Secret Weapon - 358 Winchester

I am a fan of the 35 cal rifle cartridges. Especially a shorter barrel rifle in 358 Winchester. I know exactly what the ballistics are.......but it is the same old tall tale....the bullets kills better than it's ballistics. My browning lever actions has been with me from the artic circle to the Mexican border to the heights of Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico....most of the states in US. Moose, elk, bear, deer, pigs, never yet failed to bring 'em home. I actually believe the tall tail that the 358 kills better than the numbers show. I will say this, for what ever the reason everything I ended up shooting at was likely under 150 yds. That could be why I have had such good results.



There are some guns that ya love every ding, scar, and scratch they have. Each one is a memory

Rusty
Texas, I luv u

PS. Ya may have a pig knocker but IMO there is none better than the 358 Win. Maybe as good, but none better

I would agree! A big, heavy, bullet that makes a big hole will get the job done. This is why I like heavy and slow bullets instead of light and fast.

358 what?

Who cares. Thats a nice Browning Lever. Does it have the steel receiver? or the alloy?

Damn, it's nice to see a working rifle. Your right, every mark is a memory. The type of stuff you pass to the kids.

The 358 Winchester is indeed a good round. I use one of its few big brothers some the 350 Remington Mag in a 700 Classic, those big bullets provide a thump that is very effective

appears you carry it around in a gun case

I have one of the Alloy BLR's in 358 Win and agree with all you say. It's the rifle I grab when I positively want something dead.

Hoss, just like a movie star. Little oil, little make- up, and take her from the best side. No close ups

This is a steel receiver. I guess that means the new ones are alloy?

Rusty
Texas, I luv u

No doubt the .358 Winchester is a winner. I think of it as a .35 Whelen-08.

My serial number is 3####PZ127. PZ is date code for 1981 (year of manufacture). 3#### is the serial number. 127 was code for BLR

My first wildcat cartridge was a 35 Whelen. I grow up living next door to a gunsmith. He bought the chamber reamers for 35 Whelen and 25-06. I still have the Whelen.

I had a 350 Rem Mag for about 20 shots. It was that little Remington with the plastic vent rib on the barrel. It would stomp the stuffing out of ya. It is a dandy round in a grown up rifle. I think more recoil then 300 Win Mag.

35 Remington was my first 35 cal. Still enjoy the caliber.

Rusty
Texas, I luv u

I always had admiration for the .35 Whelen but didn't have the resources to diversify my battery for many years. I just let that hankering languish for a long time. Then one day a few years ago I spotted a gorgeous 700 Classic in .350 Mag for sale on another forum and I mulled it over for a week or so and then decided to pull the trigger on the deal. I missed that rifle by hours, but by then I wanted a .35-cal and it was *going to happen!* so I went shopping for a .35 Whelen instead and found a VZ24 based econo-custom and bought it. I found it easy to develop a load shooting 225-grain Accubonds right at 2700 fps with MOA accuracy. I've carried the rifle on several hunts but have to date not had a shot at anything...but there's no doubt in my mind! One day I'll blood that rifle, and hopefully soon!

Have used the Classic 350 Mag on a few critters, the 225gr partitions at 2700fps sure work well. One Elk, one Mule deer several whitetail and hogs. 3 hogs in one shot, the 35s are good thumpers

i bought a used Rem 700 Classic in 350 Rem Mag a few years ago..it has a few marks on the stock right by the bolt handle but other than that looks great. ..its very balanced and light weight and i don't think it kicks bad at all...i've shot 300 Win Mags that kicked far more than this...i've always wondered why more hunters don't use the 35's especially for deer hunting over a feeder. It will take down an animal better than a smaller caliber and the range of a 35 Whelen or 350 are about the same as a 30-06....having said that i have to justify this gun because mostly i shoot varmints and feral pigs..

i do know this...if i ever get a BLR it will be in 358 Win....probably just like yours Rusty

Since the rack and pinion of the BLR does not have the torque of a bolt action, i order a special sizing die from RCBS thst ensures the reloads will load properly. i cant recall the specfic name of the die. never had any trouble but did not think BRL was a good platform to test limits of caliber

Rusty
Texas, i luv u

I have lusted for a 358 Winchester for some time. I am also a fan of Mannlicher stocks (they take me back to reading magazine articles by John Wootters when I was a youngster). I am purchasing a Sako L579 Forester with a Mannlicher stock rebarelled in 358 Winchester from a fellow forum member. I was told he has received the check yesterday and I am looking forward to receiving this exquisite rifle. It will fill it's spot in a stable of Mannlicher stocked rifles that will include a CZ550FS in 6.5 by 55 Swede, an Interarms Mark X in 308, and the new Sako in 358. Still have a couple more I would like to add eventually.

yall know of any gunsmiths that chamber the 358 win

funny been thinking of picking up a savage to have rebarreled to 358 for the last couple weeks. that with a 20 in barrel and a low power scope would make a handy little walk around piece

I understand. I bought a Sako 85 SS hunter in 338 Federal with the intention of rebarreling it in 260 Remington. I put a 2-7x36 Kahles with a TDS Reticle on it.

It shoots 200 Grain Federal Fusion so well that I will never do that now. I love the way it knocks hogs down. I have so many different 338 pills for it now to try once I develop some loads that I am married to it.

Maybe one of these days it will grow up to be like its big brother!

I have always liked the 358 but its hard to beat a Model 94 chambered in 356 Winchester.

Nice gun and would like to have one but i wouldnt never put that nice gun on the ground thats just wrong IMO!