I have my .358 hunting load ready

[JDL]

I finished up testing some deer loads in my (new to me) Browning BLR T/D .358 this morning. Finally decided on using the RCBS 35-200 FN pushed along with 22 grains of 2400 powder because of it's accuracy over 37 grains of 4895, the runner up. Also I like the economy of the load. I think either would work great, along with several others in the 1800-1950 fps range because I hunt the thickets where shots are no longer than 70 yards and most half that. I have used the .358 on deer and elk but, only with bullets from Mr. Speer, Sierra, and Hornady. Time to use what I like most!:wink:

https://i.imgur.com/0QF9SB2l.jpg

[white eagle]

I use the same load of 2400 with a 260 gr boolit
works marvelously

[cwlongshot]

I havent tried 2400 In the 358 yet!!

CW

[richhodg66]

I settled on a load of 40 grains of IMR 4320 and a tuft of dacron with that same bullet. Worked well on the one deer I shot with it.

[Texas by God]

The .358 would probably shoot good with FG black powder even. Great cartridge, I’m sure I’ll have another someday..... That’s a very nice rifle you have; beware of Scope Eye if you must shoot any factory level loads!

[444ttd]

good job!!!

i use my 35/30-30 with 200gr fn gc and 20.9gr of 2400/dacron that goes 1726fps. i have only shot one doe with it, about 20 yards, but it was thru and thru.

[725]

Nice. Good looking rifle there.

[Norske]

The Hornady 200 gr FTX expanded violently on the adequate whitetail buck I shot with mine. The big exit hole drained the chest cavity and I wasn't wrist-deep in blood when I dressed him out. should I use my 358 BLR for black bear, I'll probably follow Buffalo Bore's example and use a 225 Sierra.
I've had less than stellar results with little hole in, little hole out deer kills with my 44M SBH revolvers. I'd certainly use a wheel weight cast bullet for a backup shot on a bear because it would penetrate lengthwise. My BLR has shot every bullet I've tried, jacketed or cast, but it insists on IMR 3031 powder.

[Tripplebeards]

My 35 Rem 336 likes 40 grains of varget using our group buy 200 grain MP HP mold. It has an average muzzle velocity of 2100 FPS. I use 50/50 ac COWW and pure with a little pewter added. It has a BH of 10.4. I casted up some 16:1 with a BH of 7.8 that I’ll end up trying out on deer number two. The softer alloy has a 2” group at 100 yards with the same load. Both the alloys have similar expanded weights and penetration depths in water filled milk jugs.

https://i.imgur.com/uVbAZ73.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/twfMJCG.jpg

It drops 9” at 200 yards. Here’s my first group at 200 yards with it. It was around 2 3/4” ...


https://i.imgur.com/kwAcv9k.jpg


It opens up really quick on water filled milk jugs so I’m sure it will put a good sized entry hole in thin skinned game. I can’t wait to see how quick it puts a deer down. I. Going to sight it in an inch high at a 100 yards so it will be around 2” low at a 150 yards. I doubt I’ll shoot it any further for deer hunting in my woods.

Seems my gun likes H4895 powder as well. I had enough powder to test one three shot group out of my gun. I rolled the dice and tried a max book jacketed load of 38.5 grains at 100 yards. Evan a blind pig finds an acorn every once in a while!!! I’ve ladder tested a lot of powders with my 336 and 180 grain hot cores and the best I shot was 1.1” at 100 yards. To be fair it had a 5 pound plus trigger at the time. It now is 2.5 pounds. At the heavier trigger pull it still shot MOA with the cast varget load. I finally found a pound of H4895 and two pounds of varget because I was out of both the other day. I was completely out of both from testing.

https://i.imgur.com/yby2coi.jpg

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Might be OK for close range deer, not so much for most elk hunting.

[Tripplebeards]

No way I'd use a HP cast boolit for Elk either. I casted them for deer. My 200 grain .358 HP boolit penetrates more water bottles than a 180 grain factory 30-06 core loct load and my HP cast boolit has better weight retenson than the core loct as well. Never recovered a core loct in a deer so im sure my soft cast HP will be WAY more then enough for deer.

[waksupi]

No way I'd use a HP cast boolit for Elk either. I casted them for deer. My 200 grain .358 HP boolit penetrates more water bottles than a 180 grain factory 30-06 core loct load and my HP cast boolit has better weight retenson than the core loct as well. Never recovered a core loct in a deer so im sure my soft cast HP will be WAY more then enough for deer.

Agreed, no hollow points on elk. You want deep penetration. My minimum weight for elk has been 260 gr. bullets.