Savage in .358 Win. Now I need help :o). With Pic

[Plinkster]

I've heard it said that life is too short to shoot ugly guns, but by golly when they shoot that well they start to look alot better don't they!?

[MBTcustom]

I've heard it said that life is too short to shoot ugly guns, but by golly when they shoot that well they start to look alot better don't they!?

Its an underdog for sure. I'm not near done with it yet either. Who knows what it'll look like in another three years.
The way I see it is that if a gun shoots, then I have something to work with. No amount of polishing and bluing will make it shoot any better, but if it shoots to begin with, then I don't mind spending the time.

[JesterGrin_1]

Ok 3 Five Shot Test Groups at 50 yards. I think I might be on to something lol. Thank You Ben and Goodsteel and one and all. Today was a HAPPY DAY With a HAPPY DANCE lol. Yes I did scare the straights lol.

[JesterGrin_1]

This is the BRP-360-220 FP/GC of which looks very close to the RCBS 358-200 FP/GC with just a bit more weight.

[Ben]

JesterGrin_1 ,

Now you're onto something ! !

Looks to me like that 33.5 gr. load
and I would get along just fine ! !

Good Shooting,
Keep Dancing,

Ben

[JesterGrin_1]

Again Thank You Ben. Now I need to move it back to 100 yards. And hope it only Doubles in size which would be what 1/2 in groups lol. .

To say I was EXCITED Would be an Understatement lol.

Now I hope someone has Quick Load so I can find out if it will work on a rabbit lol. Just Joshing about the Rabbit lol.

I will part with a Secret though. When I fired the first second shot I had to say WOW it is almost in the same hole. And was scared to fire the next three and kill the Group lol. But 5 rounds almost in the same hole was simply AMAZING.

[MBTcustom]

Now your cooking with gas!
Sometimes the smallest change makes all the difference.
Move that target back and see what she does.

[waksupi]

We've been warning you, the .358 Win will shoot.

[Ben]

JesterGrin_1 :

You've listened to my advice once, now try it a 2nd time.

Go and buy yourself a 1 lb. can of IMR - 4895. That powder is capable of good things also in the 358 Win.

Do the same " ladder test " like you did today with similar charges using the IMR - 4895.

Could be more dancing to be done in the coming days ..........

The 358 Winchester is a real winner on paper & on game animals ! !

Ben

[JesterGrin_1]

Ok I will Venture to ask why is 4895 better than 3031?

Plus I have had an 8 pound Jug of 3031 under my bench for a couple of years and finally found a good use for it lol.

But if 4895 will give better speeds with the same accuracy then it might be worth a try. Just at this point it seems as though the 3031 load would be hard to beat?

[MBTcustom]

4895 will give it a slightly smoother push. Its just a touch slower than 3031, and will fill the case a little fuller. It's worth a try if you are dissatisfied with your 100 yard groups and cant pull them in. I have been where you are with the 3031, but remember that the rifle doesn't care how much powder you have of one brand or another. It likes what it likes.
Sounds like you are awful darn close with 3031 though, and while Ben's advice should never be taken lightly, I think you should take a few more shots with the 3031.
Remember to only change one thing at a time!!!! Remind yourself, and make sure that you are not inadvertently muddying the waters with two changes at once.
In other words, you have the cat by the tail; its a lot easier to let go than it is to catch it again.

[JesterGrin_1]

Well this is my Thinking at the moment lol. I will probably load up another 20 to 30 rounds of the 33.5Gr load and check how it does at 100 yards. As I am going to head down to the Lease this Thursday and hope I have enough left just in case I run across a Hog. That is if they group at 100 yards

Plus those 30 Bullets are the last ones of the Group I cast for it. I wish I could say oh I will just run outside and cast another 100 lol. But I am not as good of a caster as it seems many here are lol. For me to get 100 Good ones I usually have to cast about 400 or so of them. Then visually inspect them and of the ones that pass that then I weigh each one and group them by weight. And my weight variance for the group is less then .5 Gr. So a bunch go back into the pot lol. Then I can gas check them and lube them.

Whewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Jacketed bullets would be far cheaper as far as time. And easier to get to group at higher speeds BUT there is something to be said for Taking Game with your own BOOLITS and loads that is hard to describe.

[Ben]

JesterGrin_1

Why is 4895 better than 3031?

I can't tell you that it is better, however I've shot some pretty impressive groups with IMR - 4895 in the 358 Win.

I think it is worth your time and $ to investigate IMR 4895.

If your IMR 3031 load continues to shoot tight at 100 yards, you may not want to give it up, if it doesn't shoot well, IMR 4895 would be my next investment.

In theory, the same charge of IMR 4895 vs IMR 3031 should give you slightly less pressure and a bit more gentle push on the bullet.

Goodsteel speaks the truth on loading for the .358 Win.

Ben

[W.R.Buchanan]

You guys are killing me!

Now I have to find a .358?

Have wanted a BLR for some time, maybe that would fill the bill.

Randy

[MBTcustom]

Randy, you dont have to find a 358 Winchester. If you cast and shoot long enough, it will find you.
It truly is the unsung hero of the cast boolit cartridges. Its perfect. Matter of fact, any cartridge that shoots 2600FPS on the high end (with light for cartridge boolits) would be a superb cast boolit cartridge.
Unfortunately, very few fit that description. They are either too fast, or too slow, so you are always working in the fringe of the cartridges capabilities and either the boolit or the cartridge's performance ends up suffering for it.

Boolit weight,
Boolit speed,
Case capacity,
OAL,
Brass availability,
Suitable rifle actions,
Powder selection,
With the 358 Winchester, you have margin in every direction.

[JesterGrin_1]

As you might be able to tell I am pretty New to the .358 Winchester but I have to say I have done weeks of reading and searching before I had the .358 Winchester Built.

As said the cartridge itself is darn hard to Ignore. When one can use pistol bullets if should one wish to do so. And Cast Boolits both of Pistol and Rifle designs. Now if that was not enough lol. You can load a large variation of bullet weights in Rifle designs from 200Gr up to 300Gr for whatever game you wish to use it for.

And if you really feel the need to reach out there say to 300 yards then you can pick a jacketed round from 180Gr up to the 300 Gr for shorter distances but for more dangerous Animals that need penetration.

And by the way the .358 Winchester when loaded with jacketed rounds can stay right up there with the 30-06.

So lets Re Cap lol. The .358 Winchester can use less powder and push a heaver bullet up into and beyond the 30-06 with a very large number of bullet designs and weights. What is hard not to like. I forgot to add this all this can be done in a Short Action and a Shorter barrel which depending on the rifle can make it lighter and more handy.

Here is just tid bit of reading. http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/358_wcf.htm

[MBTcustom]

I also have shot capsules for mine. Might need to blast a snake in the woods, so I keep a couple of those handy.
Also, the 358Winchester can sling a lot more lead than 300 grains.

[mpmarty]

You guys are killing me!

Now I have to find a .358?

Have wanted a BLR for some time, maybe that would fill the bill.

Randy

Having a BLR in 358 I agree it is a very nice rifle but the trigger is awful.

[35Whelen]

I know this is an old thread...but here is the .358 Win using an Accurate 360-240 and IMR 4895......easy to shoot and accurate. 1800 fps

[Nrut]

100m ?
36-240A = PB in Toms catalog..
Is yours a PB or did you have him cut for a gc ?
Would be good to know the alloy and if it was WD or AC..


Good shooting by the way..