Looking for 358 cast boolit cartridge

[CENTEX BILL]

I want to build a bolt action rifle to shoot 358 size castboolits. I current have a 358 win in a sav 99 but want a bolt action platform. The 358 win is a great hunting cartridge but has more powder capacity than needed for cast boolits velocities.

My current thoughts are a 358/7mmBR case. This would roughly dupicate the 35 rem capability plus have a .473 head size so a standard short action boltface could be used. It would give the needed velocities with reduced powder comsumptation.

Am I crazy for thinking about this? What are others thoughts on this project?

Thanks in advance,

Centex Bill

[high standard 40]

Why not use the 35 Rem? I know that a lot of XP100 pistols that were originally in 35 Rem have been rebarreled to .473" head size cartridges with no bolt face modifications needed. I have a 35 Rem XP and have experimented with this. My 358 Win cases fit the 35Rem XP bolt just fine. There's only .013" difference in the case heads. I'd say just get a rifle with a .473" boltface and chamber it in 35 Rem.
It should be just fine and save on the expense of a custom chamber and dies.

[rhbrink]

I think it's a great ideal but may have feeding issues. I tried a while back to run some 30 BR ammo through a 700 SA and they would not feed. You would have to make some sort of block that fits inside the magazine and shorten up the magazine follower. I didn't do it too much trouble.

[Leftoverdj]

Why not use the 35 Rem? I know that a lot of XP100 pistols that were originally in 35 Rem have been rebarreled to .473" head size cartridges with no bolt face modifications needed. I have a 35 Rem XP and have experimented with this. My 358 Win cases fit the 35Rem XP bolt just fine. There's only .013" difference in the case heads. I'd say just get a rifle with a .473" boltface and chamber it in 35 Rem.
It should be just fine and save on the expense of a custom chamber and dies.

The practical difference is less than that. Most nominally .473 cases run .465 or even smaller. At least some .35 Rems will accept .308 cases, sized and trimmed to .35 Rem with no other modification. In fact, prechambered .35 Rem barrels are made for Mausers originally chambered for the even larger 6.5x55.

Whether the .35 Rem will be the best choice for a cast bullet chambering is another matter, but it'll work.

[high standard 40]

The practical difference is less than that. Most nominally .473 cases run .465 or even smaller. At least some .35 Rems will accept .308 cases, sized and trimmed to .35 Rem with no other modification. In fact, prechambered .35 Rem barrels are made for Mausers originally chambered for the even larger 6.5x55.

Whether the .35 Rem will be the best choice for a cast bullet chambering is another matter, but it'll work.

You are correct about the real world dimensions of factory brass. All I have checked lately are under.
And also as stated above, the 35 Rem would feed better than a BR case and would fit in a short action.

[Bullshop]

A friend of mine built a 358/39.

[Old Ironsights]

I want to build a bolt action rifle to shoot 358 size castboolits. I current have a 358 win in a sav 99 but want a bolt action platform. The 358 win is a great hunting cartridge but has more powder capacity than needed for cast boolits velocities.

My current thoughts are a 358/7mmBR case. This would roughly dupicate the 35 rem capability plus have a .473 head size so a standard short action boltface could be used. It would give the needed velocities with reduced powder comsumptation.

Am I crazy for thinking about this? What are others thoughts on this project?

Thanks in advance,

Centex Bill

If you ever want to part with that 99 ... PM me ... PLEASE !!!

[Ricochet]

Someone's likely already done this, but how about the 7.62x39 necked up to .35 caliber? A 9x39.

Rim diameter's nominally 11.35mm or .447".

There's a plentiful supply of 7.62x39mm cases that could easily be necked up, and they're not going to go away. Get a set of dies made, have a .35 caliber barrel chambered, and you're in business. It'd really be sweet on one of those little mini-Mauser actions, maybe a carbine in a Mannlicher stock.

If you're going to have custom dies made up, you could modify the sizer and also get a custom reamer made to straighten out the body taper and steepen the shoulder if you're into that "Ackley Improved" sort of thing, but I'd keep it simple and stick to the original profile.

[bearcove]

If you only want to shoot 200 gr and less then I won't argue the 358 being large. I am getting one of swede's 358009 molds 280 gr. also have 358318 @ 245 gr. The 35 rem is small for these weights. What are you going to use it for small big game like deer or big game like elk and moose?

[Leftoverdj]

A friend of mine built a 358/39.

Sounds interesting. Got more info?

[Blammer]

Heck take a 30-30 and neck it up to 35 cal.

[Terrier]

I can't find it right off but somewhere I have or had a drawing of a comparison of the 7.62X39 Improved and the .30PPC. I will keep looking.

The X BR case can be made to feed. There is an article in Handloaders Digest #17 on page 166 that goes through what was required to make the .30BR feed in a Remington Model 7. If you were just shooting off the bench, a bench rest follower would eliminate the issues.

There are a couple of shooters using the .35 BR in matches over at the Cast Bullet Association. The July-August issue of the Fouling Shot has the specs in the match results section. I have thought seriously about just such a rifle, but man oh man the customs stuff is really expensive. I just have to figure a way around most of the extra costs.

Terrier

[runfiverun]

ruger currently makes it's hawkeye in 358 win. and the saeco 248 is about as good a fit as you could want,gator checks and b.a.c lube will do fine also.
at least up to j-word velocities.

[Terrier]

Here is the link for the 7.62X39 Imp and an explination of the various chambers.
http://www.ar15barrels.com/tech/762x39imp.pdf

Another thought, if you are going for the ultimate in accuracy with your project you will want match quality brass which is not available for the .35 Rem but is for the .308, PPC and X BR series.

Terrier

[TREERAT]

the .358 win can be run to FULL velocity if you want to take the time to paper patch!!!

but if you want a different suggeestion for a .358 cast shooter, I always liked the idea of a .357 max, as you could also shoot 357 mags and 38 specials through it.

[Leftoverdj]

Treerat, that's not a bad suggestion. I have Maxed Handi, like it a lot, shoot it a lot, but he specified a bolt action, and the rimmed case is a bit of a problem. It does suggest an economical route to what he wants, though, call it the .357 Max rimless. All it would take would be a .357 Max reamer that would cut to headspace on the case mouth, make the brass from .223, and load with Max dies. It would make a great hunting rifle on a Mini-Mauser or CZ 527.

[O.S.O.K.]

First comment: IMHO you have the perfect cast boolit shooter with the Savage - not to mention that its a really cool rifle. Use a load of 40 grains of W748 under a Saeco 250 grain fn gc boolit. That will fly about 2000 fps. That load gives 98% case fill and is very accurate in my Marlin 356 (rimed 358 Win).

Second comment: If you must have a bolt gun then I agree with the 35 Rem as being the ideal cast boolit shooter for you - though, it won't push the 250 grainers to 2000 fps like the 358 Win will... but you can use standard load data for 200 grain boolits and get excellent results with that.

Guess it depends on what weight boolits you want to shoot. I personally gravitate towards the heavies for cast boolits to ensure you get the one thing that is needed from a cast boolit - penetration.

[NHlever]

While the .35 Remington will work in a standard .473 bolt face gun, all the ones I've played with exhibit lazy extraction, and ejection, and just don't function that well. Now the Remington custom shop offers a slick .35 Remington bolt gun, or two........

[Ole]

.357 Maximum?

I run 190 grain RD's out of my 14" Contender at 1900-1950fps and I haven't even pushed it.