Why no love for the .358 Win?

[Flbt]

@Rick HOlbert
Them that scoff at the 358 win either believe all the gun writer bullshit, have never owned one or wish they had one.
Them that own one and understand it will never part with their little power house.
You will have another 100 of those Woodleighs in a couple of weeks. Just try and find something big enough to shoot so you can actually retrieve a bullet.
Bob

I don’t plan on letting my blr go.
If everything went to
It would be the second to last rifle to be here.

 

[Jason1290]

Bob I love how you just tell it like it is! I love my Hawkeye so much I’m planning on having my Remington 700 in .243 re bored to .358 because one just isn’t enough. Question, do you guys think the 225 partition will open up at lower velocity like the 225 SGK? Sure would like to try those woodleighs you speak so highly of.

 

[TERMINATOR]

Took this color phase bear in Saskatchewan this May. I love my BLR in .358 Win.

In behind the near shoulder and out through the far shoulder at 30 yards with 200 Gr Hornady factory ammo. He went 20 yards leaving a red carpet through the woods

That gun is perfect size wise for hunting out of box blinds or pop-up blinds

As far as being a “brush gun”…well the BLR is essentially a bolt action powered by a lever.
I sight it in at 200 yards and just hold point blank at everything 225 yards and in. It shoots just over 1 MOA

Only gun I will ever use on black bear and one of two guns I grab for whitetail depending on the situation (other is a pre-64 M70 in 30-06)

 

[VAHunter]

I received two new barrel blanks last month a few days before I left for South Africa. One was 358 and one was 375. As soon as the new receiver arrives, the 358 is slated for a 358 Win build! I always wanted one.

 

[Boone66]

My biggest problem with the .358 Winchester is the sectional density of the bullet - particular for anything bigger than whitetail or average black bear. Even with the 225 gr bullet, the load is light for caliber with sectional density around .25. That is a prescription for inadequate penetration on larger animals, particular if the presentation isn't perfect or the shot has to drive through heavy bone. Even the the 180 gr .308 reaches a SD of .27. Add to that the rounds low velocity and the penetration issues quickly compound not very far beyond the muzzle.

My experience with a 9x56ms, 250gr at 2200fps is it kills way beyond its weight class. Red stag, white tail and 500lb black bear all complete pass throughs and one shot kills. I would think the 358 win would be a good killer also. And yes, I also have a 338fed and like it very much in a 15in encore. I am presently debating making a 356 win in a 36 marlin.

 

[MS 9x56]

Took this color phase bear in Saskatchewan this May. I love my BLR in .358 Win.

In behind the near shoulder and out through the far shoulder at 30 yards with 200 Gr Hornady factory ammo. He went 20 yards leaving a red carpet through the woods

That gun is perfect size wise for hunting out of box blinds or pop-up blinds

As far as being a “brush gun”…well the BLR is essentially a bolt action powered by a lever.
I sight it in at 200 yards and just hold point blank at everything 225 yards and in. It shoots just over 1 MOA

Only gun I will ever use on black bear and one of two guns I grab for whitetail depending on the situation (other is a pre-64 M70 in 30-06)


View attachment 719869

Great rifle Awsome bear. Congratulations on both.

 

[TERMINATOR]

Great rifle Awsome bear. Congratulations on both.

Thank you

 

[HWL]

@HWL
With a nice 225grainer at over 2,500fps it takes it out of the wood cartridge range and turns it into a medium range round.
The 225gn game king spbt is the ideal bullet. Not enough velocity to blow it up at closer ranges and soft snout to expand at longer ranges. With that projectile I would have no issues out to 259-300 yards
Bob

No doubt, you are right with the 225 grainer, you also can have a longer shot. But with this weight it sacrifys sectional density.
And for 250-300 yards, there are simply better tools I would choose.

HWL

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

No doubt, you are right with the 225 grainer, you also can have a longer shot. But with this weight it sacrifys sectional density.
And for 250-300 yards, there are simply better tools I would choose.

HWL

@HWL
Yes there are better tools for the job out past 250 yards but in reality how many shots are taken past 200. I know 95% of the game I've shot have been less than 200. Yes you may loose a little in SD with the 225s but bullet mass and momentum help a lot. A shooter that knows his rifle and load should have no issues with the 358 to a max of 300. Even that big ol pumpkin roller the 45-70 has plenty of penetration at 200 yards with the original 500gn load despite the low as and velocity.
For general hunting even the 225gn Woodleigh rnsp knocks the snot out of big game like a big Sable bull and other game.
To me the little 358 power house is a fine and dandy little cartridge that when loaded properly comes very very close to equalling the standard factory loaded Whelen and no one with any type of knowledge ( I'm not saying you are in that category) will say it's not capable of 300 yards.
Just my humble opinion. The little 358 for some strange reason performs way better than its paper ballistics indicate.
Bob

 

[7x57Joe]

Since 1968 I've killed 3 animals over 100 yards, 2 deer and one elk. I can only see 75 yards on the land I hunt now so a sling with a good round rock will give me plenty of range. But, the .358 is easier on my tennis elbow!