I heard that Winchester originally recalled all these rifles chambered in 358 Win., is this true and why did they recall them?
bigbull

Help, Isn't there anybody that knows the answer to this?
bigbull

Already been answered on 24 hour's site!

...total production (re: The Rifleman's Rifle, pg 96) 2000 rifles chambered in .358Win. featherweight. Listed production years, 1955-1957, and discontinued in '57.
JLS

...Winchester discontinued the .358 because it had a short case shoulder (.0906"), and the taper had very little slope, the cartridge would/could be driven forward into the chamber causing misfires, and extraction failures.
"THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM, it was mechanical only" Rule's book, pg 96

Thank for the replies.
bigbull

JLS,
bad headspace is just that, bad headspace. doesn't matter if it's a 22h or a 458 lott

not to argue... just stating what i've seen. they discountinued the 358 winchester because americans READ it kicked too much. I have built or owned about 1/2 a dozen of them, and have never seen this.. in fact, i would imagine the "problem" with the shoulder is as material as gun writers saying it kicked too much and was short range only.

the fact, on headspacing, is an HH case as a nominal .032 total headspace, or about 1/3 of the shoulder of the 358 winchester

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
JLS,
not to argue... just stating what i've seen. they discountinued the 358 winchester because americans READ it kicked too much. I have built or owned about 1/2 a dozen of them, and have never seen this.. in fact, i would imagine the "problem" with the shoulder is as material as gun writers saying it kicked too much and was short range only.

jeffe

Jeffe, Is there any truth that they were all actually recalled by Winchester or just discontinued because of a lack of demand from the bad press? This is what I'm trying to figure out.

BB,
I am NOT a pre-64 winchester fan, i AM a 358 winchester fan. I've passed on quite a few very-nice to anib to truely NIB 358s. the only thing I have heard about them, on m70, is "they kick too much"

Now, iirc, the m100 WAS recalled due to trigger, but I am not certain.

Would I take a shooter 358 win featherweight, for a good price? In a second, provided it shot.

I have never heard of a 358 winchester model 70 recall, ever. in fact, winchester, to the DAY the factory closed, and still listed today, offers the 358 winchester from their custom shop.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/prodinfo/catalog/detail.a...type_id=915&cat=013C

Now, you tell me, would winchester, in sue happy america, offer a defective round for high dollar?

jeffe

It is true that the 358 was never a good seller nor is it a good seller or popular round to this day. Pre 64 Winchester also chambered for the 35 Remington and 300 Savage. Both proved to be poor sellers as well and were quickly discontinued. The 358 WAS actually recalled because I've talked to folks that were around in those days and remember the recall. The 300 Sav and 35 Rem were not recalled so to say it was because of lack of popularity or stiff recoil makes no sense and I have never heard that before until reading this thread. For whatever reason the chambering created problems for customers due to improper headspacing, extractions issues or misfires, mistake at the factory, whatever the case may be, but companies don't do recalls unless they can prove it's cheaper in the longrun to do it. The 358 is by no way a defective round, hence the custom offerings and loyal following by a minority, but somehow Winchester got it wrong back in those days and tried to right it via the recall and perhaps a little marketing due to its poor sales.

jeffeosso: I think the question posed related to the pre '64 M-70, and not the latest version being produced prior to the closing of Winchester.

Quote from "The Rifleman's Rifle" pg 225. "First and probably foremost, the .358 Win caliber, after only 11/2 years, was discontinued abruptly and did not appear in the WINCHESTER RETAIL PRICE LIST RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS effective December 15, 1956."

JLS

JLS,
From what I've read, the question your asking has never been catagorically answered. Unless Winchester is contacted and responds, its likely to stay a mystery.
Cheers...
Con

quote:

Originally posted by JLS:
...total production (re: The Rifleman's Rifle, pg 96) 2000 rifles chambered in .358Win. featherweight. Listed production years, 1955-1957, and discontinued in '57.
JLS

The pre-'64 M70 featherweight .358 was discontinued IN THE U.S. AND OTHER COUNTRIES EXCEPT CANADA no later than 1957, after only 1,848* were made/shipped.

However, through Winchester Canada, it was made and shipped TO CANADIAN BUYERS ONLY (152 of them) until 1960. Most of these later guns were apparently made/shipped in 1959. I owned one of the Canadian rifles for a number of years. It was still all original when I sold it to a fellow living in Superior, Arizona, in 1987. It's serial number was 464647.

That dolt then destroyed it. He took the barrel off and put it on an earlier .243, so he could fake having one of the American-market .358 FW's of 1955. So, he ended up faking a gun of which they supposedly made 1,848*, by destroying a true original of which they only made 152.

Sometimes the mendacity of people simply amazes me........

* There were actually somewhat less than 1,848 of these made, as that number does not allow for loss due to "scrapping", etc. at the factory before the guns were all shipped.

...Bigbull asked the question, not I.

Why would anyone think the .358 kicks?

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Why would anyone think the .358 kicks?

Dan, we both know, that compared to a 375, it's a maiden's carress... but to a guy used to shooting an overweight 270, it's got some bump!!

jeffe

I'm A REAL .358 wINCHESTER FAN. aND I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CHAMBERING. Headspace is a non-problem for a handloader, in any cartridge, as far as I'm concerned, if one is aware of it. But, I have not seen any indication in my rifle.
I do only shoot cast bullets in mine, 277 gr. bullet at 2100 fps. Good out to 225 yards, which is 25 yards further than my self imposed limits for shooting game. I like them well enough, I'm building my second one! I've found mine to be good on deer, elk, and buffalo. And the recoil isn't bad, in a well designed stock.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Why would anyone think the .358 kicks?

The standard FW barrel contour, in 358 bore, is mostly hole. No recoil pad, FW stock (factory hollowed), aluminum bottom metal, hollow bolt handle, and you've got a fine recipe for snappy recoil...