358 Norma Mag....?

[Axle2010]

I've looked at this cartridge several times looking for a reason I need one. Those few here that have or had one what are you're thoughts on it in the real world instead of in paper? I like the numbers it puts out BUT I have 30-06, 35 Whelen, 338 Win Mag, 340 Weatherby and 375 so idk if I can find an excuse that I need one. Especially since it looks like it would mean buying a Model 70 and having it rebarreled just to get one. What you boys think? Thanks

 

[jruby]

My opinion, if you have a 338WM and a 375H&H the only reason I can think of is that you want to try something different. Maybe you simply like the rifle chambered in the cartridge. I have all three and I prefer the 358 because it's chambered in a nice pre 64 model 70. I am a rifle looney with a beer budget.

 

[45-70guy]

The urge to tinker and try something new has cost many of us some serious money. It also fills a desire many of us have to just having to know. Though if you’re not bored I’d say the calibers you have now are not something vastly off on performance as far as bases covered.
The Norma 358 mag is a cool cartridge none the less.

 

[AckleyHunter]

It is all about personal preference. It does nothing any other cartridge won't. Components can be hard to find and bullet selection is limited. It is way bigger than necessary for normal sized animals and not legal for dangerous game.

That said, I love 35 cal rilfes. The 358 norma has better long range ballistics than the 375 and can have more muzzzle energy.

Some of my favorite loads:
225 gr accubonds at 2900 fps
255 gr hammers at 2700 fps (could probably go faster)
340 gr cutting edge single feed at 2400 fps

Staball 6.5 really spices it up.

If they were easier to find, the 270-280 gr woodleigh/north fork/a-frames would be pretty good medicine too. The 310 woodleighs are around and are good for short range work.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

I have a Husqvarna commercial Mauser in 358 Norma. It has taken a cow moose and a couple black bears, one shot kills, and you could see them all fall within sight of the shot. I reload so I shoot most things unusual, 308 and 358 Norma mags, 416 Taylor, 450 Marlin.
I had my Norma first or I probably would have picked up a 35 Whelen.

 

[jruby]

Dont know if it's the right way of making cases but I just neck up 338wn cases. Supposedly it makes the cases too short but have never had a problem doing it this way.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

Dont know if it's the right way of making cases but I just neck up 338wn cases. Supposedly it makes the cases too short but have never had a problem doing it this way.

That’s the way I make my practice brass.

 

[AckleyHunter]

Dont know if it's the right way of making cases but I just neck up 338wn cases. Supposedly it makes the cases too short but have never had a problem doing it this way.

It is from 375 brass. Redding sells a form and trim die. Run the bass through the die. Trim to length, fire form (primer with a little bit of powder than fill with cream of wheat and plug the end with a bit of paper towel), then full length resize.

There are probably half a dozen ways it can be done. But the 358 norma is headspaced off the shoulder and not the belt, so it is important to make sure the shoulder is in the right palce.

REDDING 358 NORMA MAG FORM & TRIM DIE - Graf & Sons

Redding trim dies allow you to file trim your cases without unnecessary resizing because they are made to chamber dimensions. For case forming and necking brass down from another caliber, Redding trim dies can be the perfect intermediate step before full length resizing.

www.grafs.com

 

[PerH]

You can use .338 win ,7mm rem to reform or .308 Norma Mag if you don’t find .358 NM .

Good to reload from 180 revolver bullet up to 275 - 310 Woodleigh on top .

225 Accubond , Barnes etc is flat .

I would looked at Northfork
Now if I had it .


Just be aware of fl Norma Oryx , that one was not good and broke up completely on 2 animals for me . Too brittle and too soft for its speed .

They had it like tha to begin with regular soft point until they began loading 250 Woodleigh and 250 Swift before they swapped over .

 

[jpr9954]

I have a .358 Norma along with a few boxes of Norma Oryx plus about 50 Norma brass. Mine was a custom build on an Eddystone 1917 Enfield that I bought used at an auction.

On a more general shooting forum, someone suggested that I could shoot .357/.358 pistol bullets through it with a reduced load using Accurate 5744. This would be a cheap way to practice with the rifle he suggested. I haven't tried it yet but it does make some sense. I guess you could also practice using this reduced load on varmints such as coyotes.

 

[PerH]

I shot same load with the 180 Hg or 200 Corelokt as the others . Not much difference in zeroing .

 

[45-70guy]

Dont know if it's the right way of making cases but I just neck up 338wn cases. Supposedly it makes the cases too short but have never had a problem doing it this way.

Just means you never need to trim!

 

[jruby]

It is from 375 brass. Redding sells a form and trim die. Run the bass through the die. Trim to length, fire form (primer with a little bit of powder than fill with cream of wheat and plug the end with a bit of paper towel), then full length resize.

There are probably half a dozen ways it can be done. But the 358 norma is headspaced off the shoulder and not the belt, so it is important to make sure the shoulder is in the right palce.

REDDING 358 NORMA MAG FORM & TRIM DIE - Graf & Sons

Redding trim dies allow you to file trim your cases without unnecessary resizing because they are made to chamber dimensions. For case forming and necking brass down from another caliber, Redding trim dies can be the perfect intermediate step before full length resizing.

www.grafs.com

Yes the 358 can be fired for sizing using the belt like all magnums can due to that belt. Whose saying it canr be?

 

[AckleyHunter]

Yes the 358 can be fired for sizing using the belt like all magnums can due to that belt. Whose saying it canr be?

The norma is different then other belted magnums as it uses the shoulder not the belt for headspace. This is due to the lack of body taper and generous free bore of the 358. Using the belt for headspacing and not the shoulder will cause excessive stretching of the brass at the case head, resulting in separation.

.358 Norma Magnum

.358 Norma magnum, History, loads and performance.

www.ballisticstudies.com

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Behind the Bullet: .358 Norma Magnum

Hunters who enjoy using cartridges that aren’t among the most popular should consider a rifle chambered in .358 Norma Magnum. It’s a flat shooter—mimicking the trajectory of a .30-06 with heavier bullets—and is a fully capable all-around choice.

www.americanhunter.org

 

[RStien321]

I own a 358 Norma Mag. Bought it originally due to some unique rifle regs for Iowa deer hunting.

I managed to pick up 2-300 pieces of brass for it. I’ve been really happy with some lightweight bullet options (222 grain Hammer Hunter and 225 grain Accubonds) pushing 2900 fps and have four boxes of 280gr A-Frames I’d love to try sometime.

My rifle has a 22” barrel, so it’s not built for maximum velocity, but it’s a nifty rifle, built on a M70, and I’m very impressed by the authority a 35 cal hits with.

For me, it also fills a spot between my 28 Nosler/280AI and 404 Jeff.

 

[HunterX]

Good choice. I’m planning on building a 358 Norma on a 1903 Springfield action, in a 1920’s Griffin and Howe style.

 

[Axle2010]

Ok so sounds like I do need one after all lol. They are very few and far between so looks like a conversion will be my next bet. Do I start with any belted magnum and just have a new barrel built for it? As they're all 375H&H derivatives i assume all bolt faces and magazine lengths will be the same?

 

[AckleyHunter]

Ok so sounds like I do need one after all lol. They are very few and far between so looks like a conversion will be my next bet. Do I start with any belted magnum and just have a new barrel built for it? As they're all 375H&H derivatives i assume all bolt faces and magazine lengths will be the same?

I built mine off a 7mm rem mag weatherby mark v. Any belted magnum length action will work. It is shorter than a 375 h&h.

Krieger makes barrels. You can go to 1:10 twist if you want to try to shoot the cutting edge bullets. But 1:12 should work for any other 358 bullet. Raven rocks will on occasion have brass. ABs raptor 375 suppressor works great.

 

[gbflyer]

35 Whelen on steroids. What's not to love?

 

[RedTag]

Ok so sounds like I do need one after all lol. They are very few and far between so looks like a conversion will be my next bet. Do I start with any belted magnum and just have a new barrel built for it? As they're all 375H&H derivatives i assume all bolt faces and magazine lengths will be the same?

.358 Norma Magnum would use the same bolt face as other cartridges based on the H&H belted magnum design, but for magazine length it is a standard length cartridge (overall length 3.34”) like .338 Winchester Magnum and 7mm Remington Magnum, instead of a magnum length cartridge (overall length 3.6”) like the original .375 and .300 H&H cartridges. I’ve been playing with the idea of building a .358 STA as I prefer the idea of a full magnum length cartridge, but realistically this offers few advantages over my .375 H&H Mag.