358 Winchester

[meigsbucks]

I see Swift is bringing out a 225gr AF soon. That may be what the doctor ordered for that round.
I used to have a Savage 99 in that chambering. Never shot anything with it, but I sure wish I still had it.
JMO: Depending on what you are hunting, the 200 gr or 225 gr Barnes or 250 gr Swift or Noslers. Keep your shots to 200 yds or less and you should be OK. Not an eland round.

 

[Rick Cox]

I used to have one a long time ago. Shot deer, black bear, and moose with no issues. Seemed to really whack 'me and lead me to want a 35 Whelen which I used a few years ago in Namibia to good effect (see my avatar). As @7x57Joe said those Barnes 200 gr. TTSX would be great.

 

[Ray B]

A bulletmaker friend and virtually his entire family (four generations) go elk hunting in Eastern Oregon and use two cartridges: 358 Win & 358 Norma. On those days when hunting in terrain that results in shots less than 200 yards they carry Wins, mostly M99 Savages. For the more open areas they go with the Norma Mag in a variety of bolt actions. This has been happening each October/November for countless decades and there are no complaints.

 

[Retired Sgt]

Took a Zebra at 90 yards using a Browning BLR in 358 Winchester with 200 grain Barnes TSX.

And on my second Safari, took a Red Hartebeest at 220 yards with a Ruger Hawkeye in 358 Winchester with a 225 grain Nosler Partition bullet.

Just be aware, that if your ammunition doesn’t make it to the camp, I doubt you will be able to find 358 Winchester ammo anywhere in SA.

Also, if you reload for this caliber, make sure the cartridge headstamps match the rifle. Some people necksize 308 Winchester up to 358.

 

[Bignut]

Took a Zebra at 90 yards using a Browning BLR in 358 Winchester with 200 grain Barnes TSX.

And on my second Safari, took a Red Hartebeest at 220 yards with a Ruger Hawkeye in 358 Winchester with a 225 grain Nosler Partition bullet.

Just be aware, that if your ammunition doesn’t make it to the camp, I doubt you will be able to find 358 Winchester ammo anywhere in SA.

Also, if you reload for this caliber, make sure the cartridge headstamps match the rifle. Some people necksize 308 Winchester up to 358.

Awesome! Mine is a lever also.

 

[Retired Sgt]

 

[Jeffrey]

BLR in 358Win is a wonderful platform! I really want a takedown version...
If you're handloading, I agree with Bruce Moulds DO NOT use bullets designed for 35REM. Use a good tough bullet like a TTSX or AFrame. Also use correct head stamped brass.
375HH is all you need really, but tote that 358 along if you want.

 

[Retired Sgt]

 

[bruce moulds]

retired sgt,
a pleasure to see an honest photo for a change.
bruce.

 

[Bignut]

BLR in 358Win is a wonderful platform! I really want a takedown version...
If you're handloading, I agree with Bruce Moulds DO NOT use bullets designed for 35REM. Use a good tough bullet like a TTSX or AFrame. Also use correct head stamped brass.
375HH is all you need really, but tote that 358 along if you want.

I have a takedown in 325 WSM. Amazing how it returns to zero so well.

 

[Retired Sgt]

I like the idea of using not so common cartridges for SA. I used a Marlin lever action in 338 Marlin Express to take a Gemsbok at 190 yards.

 

[AZDAVE]

Take your 375 for buff, and the 358 with a quality bullet will take anything you want at the ranges you will shoot in Limpopo.
I have a BLR in 358 and it is just a blast to shoot. I haven't taken it to Africa, as my 9.3's (Bolt or Double) always win the "What am I taking this time conversation that goes on in my head"

 

[HWL]

My game getter for many years..... Steyr-Mannlicher in .358 Winchester.

 

[7x57Joe]

HWL, That is the first Steyr-Mannlicher I've seen chambered in .358 Win.
Several years ago, I was attending a gun show and located a very nice Mannlicher-Schoenauer Stutzen so chambered. We negotiated to within a hundred dollars of price and he would not budge and neither would I so, I came home without it! I've regretted that decision since. Sometimes stubbornness costs us dearly!

 

[HWL]

Steyr made Mannlicher -Schönauers and Steyr-Mannlichers in .358 Winchester ....but always a few only, I think.

My very personal .358 Winchester has a something different history.

It was born as a .308 Winchester, 300m match rifle, Stey called it the "Jagd Match".

I used it for target shooting for years and several thousand rounds.

Sometime, the barrel was worn out, or I thought it was, and I decided to make something else from it.

I went to Ferlach/Austria, and they shortend the 26" barrel to 20", they cut a .358 Winchester chamber and it got a new .358 rifling.

Little adjustments in the magazine, and iron sights mounted and my .358 Winchester hunting rifle was born.

225 Sierra Game King and 250 gr Speer Spitzer were my loads for hunting roe, deer and pigs in northern bavarian forests....

Not it is "retired", because i got new hunting grounds in the mountains....

Sometimes I think, it would not be bad in Africa either... but there are other toys


HWL

 

[Terry Blauwkamp]

I agree with fellow shooters, as I've taken the 35 Whelen a couple times, and it works superbly on plains game, and I'm sure the 358 will work just as well.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

We are going to the Limpopo region in May 2020. I was thinking of bringing my 358 for plains game. According to the PH, shots will be around 150 yards max. Nope it isn't traditional, but seems to whack things pretty hard. Anyone have any experience with this as a plains game round?

Big nut
Take your 358 winnie and enjoy your hunt. My son used a Howa 308 and had no problems.
The 358 is just more of a good thing. If I were you I'd forget the Barnes as they require velocity to work properly.
In my 35 Whelan I used the Woodleigh 225grain PPSP. No problem.
The woodleigh would be the ducks guts in the 358 with a velocity range of max 2600fps to 1800 fps.
Loaded in the Winnie to 2400 to 2500fps it would be a case of put rifle on shoulder, go bang, all well game falls down. Go and collect your trophies..
If eland is on your list the 250grain woodleigh might be the go but the 225 would do the job.
Woodleigh projectiles are bonded and have a proven track record in Africa.
Go hunt mate and have fun.

 

[tarbe]

Take your 375 for buff, and the 358 with a quality bullet will take anything you want at the ranges you will shoot in Limpopo.
I have a BLR in 358 and it is just a blast to shoot. I haven't taken it to Africa, as my 9.3's (Bolt or Double) always win the "What am I taking this time conversation that goes on in my head"

Not any more Pal! lol

 

[AZDAVE]

@tarbe That in my head conversation will always go on before a safari, I just don't have a 358 WIN to enter the conversation. The current one is 9.3x74 Double or bolt in 9.3x62, 375 H&H, 416 rigby?????? But life is good when we have those tough questions to ask ourselves

 

[Cousin Bongo]

We are going to the Limpopo region in May 2020. I was thinking of bringing my 358 for plains game. According to the PH, shots will be around 150 yards max. Nope it isn't traditional, but seems to whack things pretty hard. Anyone have any experience with this as a plains game round?

Preface: I'm assuming you're talking 358 Winchester and not 358 Norma Magnum.

Yes, I have experience with the 358 Winchester in Africa on game. I've taken a dozen or so "plains game" with it ranging from bushbuck at about 10 yards to zebra right at 300 - most all were one shot DRT except a warthog at about 30 yards who refused to believe it (required a second, but unnecessary, shot). I used 225 Barnes X at 2405 fps across the chronograph the first hunt, but switched to 200 grain TTSX for all-around use now. Have not had any issue with the Barnes X 200 and 225 grain .358" bullets not expanding even at 300 yards. I wrote an article about a MAS 36 I converted into a 358 Winchester sporting rifle that appeared in the April 2016 issue of ManMAGNUM magazine. The 358 Winchester is an excellent cartridge for African "plains game" out to 400 yards or so (don't believe the garbage about it being a "medium range" cartridge), but ammo re-supply is nonexistent in most all countries in Africa.

CB