358 Norma Magnum

leeelmer

leeelmer

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
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Location
Leslieville Alberta
I talked a good friend of mine recently out of his beautiful custom 358 norma. He need work done to his Kenworth and i sure wanted that gun.
I have druled over it for years. Even got to shoot a doe with it on my first outing.
Remington 700 action
Custom stock and barrel
Got dies and some 250gr hornady sp to load for it.
Any info,insites into the cartridge would be much appreciated
 
Well loading data and components are readily available. It is an excellent performer and in a light rifle kicks like a mule. I sold my light one many years ago...
 
My FIL has a Schultz and Larsen 358. He has piles of brass (500), and the dies for it, but he has just kept with the factory Norma ammo, and it's a tack driver. I've tried to convince him to let me work up a load for it, but he's old school, and didn't have a good experience with hand loads when he had an acquaintance load some for him. I can't say I blame him based on the performance of the factory ammo. Pretty sure he has the 250 grn Oryx rounds. Insite? He's had the gun for 40 years, used it exclusively on game from deer to grizzly, and he has no plans on switching up.
 
Whonnock Boy said:
My FIL has a Schultz and Larsen 358. He has piles of brass (500), and the dies for it, but he has just kept with the factory Norma ammo, and it's a tack driver. I've tried to convince him to let me work up a load for it, but he's old school, and didn't have a good experience with hand loads when he had an acquaintance load some for him. I can't say I blame him based on the performance of the factory ammo. Pretty sure he has the 250 grn Oryx rounds. Insite? He's had the gun for 40 years, used it exclusively on game from deer to grizzly, and he has no plans on switching up.
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In 358NM, that's what my initial quest was for. I wanted it to complete a Schultz & Larsen three gun collection. I wanted this to match the three cartridges shown on the cover of the old Norma reloading manual which were a co-operative development between Norma and Schultz & Larsen. The 358 NM was the hardest to acquire. From the top down
- S&L Model 68DL in 7x61S&H
- S&L Model 65DL in 308NM
- S&L Model 68DL in 358NM



Prior to acquiring my Schultz in 358NM :) I weakened and purchased this Husqvqrna Model 1651 in 358NM





After picking up the Schultz, I was going to part with the Husqvarna but it's too pretty to let go so I still have both :).
 
I picked a Husqvarna up several years ago to take with me while guiding in the Yukon. Paid $300 for it, as I'm sure it spend the bulk of its life in the bottom of a canoe but I just wanted something to keep close range 'bity' critters away. Turns out, after some fixing and fiddling, that sucker will drive 200 Hornadys into 3/4" and 250 Hornadys and Speers just under an inch at 100 yards with my handloads. For some reason it does not like the 250 Oryx quite so much. I'll tell you one thing, load testing an eight pound .358 Norma off a bench will get your attention (and a slight headache)!

Rooster
 
Prior to getting either of the two 358NM's I posted of earlier, and in preparation for that day, I had gradually acquired dies and a quantity of unprimed brass as well as a selection of bullets. Then, as luck would have it, I was fortunate enough to come across seven boxes of factory ammo. With that, I haven't started reloading for them yet.
 
Thanks guys. I have drooled and dreamed about this gun for over 10years since the first day i saw it. Took a long time to finaly figure out how to talk him out of her. It realy is my 'Elinor'
 
Ya, his isn't as pretty as yours though, but I'm sure it performs as well. He broke the stock on it when he only had it for a couple years. Was packing a goat out late in December, in deep snow, under the full moon when the glare off of the snow played a trick on his eyes, and down he went. A local smith made up a stock for him, and glass bedded it at the same time. Once the gun is fouled, it clover leafs at a hundred, but it needs to be fouled. We went out check the accuracy last year prior to the season. First shot wasn't even on the paper, at least 12 inches high. It took about 5 shots for it to settle back down to 2 inches high at a hundred.

Johnn Peterson said:
In 358NM, that's what my initial quest was for. I wanted it to complete a Schultz & Larsen three gun collection.
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Have 2 358's
BRNO 602 358 NORMA
S&L 68DL 358 NORMA
The Brno shoots its express sight dead on with Hornady 250 RN and 67gr IMR4320.
Finnaly got the Schultz up and going this past fall, as it took awhile to find the right Talley mounts to work out with a straight 6X S&B vintage scope. Hunted all fall for Moose , but no luck!! Great accurate well balanced rifle, becoming my favorite hunting rifle :)
John beat me on the S&L 358 he got, but a fellow gunnut went back 2hrs to a gun show in BC and hooked me up with mine, plus a wack of brass/dies and factorycloaded ammo, thanks again Sir!
Still haven't loaded for this rifle yet, as still shooting/hunting with the handloads the fellow sent with the Shultz , 250 Swift A frames with 1" groups @ 200 yards . but I did make up sub loads for small game/partridge with some left over Hornady 140gr Flex tips from my 357mag, what excellent fun loads with no recoil :)
Wishing all CGN'rs a merry Christmas/ happy new years!
Dale Z
 
I have some 250gr Hornadys to try out now
Thinking of experimenting with IMR4451
As 4350 is tough to come by. From the looks of things burn rate is very close to h4350
What do you guys think?
 
Hogdgon website shows a start load of 71 grains of H4350 and a max load of 75 grains for the 250 grain Nosler Partition in the 358Norma. Looking through the recent Hodgdon reloading manuals that have loads for both powders (IMR4451 and H4350) in cartridges of similar case capacity (300WM, 338WM etc) the start and max loads for both powders are quite close, so you should be able to work up from the 71 grain starting load, watching for signs of pressure as you go
 
From my old Speer Reloading Manual.



For more than forty years, my go-to load with the 250 Spitzer has been 67.5 gr of H4895 with magnum primers. Accurate, easy on brass, and hard on really big game.

Ted
 
My experimentation with 4451 has made it one of my favourite powders. Similar to 4350 but seems more consistent. Those old Speer Manuals were printed when men were men and not afraid of a little pressure!
 
358 NM certainly is an adequate varmint caliber. I wouldn't use it on anything bigger that a ground squirrel. It's not really enough gun for Eastern gophers. I definitely would not carry one in bear country. Also, if you do get one, don't get a cheap, sweat-shop made European gun with a wooden stock and a rust finish. Buy a nice American made gun - synthetic stock, Cerakoted.
 
Papaclaude said:
358 NM certainly is an adequate varmint caliber. I wouldn't use it on anything bigger that a ground squirrel. It's not really enough gun for Eastern gophers. I definitely would not carry one in bear country. Also, if you do get one, don't get a cheap, sweat-shop made European gun with a wooden stock and a rust finish. Buy a nice American made gun - synthetic stock, Cerakoted.
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Ouch! :( Checked the model 1651 Husqvarna and model 68DL Schultz & Larsen I have, and while the wood quality isn't nicely figured and only has nice but not bright bluing. Both are decent in quality and on even quality terms compared to many other manufacturers. Couldn't find any evidence of being produced in European sweat shops. And, like some supposed 'American' products, they weren't actually made by J.A. Pan and Co. ;) :stirthepot2: :p



 
Leeper said:
My experimentation with 4451 has made it one of my favourite powders. Similar to 4350 but seems more consistent. Those old Speer Manuals were printed when men were men and not afraid of a little pressure!
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The certainly were less clogged up with lawyers' level loadings. Buddy of mine had a 358NM barreled up on a 1903 Springfield by Bevan King in the mid-70s. He shot the 79 gr of 4350 load for years until the accuracy started to slide a bit. He then seated the bullets out a bit further into the frosted throat, boosted the load up to 82 gr, and is still using the rifle today. I have no idea how many moose and bears he has put in the freezer with that thing, but he has a jam jar half full of expanded 250 Speers.

PM sent,
Ted
 
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