358 Win BLR

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
358 Win BLR... Picking one up tomo. So school me! Prob put peep sights on initially. Reload/shoot 200 cast and/or Speer 180 jackets. But mostly the cast.
 
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MikeN

Member
A good friend has a .358 Win BLR. So smooth, interesting design. I have been very tempted to pick one up myself. Back in the mid '60s a gunsmith told me that Winchester had a hard time selling the .358 in the M70 Featherweight when they came out in the mid '50s and on. He said that Winchester would accept back new in the box ones from a dealer and re-barrel them to .243 for either free or a small fee. I had a chance to pick up a mint M70 Featherweight .358 for $400 in 1975, but at that time, you know the money thing. I also sure wish that I hadn't sold my pre-64 .300 and .375 H&H's at around that time. The need for money (feed kids etc.) can make a guy do strange things.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Got it. It is a 2014 BLR Lightning Lightweight. Guessing I will shoot mostly 200 grn cast in it to keep from getting beat up. The BLR is a very slick action gun. And mounts very fast and smooth. And I love the 35s (have 3). Can't decide if I put a 1-4.5 scope on it (normally hate scopes on levers) or a set of Skinner peeps...
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I drooled all over one of the older ones in a little gun shop in Casper Wy. a couple of years back.
I think the 200gr RCBS would be just perfect in one of these.
wouldn't sweat putting a scope on one either, they actually don't look out of place on a BLR if the scope flows with the rifle.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
I would share more of your excitement but the pix didn't post for some reason.:p

Free: 'cause THE ONE pic I have sucks... just for my records. Patience, Grasshopper! LOL!

Fiver - the mold I have is the RanchDog TLC 359-190-RF. I am pretty confident that it will work for the 358 Win!!!

Think I am am going to put the very nice Leupold Am Marksman 3-9 off the (selling) Ruger Am 308 on the old Rem 760 300 Savage, and move the Nikon 2-7 off the Savage onto the BLR. I really intend for the 358 to replace the 308 (out to 250 yds - all I will EVER shoot a deer...). And 2-7 is more than enough out to 250!

While all this means the 38-55 Marlin 336 rebore (JES) project expired, I am still more than happy! Another (now 3x) 35 Caliber in the stable, AND it is a Browning! Kicking me in the back side to get some rifles set up again to deer hunt and get back in the woods, where we belong!!!

PS: means a 1981 Marlin 30-30 and Ruger AM 308 are on the block (AND a 30 BO Upper)! If interested, ping me!
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
I'm still looking passively for a 35-250 for the 358 I load . For fun a 358-90 might be interesting once .
The great thing about a 358 is that you probably have at least 2-3 bullets to get started with from 100-200 gr for 9/38/357 it might even just fall in love one of those and you won't even have to look any farther . My dies came with a bucket of junk that included a couple hundred each of 3-4 different bullets . Huge asset for the search for a happy bullet , if nothing else it will rule a few out . Sure wish I had a set of dies other than Lee's . Maybe this year or maybe I'll just polish them .
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
you can just neck size many of the cases out there with a set of steel 38 special dies, and use the flair die too.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
OK - THANX! Great die info. Glad to know the 35 FCD will work. Figured it would. I have the RD mold (for 35 Rem, but SURE it will work for the 358). Also Speer 180s (all I will prob ever do with Jackets). And yeah, I have cpl 38/358 molds. Bet a 148 WC would be a hoot at 25 yrds, and for bunnies and such! Same for a 158 SWC GC! Poofy loads! And then, like RB, a 250 grn cast load would be the bomb! And maybe a 220 Speer Hot Cor for hogs and bear and elk - well... at least hogs (doubt I will get to chase bear/elk!). And think I may just part with the 3-9 scope and go with a nice 2-7 for it. And agree that, on the BLR, a scope is ok. Can't bring myself to do it on my Marlins/Wins. Other one it is ok on is a Savage 99 (one on my 284 Win 99!)

You guys have any pet loads, I am all ears. Have all the powders (since I have 35 Rems!). Thanx
 

Ian

Notorious member
Dangit, I meant "collet neck sizing die", sorry. You could probably resize your .358 win with it too if you slipped a couple of 1/2" washers over the cartridge.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
Oscar I'm off the books with a marginal powder under the 250 . It is probably an accident waiting to happen but I did find the happy place for my combination . No pet loads 7-9 Unique with 125-200 grain plain base bullets was great in the 1-14" Santa Barbara Mag length 98' ....... plenty of room to seat out there ..... The reamer used on the AB barrel was used with the 35 XCB so it may not be typical .
The 35-250 is under a Quarter at 100 for 5 in spite of the extremely long but slicker than greased glass single stage trigger . 2100 fps is the ticket there . I shot a few of the XCB bullet also but my lube choice isn't up to that . There may be a .351 sizer in my future and some paper patched but I don't know what I might gain over 21-2300 fps in 200, 230 & 250 gr bullets as far as alloy and impact on hogs whitetail or a black bear . I'm pretty sure I can break a bears neck through it's sternum with that 250 and probably both shoulders .
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
alright,,, 48.5 grs of RL-19 and the saeco #248 which is their 250gr bullet sized to 358, federal 210's and necked up milsurp type brass cases.
I have taken it up a touch over 50, and back down again.
48.5 and 50 both shot the same, so I stayed with the slightly less obnoxious recoil.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
no problem.
most guy's look at that load and suck in their breath a little bit.
it's straight up a jacketed load from the book, which is what I'd do with your 200.
just back off a starting load with a powder that shows a bit higher pressure and you should be in business.
the 358 is super cast bullet friendly.
 

John

Active Member
I had one for a few years and went to a JES rebore bolt 358. Mine had an odd habit of throwing one shell out of five 2" right @ 100 yards.