358 Win as a BPC ?

[greywuuf]

I know the 358 win was designed AFTER BP was out of fashion and it is a small capacity bottle neck case, BUT I have a situation where for considerable time most of the available Smokeless powders have dried up in my location. This is starting to alleviate a bit but in the height of the drought I got very interested in shooting my existing collection using BP ( or subs ) and it of course worked very well and was quite Viable in things like my 45 colt and 45-70's ... also worked after a fashion in the 38 special/.357 mag. never even considered it in things like the 300 win or the 7x57 but I am wondering what can be accomplished in the .358 win? it is a fairly large bore slight bottle neck and there are some heavy for caliber cast bullets available which seems in keeping with the original intent of BP cartridge design. Any one ever try it? Have any words of advice or expectations for outcome?

Curious in Alaska
Dan

[Nobade]

Duplex it a bit with some fast burning rifle powder like 2400, about 10%, and use boolits with plenty of lube. Use BP type soft lube. Works great!

-Nobade

[Ballistics in Scotland]

If you have a supply of jacketed bullets, it should work pretty well. You will lose a bit of power compared with smokeless loads, but a lot of deer have been shot with smokeless high velocity loads of the .44-40, and I don't see why it should be less effective than that. First-shot accuracy should be fine (black powder is very consistently ignitable), and it will fall off less rapidly than many with the following shots.

With cast bullets, it has a short neck which poses some problems. If it has a long a bearing surface as is desirable with lead alloy, you will have lubed grooves exposed either outside to the case to collect dirty, or in the powder space.

[Smoke4320]

Powder coat your bullets and will not need to worry about the attraction of dirt or bullet sticking slightly below neck
Otherwise I think it will work

[greywuuf]

Was actually thinking paper patched...since I was going to be going to a lot of work to lose power and convenience anyway might as well throw in another variable right?

[kokomokid]

If you shoot a 300-340 grain bullet you will need a very fast twist. Dont know how much problem the bottle neck would be but I would try 3f swiss powder and expect a lot of powder fouling. I shoot a 330 gr gg bullet in a 35-40 maynard ( sized down 38-55 brass)

[MT Chambers]

You will have to change your sight settings as the BP loads will not be nearly as flat shooting, then change them back when you get back to smokeless.

[Good Cheer]

Ya know, the .358 really looks like a late 19th century black powder cartridge thats had its neck shortened.