358 Winchester plinking load success

[Jevyod]

So for my 358 Winchester that Tim Malcolm built, I was working on an easy shooting load for fun/possible small game load. I had come across a promising load so today I loaded up some and decided to see how 30 rounds group. Here are the loaded rounds before heading to the range:

Load data was as follows: 1x fired Rem 308 brass formed into 358, CCI 200 primers, 12.1 grns Unique powder, and the Arsenal 358-158 bullet from the recent group buy. Mine drop at right around 162 graind with the gas check installed. Bullets were powdercoated with Smokes powder, a mix of the dark blue and the traffic purple to make a dark purple. Here are the results of 30 shots at 50 yards. I did not give time for the barrel to cool between shots, and there was a 5-10 mph breeze. So with cooling the barrel plus a calm day, one could probably tighten the group up pretty easily. The shots tended to go higher as the barrel heated up. So here is the pic: (grid is 1/2 inch squares)


I am very happy with the results. This was just fun shooting plain and simple!

[Winger Ed.]

Way cool.

Be careful at the range.
Some people don't like it when you make them look bad.
Especially after they've told you cast will never work, and you'll ruin the barrel too.

[Beerd]

you sure all 30 hit the target?
I can't count more than 20 holes.

Same sight setting as your usual hunting load?
..

[Jevyod]

Am pretty sure all 30 are in there!!!! I moved the sight down about 2 inches for these as they impact about 2 inches higher than my hunting loads

[Silvercreek Farmer]

That was your 358th post! Your "plinking load" probably carries as much energy as a full power 357 mag revolver. Go forth and make meat!

[richhodg66]

That was your 358th post! Your "plinking load" probably carries as much energy as a full power 357 mag revolver. Go forth and make meat!

Yep.

I did some similar loads in my .358, but have done it more in a Handi in .35 Wheln. One of the beautiful things about the .35s is the ability to use revolver bullets for this sort of thing.

[cwlongshot]

Great fun load!!

Love the 358's!

CW

[Norske]

My Browning BLR shoots anything I've tried if I use IMR 3031 powder. Three 200 gr cast gas checked bullets from Missouri Bullets landed in an elongated 1-hole group at 100 yards. The outside of the group can be covered with a dime. My range has a fun challenge called "dime group" where the outside of three shots has to be smaller than a dime. It encourages shooting. My 358 is the largest caliber to have done it so far. The powder charge was 39 grains.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

My Browning BLR shoots anything I've tried if I use IMR 3031 powder. Three 200 gr cast gas checked bullets from Missouri Bullets landed in an elongated 1-hole group at 100 yards. The outside of the group can be covered with a dime. My range has a fun challenge called "dime group" where the outside of three shots has to be smaller than a dime. It encourages shooting. My 358 is the largest caliber to have done it so far. The powder charge was 39 grains.

Very nice! I'll have to try your load. I was working with RL7 and getting very hunting worthy groups of around 1.5" at 2300 fps+ but ES were a bit wide. I bought a lb of 3031 to try but it has been shelved.

[Jevyod]

That was your 358th post! Your "plinking load" probably carries as much energy as a full power 357 mag revolver. Go forth and make meat!

I was thinking it should work dandy at the woods ranges I shoot where 75 yards is a long shot!

[Camba]

Nice shooting!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Milsurp Junkie]

I have a 358 winchester (243 Rossi single shot rebored by jes) that I want to shoot some pistol bullets with. I have some 158 grain XTP HP and FP, that I would like to see how they would act for Texas deer and varmint hunting, and I wanted to see if I could find a nice squirrel load for some 158 grain swaged speer roundnose bullets I have. I have unique, red dot, 2400, hs6, 3031, and trailboss. Something in the 1200 fps range.

[Norske]

If sometime you have trouble getting Reloader 7, Ramshot Exterminator works in a similar fashion. Western Powder's reloading guide lists Winchester primers for all their rifle powders, which I find much more reliable with any double base powder, especially graphite coated ones.