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Anyhow, for your criteria, I'd say either one will perform pretty close, the STW will produce alot more recoil, but inside 300 yds, either will kill the largest critters effectively, and I'd lean towards using the 280 gr A-frame in the STW, to keep the velocities down a bit. For big bears, the 280 a-frame at 2700 would be my hands down choice, though I don't think a 250 @ 2600 would be inadequate, just not to my prefernce of a bit more bullet then a bit less.

For the 35 whelen ackley, I'm partial to VV N550 and 250 gr a-frames, though Reloader 15 and Varget also work well. I've heard the hornadies are a bit soft, so I'd stick with the a-frame, partition or X-bullet. I also enjoy shooting cast lead bullets at moderate speeds for no recoil big grins practice loads. Unique and 2400 are good powders for 150-200 gr cast bullets at 800-1500 fps.

GC

For more info,he posts on the Handloading forum of HA quite a bit.I'm sure he'd be glad to answer any of your questions.

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"Only accurate rifles are interesting"

quote:

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Originally posted by over.40:
STA = Shooting Times Alaskan. Created by Layne Simpson who writes for Shooting Times magazine.

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Thanks over.40. What then does STW mean?

GC

I just got an e-mail from my gunsmith about my inquiry for a 2.5" 404 358. His repsonse was that is sounds good, and he also mentioned that he built and is shooting a 9# 358 STA, and the recoil was extreme, and this should be tempered with the fact that he is building me a 458 on a 2.5" 404, as well as a 500 Jeffrey, and is re-chambering Rays 404. He also said that most actions require bullets seated deeply in the 358 STA.

358Mark,

That 358/404 full length sounds like too much of a good thing I do have a sick idea for a too much of a good thing rifle, which will be a 500 AHR case necked down to 458, for what I'll call the Alaskan Varminter, the performance goal is 500 gr @ 3000 fps.

I have had 3 different barrelsin 358 STA.

How that came about was that a friend of mine had one made and it took it to Africa.

This was a number 5 contour .72" at the muzzle on 26 inch barrel.

The accuracy was quite incredible, especially fromthe pint io view of accuracy across a wide range of loads.

To see if it was just a fluke I had the same barrel made and had my barrel plus hois barrel fitted to a bench gun I used.

Same results.

Another friend then had the same barrel made and fitted to my bench gun. Same results.

All of this was quite easy to do as all actions were faced off so barrels could be interchanged.

Barrels were 1 in 14 twist, .357 groove diameter and chambered with JGS reamer andusing RCBS dies.

My mate had deliberately chose .357"since he is a barnes X bullet man and previous testing had shown that the chances of getting good accuracy fromBarnes X was increased if undersized barrel was used.

At the sametime as this testing was done we also had fitted a 338 barrel, 340 Wby (with 1 in 10 and 1 in 12 twists and conventional freebore) and 375 H&H.

In terms of the "best group with the best load" they were all about the same.

But for top accuracy across a wide range of loads (including very reduced loads) the 358 STA was way out in front.

For brass we used both necked down 375s and necked up 340 Wby.

If there is a problem with the caliber it can be if you want to seat heavier bullets to the cannelure. The OAL is greater than the 375 magazines.

On last thing. Accuracy with 180 Hornady XTPs loaded to around 2800 to 3000 with different powders was superb.

Mike