358 Winchester & 9.3x57 Question About Performance

[Rick HOlbert]

@Rick HOlbert
Don't forget to stoke the old girl up with Paco Kelly's load data mate.
I will have a look and see if'n CFE 223 is suitable.
The baby Whelen aka 358 is an awesome round.
243 owners could rebarell and have a ball. No more wounded game.
Bob

Hello Bob. You can be assured I'll be using Pico's data and a couple of other data sources I have. I'll let you know about accuracy and choreographed velocity. Then as time allows, I'll let you know how they work on our feral pigs. Probably won't recover any slugs on that size animal and I doubt any farmer will allow me to shoot a Brama bull to see how they work on a Eland size animal.

 

[hoytcanon]

Hello Bob. You can be assured I'll be using Pico's data and a couple of other data sources I have. I'll let you know about accuracy and choreographed velocity. Then as time allows, I'll let you know how they work on our feral pigs. Probably won't recover any slugs on that size animal and I doubt any farmer will allow me to shoot a Brama bull to see how they work on a Eland size animal.

I can tell you how the 200 & 250 Hornady RN's work on 500 pound bears and big Canadian bull moose... you won't have any problems on lung shots on Brama bulls or Eland bulls either.

 

[Rick HOlbert]

I can tell you how the 200 & 250 Hornady RN's work on 500 pound bears and big Canadian bull moose... you won't have any problems on lung shots on Brama bulls or Eland bulls either.

I do already know how a 200grn North Fork at 2600+fps works on whitetail.!! DRT and not so much as a twitch.

 

[7x57Joe]

I can tell you how the 200 & 250 Hornady RN's work on 500 pound bears and big Canadian bull moose... you won't have any problems on lung shots on Brama bulls or Eland bulls either.

It is a shame that Hornady saw fit to drop the 250 gr. RN but, the Speer 250 Spitzers work great on elk!

 

[hoytcanon]

It is a shame that Hornady saw fit to drop the 250 gr. RN but, the Speer 250 Spitzers work great on elk!

Yup, I use the 250 HC in .358 Win, .35 Whelen and .350 Rem Mag... in the latter two, simply to tune up for the 250 Partition's... saves money. In my .350 Rem Mag, I simply dial up four clicks and the POI for the 250 Partition is bang on the 250 HC POI @ 100 yards.... then shoot one three shot group to confirm and off to the woods.

 

[MS 9x56]

I really like the round nose Speer hot-cores.

 

[Rimshot]

I put together a 20" barrel 358 win on a Savage 'Lady Hunter' stock/action for my wife. She used it to take 6 animals in Namibia, including kudu and gemsbock, and I used it to take another gemsbock. Shots ranged from 30 to 300 yards. The only shots that didn't exit were a frontal shot on my gemsbock and her kudu. All were one-shot kills. Most stuff just flopped over after the shot except the two gemsbock who both sprinted about 50 yards pouring lots of blood. Recovered bullets looked great and the performance was undeniable. The outfitters were of course curious about it as it's probably unheard of outside the US, and not even well known here.

The handloads I made up at the time were 225 Nosler Accubond at 2450 fps using IMR 3031. I've since found I can get 2500 fps avg with W748, though it requires tapping the case to settle the powder, and loading to the magazine length of 2.9". Even at longer ranges the Accubond gave adequate expansion.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I put together a 20" barrel 358 win on a Savage 'Lady Hunter' stock/action for my wife. She used it to take 6 animals in Namibia, including kudu and gemsbock, and I used it to take another gemsbock. Shots ranged from 30 to 300 yards. The only shots that didn't exit were a frontal shot on my gemsbock and her kudu. All were one-shot kills. Most stuff just flopped over after the shot except the two gemsbock who both sprinted about 50 yards pouring lots of blood. Recovered bullets looked great and the performance was undeniable. The outfitters were of course curious about it as it's probably unheard of outside the US, and not even well known here.

The handloads I made up at the time were 225 Nosler Accubond at 2450 fps using IMR 3031. I've since found I can get 2500 fps avg with W748, though it requires tapping the case to settle the powder, and loading to the magazine length of 2.9". Even at longer ranges the Accubond gave adequate expansion.

@Rimshot
The little 358 punches well above its weight
Bob

 

[MS 9x56]

I use 250 grain roundnose bullets in my 358 win through my BLR takedown rifle and have not had to shoot anything twice with it so far. They may still run but never far.

 

[Rick HOlbert]

I put together a 20" barrel 358 win on a Savage 'Lady Hunter' stock/action for my wife. She used it to take 6 animals in Namibia, including kudu and gemsbock, and I used it to take another gemsbock. Shots ranged from 30 to 300 yards. The only shots that didn't exit were a frontal shot on my gemsbock and her kudu. All were one-shot kills. Most stuff just flopped over after the shot except the two gemsbock who both sprinted about 50 yards pouring lots of blood. Recovered bullets looked great and the performance was undeniable. The outfitters were of course curious about it as it's probably unheard of outside the US, and not even well known here.

The handloads I made up at the time were 225 Nosler Accubond at 2450 fps using IMR 3031. I've since found I can get 2500 fps avg with W748, though it requires tapping the case to settle the powder, and loading to the magazine length of 2.9". Even at longer ranges the Accubond gave adequate expansion.

hello Rimshot. You've found the loads that awaken the 358 to its potential. W748 with 225grn bullets will deliver 2500+ FPS. My rifle shoots 200grn North Forks very well but really comes alive with North Fork 225grn Semi Spitzers. I've used 225grn Barnes TSX's but due to their long length, compress the powder rather heavily. Still no pressure signs, 1 finger bolt lift and extraction, but I don't like heavy compression. So I've settled on North Fork bullets. But in the very near future I'll be doing some test loads good friend Bob Nelson sent me some Woodleigh Weldcore 225grn RN pills to try in my 358.
If you get the urge too try 180's, go to H335. It'll give you 2700 - 2800FPS.
Makes me feel good to see how many folks still like an obsolete ho hum bounces off game cartridge like the 358. It's a great round that deserves better.

 

[HWL]

243 owners could rebarell and have a ball.
Bob

...and balls!

HWL

 

[Rick HOlbert]

@Rick HOlbert
Can't wait to hear how those 225gn Woodleigh rnsp I sent you group and perform on game.
Should be a real hammer on hogs and deer.
I don't think you will have much tracking to do .
You might end up fat and lazy from the lack of exercise from no tracking required. Unlike 243 users who have to track everything except paper targets and even then they may have to.
Couldn't resist the 243 dig.
Bob

Well folks the testing has finally come about!! Made it to the range and ready to report the findings. The 225grn Woodleigh's with a charge of W748 put 4 rounds into 5/8th inch. Had 1 called flyer at 12 o'clock slightly out of the main group. My fault, not the rifle or the load. Chronographed velocity was 2520fps with a SD of 9.2fps. Muzzle energy was 3170fpe. I had another load that was 40fps faster but showed vertical stringing. Still good enough hunting accuracy but not as good as the first load. As always, I chase accuracy over velocity. Hope this is interesting to those following this thread.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Well folks the testing has finally come about!! Made it to the range and ready to report the findings. The 225grn Woodleigh's with a charge of W748 put 4 rounds into 5/8th inch. Had 1 called flyer at 12 o'clock slightly out of the main group. My fault, not the rifle or the load. Chronographed velocity was 2520fps with a SD of 9.2fps. Muzzle energy was 3170fpe. I had another load that was 40fps faster but showed vertical stringing. Still good enough hunting accuracy but not as good as the first load. As always, I chase accuracy over velocity. Hope this is interesting to those following this thread.

@Rick HOlbert
Lucky you sent me the photos so I will do the bragging for you
225gn Woodleigh rnsp in a 358 Winchester and Ricks group

Can't complain about the baby Whelen.
Bob

 

[Rick HOlbert]

@Rick HOlbert
Lucky you sent me the photos so I will do the bragging for you
225gn Woodleigh rnsp in a 358 Winchester and Ricks group
View attachment 663616View attachment 663617
Can't complain about the baby Whelen.
Bob

Thanks much Bob. For some reason I've had problems adding pictures to some of my postings so didn't really try this time. LOL!!