.358 Norma "just for grins"

[preacher]

How much velocity could I realistically expect in a 22" bbl, .358 Norma ( with necked up .338 win Mag brass?) and any 250gr bullet? what about the 225 TTSX specifically?

 

[SJB358]

2800 should be easy. I get about 2850 from my 35 Newton with a 21" tube. LOVE IT!

 

[DrMike]

~2850 with the 225 grain TTSX.

 

[preacher]

Dang! That's pretty 'feisty" from a 22" bbl! ha Is it better to neck up 7mm rem mag/338 winmag or 300 Winmag to make brass? which has less fireforming to deal with?

 

[SJB358]

Dang! That's pretty 'feisty" from a 22" bbl! ha Is it better to neck up 7mm rem mag/338 winmag or 300 Winmag to make brass? which has less fireforming to deal with?

300 Win and trim. 338 and 7 mag would need to be blown out. Decent amount of difference at the shoulder.

Don't overlook a 35 Newton either.... It's got a touch of class as well.

Hard not to like 358 Norma or Newton. Powerful cartridges.

 

[preacher]

What's involved with rechamber to 35 Newton? As in "where do you get reamer/dies/ and what cases do you use to make it nowadays? Is it comparable "cost wise" with the .358 Norma?

 

[SJB358]

What's involved with rechamber to 35 Newton? As in "where do you get reamer/dies/ and what cases do you use to make it nowadays? Is it comparable "cost wise" with the .358 Norma?

JES did mine. Same bolt face as a 7mm Rem.

Dies might cost a little more. I use 375 Ruger cases to make mine. Works well.

 

[preacher]

Where did you get the dies and how much Pard?

 

[SJB358]

Where did you get the dies and how much Pard?

I got mine 2nd hand. I think Midway has dies though.

http://www.midwayusa.com/35-newton/br?cid=9805

 

[preacher]

So you just neck down the 375 Ruger case in your 35 Newton FL die or do you use another process? Do the necks need reaming? ( I can't stand too much case prep, I need simple )

 

[preacher]

Also...my rifle has that slow 1 in 16" twist. Will I still be able to shoot 250's and the 310 with either the 35 Newton or the 358 Norma? I can live with the 225 TSX and Nosler, I'm just wondering.

 

[preacher]

Weeelll...the QL Diviners really put the "hoodoo" on me, ha! I absolutely do not, now or ever want to shoot another round of 35 Whelen AI@ 70-72K pressure! So, since I have called and spoken with my smith today ( before the long weekend) and spoke with him about converting this rifle to 358 Norma Mag. He is going to order the reamer/pilot, has the go/no go gauges on hand, and will open the bolt face and install an M16 extractor ( like my Mod 700 7mm Mag) I will get some factory loads from DoubleTap ammo for feeding/magazine/chambering purposes. I will then order at a later date some Norma factory brass and dies. I have wads of 35 caliber bullets, from 200 TTSX to 250X, 250 Noslers/225 Noslers/ 310 Woodleighs and Hornady 250 RN bullets. I also, here somewhere, have some 225 TSX ( probably my end choice). I like the "thump" w/o the risk of injuring my only "good" eye.

 

[DrMike]

'Tis an excellent cartridge, to be certain. Mine shoots far more accurately than it should.

 

[gerry]

Also...my rifle has that slow 1 in 16" twist. Will I still be able to shoot 250's and the 310 with either the 35 Newton or the 358 Norma? I can live with the 225 TSX and Nosler, I'm just wondering.

I'm not sure if it will stabilize much over 250 gr. Everything up to 250 gr you will be fine.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=29104&hilit=358+norma

Here is some work I did with a 358 Norma from a 22" barrel. I used it for a while but decided I wanted a bit less recoil. Fantastic round though and accurate. The 200 gr TTSX at 3000 fps load kicked a lot less than the 275 gr Woodleigh at around 2600 fps. I only did minimal work with 225's and never got close to maximum loads, had a nice load the 250 gr Speer at around 2750 fps which was still under max but accurate.

It became a 7mm Rem Mag but still have the barrel sitting in my sock drawer :lol:

 

[preacher]

I was able to get the 310 to shoot very well at 2400, but at much higher pressure than I realized, ha. I know from working with a slow twist 45-70 one time that speed was my friend...with heavy recoil to boot, ha. This rifle already had a good muzzle brake, and good pad on both stocks (wood/synthetic) I have a long history with the rifle itself, but got used to the higher velocity ( even though I thought I was at safe pressures, which I wasn't!) and love how it kills with both the 250X, the 200x and that 310. Just can't settle for "less" now, not after 21 years with it! More power! ha
Thanks for the load data post Gerry, you are "The Man" ( I have some Big Game powder here somewhere)

 

[preacher]

I've also had this particular rifle blue printed, cryogenically treated and it has a baked on moly something coating for rustproofing, nice Shilen trigger and an NECG rear sight. My smith said the barrel may not even have to be set back any, but no biggy if it is. It has two pillar bedded stocks; a Brown Precision High Country with Decelerator pad , $700+ in "2002" dollars, I also had the brake put on in 2002, just to make it easy on my repaired left retina, )) and a 2004 CDL stock with Limbsaver pad. I like to use the wood stock on late cow elk seasons...much warmer on my achy hands, ha. I'm just amazed at how that Ackley designed case "hid" any sign of pressure at those speeds and real preasure! Makes me wonder how hot they were during my initial load workup when I "did" run into sticky bolt/flattened primers/ejector marks! Wow! ha. As for elk capable rounds, I have already played with and hunted with a 338/280 wildcat, 338WM, 340W, 338 RUM and 3 9.3x62s, several 375s(had one reamed to 375W) 300WM and 300 RUM, 30-06 Ackley, not to mention several old standby standards, plus 444 & 45-70. So...lol, you can see where my predilections lie! ha