.358 Winchester again.

[softpoint]

I am looking for a 2000-2100 fps. loading for the Saeco 245 gr. bullet in my ,358 Winchesters. Ive already had good success with H4350, and 3031. However,4320 is listed in several sources as one of the best jacketed bullet powders, and Ihave an accurate load for the 250 gr. Hornady with this propellant. But I'm not finding any data anywhere for cast, I suppose I could use j word starting loads and go from there. Also, I have14 lbs of this powder and it will take a loooong time to use it up in my.250 Savage!
Wondering if anyone has used this propellant with cast boolits, and what results you got.

[PatMarlin]

39gr of mil surp 4895 is a cat's meow accurate load for mine with that Saeco.

[PatMarlin]

Also you may want to invest in Richard Lee's latest book for very good info on working up low pressure loads for cast boolits, and the safe way to use copper bullet load data with cast.

[softpoint]

I'm wondering how close that surplus 4895 is to Hodgdon's? I have Lee's book,I;ll have to go back and reference it. Sounds like a strange load, but I had great results with that bullet and 47gr. H4350, I just don't have a lot of that and wanted to experiment with other powders. At exactly 10 grains less, 37 grains of 3031 did good too, but I'm stingy with that powder, as it helps feed 4 45/70's.
I'd sure like to find a reasonably priced heavyweight mold to try in my 2 358's Both are Shilen barrel, 1 in14 twist.

[PatMarlin]

Suggestions from Richard Lee in his book Modern Reloading. Loading a reduced "too Little" powder charge load with very slow powder and large rifle cases can be a dangerous pressure spike situation, so he offers this info... Quote-

"A very conservative guide line would be to limit charge reduction to 20% for the slowest powder on the Burning Rate Chart (he's refering to the burning rate chart listed in his book which is an extensive list of common powders). You may increase the reduction by 1% for each preceeding 30 powders on the chart. Limit total reduction to 50% for the rest except for greatly reduced squib loads. Load these with a very fast but extremely light load."

[runfiverun]

just so's y'all know a flat pointed semi-copy of the saeco 245 for a g/b is in the works.

[softpoint]

That 47gr. load with H4350 was a case full ! It shot well, though.

[GLynn41]

I have been considering the same thing for my 18.5 " 358 --my powders would have to be H322 or H335 -varget what think ye

[felix]

They would all work fine, Glynn. ... felix

[358wcf]

Let's see all those pet loads for the heavier projectiles in this fine cartidge! All my extensive loading data, most of it vintage, lists loads for lighter cast bullets in the 358Win, with very limited data for the 358318 Lyman at approx 248gr, and these loads are all using faster powders for no more than 1500fps.
I've recently invested in the RCBS 250gr boolit, the Saeco 245gr boolit, and the 358009 Lyman 280gr boolit, hoping to develop an accurate, useful load for the heavier cast projectiles. All these NEW molds make quite an investment today!!!
So, guys, step right up and share what you know!
As you can probably tell, I am a real fan of the 358, and the ground squirrels of Modoc County run and hide when she shows up on the field!!! If I can't get her out during deer season, she's a might fine, accurate varmint gun year round-

358wcf

[NHlever]

I don't want to hijack your thread, but I have a quick .358 question for the gathered users. Local dealer has a good buy on a Ruger Frontier .358 Win. How do you all think the caliber would fare in that short (16 1/2" I think) barrel?

[softpoint]

NH lever,
I don'tthink you'd be giving up enough to matter as far as a hunting rifle goes. My 2 358's have "medium" length barrels, my Rem 700 has a 19" and my Rem 600 has a 20". I'd rather the rifle had a 18" or so, but Ruger has chose to make it 16.5" There aren't many options available in a factory .358 right now, The Ruger and the Browning lever are the only two I can think of. The little Rugers are nice to carry, and that can be important ,too, depending on where you hunt.

[Lloyd Smale]

i dont know about the hodgdon 4895 but my lot of surplus burns about identical to aa2495 and imr4895. If its differnt i doubt if its enough to get a guy in trouble unless your pushing the ragged edge of pressure which a guy doesnt do with cast anyway

[BustemAgain]

In my .358 win Ruger Hawkeye 42grs of Win748 gives me 2000 fps with the RCBS 35-250-SP that weighs 262gr checked and lubed. 5 shot groups average under 1.5inches. I also have the Saeco 352 mould but my 35 cal rifles seem to prefer the RCBS. I spent a great deal of my spare moments last year working to get a stone cold cast bullet hunting load with my criteria being a velocity of 2000fps +/- 100fps in an alloy soft enough to expand with an accuracy average of 1.5 inches or less for 3 five shot groups(@100 yds) without cleaning. This load fit the bill and worked great on an 8pt whitetail last year. Let me know if you need anymore details on this load and I will get out my reloading journal and dig it up for you. I bet I have expansion test results in there too.

[softpoint]

I am thinking about trying the same Saeco bullet that I am using now but casting some out of pure lead and paper patching before hunting season. I've had good results paper patching 45/70 loads.

[GLynn41]

My 18.5 " ruger will do the following- 200gr Remington 2440+\\ 220 speer with go 2350= \\225 Sierra about the same and the 250 gr. speer2250 -- I do not know how much will change with the 2" less barrell-60-80 fps I'd guess-- but like my 18.5 it will LOUD-- of course I use electronic head phones-- I am just starting with cast ...will let you know how it does go

[NHlever]

My 18.5 " ruger will do the following- 200gr Remington 2440+\\ 220 speer with go 2350= \\225 Sierra about the same and the 250 gr. speer2250 -- I do not know how much will change with the 2" less barrell-60-80 fps I'd guess-- but like my 18.5 it will LOUD-- of course I use electronic head phones-- I am just starting with cast ...will let you know how it does go

You might be interested in some history behind your 18.5" Ruger. There were only a limited number of them ever made, and there is a reason. It seems that one of the sales guys, a very prominant one, sold a bunch of .358 Winchester mannlicher stocked rifles to a distributor (RSI's), and the materials including the barrel blanks were ordered..... Naturally, Engineering guys figured that a .358 hole in a .500 diameter barrel might be a bit on the thin side with .358 Win pressures, and got the order cancelled. The barrel blanks sat around for a while, and ideas were tossed around about what to make with them. I was on the edges of that conversation, and suggested that they be made into .35 Remingtons since I thought a limited run of them would sell. Eventually, of course, they were turned to the same contour as the standard 22" barrels, and sold as 18.5" .358's as we know now. Anyway, just an extra tidbit of info about your gun. They all shot very well by the way! I'm curious, what is the twist in that barrel? Something in my foggy memory says they were 1-16" instead of the standard 1-12".