.358 Winchester cast load data

[bluejay75]

Greetings Gents,

Have decided to get one of my 308s rebored by Jes to 358 Winchester. Any tips to get me started reloading?

I would like to hear what your experiences are or just see what the load book says for 200 grain cast.

Bluejay

[Norske]

My BLR has a thing for IMR 3031 powder. Whether 200, 225, or 250 gr bullet, cast or jacketed, my BLR always shoots much more accurately with 3031. It made a really tight 3-shot group (0.17" c-to-c) at 100 yards with a RCBS 200gr gc Flat Point over 39 gr of 3031. Luck was involved, but it interconnected 5 Hornady FTX bullets @ 100 yd with 48gr of 3031 as well. Your barrel will have its own preferences.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Reloder 7 Lee 200 cast from 49/49/2 Pure, COWW, Pewter, PCed. 1/12" Ruger American. 100 yards. Never got ES to settle down so I kept bumping the charge to see if it would before my boolit gave up, but got side tracked by other things before I nailed it down.

This was with a 4x scope on a plastic table. Better scope, target, and rest might have improved things as well.

[RJM52]

Have a Ruger Frontier and with its 16.5" barrel there isn't enough velocity to expand most jacketed bullets so I went to cast.

A friend has the same rifle and used a 200 grain RCBS FP to take a nice doe in Pennsylvania three years ago.

I bought the MP 220 with FP and HP pins....very accurate bullet with Reloader-7. CWlongshot on here just took a doe with one of those HP bullets a few days agp from a .350 Legend Ruger American Rifle and put the deer right down.

Velocity is a little over 1900 fps in the Frontier...

Bob

[Tatume]

Using bullets from an RCBS 35-200-FN mold and H4895 data from http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/ for the 200 grain Hornady SP bullet, I got excellent accuracy and 2300 fps in my Browning BLR.

[cwlongshot]

Im loving that NOE 230 I think I bought from you!!!

Its about as perfect for me as a bullet can be.

Good luck Brother

CW

[Tatume]

It wasn't me, but I'm glad you have a good mold.

[sharps4590]

I've always had excellent results with the RCBS 35-200 in 35's and 9mm rifles. For the 358, data should be as common as dirt.

[softpoint]

I have 2 custom barreled bolt guns in .358W, a 700 Rem and a 600 Rem. I have the RCBS 200 grain mold, the 250 grain Saeco mold and an original 358009 Lyman that casts about 287 grains out of my alloy. 3031, 4320, and Unique have been my powders. All three of those bullets shoot very well out of both rifles. I have recently been using a lot of the RCBS 200 grain bullet because it does about anything I need as a hunting bullet, and uses less alloy.

[bluejay75]

Im loving that NOE 230 I think I bought from you!!!

Its about as perfect for me as a bullet can be.

Good luck Brother

CW

Sometimes you regret some sales you make. Just sent the rifle to get bored out. Got a little while to get ready.

[bluejay75]

Have a Ruger Frontier and with its 16.5" barrel there isn't enough velocity to expand most jacketed bullets so I went to cast.

A friend has the same rifle and used a 200 grain RCBS FP to take a nice doe in Pennsylvania three years ago.

I bought the MP 220 with FP and HP pins....very accurate bullet with Reloader-7. CWlongshot on here just took a doe with one of those HP bullets a few days agp from a .350 Legend Ruger American Rifle and put the deer right down.

Velocity is a little over 1900 fps in thr Frontier...

Bob

The rifle I’m getting done has a 17 inch barrel.

That’s good info to know.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

The rifle I’m getting done has a 17 inch barrel.

That’s good info to know.

Good performers in the 35 Rem should work just fine in your 358. Just avoid those designed for the 35 Whelen....or just use cast;)

[Silvercreek Farmer]

What twist rate are you going with?

[RJM52]

CW borrowed my mold... He also has a NOE that has a larger meplat...

[bluejay75]

What twist rate are you going with?

3 groove 1:14 twist. It is my intent to get a good break in on the barrel. Lap it good with compound and shoot the 200 RCBS Clone and or the 230 Ranchdog. Hoping to get close to 2000 with 2400. Then try Win 748 from 45-50 grains.

At 17 inches I should barely break 2000 with either. Looking for consistency. Could live with a solid 2 inch repeatable group.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I'll bet it'll do better than 2" as long as the bedding in the donor rifle is good. I started pretty high with 2400 aiming for 2000 fps because I wasn't interested in anything any slower. I didn't find any joy, but mine is a 1-12" so maybe yours will do better. I'm sure if I'd eased off a bit, 2400 would have produced an accurate load, it might have at 1975 fps;)


3 groove 1:14 twist. It is my intent to get a good break in on the barrel. Lap it good with compound and shoot the 200 RCBS Clone and or the 230 Ranchdog. Hoping to get close to 2000 with 2400. Then try Win 748 from 45-50 grains.

At 17 inches I should barely break 2000 with either. Looking for consistency. Could live with a solid 2 inch repeatable group.

[bluejay75]

Rifle headed back now and I’m getting ready for my Winter project. I have settled on 2400 powder as I have 16 or so pounds of it.

I also re-purchased the NOE 360-230 in GC.

Going to use a 4x scope on it. Can live with a reliable 2 inch at 100 -150 yards.

Any other suggestions.

[black mamba]

Paco Kelly did a real treatise on the 358 WCF, very complete!

https://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/358_wcf.htm

[RJM52]

...always liked that article and his very interesting writings...

That said, he uses a 23" barrel and over the top loads to get those velocities. To me the best virtue of the .358 is being able to build a compact gun with a lot of power on a short action and to keep it compact, a barrel of no more than 20".

Bob

[bluejay75]

I was wondering if my 17 inches was going to give me excessive muzzle blast. Thanks for the read.

[johnly]

I have a pre-64 M88 in 358 and it's a wonderful rifle to hunt with. The triggers need work and the barrel is so thin it sizzles after a few shots. How many shots do you need to put downrange to put meat in the freezer The gift of the M88 is how well it points. It comes up to your shoulder like a wing shooter's shotgun and it's just right there, pointing where you want it.

For hunting its 200gr. Nosler AB or 200 gr. Hornady SP pushed by 47 gr. 3031 does 2550 fps.
For CB loads I use a 245 Saeco pushed by 40 gr. of IMR 7383

[richhodg66]

My Savage 99 in .358 likes 40 grains of IMR 4320 and a little tuft of dacron pillow stuffing behind that RCBS 200 grain bullet. Never chronographed it but figure it's 1900-2000 FPS.

[curdog]

2400 is a great choice. I use it in a 35 whelen and 30/06 and 16 grains of it work very well in my rifles.....................Curdog

[GLynn41]

I have had good results with H322 -- sill working on it but GT bullets 220 gc hp went 3 in on hole at 50 steps...does ok with Lee 208 gr cast --since it is deer season not doing much with it but will after season.
Foe what it is worth I would use H322 as my only powder for .308 and my .358-- if I could find some

[bluejay75]

Anyone else? Im stocked up on 3031, 4064, Varget. 4198 has been shooting under a half inch with a PB Boolit CWLONGshot casted for me. 38 grains. But of course Im out of 4198.

[cwlongshot]

Thats awesome J!! I am speaking with Dinny as I comment here he says hello!

Glad its shooting for ya I have had awesome luck with that bullet.

CW

[Rodfac]

In a Savage .358 "Brush Gun" Model 99, I've shot hundreds of RCBS' 35-200 gc FN. I size to 0.359"-0.360", anneal the Hornady GC, and water quench the WW bullets as they drop from the mold. I have RCBS dies, an Lyman "M" die for case mouth flaring, and use just enough crimp to remove the flare after seating.

Jeff Bartlett's military pull-down equivalent of SR4759 or the the real SR4759 with 18 to 19 grains give me sub-2" groups at 100 yds from rest. We estimate this load at ~ 1600 fps. I'd think 4227 would probably work as well but haven't tried it. Of the powders you listed, I'd try 3031 first.

The 4759 loads have plenty of penetration. My son now has the rifle and between us we've killed 5 deer over the last 5 years with it. Shots at 100 yds or less, were through the slats, one breaking a shoulder then exiting the far side passing through a rib on exit. All were complete pass throughs with impressive blood trails.

With jacketed bullets, 748 or 4064 both work well with the 200 grainers from Remington, Sierra and Hornady. At 2400 fps, all will open up well on deer, and will group close to an inch for the first three at 100 yds. Given my druthers, I like the Remington Core Lok best as I use it in a Marlin .35 Remington and have close to a life-time supply. The Hornady groups the best but only by half an inch or so at 100 and needs more velocity than the Remington or Sierra for reliable expansion.

HTH's Rod

[GLynn41]

just to add loads with the 200 grain weight for me and mine not recommending, I tend to load warm to hot because the .358 win is my field and woods gun-- I have for accuracy with jsp--especially the core lokts mentioned above used 46 gr h322- 2600, 50 gr H335 2595 , 49 3031 2600 and Tac which is listed in the new Hornady manual and can touch 2700fps. as soon as weather permits I have cleaned my barrell and with get serious with the Lee 200 as cast at .360 or at .358 I have no .359 sizer--and have heat treated some of the GT bullets and will work on them trying to keep the rifle good to 250 yds -- it will be fun -- I look forward to MP or NOE restocking their hp molds... There is an Accurate mold also made for a .358 win that I might look at instead---cast soft points or annealed noses would likely work as well as the as the hps. I am not seeking JSP velocity will keep them in the 40,000 cup range and see what I get..

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I'd buy another Henry single shot if the chambered one in .358