Does anyone reload 358 Norma Mag?

[hperk9.3]

Hello everyone,

I just got a 358 NM and will have to reload for it as I am not paying $8 a round to shot it. Just looking for a place to start on this one and would love to see what y’all have come up with!

What are your preferred loads?
Are there bullets or powder you have had better luck with?

I have Sierra pro-Hunter 200gr bullets, Speer hot- cor 250gr bullets, Hornady 250gr interlock, and some 250gr unmarked jacketed bullets.

As for powders I could use, RAMSHOT Hunter, IMR 3031, IMR 4064, H4831SC, and IMR 4895.

Thank you!

 

[MedRiver]

I have had great luck with H4350 and 225-250 grain bullets sticking within published data. Mine has a 22” 1:12 barrel. Shoots the 250 Speer good, 250 partition gooder and the 225 TSX gooder-er.

Does not seem to be a tough round to load for and it would be hard to imagine much shaking of a 250 partition going north of 2800 fps.

 

[MedRiver]

Will also add, I have some Norma cases and formed cases from .300 WM. No complaints with either.

 

[hperk9.3]

Will also add, I have some Norma cases and formed cases from .300 WM. No complaints with either.

Good to know. I had heard it was easy to form from 338 win mag but I have about 100 cases of Norma brass and like 120 rounds of old stock Norma so I haven’t found the need to form any yet.

 

[hperk9.3]

I have had great luck with H4350 and 225-250 grain bullets sticking within published data. Mine has a 22” 1:12 barrel. Shoots the 250 Speer good, 250 partition gooder and the 225 TSX gooder-er.

Does not seem to be a tough round to load for and it would be hard to imagine much shaking of a 250 partition going north of 2800 fps.

View attachment 579089

Thank you for the info. I’ll be on the look out for Barnes bullets. My has a 26.5” barrel so I should get some pretty good velocity numbers I’m hoping!

 

[hperk9.3]

This is my rifle.

 

[wswolf]

Hello everyone,

I just got a 358 NM and will have to reload for it as I am not paying $8 a round to shot it. Just looking for a place to start on this one and would love to see what y’all have come up with!

What are your preferred loads?
Are there bullets or powder you have had better luck with?

I have Sierra pro-Hunter 200gr bullets, Speer hot- cor 250gr bullets, Hornady 250gr interlock, and some 250gr unmarked jacketed bullets.

As for powders I could use, RAMSHOT Hunter, IMR 3031, IMR 4064, H4831SC, and IMR 4895.

Thank you!

Of the powders you mentioned H4831 is just too slow burning and high velocity could not be achieved. The IMR powders mentioned are on the fast side but 4064 would probably be OK with the lighter bullets. My rifle has a 24" Schilen barrel with a 1:12 twist and is very accurate with the following;
200 TTSX - Varget - 3160 fps
225 Nosler Ballistic Tip - Varget - 2920 fps
225 TTSX - Varget - 2940 fps
250 Nosler Partition - H4350, 4451 or Big Game - 2850
280 Swift - H4350 - 2680
310 Woodleigh - H4350 - 2490

Hunter produced groups less than 1.5", not as good as the other powders noted but how small a moose are you planning to shoot? I did not get the accuracy I wanted with StaBall 6.5 and Reloder 16 lacks the density to get enough into the case.

Norma factory ammunition loaded with 250 Woodleigh - 2700 fps and 1" groups.

Necked up Winchester .338 cases gave about the same results as Norma cases. They worked just fine without being fire formed, despite turning out a little short.

Good luck with your .358 I am sure you will find it very effective with good bullets.

Cheers,
Walt

 

[C.W. Richter]

'Came to me in a dream. 'Agreed on the 225 TTSX comments above, but, as they are longer/less dense they do eat up a bit more powder space. .358 Norma IS a .338 WM necked up to .358, so use those cases (not exactly the same dimensions as 300 WM). Had some 358s but eventually got rid of 'em. Goal was 3000 fps and superb accuracy. The latter was difficult to achieve with the rigs I was dealt. Don't overlook TAC. Good luck. What's your intended quarry? That may affect bullet choices. (i.e. big cats vs. moose or bear.) 'Still have bullets here and there...

225 Sierra

​

Accurate AA-2700​

​

77.0M​

​

2,873​

​

4,125​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Barnes

​

Hodgdon H-4895​

​

66.0M​

​

2,881​

​

4,148​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Barnes TSX

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-15​

​

71.0​

​

2,944​

​

4,332​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

wswolf​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

IMR-4895​

​

68.0​

​

2,970​

​

4,409​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Barnes

​

Vihtavuori N-150​

​

75.0M​

​

2,974​

​

4,421​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

trollking​

​

​

​

225 Sierra

​

IMR-4320​

​

71.0​

​

3,006​

​

4,516​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Sierra

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-12​

​

72.5M​

​

3,007​

​

4,519​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-335​

​

68.0​

​

3,025​

​

4,573​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Sierra

​

Hodgdon H-4895​

​

71.0M​

​

3,026​

​

4,577​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon BL-C(2)​

​

72.0M​

​

3,030​

​

4,589​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Ramshot TAC​

​

69.0M​

​

3,032​

​

4,595​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon BL-C(2)​

​

72.0​

​

3,034​

​

4,601​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon BL-C(2)​

​

73.0M​

​

3,106​

​

4,822​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-335​

​

71.0M​

​

3,120​

​

4,865​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

247

​

Alliant/Herc Unique​

​

19.0M​

​

1,658​

​

1,508​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-19​

​

76.0​

​

2,660​

​

3,929​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

Vihtavuori N-550​

​

73.5​

​

2,690​

​

4,018​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

nswede​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Accurate AA-2700​

​

73.0M​

​

2,705​

​

4,063​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-4895​

​

65.0M​

​

2,736​

​

4,157​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-414​

​

74.0M​

​

2,754​

​

4,212​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-4350​

​

75.0M​

​

2,778​

​

4,286​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

IMR-4350​

​

77.5​

​

2,778​

​

4,286​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

paulh​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

Vihtavuori N-160​

​

80.2M​

​

2,790​

​

4,323​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

nswede​

​

​

​

250 NORMA

​

Vihtavuori N-160​

​

80.2M​

​

2,790​

​

4,323​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Remington

​

IMR-4320​

​

68.0CM​

​

2,793​

​

4,332​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-16​

​

75.0M​

​

2,796​

​

4,341​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

jgrabow6493​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

IMR-4320​

​

68.3M​

​

2,800​

​

4,354​

​

25.5​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

IMR-4350​

​

74.0M​

​

2,800​

​

4,354​

​

25.5​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

Hodgdon H-4895​

​

66.4M​

​

2,800​

​

4,354​

​

25.5​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Barnes

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-15​

​

66.0M​

​

2,801​

​

4,357​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

IMR-4895​

​

68.0M​

​

2,809​

​

4,382​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

paulh​

​

​

​

250 Barnes

​

Hodgdon H-4350​

​

75.0M​

​

2,818​

​

4,410​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

Vihtavuori N-160​

​

77.0​

​

2,820​

​

4,416​

​

25.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

jeger​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-21​

​

70.0M​

​

2,820​

​

4,416​

​

25.5​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

 

[hperk9.3]

Of the powders you mentioned H4831 is just too slow burning and high velocity could not be achieved. The IMR powders mentioned are on the fast side but 4064 would probably be OK with the lighter bullets. My rifle has a 24" Schilen barrel with a 1:12 twist and is very accurate with the following;
200 TTSX - Varget - 3160 fps
225 Nosler Ballistic Tip - Varget - 2920 fps
225 TTSX - Varget - 2940 fps
250 Nosler Partition - H4350, 4451 or Big Game - 2850
280 Swift - H4350 - 2680
310 Woodleigh - H4350 - 2490

Hunter produced groups less than 1.5", not as good as the other powders noted but how small a moose are you planning to shoot? I did not get the accuracy I wanted with StaBall 6.5 and Reloder 16 lacks the density to get enough into the case.

Norma factory ammunition loaded with 250 Woodleigh - 2700 fps and 1" groups.

Necked up Winchester .338 cases gave about the same results as Norma cases. They worked just fine without being fire formed, despite turning out a little short.

Good luck with your .358 I am sure you will find it very effective with good bullets.

Cheers,
Walt

Thank you for all the info!
I have some Varget and should be able to get 4350 from my local shop!

 

[358 Norma]

'Came to me in a dream. 'Agreed on the 225 TTSX comments above, but, as they are longer/less dense they do eat up a bit more powder space. .358 Norma IS a .338 WM necked up to .358, so use those cases (not exactly the same dimensions as 300 WM). Had some 358s but eventually got rid of 'em. Goal was 3000 fps and superb accuracy. The latter was difficult to achieve with the rigs I was dealt. Don't overlook TAC. Good luck. What's your intended quarry? That may affect bullet choices. (i.e. big cats vs. moose or bear.) 'Still have bullets here and there...

225 Sierra

​

Accurate AA-2700​

​

77.0M​

​

2,873​

​

4,125​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Barnes

​

Hodgdon H-4895​

​

66.0M​

​

2,881​

​

4,148​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Barnes TSX

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-15​

​

71.0​

​

2,944​

​

4,332​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

wswolf​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

IMR-4895​

​

68.0​

​

2,970​

​

4,409​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Barnes

​

Vihtavuori N-150​

​

75.0M​

​

2,974​

​

4,421​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

trollking​

​

​

​

225 Sierra

​

IMR-4320​

​

71.0​

​

3,006​

​

4,516​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Sierra

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-12​

​

72.5M​

​

3,007​

​

4,519​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-335​

​

68.0​

​

3,025​

​

4,573​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Sierra

​

Hodgdon H-4895​

​

71.0M​

​

3,026​

​

4,577​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon BL-C(2)​

​

72.0M​

​

3,030​

​

4,589​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Ramshot TAC​

​

69.0M​

​

3,032​

​

4,595​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon BL-C(2)​

​

72.0​

​

3,034​

​

4,601​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon BL-C(2)​

​

73.0M​

​

3,106​

​

4,822​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

225 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-335​

​

71.0M​

​

3,120​

​

4,865​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

247

​

Alliant/Herc Unique​

​

19.0M​

​

1,658​

​

1,508​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-19​

​

76.0​

​

2,660​

​

3,929​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

brandon0181​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

Vihtavuori N-550​

​

73.5​

​

2,690​

​

4,018​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

nswede​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Accurate AA-2700​

​

73.0M​

​

2,705​

​

4,063​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-4895​

​

65.0M​

​

2,736​

​

4,157​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-414​

​

74.0M​

​

2,754​

​

4,212​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Hodgdon H-4350​

​

75.0M​

​

2,778​

​

4,286​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

IMR-4350​

​

77.5​

​

2,778​

​

4,286​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

paulh​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

Vihtavuori N-160​

​

80.2M​

​

2,790​

​

4,323​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

nswede​

​

​

​

250 NORMA

​

Vihtavuori N-160​

​

80.2M​

​

2,790​

​

4,323​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Remington

​

IMR-4320​

​

68.0CM​

​

2,793​

​

4,332​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Nosler

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-16​

​

75.0M​

​

2,796​

​

4,341​

​

26.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

jgrabow6493​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

IMR-4320​

​

68.3M​

​

2,800​

​

4,354​

​

25.5​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

IMR-4350​

​

74.0M​

​

2,800​

​

4,354​

​

25.5​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

Hodgdon H-4895​

​

66.4M​

​

2,800​

​

4,354​

​

25.5​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Barnes

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-15​

​

66.0M​

​

2,801​

​

4,357​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

IMR-4895​

​

68.0M​

​

2,809​

​

4,382​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

paulh​

​

​

​

250 Barnes

​

Hodgdon H-4350​

​

75.0M​

​

2,818​

​

4,410​

​

24.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

​

​

​

250 Hornady

​

Vihtavuori N-160​

​

77.0​

​

2,820​

​

4,416​

​

25.0​

​

View​

​

​

​

jeger​

​

​

​

250 Speer

​

Alliant/Herc Reloder-21​

​

70.0M​

​

2,820​

​

4,416​

​

25.5​

​

View​

​

​

​

stigma​

I hate to disagree with you but the 358 norma Magnum is not a necked up 338 Winchester mag! The 358 norma Magnum was introduced two years before the 338 Winchester! Making cases for the 358 Norma mag from 338 win mag can be problematic as you have to blow the shoulder forward weakening the case. It is much preferable to use a 300 win mag casing neck it up and push the shoulder back and trim! This is easily achievable with a case forming and trim die.

 

[wswolf]

Though the base to shoulder measurement of the .358 Norma is Nominally .045" greater and the base to top of shoulder is .022" greater, I have fired full-powered loads from necked up, and not fire-formed, Winchester .338 brass with perfect satisfaction. And then loaded and fired those cases several more times with no sign of head separations or other problems. I relegate the ex-.338 cases to the target range and use Norma .358 cases for serious business.

I fully agree that .300 Win Mag cases are the better option than .338 Win Mag but sometimes one must make do with what is at hand and sometimes results are better than expected.

Cheers,
Walt

 

[358 Norma]

Though the base to shoulder measurement of the .358 Norma is Nominally .045" greater and the base to top of shoulder is .022" greater, I have fired full-powered loads from necked up, and not fire-formed, Winchester .338 brass with perfect satisfaction. And then loaded and fired those cases several more times with no sign of head separations or other problems. I relegate the ex-.338 cases to the target range and use Norma .358 cases for serious business.

I fully agree that .300 Win Mag cases are the better option than .338 Win Mag but sometimes one must make do with what is at hand and sometimes results are better than expected.

Cheers,
Walt

And I would agree with you on that! I have used 338 win mag cases in the past when that was all you could get and they work however I limit my firings to three times and after that I discard the case. Back in the early '90s when I first started playing with the 358 normal mag I did have a case separation that was completely my fault. I loaded the cartridge six times and it separated on the sixth firing. I was new to reloading and didn't realize such things could happen granted I was only 19 or 20 years old at the time.

 

[8x68]

I built a 358 Norma Mag using a CZ550 in 7mm Rem Mag as the donor rifle. Barrel is med contour PacNor 24".
Load it likes the most is the Speer 250gr HCSP.
Powder: IMR 4350
Charge: 72gr
Primer: CCI 250
Case: Norma 358
OAL 3.340
5 shot vel (chrono 6ft from muzzle)
Hi vel 2789
Low 2709
Variance 80fps

5 shot group 100yds 0.56"
3 shot group 300yds 1.50" (only loaded 3 for 300yds), 15" low of bullseye
Dead centre zero at 100yds.

Shoots the 225gr Sierra Spitzer decently as well.

 

[hoytcanon]

I made a modern .358 Norma... namely a .358-375 Ruger. I'm shooting the 225 Accubond with RL-17 @ 3140. It is a great thumper, but essential duplicates the Norma with just a smidgen of extra velocity. I used a Ruger M77 Mark II Stainless, originally chambered in .338 WM, and screwed on a Bob Jury #3 stainless barrel @ 24"... Bottom rifle in the picture.

 

[Rule 303]

Some good information. I do not have a 358Norma but looked at it once. from an Aussie reloading manual the best powders here are AR2206H (H4895) and AR2209 (H4350) for the bullet weights you mention.