Ruger American in 358 would be neat.

[gs50401]

The 358 in Ranch and Predator versions would be a neat idea.

 

[kmoore]

I picked a 358 win in a BLR Browning as a short range elk rifle for mainly the caliber. I had that gun for about 12 years, shot 1 Elk.
The idea of the caliber is short length, heavy 35 caliber. Power, it has some. My handloads with 250 bullets were not overly bad in recoil. I like the idea. The problem is factory ammo was only 1 winchester load as I recall, that could be different now. It is a great handloader round unless this has changed bullets from 180 to 250 are available. Only handloading issue is since it is a 308 necked up the shoulder is easy to crush if you use to much leverage or have die set a little off.

 

[rangerbob]

Hornady makes a 200 grain factory load with their brass and spire point bullet. I load their 200 FTX at just shy of 2700fps with RL 10 in my BLR or M77 Hawkeye. It shoots through 3/8" mild steel making a 35 caliber hole. Another good bullet is the 225 grain Sierra Game King or the Speer 220 Flat point. Bob!

 

[021]

The good old 250 gr. silvertip shot and killed magnificently for me out of my Savage 99, wish they still made it.

 

[Littlebluetruck]

That is just a great idea. I called ER Shaw about rebarrling an American compact I have in 243 Win, but they would not rebarrel this model. The 243 is nice, but really blasty with the slow powder and that short barrel.

I would buy an American in 358 Win, even though I have one in a 77 already.

 

[mike4570]

Contact Jes at /www.35caliber.com/ He can rebore and rechamber many different calibers. He converted a shot out 30-30 to 375 Win for me. Quality work, fair prices, fast turn around.

 

[rangerbob]

I was going to suggest the very same. You get to keep your original barrel. From all accounts, their turnaround time is very fast. Bob!! :mrgreen:

 

[Littlebluetruck]

Hello,
Yes, and with the little compact I could mostly load it down to 35 Rem levels and have a bushwacker that did not pound me.
I tried loading the 243 Win mag with 358 Win rounds last night and there is not really enough clearance for the fatter necks. They bind up by a small but significant amount. Does anyone know if the 308 Win mags for the American's have more clearance in this area? It looks like a good bit of work to open up the mag in this area because it is deep in the mag and must be relieved all the way around the circular internal region.
I am going to send it to JES (must actually call him first) if I could get the mag to work.
Thanks,
Rich

 

[Alan in GA]

I think it's sad that most riflemen have not tried a 358 Win. Short action, many bullets in .35 caliber to play with if you handload, great deer / game cartridge, and lots of .308 brass to use if you don't have actual .358 cases. Muzzle report more of a boom in the deer woods than an ear piercing crack, average recoil.....
I enjoyed owning mine for 12 years and then sold it to an elk hunter that seemed to want it as badly as I did. One suggestion if you have one made - medium weight contour like Ruger last used instead of a pencil thin sporter barrel,.. unless you will be hiking through rough territory. Otherwise if you will be shooting at the range a lot, medium weight barrel.

 

[BucolicBuffalo]

I've been shooting my M77 with hard cast lead 190-250gr and getting 1400-1500fps, using "The Load". Makes for a lot of fun practice without being a bit sore.

 

[gs50401]

In the Ruger American it is reported that some short action cartridges feed well from 450 Bushmaster mags. Maybe this would work for a .358?

 

[Littlebluetruck]

I think you are right. Some of the reviews for that mag in Midways website said they feed the 308 case fine, and hold three of them. Next is to measure the little compact's muzzle diameter. I think I was reading over on the accurate forums that they like about a minimum of 0.25" over groove diameter for the barrel to be reasonably stiff. This would be a bit more than 0.6" at the muzzle for a .358. I agree with Alan above about avoiding pencil barrels on this one.

 

[mikethebear]

Blackhawk - How do you get nearly 2700 from a BLR. I have a BLR 358 and a Ruger Hawkeye that has the barrel cut to 20 inches.

 

[rangerbob]

mikethebear, I use a load that you won't find in any of the reloading manuals as most of the data hasn't been updated for years. I'm using Reloder 10 with the 200 gr. FTX bullet. It would be inappropriate to print unpublished data on this sight, but 40 gr. would be a safe place to start and work up from there. Hornady factory 358 ammo is loaded "full strength" as well. Bob!! :wink:

 

[Wigwam]

I've done lots of experimenting with the .358 and reloader 10 is awesome with 180's and 200's and 2000 MR is super with the 310 Woodleigh. The 310's really penetrate.

 

[rangerbob]

wigwam, 2000MR makes perfect sense in the 358 as it is my go to powder for the 338 Federal with 200 gr bullets. I tend to think of the 338 Federal as the cartridge the 358 was meant to be, or the modern day 358, in that it shoots 200 gr. bullets faster. Since those bullets are more streamlined with better BC's, they shoot flatter with more energy downrange. Same goes for the 338 RCM, I think of it as the modern day 350 Rem Mag for the same reasons. Of course, with you 315 gr. bullets, that a whole other story. And then we must remember that when W-W came out with the 358, there were no factory 338's. Bob!!! 8)

 

[Littlebluetruck]

I talked to Jes and he said he could rebore the .243 to .358. The barrel is .575" at the muzzle, and reboring to .358 leaves just over 100 mils wall thickness which is acceptable to Jes. I think I am going to send it to him for the conversion. The little 243 is to blasty to enjoy.

 

[gs50401]

I read an article about get great results with TAC in 358 Win and 338 Federal. I do not have it at hand now.

 

[Alan in GA]

Reviving this post. My Ruger American 358 Win is on the way! Grice gunz

 

[GAO LLC]

I have 2 coming as well.