Struggling with cartridge selection.

[robtattoo]

.358 win is the answer. Doesn't matter what the question is.

It just kills shit deader. No stress, no mess, no fuss. Easy recoil, easy reloading, punches WELL above it's weight.
Anything inside of 400yds gets it's dick in the dirt, real quick.


I have a 9.3x62 as well & it's insanely effective, but the recoil is not fun. I'll take my little .358 every time.

 

[Ringbill27]

16” 308 shooting heavies with one of the short light ti cans. Fixed scope of your choice

This is also an option I’ve been thinking hard about. Also was thinking of chopping down my 30-06 in this manner.

 

[robtattoo]

This is also an option I’ve been thinking hard about. Also was thinking of chopping down my 30-06 in this manner.

358 does it better

 

[Ringbill27]

.358 win is the answer. Doesn't matter what the question is.

I’ve seen this picture before and is kinda what got me going the 358win rabbit hole. What length barrel does your have? Really thinking of going with a 16” and a TI can. Sounds plenty for a 100yds woods gun.

 

[robtattoo]

I’ve seen this picture before and is kinda what got me going the 358win rabbit hole. What length barrel does your have? Really thinking of going with a 16” and a TI can. Sounds plenty for a 100yds woods gun.

That's 20" For me, it's a good balance between velocity & handiness.

I wanted to take it to 16, but at 20" the balance in that stock is just sublime. I really don't want to do anything that'll mess with the handling characteristics.

If you know you won't ever stretch it's legs, 16" would be nifty. Where I hunt, I'm 90% inside of 200, but there's plenty of 350-400yd chances & that little bit of extra velocity helps with an already pretty loopy trajectory.

 

[Ringbill27]

If you know you won't ever stretch it's legs, 16" would be nifty.

I’m long kill to date is 75yds. Which I usually with my Ruger American ranch in 7.62x39 16” and 7” banish 30. Super handy balanced rifle.
I have all the other 308 family cartridges under .308” and I don’t intend on this being an out west rifle. So figure I should go bigger and the .358” just seems like a better hammer then the .338”

 

[robtattoo]

.358” just seems like a better hammer then the .338”

It is.

It's proveably twenty-thousand times better and twenty thousand's a lot!

 

[Ringbill27]

It is.

It's proveably twenty-thousand times better and twenty thousand's a lot!

O wow! Sounds like the holy grail cartridge! I better get a barrel, some dies and suppressor ordered. What’s your go to bullet to load for it? I assume you reload.

Why is this gem to hidden from the public?

 

[robtattoo]

O wow! Sounds like the holy grail cartridge! I better get a barrel, some dies and suppressor ordered. What’s your go to bullet to load for it? I assume you reload.

Why is this gem to hidden from the public?

The public aren't ready for it man. They'd freak. There be rioting in the streets. Looting. Cities would burn & we'd devolve into chaos.

I load the unfortunately discontinued 220gr Speer Hot-Cor at 2.68" over 49gr of Ramshot TAC with a CCI LR magnum primer. 2540fps & hits like a freight train.

Next best load is 200gr Gamekings. Same OAL & 50.2gr of TAC gets me 2610fps but I've yet to try these on game.

Hornady 200 round nose are very impressive on meat over 51gr TAC at 2680, but accuracy is so-so. It's close to 2½" in my rifle, but since they have the BC of a school bus, that's not much of an issue.

140gr & 158gr Hornady XTP pistol bullets are a hoot to load. Super light loads of pistol powder, heels around 1100-1400fps recoil like a .22mag & will absolutely knock a deer down inside of 100yds
You can push the 140s north of 3k, but I can't imagine what they'd do at that rate! I know that at 2200, the 158s come apart very quickly on a hog's shoulder & leave a very shallow, wide wound. Had to follow that one up..... not a recommended load.

 

[Ringbill27]

The public aren't ready for it man. They'd freak. There be rioting in the streets. Looting. Cities would burn & we'd devolve into chaos.

Since they have the BC of a school bus, that's not much of an issue.

a school bus sounds like a hard hitter. I think I’ve settled on the 358. Barnes makes a 180gr TSX that’s designed for the 35rem with a minimum expansion velocity of 1500fps that got my interest.

Is TAC your preferred powder then?

 

[robtattoo]

a school bus sounds like a hard hitter. I think I’ve settled on the 358. Barnes makes a 180gr TSX that’s designed for the 35rem with a minimum expansion velocity of 1500fps that got my interest.

Is TAC your preferred powder then?

Yessir.
Head & shoulders above the next best velocity (I don't remember the difference, but it was a couple of hundred fps)

 

[Bluefish]

a school bus sounds like a hard hitter. I think I’ve settled on the 358. Barnes makes a 180gr TSX that’s designed for the 35rem with a minimum expansion velocity of 1500fps that got my interest.

Is TAC your preferred powder then?

Bear creek ballistics just released a 35 cal tipped 175g that opens down to 1200 fps. Also cutting edge has a 150 and 160g that opens down to 1500. Getting to be more good options for 35 cal.

 

[Ringbill27]

Bear creek ballistics just released a 35 cal tipped 175g that opens down to 1200 fps. Also cutting edge has a 150 and 160g that opens down to 1500. Getting to be more good options for 35 cal.

I see Hammer also has a 140gr as well. It’s a great time to be a tinkerer.

 

[Bluefish]

I see Hammer also has a 140gr as well. It’s a great time to be a tinkerer.

I have tried those as well, but felt the accuracy was not as good. I have used the 200 and 203 hammers, both of those shot well, but bc was lower than published. For lead free the 200g ttsx has one of the better BC’s and it seemed to run true to published. Better than the 200g ftx which also runs true to published.

 

[Ringbill27]

I have tried those as well, but felt the accuracy was not as good. I have used the 200 and 203 hammers, both of those shot well, but bc was lower than published. For lead free the 200g ttsx has one of the better BC’s and it seemed to run true to published. Better than the 200g ftx which also runs true to published.

Good to know. I’ll be playing with a lot of bullets but BC doesn’t matter with this rifles intended use and I only hunt coppers these days.

 

[Bluefish]

Good to know. I’ll be playing with a lot of bullets but BC doesn’t matter with this rifles intended use and I only hunt coppers these days.

For copper only you have the Barnes 180, 200 TTSX, cutting edge 150/160, hammer (several), maker 180, 200, +subs for 350L, and 175 bear creek ballistics. Lots of light options you can push fast. Makers open down to 1400 or lower. The bear creek down to 1200 and a decent bc. Cutting edge down to 1500 and a good claimed bc, although I think it’s lower than claimed.

I have used the CE with good luck. Taking 5 deer from roughly 1800 fps to 2700. Two with hammers at 2500 ish fps. Looking to try the bcb this year to see how it compares, ie opening vs fracturing petals.