358 Winchester BLR

[Tatume]

Hello Folks,

After wanting one for many years, I finally ordered a Browning BLR in 358 Winchester. Would some of you point me to interesting threads on this rifle or cartridge? Any helpful information will be appreciated.

Thanks, Tom

[timspawn]

I can't point you to any threads but I had 358 built on a Mauser action. All I ever shot was factory Winchester ammo. That rifle accounted for more deer and hogs than I can remember. It just seemed to kill them where they stood.

[Tatume]

Hi Tim,

I figured it will be a killer. I'll probably run the Sierra 225 grain bullet about 2300 fps, which should get the job done. Now I need another mold!

Take care, Tom

[Artful]

https://www.google.com/search?q=http://castboolits.gunloads.com+and+358+Winchester+site:c astboolits.gunloads.com&biw=1680&bih=959

[DeanWinchester]

You will find a cult following of the 358 on this website. It's almost a second religion with some. Ben and Goodsteel are both big proponents of the .358.

I would like to play in the club too, but alas I'm a poser of sorts. I have a .35 remington but alas, no .358. I want one, I've even got the dies and made some brass….maybe someday...

[Tatume]

Thank you fellows. It good to have reading material while awaiting the arrival of the new rifle.

[dverna]

I cannot think of a better round for most of our needs. A good cast caliber and cases are easy to make from .308's. That alone makes it a better choice for me than the .35 Remington - and it can be loaded to higher performance than the .35 Rem. .35 Rem brass can be difficult to find.

And I like the platform Tatume. The BLR allows the use of spritzer bullets if desired. I have been looking for a decent used one for a while.

I have a "spare" .30/30 I was going to get rebored to .35/30 but after looking at the cost and cost of special dies it makes more sense to sell the .30/30 and get a .358.

Great choice!!

Don Verna

[MBTcustom]

You will find a cult following of the 358 on this website. It's almost a second religion with some. Ben and Goodsteel are both big proponents of the .358.

I would like to play in the club too, but alas I'm a poser of sorts. I have a .35 remington but alas, no .358. I want one, I've even got the dies and made some brass….maybe someday...

Hey I resemble that remark!
I'm not part of a cult or anything! The simple fact is that the 358 winchester is the most understated, effective, super juicy, cost effective, efficient, accurate, humdinger of a rifle cartridge ever devised by modern man.
It would have been Teddy Roosevelt's favorite but it was designed too late.
It would be the premier mid range cartridge, and supplant the 30-30 for that title but it was introduced right when all the belted magnums were sweeping the nation so was pitifully lost in the shuffle.
It is the ultimate method by which to propel a cast lead boolit to it's intended target with vigor and gusto!

Tis a booliteers cartridge. Yea verily, amen.

That said, I am a big fan of all the 308 based cartridges. I hope to spend quality time with the 338 Federal and the 7mm-08 in the near future, but nothing will supplant the 358 Winchester in my mind as the ultimate, all around boolit slinger.
It's perfect.

[richhodg66]

I recently got a Savage 99 (I love 'em) in .358 and have been getting stuff together for it. I basically have all the stuff now and will get her going soon.

I plan to use the NOE clone of the RCBS 200 grain FP and will probably load it to velocity levels the .35 Remington could handle. With my style of hunting, it should handle my deer hunting needs for the rest of my life. If by some chance I ever get to go on a hunting trip for something bigger like elk, I'll experiment with heavier bullets.

[35 shooter]

I own a 35 whelen and love it so i need another 35 cal. like i need a hole in my head. As we all know that rarely has anything to do with buying another rifle tho. I was looking for a 358. bbl. for an encore , couldn't find one, so got the the whelen instead. But now that i've got some experience with a 35 cal.(drops game like Thor's Hammer)......My take on the perfect do anything, hunt anywhere rifle would be the BLR takedown in 358 win....Want one baaaadddd! Congratulations on yours....let us know how it shoots.

[DeanWinchester]

Hey I resemble that remark!
I'm not part of a cult or anything! The simple fact is that the 358 winchester is the most understated, effective, super juicy, cost effective, efficient, accurate, humdinger of a rifle cartridge ever devised by modern man.
It would have been Teddy Roosevelt's favorite but it was designed too late.
It would be the premier mid range cartridge, and supplant the 30-30 for that title but it was introduced right when all the belted magnums were sweeping the nation so was pitifully lost in the shuffle.
It is the ultimate method by which to propel a cast lead boolit to it's intended target with vigor and gusto!

Tis a booliteers cartridge. Yea verily, amen.

That said, I am a big fan of all the 308 based cartridges. I hope to spend quality time with the 338 Federal and the 7mm-08 in the near future, but nothing will supplant the 358 Winchester in my mind as the ultimate, all around boolit slinger.
It's perfect.



Ohh sure, but do you LIKE the cartridge?

[MBTcustom]

A little bit. I'm slightly partial to it.

[waksupi]

They are alright, if you don't mind having a chambering that will kill anything you point it at, and just plain wants to shoot without a lot of fuss and bother.

[youngda9]

Hey I resemble that remark!
I'm not part of a cult or anything!
I lost the flyer that says when the next meeting is...could you sent me another one Father Goodsteel? I've been working on the secret handshake. How many wives are we allowed to have again? There will be a shootin range at the compound you're building, right? :???:

[joepb]

I have two main elk rifles. One is a Browning pre 81 BLR in 358 with a scope. The other is a Browning 1895 in 35 Whelen with open sights. I love the 35's.........Joe

[Tatume]

Based on readings here I ordered an RCBS 35-200-FN mold. Also, I found some Remington 200 grain RN bullets, and got a couple of hundred of them too. I have a few hundred Remington 180 grain HP bullets that I will use for sight-in, initial practice, etc. I also have two boxes of Speer Hot Cor 250 grain bullets that I will reserve for hunting. I have 50 rounds of ammo loaded with Sierra 225 grain SBT bullets from a time when I ordered a BLR many years ago, but never got the gun. These were assembled using new, primed, 308 Winchester cases. Of course, when the weather warms up enough to cast I'll make a bucket full of bullets. I think I'm ready, all I need now is the rifle, which should arrive Monday. I guess I'm excited about it; I've wanted one since the 1970s.

[MGD]

I have only had problems with max loads and greater that 200 grain bullets. The mag latch would come free in recoil, dropping the magazine. Dropping the load to approx 85% solve the problem. Could have been the latch or magazines but got it working, and didn't have to send it back to Browning.
Great rifle, being a light-weight hunting rifle with a narrow forearm it takes better technique on the bench when developing loads. When you get the technique down pat it will surprise you with it's accuracy.

[joepb]

I am using Saeco 352 mold with gas check. 50/50 wheel wt./soft lead and sized .359 with a dose of BLC2 is working great for me............Joe

[Tatume]

Hi Folks,

I've been thinking about loading double-ended 148 grain wadcutters in the 358 Winchester BLR. With an appropriate charge it could be a very nice squirrel and rabbit gun. What do you think?

Take care, Tom

[nekshot]

I had one of the first blr's in 358 that came out. Kicked like a mule but it sure was accurate! I don't really miss it from the recoil point of view.

[JesterGrin_1]

I think the .358 Winchester is a bit better than a Sling Shot. :)

I have said this before and a few might be tired of reading it. BUT if I would have had my Savage .358 Winchester built before my 35 Whelen AI then I would have not built the .35 Whelen AI but another .358 Winchester. :). And as a matter of fact I am still thinking of another .358 Winchester. But I would use the E.R.Shaw .358 Winchester Stainless barrel cut to 20" with there Spiral fluting and a Savage Stainless action. Yes I like stainless. :) Or a lighter barrel if I could find one as E.R.Shaw only has 1 weight for the .358 Winchester which is a Heavy Mag Contour. And as you might have guessed it is heavy.

[AnthonyB]

Don't overlook the M94s and 336s in 356 Winchester if you come across one. I use 308 brass necked up in both with no problem and have achieved lever action nirvana. I still want to build a 20 inch M7 in 358...