Thinking about a 358 Win

[Ole_270]

These posts on cast in the 358 has started me thinking, always ends up costing money. My old JC Higgins 51-L in 308 has a heavily worn barrel that is about gone, I've managed to keep it under 2" with the Saeco #315 clone, but it's getting more finicky as time goes on. I really like this old rifle, 7 1/2 lbs scoped, trim and easy handling. I'd rebarrel but the barrel is an odd contour, fast taper in the first 5" or so, then a doughnut for the rear site boss, quick taper to 3/4" or so, then long taper to the muzzle. Thinking about sending it to JES for re-boring. The barrel is a real lightweight, .575 at the muzzle. I'm not sure what he requires for muzzle wall thickness, but this one would turn out to be .108 per side. I thought about the 338 Federal but doubt .010 per side will make any difference at the muzzle or on game and cases and molds will be easier to get for the 358.
I'd probably pick up one of the 200 gr flat nose molds, maybe a plain base for general use and a gc model for big game. Thinking I could get alot of use out of the cartridge and the rifle.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

The 358 is a dandy Cast. BUllet launcher for sure!

I havent wrung this one out at all. Only trying one load once. I dedicate the 225 Sierra to it for hunting purposes. I found a "good enough" load with TAC for hunting.

But its on my "things to do" list!!

CW

 

[Ben]

If the end of your muzzle is large enough, you're onto a plan that you won't regret.

I have 5 rifles that JES has rebored.
Each offers guilt edge accuracy.

Ben

 

[oscarflytyer]

My 358 is a BLR. Not sure whether I love it more because it is a 358 or because it is a BLR! Def a deer thumper. Just getting around to loading for it. Want a jacketed hunting load, then prob toy with cast. 358 is a great round, and was a deer thumper last year!

 

[Ole_270]

My 38-55 is a JES rebored Marlin 336 30-30, I have no worries about his work

 

[Joshua]

I have thought about having one of my Arisakas bored out to 35 Whelen.

I did a search and found out that I had just enough barrel thickness for JES to do it. That barrel is .650” just behind the original sight.

I can’t remember if it was in a forum post or a on the JES website that I found .650” as the max measurement.

Josh

 

[Glaciers]

All I have to say is a guy can't have enough 35 caliber rifles. Give Jess a call and see what's what.

 

[Ian]

I have a '66 and a '90-something 336 and the muzzle ODs on both are .630".

 

[Joshua]

I looked around some more on the forums. I saw this recommended often “.125” per side to the bottom of the grooves at the tip of the barrel.

.358”+.125”+.125”=.633”

I’m really not sure where I saw .650”. This .633” number is pretty close to .650”.

Josh

 

[Ian]

close 'nuff methinks. .575", not so much. How much of the barrel would you have to cut off to get to .630" diameter?

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

All I have to say is a guy can't have enough 35 caliber rifles. Give Jess a call and see what's what.

AMEN!! (I just ordered ANOTHER myself!! )

cw

 

[Ole_270]

close 'nuff methinks. .575", not so much. How much of the barrel would you have to cut off to get to .630" diameter?

The barrel is .620 as it emerges from the forend and not a lot over .700 6" in front of the receiver.. Very lightweight barrel.
I'll check with JES, but looks like I'll either stay as is or rebarrel. If I rebarrel it will probably be to the 257 Roberts or it's parent the 7x57. With the doughnut boss for the rear sight it will leave a recess in the stock with any reasonable new barrel contour.

 

[Ian]

Any gunsmith worth his salt could get a bull or heavy varmint blank and match the contour.

 

[Ole_270]

I've read in the past about re-contouring barrels causing stress relief problems, is it mostly theory or does it happen a lot?

 

[RBHarter]

Depends on how the smith sets it up .
If the barrel is indicated for center on the bore at both ends and straight to start and cut around the center of the bore it shouldn't induce much more than the actual cutting . However some indicate the OD and don't try to straighten the barrel if needed , sometimes even cutting a diagonal OD to the bore and causing the barrel to flex .
Obviously the first is the preferred but it requires extra tools , extra time to set up and more attention to cutting details .

 

[Ole_270]

Might have Shaw copy the contour, $50 extra to copy. I've heard several compliments to them since they retooled a couple years ago. I'll probably hold off till spring either way.

 

[Ian]

I've read in the past about re-contouring barrels causing stress relief problems, is it mostly theory or does it happen a lot?

I don't know all that much about it but have had several barrels with complex contours which were reflected by variable bore size. Hopefully someone with more education in the subject will chime in. Tje bire is larger where the outside is smaller, sometimes dramatically so. Button rifling stresses the steel and paring down the outside can cause the bore to swell. By the same token, rifling AFTER contouring can cause the same problem. I think most barrels are drilled and rifled first, then contoured. I think that ideally you'd use a cut-rifled and lapped barrel or a hammer-forged blank.

 

[Brad]

It can happen.
High power shooters can have issues with front sight cuts at the muzzle. It can leave a loose spot at muzzle if cut is deep. If sight band is over tightened it can actually cause a tight spot at the muzzle and give the shooter fits.

How Much most shooters would notice is hard to say if it happened on a “standard” rifle.

 

[fiver]

what happens is removing outer material can allow the bore size to grow slightly.

if it were a huge issue most barrels wouldn't be tapered as much as they are unless made from tapered blanks.
turning a blank can relieve the stress and allow the material underneath to expand..
I never could figure how a standard AR barrel could shoot very well with all the up and down cuts in it.

 

[Ole_270]

This factory barrel is very similar. No real shank, starts a fast taper to about .75" at 5" from the receiver, then swells up to a boss of .875 for the rear sight in about 1/4 inch, drops back down to .75 in the next 1/4". At this point its about 6" from the receiver. Then it straight tapers to .575 at the muzzle with a banded "shark fin" front sight. It's only .62" just in front of the forend. With the lightweight birch? stock it only weighs 7 1/2 lbs with a 3-9x42 scope and mounts. Sure wish it didn't have so much wear on it, It's a nice rifle.