Just got a BLR in this caliber. I am looking for some loads. Specifically for deer/elk use.

Any suggetsions would be appreciated. If known please list your velocity. Thank you in advance.

My hunting buddy has a 358 M70 built by Brockman. Don't know much about his load except that it features the Nosler 225 gr Partition and that it turns whitetails into venison with authority.

If it is a new BLR, the bbl is 20" Although 250 gn bullets are available, the velocity at impact ranges might be too low for adequate expansion. Nosler does not recommend their 250 gr partition for that caliber. So, if you were thinking the 250 gr, it would be good to ask the manufacturer about downrange velocity requirements.

Barnes has 2 TSX weights, the heaviest a 225 gr. There is also the Speer 220 gr., but it is flatnose. Basically, you are looking at 200 gr, 220 gr 225 gr bullets unless someone's 250 gr is ok for a lower downrange velocity.

The 200 gr has very low SD, so the 225 gr is probably going to be your elk bullet. And, that would also work for deer.

So, if you decide which 225 gr you want, just use the manufacturers loading recommendations. Nosler shows W748 as most accurate at a 100% load density with a charge of 48.5 grs for their 225 gr partition at 2426 fps. Their RL 7 load is much slower whereas the IMR 4895 load is about 100 fps slower.

It is likely that Nosler used a bbl longer than 20", so yours would be a tad slower.

The 200 gr TSX might be good also, but I don't know about penetration on elk.

Speer also makes a 180 gr flatnose and you could get that moving pretty good in the 358. I use it in a 35 Rem and it does not destroy meat like a high velocity round would. It has a low SD also.

If it were me, I'd call Barnes and ask them about their two bullets.

If that is one of the new BLRs, protect that front sight cause if the wind blows real hard, it will bend. They are quite soft and bend if bumped.

They are quite handy for hunting.

Look at Reloader 10x; for 200s, around 45-46 grains as max load...for 225s, 44 grains. 2500 f/s is good for the 200s, 2450 for the 225s. I shoot Sierra GK 225s at 2450 with Re 10x and Hornady SP 200s with either 10x or Benchmark at 2500...in my BLR. Be smart and pay attention to your gun and gear.

Lots of others to try...IMR 4320, AA 2520, H4895, Varget, but none work as well as BM and 10x for me.

In my .358 BLR, I used to load 51.5 grains of WW748 with Speer 250-grain pointed softpoints. This load is 3 grains under the maximum load Ken Waters gave for this bullet in an articvle in Handloader magazine many years back. This load shot uner 1" and gave 2420 FPS velocity measured 10' from the muzzle. An excellent bear, elk & moose load but on the overkill side for deer.

Thanx fellas

Deleted. Misread as 338.........Darn trifocals!
Regards,
hm

POP,
My best results seem to come from AR2207 which is marketed as Hodgdon's H4198 in the States. Haven't chronographed it but the max load in the ADI manual with a 250gr seems to be mild in my rifle.
Locally the 200gr Rem PSP has a good reputation as a factory load from the 350RemMag on elk-sized game, it should be very handy from the 358Win at the slower speeds. The factory 200gr SilverTip has been a bit too soft for my liking to attempt using it against something the size of elk. Placed correctly though I have no doubt it would work.
Cheers...
Con

Has anyone experimented with the 200 Hornady sp on elk or the 225 Sierra?

I pretty much use the 225 Sierra exclusively. I have not shot elk with it, but it has worked well on black bear, deer and one unlucky coyote. I use about 49 grains of IMR4230. Lou

I too just bought a BLR in 358 and am going to reload. I just purchased brass and a box of the 200 gr Hornady spire points.

Anyone have a pet loads for this bullet?

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Lou:
I pretty much use the 225 Sierra exclusively. I have not shot elk with it, but it has worked well on black bear, dear and one unlucky coyote. I use about 49 grains of IMR4230. Lou

Dr. Lou,

How did the "dear" react?

quote:

Originally posted by DrMike:

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Lou:
I pretty much use the 225 Sierra exclusively. I have not shot elk with it, but it has worked well on black bear, dear and one unlucky coyote. I use about 49 grains of IMR4230. Lou

Dr. Lou,

How did the "dear" react?

Did he mean the mrs?

quote:

Originally posted by dla69:
I too just bought a BLR in 358 and am going to reload. I just purchased brass and a box of the 200 gr Hornady spire points.

Anyone have a pet loads for this bullet?

Wow another guy from Pittsburgh. I just started loading for a Ruger Hawkeye in 358 win. I am using 48.0 grs. of H-4895. CCI 200 Primer with the Hornady 200 Gr. Spiree point. Although theBC is real low on this bullet it shoots under 1 MOA for me. Velocity with a 22" barrel is 2575 FPS.

There is a member on another forum who has had a few bang/flops with this bullet!!!

quote:

I just started loading for a Ruger Hawkeye in 358 win. I am using 48.0 grs. of H-4895. CCI 200 Primer with the Hornady 200 Gr. Spiree point.

Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by POP:
Has anyone experimented with the 200 Hornady sp on elk or the 225 Sierra?

No, but I did use that bullet on deer. It made relatively big holes all the way thru, letting out a lot of blood! The .358 performs way beyond what its' size would indicate!

quote:

Dr. Lou,

How did the "dear" react?

Sorry...she was really pissed at first, but she got over it after I bought her a diamond necklace. Lou

Awesome fellas.

Don't bother with the 225 Nosler BT. It is too long and pointy. Seated with the ogive tangent at the case mouth it will not eject a live round and you have a real hang up in a BLR.

POP one of the problems with the .358 win is that so many powders work well with it. I too have a BLR in said cartridge and have only killed one deer with it and the 200gr Hornady s.p. but it wasnt a good test as the scope was bad and so was shot placement, but i got the deer.

I would look real hard at the 225gr TSX,225gr partiton and the 250gr Speer, but the 200gr TSX may also work real well for both deer and elk.

I have loaded the 225gr Sierra but from what i understand it has a very narrow window for expansion, it either seperates from its core or barely expands, but it is accurate.Sierra says it was designed for the Whelen, same as the 225gr Nosler BT which says "Whelen" on the box.

Varget and IMR 4064 work real well for 200gr bullets 51grs Max for Varget and 50.5grs Max for 4064. AA2520 is also a top powder 50.9grs should get ya 2,500fps or so.

For the 225gr bullets you can try 50grs of Varget, or even 47grs of BL-C(2), @ 2,450fps from Sierra's manual which uses a BLR 20" barrel for testing. IMR 3031 43.9grs also produced 2,450fps for the 225gr sierra.Of course these are all max loads.

I would imagine that the 250gr Hornadys would also work well in a .358win and their manual lists 45.1grs of RL-15 for 2,300fps and 46.3grs of AA2520 for the same velocity, thats with a 24" barrel so those loads could maybe be bumped up a little depending on pressure signs.

The more you investigate the more confusing the .358win is as there is no one powder that does it all, this could be good or bad, but ultimately its up to you.

Pop,
I love a 250 grain Hornady round nose interlock in my 35 Whelen for Black bear and elk - my first choice.
200 grain Spire point or RN will do the job on deer in my woods even with its low BC.

358 Winchester,
In lymans 48th addition it lists the 250 Grain Hornady Spire point #3520 with a BC of 375 / SD of 279.
The best of both worlds listed is a 220 Grain Speer FSP #2439 with a BC of 316 / SD 245. Even though you probably have a DM and don’t need to use flat points I would use them if long shots were not necessary.

Just my thoughts Pop,

Gotta love the 250 grainer in a 358 caliber, 35 Whelen, 356 / 358 Win

I have shot deer an hogs with the 200 grain round nose corelokt and the 250 grain Speer. Perfect performance from both. I feel the 358 is a round with really good performance inside 250 yards which covers a lot of hunting. If I need more range I'll get a different rifle. My rifle really liked 3031 and Winchester's 748.