Good Morning!

I am looking for some suggestions/recomendations
concerning my .358 win BLR.

I would like to shoot the 225 gr nosler Partitions but am having no luck getting my rifle to group these bullets.

I have tried various weights of IMR 4320, H4895 and Varget with no luck...I seem to get a random spray around the traget...2-3 inch group.

The rifle will group the Hornandy 200 spire pt and the 250 gr speers very nicely... MOA no problem. Seems to like 44.5 grs of h4895 in the 250 gr slugs. 50 grs of 4320 groups the 200's as tight as I can shoot.

Primary duty will be for elk. I suspect the 250 gr speers will be just fine for all reasonable ranges. Have always had good luck w/ the partitons and thought the 225's would be a good choice.

Any ideas...faster powder?

All thoughts appreciated.

Cheers

You might try IMR 3031.

But sometimes some barrels just do not like some bullets.

After several years of trying all the usual suspects, I finally settled on TAC with magnum primers for all my 225 & 250 grain loads. THE 225 Sie is moa, while the 225 Partition is just a hair over. Both are 2500 fps, & are not compressed.

My best 250 grain load is the Sp HotCore, with the Sp GS & Hornady RN very close in accuracy. The 250 loads are driven at 2400 fps.

You can get excellent information from John Barsness's August 2008 Handloader article, & also from a website that I believe is named 35 Whelen Northwoods. The gentleman publishing here has years of experience with all manner of .35s.

OK..thanks for the suggestions. Will give TAC a try.

Jimincolo,

I searched the net yesterday and was surprised at the lack of load data for TAC in .358. I e-mailed ramshot to no avail.

Would you share your load data for the 225 and 250 gr bullets using TAC?

Thanks in advance

Kreyten Give W 748 a try. I have had good results with 200 & 225 gr bullets

Kreyten- I am a half grain under the John Barsness loads from 8-08 (#254 ) Handloader. My 225 loads use 48.5 grains of TAC, & my 250 loads use 47.5 grains. Primers are Fed. 215's.

These are hunting loads, & as such, are not max in my rifle ( BLR with 20 inch barrel ). My brass is actual WW.358, not expanded .308. Some cases have been loaded & fired 4 times.

I have had good luck with W748 with 200 grain bullets, & even RL7 with 180's.

The .358 will perform well with a bunch of different powders. The problem is that you will be using compressed loads to achieve adequate velocity in some cases.

Obviously, start a little lower, & work up. As you know, all rifles are different.

Good luck with your load development. The .358 is an exceptionally good cartridge, IMO.

Thanks Jim