What scope to put on my .358 BLR?

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thud

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I am thinking of putting a scope on my .358 BLR Stainless/Laminate. I have never bought a scope before and I don't know what strenght or (optic size)? to get. I would have to get rings and bases also. Thanks for the help.
 
The BLRs have a fairly low stock comb. I would suggest a scope with a straight tube, like a Leupold 1x4 or similar, and the lowest mounts you can find.

A scope with a large objective lense will require you to have to raise your face off the stock in order to properly see through the scope.






 
I've got a Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5x20 in low rings on my .35 Whelen and if I had a .358 Winchester I'd want the exact same thing. Depending on what you want to spend I'd look for some version of a similar scope. It's a good magnificaton range with lots of field of view and like Super Cub mentions, a small objective lens lets you mount it low.

Chuck
 
Both of my .358 BLRs wear 4x fixed scopes. One is a Leupold compact and the other is a Nikon. Both are mounted as low as possible.
I wouldn't want any more magnification than 4x on them. Big game are just that....Big!
Great little rifles and I've shot Moose and Elk out to 300 yds with them.

Good Luck
John
 
I also have a Leupold 1.5-5X on my blued BLR in 358 and it makes a great package. Depending on your preferences, you may want to add a hammer spur extension as I have had a couple of guys tell me that the scope is too low to #### the rifle but I prefer it as it is and have no problem cocking the hammer.

I haven't scoped (or fired) my stainless laminated BLR in 358 yet........
 
thud said:
I am thinking of putting a scope on my .358 BLR Stainless/Laminate. I have never bought a scope before and I don't know what strenght or (optic size)? to get. I would have to get rings and bases also. Thanks for the help.
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The wifey has a Leupold 2x7 compact on her .358 BLR, mounted in Warne QD rings with a set of Ashley ghost ring back up irons in reserve. The scope is good to go for hunting purposes. The scope comes off and the Ashley setup goes on when the rifles primary purpose is "just in case" when out picking huckleberries or anywhere else it might be used at close range and defensively. The 2x7 would be fine as well, but putting the irons on makes it a little handier and lighter.

Both the Warne and the Ashley's have excellent return to point of aim when removed/replaced - something that takes perhaps two minutes.

The scope being too high or too low doesn't seem to be an issue for either one of us. The rifle feels right in the shoulder, it handles well swinging and shooting at charging predatory gophers, and it hits where it points when you do your part. Thank God for the ability of the .358's to handle inexpensive bulk lead pistol bullets with aplomb... otherwise the wife would have me in the poorhouse by now.
 
Rick said:
The wifey has a Leupold 2x7 compact on her .358 BLR, mounted in Warne QD rings with a set of Ashley ghost ring back up irons in reserve. The scope is good to go for hunting purposes.
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That is so cool that your wife hunts with a rifle like that!

Chuck
 
Chuck said:
That is so cool that your wife hunts with a rifle like that!
Chuck
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It's not cool; it's common sense. A .358 is an outstanding choice for kids/women/beginning shooters, etc - if you're a reloader and apply a little thought.
  1. For reloaders, bulk swaged pistol bullets make for extremely inexpensive reloading and shooting. Lots of good quality practice leads to good marksmanship.
  2. The .358 can be easily reloaded to emulate/match everything from a .38 Special revolver to a 30/30 to a 30/06 with 180 gr. loads.
  3. Expansion ratio means a .358 can move a similar weight bullet to the same velocities as a .308/30-06 with significantly less recoil. Bonus for women and kids.
  4. Quality hunting bullets are available in everything from light .38 caliber pistol hunting bullets to 250 grain rhino rollers.
  5. There are .358 bullet moulds in almost every imaginable configuration, and as a very general rule the bigger the bore the easier to get performance out of cast bullets.
  6. This probably doesn't mean much to most people, but I think being able to make up shot loads using .38 Speer shot capsules for quietly assassinating grouse is pretty cool.
About the only negative I can think of respecting the .358 Winchester is this: if you aren't a reloader and are restricted to using factory ammo, a lot of the advantages above are lost.

Factory loads in the .358 Winchester are pathetic, in my humble opinion
 
Yup, sounds a lot like shooting a .35 Whelen. One thing I'm not famililar with though is the Speer shot capsules that you mention. How are you loading those and where would a guy get some?

Chuck
 
Chuck said:
Yup, sounds a lot like shooting a .35 Whelen. One thing I'm not famililar with though is the Speer shot capsules that you mention. How are you loading those and where would a guy get some?
Chuck
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The Whelen is more of the same good stuff but in a bigger package. The BLR starts to get ugly and ungainly (in my opinon) once you start chambering it in 30-06 size calibers.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=313962

Start with suggested handgun loads and find what works in your rifle from there.
 
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