358 shooting times western

Charlie38 said:
Can you still get brass for the 360 Imperial?
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Yes, I have some in my private stock and use it regularly. The Imperial brass is the only weak link as the primer pockets are a bit on the large side therefore when used with maximum loads the primer pockets expanded just enough so that they would not hold primers for additional reloads. Reduced loads worked just fine.

Durable cases are easily formed from the .375 Ultra Mag. The RUM cartridges are clones of the original Imperial design.

Cases can also be formed from .404 Jeffery brass but this is a lot of work and the case forming dies are very expensive.

Regards; Aubrey
 
dan belisle said:
Yeah, it should fit. I forgot about the Imperials, sorry Aubrey. I loaded for a 338 Imperial and tried it out (Rembo's actiually). Kicked like a mule, lol. Nice rifle though. He sold it to someone in SK for monster whitetail defence, lol. - dan
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Dan, I fired those big boys every day for a couple of years developing suggested loads for the various Imperial and Canadian designs. Shooting them all day from a bench became tiresome very quickly. I have no idea why I didn't develop a permanent flinch and soon learned the value of muzzle breaks.

Regards; Aubrey
 
has anyone had any real world experience with the accuracy of this round?

I was in S'toon years ago, and listened in to a conversation between 3 gunsmiths who were collaberating on a .358STA

they could never get it to shoot straight, even after truing, (Rem700 I think they said) and multiple new barrels.

on contacting the Mag that ran the original article, they noted Simpson had NEVER mentioned accuracy, and the Mag would not forward ANY info on accuracy.

they said they contacted Simpson on the matter, but the only reply they got still would not discuss accuracy.

I was left scratching my head, as I fail to see how any cartridge, put into a quality firearm, cannot be made to shoot inside 1.5" with a little work....

the BEST they could do Ever, was around 5"

this was in 1990 or so... and to date, I haven't really seen much said about accuracy.
 
I just reviewed Simpson's first roll out article on his 358STA myself. You are right - not a mention of rifle's accuracy at all. Kind of an odd gap in the review I think. I would expect a little crowing if it was real accurate. It probably was just was hunting OK - nothing write about. He mentions master builder Jarrett of beanfield fame built his with a Lilja 12 twist barrel. However it was a switch barrel design accomodating a 7mm STW tube as well. I wonder if that had accuracy implications.

However, like you, I think it should be able to made to shoot acceptably - like almost any cartridge can be made to shoot accurately. The 358 Mashburn was a good old wildcat of similar design. Never heard any one decry it's abilty to hit long range.
 
I have used the 358 Norma Magnum since 1969. Also had a 350 Ackley Magnum on the full length H&H case (which the 358 STA is almost an exact copy of) for a while.

The real hammer was the 35-404 Imp that Bevan King was building for years on the long Enfields and BRNO ZKK 602 actions: 250 gr bullets at 3200+ fps. I got mine in the early 70s, and eventually sold it to a fellow up here, who still uses it. There are a few of them around the Yukon. Sold it because, quite frankly, the Nine Norma will easily drive a 250 at well over 2800 with good case life, and that is plenty of power!

Ted
 
The production Sako's in .360 Imperial will average 1.25 moa with 250gr Nosler Partitions at just under 3100fps. Surprisingly the most accurate bullet in the .360 is the ugly looking Woodleigh 310gr FMJ that averaged around 1.0 moa in the rifles I tested.
 
Aubrey, that must be a relatively mild load in your big case. I would guess that was for liability concerns in a production rifle.

Did you ever load it much above that yourself? The guy I sold my 35IMP to says he loads the 250 Speer spitzers to over 3300 fps, yes 3300, with good case life. :rolleyes: I shot it to 3200. Of course, those bullets are only good for paper at that speed.

Having said that, he did shoot one pretty big black bear at around 120 yd using that load. His buddy had wounded it, and it was running away. It "folded it up like a groundhog", but there was nothing left of the bullet. He switched to Swift A-Frames after that. :)

Ted
 
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dan belisle said:
Yeah, it should fit. I forgot about the Imperials, sorry Aubrey. I loaded for a 338 Imperial and tried it out (Rembo's actiually). Kicked like a mule, lol. Nice rifle though. He sold it to someone in SK for monster whitetail defence, lol. - dan
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now that's going back a bit,...I get Dan to shoot my stuff that I know will hurt:D..I kept one of the loaded rounds for my modest cartridge collection.
That one was built on a Howa 1500 action.
 
I have an STA, on a Sako action. It shoots 250 Northfork bullets into an inch,(3100fps) in an under 7 lb. gun. (3 shots are enuf) I also have a 35/404 imp., which is a copy of the Imperial. When I had this built I didn't know about NASS, we were discouraged with the 35/404 as in the '70's good quality 35 cal bullets were non existant, at least where we come from, and 404 brass was hard to find and expensive, so the rifle sat a lot. Not anymore. Ultra mag brass and Northfork bullets have brought it to life. 35 is the way to go. Mark
 
Ted, mine was put together by a fellow named Heinrich Schmidt in Minot. Same guy that built my 505 Gibbs. He made dies as well. About 1975. Gwynne Davidson in Regina had a 35/404 reamer also, and that one should still be around. Mark
 
Why not? said:
Aubrey, that must be a relatively mild load in your big case. I would guess that was for liability concerns in a production rifle.

Did you ever load it much above that yourself? The guy I sold my 35IMP to says he loads the 250 Speer spitzers to over 3300 fps, yes 3300, with good case life. :rolleyes: I shot it to 3200. Of course, those bullets are only good for paper at that speed.

Having said that, he did shoot one pretty big black bear at around 120 yd using that load. His buddy had wounded it, and it was running away. It "folded it up like a groundhog", but there was nothing left of the bullet. He switched to Swift A-Frames after that. :)

Ted
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Ted, I just looked back in my load records and was able to drive a 250gr Partition at 3376 fps but that was with the old RWS .404J brass. Even with RWS brass extraction became a bit sticky at that speed. Unfortunately those speeds are not possible with the Imperial brass.

Friend of mine took a very large Grizzly and a few Bison with the 250 Partitions at 3100fps. In 1995 I took a small whitetail with that same load. I believe that shot gave me the record for taking the smallest game with the largest calibre in the Kettle Valley that year.

Regards; Aubrey
 
SuperCub said:
Another cool [old wildcat] 35cal is the 350G&H. Nothing nore than a 375H&H necked down with no other changes.

Betcha it feeds good!

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3502.jpg


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Paul,

you re so good to find the rare caliber.

thanks to showing up this one.

Phil
 
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