.358 Sta
- Thread starter ben hunchak
- Start date
- Location
- Whitehorse, Yukon
Most likely the reason is that its a 35 cal. also referred to the "orphan caliber."
A personal opinion only but most 35's are very under rated and very under used. A 35 anything will do a number on most north american game.
A personal opinion only but most 35's are very under rated and very under used. A 35 anything will do a number on most north american game.
I suspect the 340 Weatherby may have something to do with the lack of popularity of the 358 STA...other than the fact that wildcats are never that popular....if you discount the radius shoulders of the Weatherby it's basically the 340 Wtby necked up .020"...ballistics should be comparable, up to 250's anyway....
The 358STA will usually achieve somewhere around 2900fps with 250's. I guess the big question is, "what's the point?" A 338 mag will do 2750 with the same weight bullet and this is certainly adequate for any purpose. If one really wants a 35, the 358 Norma will do about the same. The extra 150fps is unnoticable in the field. In addition, too much velocity might degrade bullet performance in some instances.
In the end, the STA is just one of those cartridges that tries to fill a non-existent void. The 338 works just fine as a medium bore. If you need or want a little more, the 375 H&H is a far better choice than the STA. So the only reason to own an STA is just because you want one. Since this is reason enough for most of our cartridge choices, it keeps cartridges like the STA hanging on. Regards, Bill.
In the end, the STA is just one of those cartridges that tries to fill a non-existent void. The 338 works just fine as a medium bore. If you need or want a little more, the 375 H&H is a far better choice than the STA. So the only reason to own an STA is just because you want one. Since this is reason enough for most of our cartridge choices, it keeps cartridges like the STA hanging on. Regards, Bill.
Well, it is a .358 for starters, and for whatever reasons you care to suggest, .35's have never really caught on.ben hunchak said:
Second, except for those who bow at the feet of the God of Velocity, it won't really do anything a .338 Win Mag won't do - and without diving into reloading manuals, a .340 Wby Mag will probably match it. Factory ammo is available for them, and the chamberings have a relatively familiar ring to them in many hunters' ears.
Having said that, I've owned and loved .358 Norma Magnums and am contemplating having Bill Leeper build me a .35 Newton now that brass is being made again. And I have a brother that Bill built a .358 STA for; he has used it to knock over assorted elk, moose, and a grumbly bear I believe and it is a tack driver. So... there is nothing WRONG with the .358 STA and its' close kin. But pragmatically speaking (and ignoring those of us who read ballistics tables like kids read comic books), the .358 Loudenboomers of various persuasions are no better and no worse than their much more available and easier to feed .338 factory cousins.
Also too, in the .358's, once you get past somewhere around the .35 Whelen/.358 Norma Magnum level, every velocity gain past that point requires a lot more powder. And overbore guns of any caliber ultimately deliver a lot more recoil for whatever gains they also deliver in velocity. If the extra velocity is important to you and you don't mind the extra recoil and powder burned with each shot, then Bob's your uncle and it will be a marriage made in heaven.
But the big .35's are a hell of a lot more versatile and easier to shoot on the cheap... although that's a different discussion.
I'm with those commenting above in that the 35s generally don't get enough respect in the mainstream. That is changing a little I think. Alot of "in the know" shooters acknowledge how good 35s can be properly loaded.
I've still have Simpson's first ST article when he rolled that one out. Enjoyed reading it alot.
As to the 358 STA it's a powerhouse no doubt. Like the 340 Weatherby it has very specialized use - capable of long ranging and powerful the whole way out. But when loaded to its potential it is too much of a good thing for most average hunters to handle. Powder by the pound and long barrels are the norm - with lotsa back thrust to loosen dental work (think muzzle brake). I've never owned one. However, I would imagine that I might even put myself into that category of average hunter here - though it pains me to admit that since I luvs those 35s. On the other hand, if someone has a 358STA to donate to me I think I would have some fun learning to shoot it - or not.
I've still have Simpson's first ST article when he rolled that one out. Enjoyed reading it alot.
As to the 358 STA it's a powerhouse no doubt. Like the 340 Weatherby it has very specialized use - capable of long ranging and powerful the whole way out. But when loaded to its potential it is too much of a good thing for most average hunters to handle. Powder by the pound and long barrels are the norm - with lotsa back thrust to loosen dental work (think muzzle brake). I've never owned one. However, I would imagine that I might even put myself into that category of average hunter here - though it pains me to admit that since I luvs those 35s. On the other hand, if someone has a 358STA to donate to me I think I would have some fun learning to shoot it - or not.
While the STA may be Layne's baby, he was hardly the first one to do that. Necking a 375 down to 358 and 'improving' it hardly demonstrates anything really insightful. Really, it's just an ackley improved 350 Griffin & Howe magnum
prosper said:
Good catch, Prosper. That's exactly what it is!
I had a 350 Ackley Improved for a few months about 10-12 years ago. It was built on a BRNO ZKK 602 in a Garret stock and had a 26" Rock barrel.
Full-length blown out 375 H&H brass is a ridiculously easy way to get 250s to 3000 fps, but as Whelen B has already stated it was not a very user-friendly outfit.
More than just the recoil, it burned pounds of powder. It was exceptionally accurate with Speer 250s, but bullets that would perform sensibly at 3000 to 3100 fps, Swift A-Frames, were exceptionally expensive.
I traded it to a guy and have never missed it.
My Husqvarna 358 Norma Magnum is another story altogether.
Ted
