358 win. for hunting

[canuck4570]

in your opinion should I heat threat them or not for hunting... I will be using a Saeco 245 gr. GC going at about 2000 fps....

[waksupi]

I do heat treat mine, as my rifles seem to prefer a harder bullet. Try some out for accuracy, both AC and WH. Let the rifle tell you. Regardless of hardness, the big bullet with the fat nose, will do the job.

[GrizzLeeBear]

I'm planning on my next rifle being a Stevens 200 (probably .243) that I will rebarrel with one of the A & B .358 Win barrels that Midway sells, so I have been reading everything I can about shooting cast in it.
You do NOT want to have a real hard boolit for hunting, it will over penetrate or shatter. That 245 gr. bullet has plenty of weight and sectional density for penetration. You want to give it a chance for at least some expansion, and be ductile enough to hold together. I have shot the RCBS 35-200 boolit cast from air cooled WW lubed with Javelina at over 2000 fps out of a 35 Rem. with absolutely no leading and great accuracy (1 1/2" at 100 yds. with peep sight). You shouldn't have any problem shooting AC 245 gr. bullets at 2000+ fps, just make shure they are at or .001 bigger than your bore dia. Plus you won't have to go through the added work of heat treating them.

[Bass Ackward]

Mr. C,

The beauty of it is, that it just won't really matter as long as you generate the velocity. Over about 1800, it's velocity that does the work and meplat size and hardness are minimized.

Don't worry. You will get comfortable with it as you see it work. Just don't forget to close your mouth in the cold air. I have shot several things with it now (2200 fps muzzle) and my jaw drops every time.

[waksupi]

You will definitely get penetration from the heavy boolits, even at modest speed. They will shoot through several feet of elk, and keep on a-goin'. Great wound channel, and the past couple I shot, went maybe 25 yards until they were down.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=3337&highlight=elk

[canuck4570]

thanks very excited... will receive my mold soon I hope will try both air cooled and heat threated in boxes fild with wet paper will give you test result.... thanks Canuck