Anyone have expirence with the 225gn ballistic tips on a 358 Norma Mag.

I did some minimal testing with my ,358. I found IMR 4350 to be the best of my powders for it, and was able to get 3056 fps out of my gun with no pressure signs at all.

I never took it as far as accuracy testing, but I would expect fine accuracy out of NBT's.

I have a box of them on the shelf. My 358 Norma is 15 years old. i shot a lot of nosler partitions thru it. I have also shot a lot of the sierra 225 BTSP out of it. velocity is 3050 Fps. Talked to the Nosler Reps at The Shotshow they told me that the Jacket is beefed up for magnum velocities. With the birth of my son I have done little shooting the last two years so have not tried them yet. Should be the berries for long range shooting.

What load you are using (powder and primer)? Do you know how the bullets perform on big game?

FWIW, I've used 225 Nos. BT's in a 358 Win, 2450 fps. Groups under .5" but I don't buy off on their suitability for big game, certainly not the kind that bites and stuff. Way too frangible and too quick to shed the jacket. Too much shocked meat as well. At the velocities you'll get from your Norma I'd suggest sticking with a tougher bullet. Partition, Swift A-frame, or Barnes X....LOL

I'm with Dan on this one. I've seen quite a few 250 slugs (Speer's & Hornady's) open up violently at 358 Norma velocities so the 225 can only be worse.This is one calibre that rates a premium bullet.

I use the 225 gr bullets in my 358 Win, 35 Whelen, and 350 Rem Mag, and have tried them in the 358 Norma Mag. These are Sierras, Noslers, and Barnes X. Only the X will stand up to 358 Norma velocities on game bigger then a coyote. The Noslers are very accurate though, and certainly make impressive holes in the paper at the range. - Dan

I only have experience with them in the 35 whelen at a muzzle vel. of 2650. They have performed fine for me to date. I have recovered 1 of them in deer I have shot length wise. It was 113.5 out of 225 gr, yes it shed it's core. It does have a fairly thick jacket and base, but at the velocity you are wanting, I don't know if I would use it-depends on what game and at what range.

I kind of figured the BT would be better suited for paper vs. big game. One round I would like to try would be the 270gr. Swift A-frame for big game on my next reload.

I shoot the .35 Caliber bullets in my .358 STA. I have shot Nosler Partition, Nosler Partition Gold, Barnes X and XLC, Swift A-Frame, Kodiak, Sierra, Hornady, North Fork. My speeds are all over 2850 fps, thus I favor the tougher bullets. The 280 grain Swift A-Frame and 270 grain North Fork, both are awesome for retaining weight in the toughest of situations, with the North Fork being the most accurate in my guns. I use the 225 grain Sierra Gameking for fireforming, I think it would be adequate for the smaller large animals, however I don't use it. I reserve the tougher bullets for all game hunting. I do like a S. D. of over .300 for the dangerous game. Just my .02 worth. Good shooting.

[ 09-24-2002, 00:00: Message edited by: phurley ]

Forgive me as I hate when others do what I am doing, but it may help. I shoot a fairly hot 350 Rem Mag, have not tried the bullets yet, but will. I just wanted to offer that my partner shoots a .340 Wby. I load his 200 BT's, and these are also supposed to have the thicker jackets. He completely wrecked a Hill country buck with a shot that seemed to enter the spine at the shoulder and travel down the middle of the spinal column (all vertebra) almost 12"s before exitting. The hinged deer was a mess. Also shot a Eurasian-Feral 180 lb hog same trip. No recovered bullets and distances were under 100 yards. I think they're stronger than one would think. Sorry it's semi-off topic, but it changed my thinking on .338, and .358 Ballistic Tips. I am almost sure they are harder than the Sierras I shoot.

I've only used them in 358 winnie... Performance was no better then seirra game kings for vel and accuracy... and I hate the way BTs blow up at close range. Since I am take most of my game from stalking, BTs tend to ruin more meat than anything short of 158 JHPs.
As for being no better, the seirras are 1/2 or less the cost, and I have yet to recover one in north america (not that i've been to africa).

I have, while we are on the subject, recovered jacket fragments from 250 gr horn, an 180 gr rems.

jeffe