358 Winchester favorite load

[lak]

Almost certain I've seen some post on favorite 358 loads, but cast seem to find them. Anyone at liberty to share their pet 358 Win. loads? I have RCBS 35-SIL, RCBS 35-200, RCBS 35-250. Powders are IMR 3031, 4227, 4064, Red DOT, Unique. 24" Encore with 1-14 twist. Any info would be greatly appreciated

[RJM52]

Only have one .358 Winchester bolt gun...a 16.5" Ruger Frontier...

Only cast bullet load so far is a 210 grain MeHic HP with RL-7 powder...velocity is right around 1800 fps as I recall and runs MOA...really surprized me with the accuracy...

Only deer I have shot so far with the rifle was with a 220 Speer with 51.0 grains of Winchester 748 running 2170 fps....
...double lung shot through both front shoulders...deer went 30 yards and went down...bullet didn't expand at all... You could eat right up to the edge of both bullet holes...

[Harter66]

I had one in a Santa Barbara 98 . 22" 1-14 . It really liked the 35-250 over IMR 4350 for 2100 fps more or less scooped the case full to the bottom of the neck weighed that subtracted 10% and loaded it as a start load .
I have several other 35 cal moulds .
358-200 , 360-228 XCB (it's what it was chambered for) , and that 280 gr Lyman RN . I have a 358-95 NOE , 358-125 , 358-158 Lee RNFPs and a few SWC and a WC moulds the WC actually shoots pretty well if you really wanted to use the whole nose for thump . 3031 and 4064 are probably the best bets and jacket data to start with .

[GLynn41]

I have used H335 and H322 with Lee 200 gr cast and 200 flex tip. Also have used same powders under 225 gr Sierra. Have taken one deer with a 250 gr Cast Saeco. With cast H322 has been the best so far.

[Rodfac]

As always, the following load was worked up for my rifle, you should work up to it if interested, AFTER consulting a GOOD manual and considering all the pressure implications.

Rifle: Savage 99 "Brush Gun" in .358 Winchester (With 22" bbl. IIRC, as it's over at my son's house)
Bullet: RCBS 200 gr FP sized 0.360", Seated to 2.500" LOA with very mild crimp.
Alloy: WW + 2% tin, Water quenched
GC: Annealed Hornady
Case: R-P, Lyman .35 cal. rifle M-die used to facilitate seating.
Primer: WLR
Powder: SR4759, 18.3 grains, no filler
Velocity: Est. 1600 fps
Accuracy: 3-shots from a cold bbl. ~1" 100 yds from an improvised bench rest & a 4x Leupold scope. I shoot cast bullets almost exclusively with this superb rifle, and have found that no fouling shots are really necessary for accuracy so long as we've not fouled it with jacketed. We do clean at season's end with Kroil, then wipe out with a bore snake before working up loads for the next season. I haven't noted any zero change from season to season using this method. SR4759 and this bbl./bullet combination is so consistent that we've not worked up a more potent load, having no need here in KY. If my son ever gets a kitchen pass to hunt elk in my old stomping grounds near Jefferson, CO, he'll have to test out some 250 gr Sierra's.

This RCBS bullet load has a fairly broad powder-weight tolerance, as I've had virtually identical grouping results from 17.5 to 19.5 grains. And it's a good killer on KY white tails. Through and through penetration at 100 yds. with an exit hole, through the slats, better than an inch in dia. That leaves a blood trail 72 yo eyes can easily follow! Velocity doesn't seem to matter, as we hunt deer here on our farm at < 150 yds.

Trajectory: With the scope zeroed 2" high at 100 yds, it's dead on at 125 yds, and 3" low at 150 yds.

HTH's Rod

[Norske]

My BLR is accurate with almost any bullet, but insists on IMR3031 powder for best accuracy. It has shot stupid accurately with an RCBS gas checked bullet from Missouri Bullets and 39 grains of that powder. At our indoor range, I made a three-shot 100 yard group that could be covered by a dime. A benchrest shooter club member measured the group edge-to-edge, subtracted .358, and came up with .17" center-to-center. I'll not live long enough to do that again, but the load is very accurate on a consistent basis.

[lak]

Thanks guy for the info, I do have a large supply of IMR3031

[Norske]

If you're shooting a rifle with a two-piece stock, remember that setting the front of the fore end om a rest is like setting the barrel on the rest(sandbag). When shooting my Savage 99, Marlin 1894 and 1895, and my BLR, I've found the best accuracy is with the rest as far back on the fore end as possible, sometimes the receiver itself is on the rest.

[Rainier]

I tried 2400, 4227, RL-7, 3031 and 4895 with my 358 and had less than moderate success using 200gr (Lee mold) & 245gr (Saeco mold) boolits. As soon as I tried W748 and a 255gr Boolit (Accurate Mold) everything came together - consistent inch and a quarter groups at 100 yards with my rifle.

I did have fantastic results with the Hornady 200gr RN j-words and IMR 3031. That’s what kept me going - I knew I had an accurate rifle I just needed to find the right boolit / powder combo.

[Norske]

Any 35 cal shooter needs to determine the twist rate of their rifling. 1 in 16" is commonly used, but my BLR's twist is 1 in 12".

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I've tagged 4 deer now with 36 grains of Reloder 7 and the Lee 200 cast out of 49/49/2 WW/Pure/Pewter. I'm very happy with the load, runs around 1.5-2" out of my Ruger American Ranch. Messed with Promo thinking of a plinking load, but POI was too different, so, not wanting to mess with my hunting zero, I dropped it. Expanded some brass and wanted to fire it to match it to my chamber so I grabbed some 2400. I was just pounding steel but the POI was very close to my RL7 zero and the lead splashes were touching with 22 grains in Rem brass and the same boolit. Probably around 1650 fps. Would make a usable deer load if needed.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Gleaned from the forum...

40 gr IMR 4895 gives 2300 fps with my rcbs 200 with water quenched WW, LBT blue and a necked up LC match case, 20 inch barrel, very accurate.

40 gr IMR 4064 gives 2050 fps with everything the same as above.

good luck

I get 2060 fps with 40.5 grains of H-4895 in my BLR and 2"-2.5" groups at 100 yards. Accuracy remains the same but, velocity drops 100 fps when using surplus 4895. I cast up a lot of 35-200 FN in the early '80s using 1-3 lino/ lead and water dropped but, only a few are left.
JDL

My Browning BLR shoots anything I've tried if I use IMR 3031 powder. Three 200 gr cast gas checked bullets from Missouri Bullets landed in an elongated 1-hole group at 100 yards. The outside of the group can be covered with a dime. My range has a fun challenge called "dime group" where the outside of three shots has to be smaller than a dime. It encourages shooting. My 358 is the largest caliber to have done it so far. The powder charge was 39 grains.

I had been testing my Browning BLR-81 in .358 Win and the picture below shows my best load using the RCBS 357-180-SIL mold (drops at 192 grains) and Blue Dot powder (see components listed in the picture). This target is at 50 yards. It is a 5-shot group. Last shot was rushed and I was getting "buck fever" after seeing 4 out of 5 in a ragged hole. So, I called the last one a flier.

Camba
Attachment 137510

[rintinglen]

22 grains of 2400 or 24 grains of 4759 were both winners with the RCBS 358-200 Boolit. Both were ~2000 fps from a 24 inch barrel. I also ran things up a mite with some 748 loads, but I no longer have that data. (Wish I still had that rifle though.)

[NEKVT]

Shot the RCBS 35-200-FN over 41.5gr IMR 4064 at 1950fps from my 356Win M94 20" with 1 in 12". Took my first buck with it and the boolit cast hard.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

22 grains of 2400 or 24 grains of 4759 were both winners with the RCBS 358-200 Boolit. Both were ~2000 fps from a 24 inch barrel. I also ran things up a mite with some 748 loads, but I no longer have that data. (Wish I still had that rifle though.)

Interesting velocity number on the 22 grain 2400 load. My estimate was based on Lyman load data, but recoil and POI would indicate a velocity closer to your number. Time to break out the chronograph.

[cwlongshot]

You have some good bullets! & powders that undoubtably can provide good results.

But... No powders that I have used to best results. My favorite for cast is RL7 & for jacketed 748 & TAC.

CW

[zymguy]

Interesting velocity number on the 22 grain 2400 load. My estimate was based on Lyman load data, but recoil and POI would indicate a velocity closer to your number. Time to break out the chronograph.

RCBS data says 23g 1896 fps
24g 1970 fps

from the rcbs pages of one book/one caliber

[Bill*B]

Here's mine: Accurate Molds 36-302 DG gas checked, 278 grain. Load over 38.5 grains Accurate Arms 4064 for 1735 fps from a 16.5" barrel. Around 3 MOA accuracy.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

RCBS data says 23g 1896 fps
24g 1970 fps

from the rcbs pages of one book/one caliber

Finally ran a couple over the chronograph, and I would say this is spot on. Accuracy wasn’t there for me at 24 grains in military brass, though. I’ll back off and revisit when I get the time…

[cwlongshot]

Here's mine: Accurate Molds 36-302 DG gas checked, 278 grain. Load over 38.5 grains Accurate Arms 4064 for 1735 fps from a 16.5" barrel. Around 3 MOA accuracy.

Good to read!

I have a 36-310W (custom) beaded my way once its cut.
Wanting more for tge Norma Mag but will try in this lil Win and Whelen as well.

CW