pt., gas check bullet, proved very accurate and penetrated deeper than most, in my .356 Win.
 
My best experience is with the Barnes TSX 225 Grain. It's not the heaviest bullet however, it expands reliably and the ones that I've recovered from moose have maintained 100% of their weight, that was with my .35 Whelen. I had a .358 Ruger but I sold it and never shot anything with it. RL7 is the powder to use.
 
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