358 Winchester - too much for whitetail deer?

SuperCub said:
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That's a beauty!
 
buckchaser said:
A quick search of the site didn't turn up much on this exact topic so I have started a new thread.

As per my post below, seriously considering adding a 358 Winchester. I know it is a great caliber for larger game such as moose and elk - how does it perform on deer? I'm quite happy with the performance of my 7mm-08 and 308 on deer and don't need to be blowing massive holes through the deer I shoot.

Any real world experience out there?
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Owned a Winchester model 88 lever action rifle in 358 Winchester for years and shot several deer and moose with it.
The gun was original (some people like to put sissy pads on Winchester model 88s and 100s and it infuriates me :mad:) and immaculate and somebody made me an offer I couldn't refuse in 2010 so I sold it.
Never had an issue with meat destruction in any of the several deer I shot with it.
The deer and most of the moose were 1-shot kills.
I was always very critical about shot placement and if I couldn't make a good clean lung shot the deer walked.
The only new gun I know of that currently comes in 358 Winchester is the Browning (Miroku) BLR lever action.
I own 2 BLRs (308 Winchester and 450 Marlin) and they are accurate, dependable rifles with superb fit/finish and workmanship.
You can't go wrong with a BLR.
Factory 358 ammo is scarce so figure on hand loading.
 
Matt74 said:
Not trying to hijack the post, but I'm guessing you guys would say pretty much the same thing on using a 348WCF on deer? I have used mine for moose, always had it in the back of my mind that it was a bit too big for deer. Thinking after reading this that that would not be the case. I also the following in an article on the 348WCF cartridge on Leverguns.com :
"Ballistically .. at least on paper .. the .348 Winchester falls somewhere between the .350 Remington Magnum and the .358 Winchester I say "on paper" since in real life the paper figures do not always turn out to be totally true. For all practical purposes the .358 gives identical performance as the .348 Winchester."
Sounds like the two cartridges are pretty similar. Anyone have experience with the 348 on deer or can compare both?
Matt
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The 348 is an excellent deer rifle, one of my favorite loads uses the long discontinued 180 gr. Speer FN over a case full of H4831.... makes for a very flat shooting round...
 
In my experience, Big and slow bullets ruin the least amount of meat, and fast small barnburners bloodshot and splatter too much. You are golden with a .358 win. I cannot think of a better deer round. Ever.
 
buckchaser said:
A quick search of the site didn't turn up much on this exact topic so I have started a new thread.

As per my post below, seriously considering adding a 358 Winchester. I know it is a great caliber for larger game such as moose and elk - how does it perform on deer? I'm quite happy with the performance of my 7mm-08 and 308 on deer and don't need to be blowing massive holes through the deer I shoot.

Any real world experience out there?
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The 35 Rem is a great deer gun.
One of my uncles (RIP) got his moose every year with a Marlin 336C in 35 Rem.
The 358 Win ups the ante and moves the 35 caliber ballistics well into elk and moose territory.
I've shot deer with a BLR in 450 Marlin with very little meat wastage because I'm a stickler for proper shot placement and will let the animal go if I can't make a clean shot.
The main criterion to making clean kills is not the caliber of the gun but rather the ethics and skill of the hunter holding it to make a clean shot.
 
The .358 is too big for deer, that's why I use a 9.3x62 and a 45-70. Shoot e'm where you don't e'm.............in the lungs...............Harold
 
Why such an off caliber? Ammo is not overly common and when hard times come the gun will essentially be useless in barter/trade due to noone having ammo for it. Best to buy guns every tom,#### and harry has loads for so you will always have access to the chips in the pile. But yeah, a. 358 would do most game in N.A pretty good.
 
Mutter87 said:
Why such an off caliber? Ammo is not overly common and when hard times come the gun will essentially be useless in barter/trade due to noone having ammo for it. Best to buy guns every tom,#### and harry has loads for so you will always have access to the chips in the pile.
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Wow! That sounds boring. As long as there is 308 ammo and 358 bullets there will not be an issue with ammo. I did some reloading for a buddy of mine for his 358. I quite enjoyed the load testing. I can't help but think I will own one. One day.
 
Mutter87 said:
Why such an off caliber? Ammo is not overly common and when hard times come the gun will essentially be useless in barter/trade due to noone having ammo for it. Best to buy guns every tom,#### and harry has loads for so you will always have access to the chips in the pile. But yeah, a. 358 would do most game in N.A pretty good.
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So why not just buy a 30/06 and forget about being a GUN-NUT with cool other stuff? ..... DUH?
 
Mutter87 said:
Why such an off caliber? Ammo is not overly common and when hard times come the gun will essentially be useless in barter/trade due to noone having ammo for it. Best to buy guns every tom,#### and harry has loads for so you will always have access to the chips in the pile. But yeah, a. 358 would do most game in N.A pretty good.
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This is definitely the wrong place to ply that philosophy!
 
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Mutter87 said:
Why such an off caliber? Ammo is not overly common and when hard times come the gun will essentially be useless in barter/trade due to noone having ammo for it. Best to buy guns every tom,#### and harry has loads for so you will always have access to the chips in the pile. But yeah, a. 358 would do most game in N.A pretty good.
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buckchaser said:
A quick search of the site didn't turn up much on this exact topic so I have started a new thread.

As per my post below, seriously considering adding a 358 Winchester. I know it is a great caliber for larger game such as moose and elk - how does it perform on deer? I'm quite happy with the performance of my 7mm-08 and 308 on deer and don't need to be blowing massive holes through the deer I shoot.

Any real world experience out there?
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Perfect deer cartridge also - only one BETTER then the 358 Win of the 308 family of cartridges would be the PERFECT 338 Federal little KING ! :D RJ
 
Mutter87 said:
Why such an off caliber? Ammo is not overly common and when hard times come the gun will essentially be useless in barter/trade due to noone having ammo for it. Best to buy guns every tom,#### and harry has loads for so you will always have access to the chips in the pile.
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BanHim.jpg
 
remington jim said:
Perfect deer cartridge also - only one BETTER then the 358 Win of the 308 family of cartridges would be the PERFECT 338 Federal little KING ! :D RJ
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I have never understood how the .308 and .358 can catch so much love and the .338 Fed continually gets dumped on... it should seemingly receive adoration as the cartridge that combines the best attributes of both... RJ, I am also a fan...
 
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