Data for 358 Norma w/ 300 gr Woodleighs?

08 May 2004, 16:32

Erik Fryman

Anyone have any data for the 358 Norma Mag using the Woodleigh 300 fr RN bullets?

08 May 2004, 17:09

RobertD

Interesting question. Have you tried Woodleigh for info?

Hornady made a 275 grain bullet at one time, you might dig up some of that data from an older Hornady manual and start 5% lower than their starting load for the 275 g and work up.

You also might try Quickload and see what that comes up with.

RobertD

09 May 2004, 03:59

416nimrod

Norma lists 3 different loads at www.norma.cc all with Norma powder.

09 May 2004, 05:57

jpb

Hi there

Always good to see another .358 Norma user!

However, (unless you are talking about the FMJ Woodleighs), the mighty .358 Norma will push those 310gr softpoints (not 300gr -- see Woodleigh's website below) bullets to 2500 fps (Norma's data) and that is WAY above the 2200 fps impact velocity that Woodleigh recommends at Woodleigh's recommended impact velocities

It is great to see a bullet manufacturer be honest about this!

Woodleigh bullets are bonded so well that they won't explode, but they will, however, expand right down to the base (and do so quickly, greatly limiting penetration). A friend has one recoved from a moose, and it reminds me of a silver dollar -- wide, flat, and no sectional density!

When I contacted Woodleigh, they advised me to load down for this reason (good honest folks who didn't try to sell me something at any cost!).

However, I did not build a .358 Norma mag so that I could shoot bullets at .35 Whelen velocities!

I use Rhino bonded bullets (solid base, bonded front core, and these will stand any velocity Rhino bullets as will NorthFork bullets, and also with a bonded front core -- extremely similar to the Safari bullets, except that these are ribbed for your shooting pleasure!

The North Fork bullets website is Northfork

Either of these two bullets will handle the extreme velocities that the .358 Norma can generate.

By the way, I've chatted to the owner of NorthFork bullets (nice guy!) and he is also a .358 Norma Mag fan -- and that is what he used to test this calibre of bullet!

I can say, that based on my penetration tests with the Rhino bullet (some of which included lots of concrete blocks!), that they will indeed expand well and still penetrate all you could ask of any expanding bullet.

As an afterthought, I'd also advice upgrading to a Decellerator or Kick-Eeze recoil pad if you are going to drive those 310gr bullets at the full velocity the .358 Norma can give you!

jpb

11 May 2004, 18:08

Erik Fryman

jpb - Thanks for the info. I didn't realize the impact velocity for the 310 gr Woodleighs were that low. What are caliber are they designed for anyways?. I actually have a box, but will only shoot them on the range.

416Nimrod - Do you know of any Norma powder equivalents, as I can't get any Norma powders here?

11 May 2004, 22:55

jpb

Quote:

jpb - Thanks for the info. I didn't realize the impact velocity for the 310 gr Woodleighs were that low. What are caliber are they designed for anyways?. I actually have a box, but will only shoot them on the range.

416Nimrod - Do you know of any Norma powder equivalents, as I can't get any Norma powders here?

First, you are welcome. I don't know the cartridge that the Woodleighs are designed for, but I'm guesses the 35 Whelen.

Also, although I'm not 416nimrod, I have the info you want about powder equivalents.

One of the Reloader powders (as sold in the US) is what you want!

The Reloader series listed below (possibly all of them) and Norma powders are made in the same factory (here in Sweden by Bofors).

The equivalency of these powders isn't just my idea either:

**************
From 'Any Shot You Want, The A-Square Handloading Manual,' page 274-275:

"For our European and African friends, who may have difficulty locating the various powders, there is an authorized substitution.

Reloader-22 is exactly the same thing as Norma-MRP.

Reloader-19 is exactly the same thing as Norma-204.

Reloader-15 is exactly the same thing as Norma-203.

These powders come from exactly the same plant and are made at exactly the same time. The powder from that plant is simply shipped to a different place and is put into a different consumer pack.
********************

Not that there is as much variation between these powders as there is between lots of a specific powder, so start 10 or 15% low and work up.

This will let you use Norma's excellent website and loads with powders (I hope!) available to you.

Be aware that Norma isn't as lawsuit paranoid as American companies, so their max loads are really max in my experience.

jpb