Ruger American in 358 winchester

[Missionary]

Howdy
A bolt rifle in 358 makes a lot of cense . I would think find a worn out barreled rifle with a 308 bolt head, buy it cheap and send it to JES. I have done that with several Marlin levers and ended up with 2 336 Marlins in 375 Winchester for right at $350 each.
There are all sorts of bad barrel bolt rifles out there no one wants. Caliber 30 and under would end up a nice 358 Winchester .

 

[jerry w]

I tried some trail boss for a light load, went with 2.2cc (10grs) and two different boolits. I was only shooting at 50yards this morning but amazed at how well the powder coated 358315 bullet did. I also like the fact it is dead on point of aim at 50yards with the same scope settings to put me a bit high @ 100yards with my faster loads. Really glad i got one of these rifles.

 

[35 Whelen]

Thanks for the info gentlemen.....going to be actively watching this post.

 

[jerry w]

got out for a bit this weekend with the 358 american and chronographed a few loads, here is the chronograph info from yesterday:

NOE 230gr RD powder coated bullet with 1.6cc of IMR 4227 (right around 20grs) did 1640fps, this is an accurate load

125gr Missouri bullet, powder coated, with 12.5gr of Bluedot did 1640fps

the powder coated 200gr hollow point with 2.2cc (right around 10gr's) Trailboss did 1180fps and had an SD of 13, extremely accurate

NOE 230gr bullet with 47.5 gr Data 85 did 1980fps and had an SD of 13.2 (this load showed some promise and i think if the bullets were harder it would have shot really good) Could probably stuff a bit more powder in there to get around 2100 with this powder, it is slow for the case but i got a lot of it and it seems to do well with cast bullets.

230gr bullet with 36gr of 3031 averaged 2026fps and had an SD of 65

I did discover that my alloy is softer than i thought, i shot the 3031 load at an old wet 6x6 around 80 yards and the bullet never exited, took it home and split it and the bullet went about 4" and was completely flattened out. After thinking about it i realized that my usual hunting alloy of water dropped 50/50 pure&WW with a touch of tin is no longer that hard after powder coating @ 400 degrees. I am going to have to start quenching when removing bullets from the PC oven, hopefully the rapid temp changed doesn't affect the powder coating. I believe the softer alloy accounted for the larger groups i was seeing with the heavier loads, averaged around 2" for the 3031 and the D85 loads. That little rifle begins to get lively with the heavier loads, not painful but certainly know you are shooting a 230gr bullet, also noticed a huge difference in impact between the 4227 load @ 1640fps and the same bullet @ 2000fps, like about 9" higher with the heavier loads.

 

[Uncle Grinch]

I have read many positive reports on the Ruger American rifles with their good pricing and often great accuracy. While at my LGS I picked one up and was amazed at its weight or lack of. As good as the reports are, I can’t convince myself to buy one. They just don’t feel like quality. There’s not enough heft or steel and no wood.

I know... I’m old and biased and raised on Single shot 22’s and Mausers.

 

[Spindrift]

Jerry w, thank you for a nice write-up, good results!
I am no expert in these matters. But I have found the typical baking temp for powder coat is sufficient to anneal water quenched bullets, but not to increase hardness. I took one air cooled and one quenched bullet (Bhn 16 and 27), baked them like when powder coating and quenched them- both ended up at BHN 16. So either, you have to increase temp or enrich alloy, I think.

 

[fiver]

or increase the soak time before dumping them in water from the oven.
I start my PC out at a lower temp of around 300 and let it stabilize there and hold it there.
then jump up to the wet stage of about 375 for a full 20 minutes.
then move to the 400 stage for the full 20 minutes to cook the PC.
turn the oven off and watch the thermo as soon as it starts down I take them out and dump them in a bucket of water.

what this does is allows the heat to penetrate and soak into the bullet fully before water dropping and it allows the PC to cure off properly.
I haven't tried pulling a BHN afterwards so I got no numbers there, but the PC is always nice and smooth and complete.

 

[jerry w]

This is one of the NOE 230gr Ranchdog bullets shot into some soft saltwater ice, very soft and actually a pretty good test medium, impact speed was 1600fps. It amazes me how well this powder coating remains intact.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have know of these for a while. Really getting the itch now. I just noticed its listed as 1:12 twist!! Seriously anyone will see instability. Might even prove good sub rifle!!

i see in pice is threaded. It that real or wrong pic. I cannot find specfics.

im probably ordering ine next week.

CW

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

or increase the soak time before dumping them in water from the oven.
I start my PC out at a lower temp of around 300 and let it stabilize there and hold it there.
then jump up to the wet stage of about 375 for a full 20 minutes.
then move to the 400 stage for the full 20 minutes to cook the PC.
turn the oven off and watch the thermo as soon as it starts down I take them out and dump them in a bucket of water.

what this does is allows the heat to penetrate and soak into the bullet fully before water dropping and it allows the PC to cure off properly.
I haven't tried pulling a BHN afterwards so I got no numbers there, but the PC is always nice and smooth and complete.

You are basically heat treating the cast AND powder coating. The quench will not at all “hurt” the PC.

All Powders are different. But many require 400/20 AFTER FLOW. They look feel and sometimes mostly work ok with a little less but doing so likly isnt getting everything PC has to offer. But if your not “pushing” things vel/pressure wise. All things could be equal.
As for BHN after, I have t been able to get a curate numbers either. What I do is just NOT coat a few but still bake /quench them with others. The PC is too soft for my LBT meter to provide accurate reading. But raw cast of coarse is fine.

I am having my dealer order one of these for me

i see its a 1:12. Pic shows threaded barrel. But isnit really? Or is it a stock pic? I think i read it's a predator with a 20” barrel. Can anyone confire threading and its pitch?


CW

EDTI; I guess Ill answer my own questions. I have one of these ordered and should have in hand in a few days.

 

[oscarflytyer]

Thanks for the heads up. I have 2 358’s, Remington 760

Jealous on the 760! Mine is a 300 Savage (and just gifted it to youngest son this evening)

And, PS: I DO have a Browning BLR in 358. Bought it used and woods experienced, with marks as such. Got a decent deal on it and no fear of carrying it in the woods. And REALLY wanted a 358 Win (lot based on your posts, BL!). And took two deer with it over the last 2 weeks. It is a thumper (as is the 35 Rem, and on par with the 45-70!). I love the gun AND the caliber!