Projectile avalibility 338 vs 358

Hi Guy's,
I want to build a 358 win on a Sav 99 as in NZ they are like hen's teeth and in the US they are gold plated.
After a recent experience where I ended up culling some pigs at 10-15 mtrs with my varmint setup 243 bolt action and 4-16x scope I realized I need to get myself another close in rig.
I used to use a Sav 99 carbine 18" barrel with a fixed 2.5x euro scope with a heavy Post and rail. (Dad has redeposited it from me for a pig problem he has digging up his drive way)

So I am looking to shoot short range mostly 0-50 mtr but still want to be happy taking a 250 meter shot at a deer.
Goats would be varmint projectiles over trail boss, Pigs and deer would be standard loads.

I've been looking at availability of projectiles for the 358 and it's limiting with most being very old style low BC . Sierra Game king / Nosler Accubond in 225gr at say 2400 fps (18-20" barrel and no hot loads) and lots of pistol type 125-160 gr which would work well for goats over trail boss for say >1500 fps.

The 338 on the other hand has lots of modern bullets designed for long range hunting that would work well at the lower velocity's of a 338 fed.
I'm a fan of the Berger and ELD-M type end performance

Anyone shooting 358 and what projectiles do you use????

I can't answer your question, but sounds like a bloody awesome project. A short light 358 win in a lever couldn't be any cooler.

I like to do something similar. A Winchester 88 would be a good option too.

If you are only wanting to shoot 50y - why are you worried about BC?

hi Rich,
. you are right but I still want to be able to take the odd longer shot and the way those old 358 projectiles lose speed is criminal. past 200 meters they are getting so slow that terminal performance / bullet expansion is getting compromised. they will still exit most NZ game with at least a .358" hole sp nothing is going to go that far.
different story if I was to start them of with something a little larger such as a Norma 358 win mag or 35 Whelen(sp)

In part I have become addicted to the explosive results of my 6mm Berger 87 gr VLD hunting, and the hornady 108gr ELD-M on goats and deer.
bullets for calibres up to 338 have really moved on in the last 10 years.
Zane

I have one of the new Ruger 77 limited runs in .358win,
Hornardy factory ammo 200gr shoot well, and seam to kill deer alright, mate borrowed rifle and got two whitetail deer this November in Canada,
I hand load Sierra 225gr, with Varget, very accurate, but have not shot any large game with them,
You may find the sleek bullets like Accubonds,VLD's are too long for a std short magazine, thus no Accubonds load data, in Nosler manual.

thanks southernman. I had the Sierra 225 gameking in mind for pigs and longer range shooting. Then something like the 150 -180 gr pistol spire points for short range soft skin light game.
Terminal ballistics now has their info on the 358 win up on line now.

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Kno...inchester.html

Z

Hey @ZQLewis, what gunsmithing is involved in going from 308 to 358 win? I understand the 308 is the parent case, so is it just a matter of opening up the bore and throat? have you found a gunsmith who will do it? I ask becuse I have a savage 99 in 308 and the throat is getting really long.... it will need something done in time.

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Originally Posted by MGNZ

Hey @ZQLewis, what gunsmithing is involved in going from 308 to 358 win? I understand the 308 is the parent case, so is it just a matter of opening up the bore and throat? have you found a gunsmith who will do it? I ask becuse I have a savage 99 in 308 and the throat is getting really long.... it will need something done in time.

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that's interesting I would assume it's pretty dam hard to bore out a barrel to a new cal??

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Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

that's interesting I would assume it's pretty dam hard to bore out a barrel to a new cal??

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Plenty of guys in the USA have done it on 99's, so it's doable... just don't know how much of a job it is.

Yes it's quite popular in the US there 3 companies that I know of that do it, It is a lot cheaper than a re-barrel and the rifle still looks the same,

I was working on getting a New barrel and then assumed it would need a thread cut on the outside, then chamber cut and head spaced.
my unknown is weather the magazine rotor and feed ramp will need modification to go from 308 to 338 or 358.
nb I have a 243 so want to go the whole hog rather than just use a 308.

have read about drilling out existing barrels but 7.62 to 9.1 mm is a long way.
plus I would be reluctant to ship and get the barrel back from the US.

MG I was lucky a couple years back to come across a smith in NZ who had an unused 243 barrel for a 99 so I jumped on that one. I would think you maybe able to get your existing barrel set back a small amount depending upon how worn it is.
Zane

So you can shoot 9mm/38/357 projectiles also? That would make for cheap practice or fun loads.

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Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

So you can shoot 9mm/38/357 projectiles also? That would make for cheap practice or fun loads.

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You would need to use cast bullets 38/357 projectiles are .357" diameter accuracy would not be very good, luckily I have a 35 cal 230 grain mould
in a plane from the US problem solved, and True-Flite do a .358" barrel hopefully they have a .358 Win reamer