actually wanted one for a while, wondering what my options are out there for rifles, and what i would expect to pay. a few times i've looked at building one, but think buying an already built one is a cheaper option. if it came right down to it though i could take an off the shelf Remington M700 in .35 Whelen, cut the chamber and have the bolt modified, but would prefer something with CRF.
got a hankering for a .358 Norma Mag..
- Thread starter kevin.303
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Re-barrel a Model 70 or Ruger in 264, 300 win, or 338.
The 358 Norma is a great cartridge by the way. Lots of power, will push a 250 to near 2800fps with about 10 different powders, you can use jacketed pistol bullets for varmints, and it will do all of this from a 22 inch barrel.
The 358 Norma is almost idiot proof to load for it is so agreeable...I should know!
It does kick like a 375 H&H though. Which begs the question why not go 375...??
The reason the 358 Norma never sold that well is because the 338 and 375 bores are so darn good...Food for thought.
The 358 Norma is a great cartridge by the way. Lots of power, will push a 250 to near 2800fps with about 10 different powders, you can use jacketed pistol bullets for varmints, and it will do all of this from a 22 inch barrel.
The 358 Norma is almost idiot proof to load for it is so agreeable...I should know!
It does kick like a 375 H&H though. Which begs the question why not go 375...??
The reason the 358 Norma never sold that well is because the 338 and 375 bores are so darn good...Food for thought.
The 358 certainly is in the same league as the 338 & 375 magnums, but didn't see the same deserved attention from the gunmakers. Had it been marketed, it would have sold.
It's big advantage over the 375 is that it only requires a 30/06 length action as opposed to the magnum length the 375 requires. It will fit in a 98 w/o major renovations.
And they go like hell. I certainly like mine. - dan
I have a couple, a P14 rework that I picked up from Bob Prestash a few (!) years ago and a Schultz and larson that HuntinStuff passed to me a couple of years ago. Both shoot hot damn. Lots of horsepower and serious reach out and touch with several of the streamlined 225gr bullets (Sierra and BTip come to mind).
I killed a nice big Mule buck VERY dead with the Enfield about 5 years ago, and the nice part was that the big Sierra bullet didn't do an ermous amount of meat damage, but it stopped the animal in no uncertain terms! The buck was at less than 100yd and a relatively easy shot, but yoou don't turn up your nose at what's given!
I like the cartridge and don't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, but...you can't have either of MY rifles!
I killed a nice big Mule buck VERY dead with the Enfield about 5 years ago, and the nice part was that the big Sierra bullet didn't do an ermous amount of meat damage, but it stopped the animal in no uncertain terms! The buck was at less than 100yd and a relatively easy shot, but yoou don't turn up your nose at what's given!
I like the cartridge and don't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, but...you can't have either of MY rifles!
i had one years ago, started as a .35 whelen improved then to .35 brown whelan, then rechambered to .358 norma, great caliber, but i dont think its anything really much different from the .338mag that i use now with a lot less fuss , wade
Well any of the 35 cal were over looked (I did) for years, Some of the older lads at my club were talking 35 cals and bullet construction as well as selection was always an issue until the 80s they claimed, so th ecaliber suffered a bit in popularity.
the 358 Norma, 350 rem mag deserve a lot of respect in my eyes could be classed as an everything gun. As mentioned the 358 is and has become a great all round cartridge you see more and more BDLs in the deer camps up north every year.
I only own one 35 cal in none of these cartridges but I am sure looking forward to taking it Moose hunting this up comming year.
the 358 Norma, 350 rem mag deserve a lot of respect in my eyes could be classed as an everything gun. As mentioned the 358 is and has become a great all round cartridge you see more and more BDLs in the deer camps up north every year.
I only own one 35 cal in none of these cartridges but I am sure looking forward to taking it Moose hunting this up comming year.
Thee's a pretty decent article in this months Handloader magazine. The 358 Norma has a spot.
I had a Norma built on a M70 classic stainless action a few years back, and it's all I hoped. Unlike in years past, there's plenty of great bullets available. My standard load pushes the 225 TSX to 2950 fps, which doesn't give up much to standard cartridges in terms of trajectory.
Regarding how owners feel about their Normas...there's not a lot of them around, but notice that you almost never see one for sale? People know a good thing when they see it. Build one, you won't regret it.
I had a Norma built on a M70 classic stainless action a few years back, and it's all I hoped. Unlike in years past, there's plenty of great bullets available. My standard load pushes the 225 TSX to 2950 fps, which doesn't give up much to standard cartridges in terms of trajectory.
Regarding how owners feel about their Normas...there's not a lot of them around, but notice that you almost never see one for sale? People know a good thing when they see it. Build one, you won't regret it.
Good luck finding someone prepared to sell one. I bought my Husqvarna Husky in .358 Norma Mag somewhere around 35 years ago and have never been tempted to sell it. If you want a really nice factory one, grab it if you ever see something like this for sale:
The .338 won't do anything that the .358 Norma won't do in the real world, but the .358 will certainly do things the .338 won't do. Like operate as a plinker using inexpensive bulk pistol bullets as just one example. Of course, for those who only fire a couple of rounds from their hunting rifles each year, that probably doesn't matter.
And if you want to compare the .375 to .358's, at least use rounds of the same size in the same sized actions. I think the .358 STA will hold its own just fine in that respect.
However... there is something similar out there that does keep dragging my attention back to their website: the .358 Hawk
http://www.z-hat.com/358 Hawk Ballistics.htm
Rick,
The Hawk cartridge is a lot like the Brown/Whelen. If you load it hot enough, it might do as advertised but it would take some real pressure to do it.
358 Normas will push 250 grain bullets to near the 2800 fps mark; 35 caliber cartridges based on 30/06 brass won't. In addition, you have to LIKE forming wildcat brass. I don't! Regards, Bill.
The Hawk cartridge is a lot like the Brown/Whelen. If you load it hot enough, it might do as advertised but it would take some real pressure to do it.
358 Normas will push 250 grain bullets to near the 2800 fps mark; 35 caliber cartridges based on 30/06 brass won't. In addition, you have to LIKE forming wildcat brass. I don't! Regards, Bill.
Oh well... I was kind of wondering about that. I didn't see anywhere that they mentioned the actual case capacity, and I was kinda interested in where they get that velocity out of a 30/06 case. You can only blow out and straighten a case so much... But they say they get about 9% more capacity out of the original 30/06 case with their design. And they claim most of their loads have been pressure tested with an Oehler pressure setup - they just don't say what the pressures were.
Z-Hat has an explanation for all of this:
http://www.z-hat.com/Efficiency of the 300 Hawk.htm
Well, my Husky .358 Norma that you replaced the barrel on does a bit better than that with 250 grainers. Since I went to the Barnes X-bullets, however, I've downsized to the 225 grainers. Nothing to complain about! It would be nice to get into that ballpark with performance and do it burning less powder, however. I don't have any problem with the recoil; on the other hand, I also think less is better when it comes to recoil.
As for brass, they do sell ready to go brass; something like $27 for 20. Not too terrible for a rifle which will see most of its' use in the bush.
I still think it would be worth a look.
Rick, what are you using in your Norma with the 225 TSX? I'm using 75 grains of Ramshot Big Game, but mine (also Leeper built) is throated out so I can seat the bullets out longer. I get 2950 fps with that load and great case life.
And not to forget if you want a real thumper and are going to have to rebarrel an action dont overlook the 350 Super Mashburn Magnum!
It will make your stecker pick up when you touch off a 225 Nosler part at closer to 3275 fps than you think !!!!
I had to magnaport mine it was alot to handle full on, and i really dont mind recoil...
There a simple cartidge to find brass for its a 375 necked down thats all there is to it long neck and no trimming with 92.0 grains of RL-22 it does burn and waste a bit of powder.
But your 358 Norma will be very close to this!! dead is dead and the 358 N will certainly provide that for you
It will make your stecker pick up when you touch off a 225 Nosler part at closer to 3275 fps than you think !!!!
I had to magnaport mine it was alot to handle full on, and i really dont mind recoil...
There a simple cartidge to find brass for its a 375 necked down thats all there is to it long neck and no trimming with 92.0 grains of RL-22 it does burn and waste a bit of powder.
But your 358 Norma will be very close to this!! dead is dead and the 358 N will certainly provide that for you
