BLR in .358 Win.

[NYDAN]

I had to make a trip up to the Buffalo area yesterday and finally stopped in a gun store that I had driven by for years but never had the opportunity to stop at. I got there only a few minutes before closing time but I was impressed by the selection of rifles they had.

They had a whole rack of just left-handed bolt action rifles. They also had an impressive array of lever action rifles. I asked if he had lever actions in a caliber larger than 30 caliber and he reaches up and pulls down a BLR lightweight "81 Stainless Takedown in 358 Win. It has the grey laminate stock with a straight grip. I immediately developed a yearning for it.

I had been reading a little about the 307 Win, 308 Marlin Express, 356 Win, and 358 Win cartridges. If I recall correctly, the 358 Win is the most powerful of these lever action cartridges.

Would you consider the 358 Win. an adequate caliber for hunting the larger north American game like elk and moose? What would you consider the maximum useable range, 250 or 300 yards?

Since I have a bolt action 270 Win. and a Marlin 450 would I be better off looking for a bolt action rifle in some 338 or 35 caliber for larger game?

What are your thoughts on this make/model rifle and caliber? What are your thoughts on a third rifle for me?

Dan

 

[Thebear_78]

Properly loaded the 358 can cleanly take any North American big game. 200gr @ 2700fps for longer ranges and medium game, 250s @ 2300fps for big stuff up close and 225s @ 2500 for all around use.

It seems like the perfect fit for your arsenal.

 

[DrMike]

The .358 is my favourite cartridge in the BLR (I've had two). I've taken game as large as bison with the .358, though there are better cartridges for such large animals. I have taken grizzly with my .356 (a virtual ballistic twin of the .358), and I know of at least two friends who have taken grizzly with the .358. It is an honest 250 yard cartridge with the appropriate ammunition. I settled on a 200 grain TSX in my last BLR chambered in this cartridge; it shot very accurately and hit with authority. Would I buy another BLR chambered in this cartridge? In a heartbeat, even though I have a bolt action .358 at the moment which will stay with me.

 

[Anonymous]

An acquaintance of mine has shot 3 moose with his BLR in .358Win. All one shot kills. He's a fan of the 250gr. bullet. He is something of a nut for the .358 and hunts with both the BLR and a Savage 99.

A take-down BLR in something like .358 would be nice...

 

[SJB358]

Another fan and owner of a BLR 358 Winchester. Mine sees far too little hunting time but honestly I run 225 PTs at 2450 and can't think of much I wouldn't hunt. Awesome package in my opinion. It absolutely hammers deer hard. Mikes worked his out far more than me but if I didn't have to worry about longer shooting it would hunt a lot more. It's just about perfect in the Northeast though. You can't pick a handier hammer. Easy to load for too. Browning makes a great rifle in that BLR.

 

[Guy Miner]

Our family BLR is but a .308 Win. Good rifle.

A buddy has taken over 20 elk with his .358 Win, Browning BLR... He usually uses a 225 gr bullet I believe. His is topped by an Aimpoint red-dot sight, and has the nickname "killer" - appropriately named.

Guy

 

[FOTIS]

I have a 358 BLR great gun!!!

 

[DrMike]

That looks pristine, Fotis. Yeah, the .358 is a great cartridge to own, and chambered in a BLR, it is just comforting.

 

[truck driver]

It sure is pretty Fotis.

 

[Guy Miner]

Fotis, your rifle is a lot better looking than my buddy's hard used .358 Win BLR!

 

[NYDAN]

Fotis, that is a fine looking rifle. I am surprised that this combination is so popular. I had not heard of it until yesterday. That is what I get for living in the East - lack of knowledge about Elk and Moose rifles and cartridges. I had given up on getting out west to hunt again. But reading about everyone elk and moose hunting is getting me all anxious to go again. They say, "where there is a will, there is a way".....

 

[preacher]

Hey NYDAN- I would get that 358 and become "the Terror of the Northeast" with that thing, ha! Forget coming out West, you are within driving range from Maine, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, plus your own upstate, that BLR was made for that kind of hunting! Although I am an incurable 35 Whelen AI fanatic, "if" I had found a BLR in 358 "before" I got a 35 Whelen ('95)...I would have taken it to South Africa instead ('96) and still be using it! A few years back I played with a nice 81 in 358, but by then, I had too much 'emotional attachment" to my Mod 700/35 AI to hunt with a rifle of similar ballistics. The 358 will not ruin a bunch of venison either, so it is a "bona fide deer rifle" even in the snobbiest of deer camps, ha. I wouldn't weigh it down with a heavy scope, a Weaver 1x3, or at most trim 2x7 ( there are other good makes, but you get my point) is plenty. The 200 gr is plenty, especially the TSX. The 200 TTSX was too long for BLRs magazine, but no problem. The Speer 220FN is awesome and nothing to stop you from going Old School and shooting even the 310 Woodleigh! ha From your post you sound like you are left handed too, so there you go, you "need" that BLR/358! Good luck to you Pard.

 

[FOTIS]

Fotis, your rifle is a lot better looking than my buddy's hard used .358 Win BLR!

Well you know how anal I am. LOL

The only scratches on my guns were done by the previous owner! :mrgreen:

 

[Silent Sam]

Would you consider the 358 Win. an adequate caliber for hunting the larger north American game like elk and moose? - Yes to both and have the antlers to prove it. :wink:

What would you consider the maximum useable range, 250 or 300 yards? - My criteria, yours may vary... What is the max range I can be reasonably sure of a kill shot in field conditions, What is the max range the bullet will perform as designed, and what is the max range I can hold on hair and put the bullet in the vitals. For my 358 BLR on large game that is at 250 yds. The accuracy is there. I consider minimum impact velocity of 1800 fps to be adequate to ensure expansion and the drop at that range doesn't require holding over the back.

 

[DrMike]

Pretty much my assessment of the 358 Win. As I stated, I've taken some pretty large game with either the 358 or the 356. It is an underappreciated cartridge that will put a smile on the face of the most jaded shooter.

 

[SJB358]

Pretty much my assessment of the 358 Win. As I stated, I've taken some pretty large game with either the 358 or the 356. It is an underappreciated cartridge that will put a smile on the face of the most jaded shooter.

Yes sir. Well said to both statements.

Great pictures Fotis. I love those 200 grain Silvertips. They are very tough bullets in the 358 Winchester. My rifle loves them as well.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I feel that you can pick your poison on medium bore levers or bolt action rifles. For my money anyhow, there is not much difference between the .358 Win and the .338 Federal. Same case, same ballistic coefficient same velocity. Whether you use a 210 Partition in .338 or a 225 Partition in .358, the velocity and energy is going to be about the same. Actually the same can be said about the Model 71 Winchester with the 200 grain .348 bullet. All three of them are in the same realm of cartridges with very similar performance. My .338 Federal may be slightly smaller bore than the .348 or .358 but I can run the Sako rifle at 60,000 psi and even things up somewhat, as far as performance is considered.

 

[truck driver]

All this talk about the 358 Win has me thinking it would be very handy in a bolt action and knock the snot out of eastern white tail deer. :mrgreen:

 

[JD338]

Dan,

The 358 Win loaded up with a 225 gr PT or a 250 gr PT will take anything in NA.
The BLR is a nice quick pointing rifle. Top it off with a VX3 2.5-8x36mm Leupold and never look back.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Rodger,

My Ruger Hawkeye shoots exceptionally well. You may recall (a search of the forum will reveal) that Bullet (Mike Price) also had a Hawkeye chambered in .358 that shot exceptionally well. Handy bolt gun and a great cartridge. It was only because I already had the Hawkeye that I allowed my last BLR to slip out of my hands. Now, Blkram has two of those rifles.