Ruger Hawkeye 358win Loads

[Island Trash]

Hey guys, first real post here. Been handloading since I was in my teens with my grandfather (32 now), the last few years I got into cast boolits. I want to start by thanking everyone for all the information I have picked up from this place, it has been invaluable.

About a year ago I purchased one of the stainless ruger hawkeyes in 358win that popped up for real cheap, strictly as a cast boolit gun. Finally got around to shooting loads I had made up and some shot very well. The rifle seems to like 2400. . These were shot at 50 yds. I did call the pulled shot on the 26 grn load, but it would still make meat. Just have to make up some more loads, try some slower powders, possibly a better alloy, and get the target out to 100 yds. Winds were bad, but I'm optimistic on getting this gun to shoot cast before deer season.

Any help or input you guys would have is always appreciated.

Brian

[Ben]

That's MY caliber ! !

I love my 35's. Yes, mine also shoots 2400 real well.

Ben

[waksupi]

They will shoot well. 10 shots, 100 yards. The vertical stringing was most likely operator induced.

[nekshot]

Waksupi, you could say the boolits were tumbling!lol(nice groub for 100)

Island, you are forever gonna be short on money now, need another mold! That is good shooting for beginning with cast.

[Island Trash]

I am definitely not short on molds, have the saeco 352 and 351, rcbs 35-200 and the noe copy of the same boolit and probably 10 designs from 180gr to about 125gr. I have been playing with 357 rifle and pistol loads since I started casting a few years ago. This is the first real "rifle round" I will cast for. Unfortunately, I know I will be constantly buying molds for everything I load for because the disease has already started. I have probably read every 358 Winchester thread that was posted in the last 3 or 4 years, my good start with this rifle is from information everyone here has shared.

Thanks again guys,
Brian

[JesterGrin_1]

You will find a bunch of threads by Ben and Waksupi as well as others that can be a great deal of help. I have not been able to do a bunch of work with my Savage .358 Win. But from my limited experience with the BRP 360-225 GC (Just a little heavier than the RCBS 35-200 )and 3031 has done very well in the accuracy department.

[PWS]

Great little lead slinger you've got!

I sent you a PM with the data from an Excel spreadsheet regarding the loads I worked up with the RCBS 35-200. Formatting is a mess or I would have posted it here. Hope you can sort through and make some sense of it.

I'll second JesterGrin1's suggestion to try IMR3031. Works well in my rifle too.

Sounds like you've got a lot of molds already but Accurate's #36-250C is another great choice for the .358Win.

[Island Trash]

I have got some 3031, 4895 and varget on hand that I will be trying. I also like the design of that BRP 360-225 and am in on the group buy for Mihec's copy of it. I have about a half dozen of MP molds and they are great probably another half dozen NOE molds, but only one accurate mold at the moment, every time I look at Tom's website I decide on a different design, once my tastes settle out a little bit more I will definitely be getting a few of them. I definitely have a preference for brass and steel molds over aluminum.

I even started with some paper patch loads with 3031. Didn't have many, it was the saeco 352 sized down to .351, then wrapped in vellum and final sized through a .358, it gave a final size of .359. But these were new cases, according to my fired cases I can fit .361-.362 boolit in the fired cases with good neck tension. Only had about 20 or so(3 of each load and a couple of sighters), did a ladder test with them, but nothing real conclusive. I did have a ton of fun, but will probably hold off on paper patching for a bit and get a few loads sorted with grease groove boolits first.

And here I thought I was having a blast with the Marlin and Ruger 357 rifles.

[ballistim]

Great little lead slinger you've got!

I sent you a PM with the data from an Excel spreadsheet regarding the loads I worked up with the RCBS 35-200. Formatting is a mess or I would have posted it here. Hope you can sort through and make some sense of it.

I'll second JesterGrin1's suggestion to try IMR3031. Works well in my rifle too.

Sounds like you've got a lot of molds already but Accurate's #36-250C is another great choice for the .358Win.

I am planning to have my Model 7 rebarrelled to this caliber and am researching loads, if you'd be willing to PM me these I'd appreciate it. I also am looking at active group buys or a good mold for this project.

[PWS]

You can also get some surprisingly good accuracy out of your gas check bullets by running them shallow in your lubesizer and just lubing the check shank. An 18Bhn, RCBS 35-200FN lubed this way over 8 grains of Unique runs just about 1150fps in my rifle and will print into 3/4" or so at 50 yards. Great for boppin' bunnies in the noggin'!

Attachment 80750

[Ole]

Here's another load/data point for you to peruse if you're looking for combos that work:



Group was fired @ 100 yards or so off the back of a pick up truck.

[Ole]

Also Jwords work well too. 43 grains of H322 and the Nosler 225 grain Accubond were more than this cow elk could handle:

[Island Trash]

A quick update:

Worked with 3031 and the saeco 352. Ran 32.0 to 38.0 gr. In .5 grain increments. 33.5 shot best. Loaded 50 more with that charge. Shot 5 round groups with 30 of them. The six five round groups averaged 1.0-1.25 inches at a measured 100 yards. Kept the last 20 for hunting.

Barely got this load finished before heading out for some deer meat. Connected with a nice doe. Double lung shot, no bone hit. The bullet slid between the ribs going in and out. I just can't bring myself to mess up a shoulder. The doe ran 25-30 yards.

I'm going to adjust the alloy a bit more or mess with casting pure lead soft noses to see if I can up the bullet performance on game.

[Island Trash]

Any one had any luck with AA XMR 4064 in the 358? Seems to be just slightly slower than 4895. I have been trying to hold out for more 4895, but no telling when it will show back up.

[bearbud]

To all 358 Ruger Hawkeye owners, how does your rifle feed the RCBS 35-200 or other flat point bullets? My rifle will only feed reliably spitzer type designs (jacketed or cast). I would like to know your experiance before contacting Ruger. bearbud

[youngda9]

To all 358 Ruger Hawkeye owners, how does your rifle feed the RCBS 35-200 or other flat point bullets? My rifle will only feed reliably spitzer type designs (jacketed or cast). I would like to know your experiance before contacting Ruger. bearbud

Each rifle is different. My stainless 358 Hawkeye does not like anything over .18" meplat. To figure this out file down the front of a bullet until it no longer chambers smoothly and measure the meplat limit for your rifle.

[Island Trash]

Mine feeds the RCBS 35-200 and the NOE copy very well through the magazine seated out to touch the lands. Just haven't worked up any loads yet, I have mostly focused on the Saeco 352 so far.