Anyone ever heard of a .358 Win Mag?

[filmjunkie4ever]

Here where I work we Guide hunters as part of the job. A second season rifle hunter came in toting a truly awesome rifle. It was a pre-64 Model 70 in a beautiful walnut stock. When I looked at the legend stamped on the barrel to my surprise it was the original tube with .358 Win Mag stamped on the side.

John, the Hunter, told me a dear friend had given that rifle to him. It was originally a .338 Mag but the barrel had gotten shot out so was rebored to a .358 bore using the .338 Win Mag necked up. He even let me shoot it once! What a hoot!

On his 3rd day here John shot a decent 6x6 bull. I recovered the Hornady bullet but for the life of me don’t know why I didn’t take some pictures of that rifle.

Anyone ever see a .358 Win Mag? It’s got my wheels turning...


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[Thebear_78]

Sounds like a 358 Norma mag. Simply a necked up 338 win mag. It’s a solid all around big game cartridge.


https://www.americanhunter.org/articles ... ma-magnum/

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[DrMike]

I have a 358 Norma Mag in my arsenal. It is a tack driver that packs a genuine wallop. Practically speaking, it is a 358 Win Mag.

 

[FOTIS]

The 358 Shooting Times Alaskan is a beast! 8mm rem mag necked up

 

[26NosFan]

.358 UMT(Ultra Mag Towsley) is more of a beast. 300 RUM necked up.

 

[PJGunner]

I have a Ruger M77 tang safety chambered to the .375/338 cartridge. Duplicates the .375 H&H very nicely. It's also called the .375 Taylor or .375 Chatfield-Taylor after Robert Chatfield-Taylor who thought the cartridge up. Very accurate and very potent.
Paul B.

 

[Blkram]

While the 358 Norma is not overly popular, it has a great reputation as being a great performer. Have always thought it would be fun to own one. Brass and ammo can be a bit difficult to come by.

 

[Elkman]

The .358 Winchester is a .35 caliber rifle cartridge based on a necked up .308 Winchester created by Winchester in 1955. Cartridge cases can be formed from .308 cases. They were also offered in lever action rifles a long ways back.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

The .358 Winchester is a .35 caliber rifle cartridge based on a necked up .308 Winchester created by Winchester in 1955. Cartridge cases can be formed from .308 cases. They were also offered in lever action rifles a long ways back.

That is correct however this rifle was stamped .358 Win Mag (not a typo) and it’s owner used .338 Win Mag brass necked up to .35 caliber. It definitely was not a .358 Winchester (.308 necked to .35).


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[gerry]

It would have been a stomper had Winchester or someone else had brought it out. It is a bit shorter than the 358 Norma but not by much so performance would be the same. I had a 358 Norma for a while and it is a fantastic round just like the 358/338 WM would have been.

 

[FOTIS]

.358 UMT(Ultra Mag Towsley) is more of a beast. 300 RUM necked up.

True True!

 

[Thehunter1184]

That is correct however this rifle was stamped .358 Win Mag (not a typo) and it’s owner used .338 Win Mag brass necked up to .35 caliber. It definitely was not a .358 Winchester (.308 necked to .35).


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I just purchased this exact rifle. Winchester barrel marked 358 win mag. it does use necked up 338 brass for the loads.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Have you shot it yet and if so, what are your results?

 

[Guy Miner]

That is correct however this rifle was stamped .358 Win Mag (not a typo) and it’s owner used .338 Win Mag brass necked up to .35 caliber. It definitely was not a .358 Winchester (.308 necked to .35).


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Yup - the 'smith and the owner can call it pretty much anything they wish. "358 Win Mag" seems like a great description for a 338 bored out to .358" bore diameter.

Guy

 

[gerry]

Very cool, only a tiny bit less case capacity than the 358 Norma Mag. Probably can use reloading data for it but maybe not the max charges listed.

 

[KinleyWater]

That's one of the ideas I had for repurposing a 300WM I've got laying around. From what I read, it would be more than I would ever need for any kind of hunting. Ever. There's also a wildcat from the 300WSM necked up (suppose you could use 325 WSM, for that matter).

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

Necking up the 338 Win Mag to 358 creates a 358 Norma Magnum. The Norma was introduced as a direct competitor to the 338 Win Mag. Designed by Nils Kvale in Sweden at Norma along with the 308 Norma Magnum and 7mm S&H. It never really became popular here in the USA. It's intended for big game such as moose and bear.

I have one and use it as my primary big game hunting rifle. I personally would be fine taking anything in North America with it. All the way from pigs and small deer to large bears and moose.

Ammo is scarce but Norma brass shipments do arrive from time to time. The cartridge does have substantial recoil and if you are unprepared, it will be tough to make quick follow up shots, but it's truly an amazing cartridge with a legendary reputation. While not as efficient as the classic 35 Whelen, it can reach performance metrics that are impossible for the Whelen to achieve.