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Thread: 358 norma mag

  1. #1
    Boolit Master bearcove's Avatar
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    358 norma mag

    I am going to try one.

    Already have molds for 35whelan 358009 and some pp molds and other molds. It seems to be a equal to the 375h/h but 35 cal
    I'm just the welder, go ask him>

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    I have been gathering the parts and tools necessary to build one for the past few years, myself. I just need to decide which .35 Whelen gets its chamber reamed out.

    It has gone more towards the back burner since I found I like messing with the smaller caliber rounds better here lately.

    I believe the .358 Norma Mag would be a very good cartridge for an everything larger than whitetail rifle.

    Robert

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    Only downside I can see is the lack of factory ammo at the local hardware store during a hunting trip. Anything the .338 Win can do, the .358 Norma can do better. I know if one ever crosses my path, I will jump on it.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I was at an estate auction a couple of weeks ago and there were five or six boxes of factory unprimed virgin .358 Norma Magnum brass there.

    The sad thing is my back got to hurting too much to stay and buy it.

    I do have 101 rounds of milsurp .300 Win Mag brass to convert when I get my rifle finished though. It makes dandy .358 brass, I tried it. I also have some virgin .338 brass that could be used in a pinch; but I really don't like necking up that small a diameter, too easy for someone to just read the headstamp and stick it in a .338.

    I think the 101 rounds of .300 Win Mag will be sufficient for several years.

    Robert

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I don't want to rain on anyone's party, but................

    I have little doubts of the 358 Norma Mag's power with jacketed rounds. Like has been said already, the round is roughly equivalent to the 375 H & H.

    However when comparing the available .35 cal cartridge cases available to the reloader , I can think of MANY that are much better suited to cast bullets than the 358 Norma Mag, such as the 35 Rem., the 358 Win., and the 35 Whelen. Even the Whelen is on the edge of being too large in internal cast capacity for the .35 cal. cast bullet. The 358 Win. may be just about ideal as far as case capacity for cast bullet applications.

    Just my opinion, not trying to dampen anyone's interest in a new rifle.

    Ben
    Last edited by Ben; 04-10-2014 at 12:48 AM.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    I'll throw a bit more rain on this...

    Look at the dimensions of those Norma cartridges compared to Winchester ones. For all intents and purposes a 358 Norma is the same thing as a necked up 338 Win Mag. Except it isn't. The dimensions of the Norma brass and the Norma chamber is slightly different, as is the headspace dimension. If you have a Norma chambered rifle you need Norma brass to use in it for everything to fit properly. If you build a 35 X 338 Win Mag, you can use any available 2.5 inch or longer belted magnum brass and not have to buy the special Norma cases. Something to keep in mind....

    -Nobade

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    years ago I drooled and slobbered over the thoughts of having many of these odd ball magnums just for the nuts of it. After I looked at all the extra money needed to mess with them and got a good nights rest the feeling went away! But if it is what you want go for it and I can think of a few others while your at it!
    Look twice, shoot once.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben View Post
    I don't want to rain on anyone's party, but................

    I have little doubts of the 358 Norma Mag's power with jacketed rounds. Like has been said already, the round is roughly equivalent to the 375 H & H.

    However when comparing the available .35 cal cartridge cases available to the reloader , I can think of MANY that are much better suited to cast bullets than the 358 Norma Mag, such as the 35 Rem., the 358 Win., and the 35 Whelen. Even the Whelen is on the edge of being too large in internal cast capacity for the .35 cal. cast bullet. The 358 Win. may be just about ideal as far as case capacity for cast bullet applications.

    Just my opinion, not trying to dampen anyone's interest in a new rifle.

    Ben
    Ben you are absolutely right, the .358 Norma is way to big to use loaded to its potential as a cast bullet round. So is the Whelen, I believe. When I built my first Whelen, I was not into casting for rifles; if I had been it would probably have been a .358 Winchester.

    What can I say, I had wanted a .35 Whelen since I read an article by Jack O'Connor (I think) praising it when I was a kid.

    My plans for the Norma were to use a 250 grain Nosler Partition as a long range elk rifle; but since my best friend moved from Colorado, and my physical condition has gone downhill, the project has moved ever farther towards the maybe someday pile.

    My .35 caliber cast boolit shooting is being handled these days by a Marlin 336A in .35 Remington, but really for targets the little .357 mag carbines do fine.

    I still like oddball or outside the norm cartridges, but the .25-20 or .22 Hornet are a lot easier to shoot a couple of hundred in an afternoon than any rifle cartridge beginning with .35.

    Robert

  9. #9
    Boolit Master on Heaven’s Range
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    A 358 Norma Mag. or a 358 STA spent a long time near the top of my bucket list,settled for the Norma after shooting one belonging to another member here..Nothing but jacketed downrange from mine yet,but that will change,as original intent was to shoot cast,specifically from 285 gr to "whatever"heavier I can come up with..I had/have a # of 35 Whelen rifles and still am long 5 358 W. in bolt,lever,and slide action set ups... all the smaller cartridges don't go where I want to be with the "heavy'bullets...Like others have pointed out,the 358 W.. is the place to start and I think the majority would be happy to dwell there... Onceabull
    "The Eagle is no flycatcher"

  10. #10
    Boolit Master bearcove's Avatar
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    Not worried that its not ideal for cast. Have a 35 rem and a 35 Whelen Working on a 358 win. I have 358 NM dies and brass and 300 win mag brass to make more. Don't have anything 338 and got rid of my 375 H&H cause it was too heavy so it never got carried. I have a 30-06 that goes with me most places so if I lost all my ammo I could find that.

    I go to Alaska and it would be used there if anywhere. Good for long shots power for up close work if needed. AND most importantly I have all the components for it.
    I'm just the welder, go ask him>

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I have a 30-06 that goes with me most places so if I lost all my ammo I could find that.
    Funny you said that. When I was stationed in Fallon, NV and coming home every fall on leave to fill my freezer, I brought whatever the current rifle is was building/ having fun with, and my old 98a Mauser in .30-06 that I have had forever. If it got down to the last couple of days of deer season the new toy got put up and the '06 filled my remaining tags.

    Robert

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    If any one is interested, I have a complete set up of dies, brass, factory ammo, and a Ruger 77 tang safety for sale... Drop me an PM
    Founder of the Single Shot section.

    A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have.


    8 in the 10 ring, then I get a PING. Love my Garand.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master bearcove's Avatar
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    Still thinking
    I'm just the welder, go ask him>

  14. #14
    Boolit Master bearcove's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nobade View Post
    I'll throw a bit more rain on this...

    Look at the dimensions of those Norma cartridges compared to Winchester ones. For all intents and purposes a 358 Norma is the same thing as a necked up 338 Win Mag. Except it isn't. The dimensions of the Norma brass and the Norma chamber is slightly different, as is the headspace dimension. If you have a Norma chambered rifle you need Norma brass to use in it for everything to fit properly. If you build a 35 X 338 Win Mag, you can use any available 2.5 inch or longer belted magnum brass and not have to buy the special Norma cases. Something to keep in mind....

    -Nobade
    The head space is not an issue because the 358 NM case is shorter. the belt of the case is the same as the standard mag case it technically headspaces off of,is the same as a 300 WM, the shoulder is set back.
    I'm just the welder, go ask him>

  15. #15
    Boolit Master bearcove's Avatar
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    you have to trim the brass cause they are too long
    I'm just the welder, go ask him>

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    I went to an Estate sale several years ago. While there, one of my purchases was a flat of factory rifle ammo. 7mm Rem Mag, 358 Winchester, and Norma brand 358 NM. I sold most of the 7mm and 358 Win ammo at various gunshows, but no one was interested in the Norma ammo. The longer I had it, the more I was intrigued. So before I knew it, I was the proud owner of a 1917 that had been fitted with a thumbhole stock, and converted over to 358 Norma Magnum!
    It shot factory ammo well, but before I could wring it out, a certain enabler on this board had found a custom Model 700 with a Douglas barrel (also chambered in 358 NM) for sale at a price I couldn't pass up. The 1917 went on to a new owner, and I had something to really work with.
    I put my Vari-x III on top and went to the range. Two shots to get the factory rounds in the center of the paper, and the next three went into about 3/4", outside to outside!
    I took a white tail buck with it, at 265 yards, 2 years ago. At impact, the buck drew up all 4 legs, and dropped into the spot he had been standing in. DRT
    I have not taken the time to work up a cast load for this rifle, because trying to pay the bills each month has taken pretty much all of my focus. But this year is going to be different - I and a good friend of mine, have drawn hunting tags good for one each, Bull Elk and Cow Elk. That's four total for the two of us. Taking my elk with my own cast boolit would be icing on the cake, so let the fun begin!!!

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  17. #17
    Boolit Master

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    I wouldn't worry too much about the .358 Norma case being too large for cast Boolits. I've done well with inexpensive WCC860 and heavy Boolits in the 35 Whelen. I'll bet the big .358 Norma case would be even better with the same type of combo.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by cabezaverde View Post
    If any one is interested, I have a complete set up of dies, brass, factory ammo, and a Ruger 77 tang safety for sale... Drop me an PM
    Still have this for anyone interested.
    Founder of the Single Shot section.

    A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have.


    8 in the 10 ring, then I get a PING. Love my Garand.

  19. #19
    Boolit Mold
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    there are a bazillion powders for reduced loads that shoot ANY .358 boolit just fine. I have shot everything I wanted to in my 350 Remington magnum. at low velocities also.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    I used to have a 358 NM for several years and had no problems fire forming 338 WM brass into 358 NM brass, I used pistol powder with toilet paper wad and then corn meal filled all the way up and capped of with some wax sounded like a 20 ga going off. I never loaded with cast but used several jacketed bullets in the 225 to 250 gr range killed allot of game with that old gun just got to be to much recoil for this old body.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check