358 sta load help

[MTHunter]

Hay i'am new hear and need help with fire forming 8mm brass. sta brass is alot of$$$$ so any help will be great .

thanks MTHunter

 

[358STA]

Hey MTHunter

Good Luck getting any concrete information. Back in 02' when I picked up my M700/358STA I had the same problem.

I consulted the gunsmith that build my rifle and he told me this:

"2gr Less then the Min Charge in your Reloading Manual with a slower powder, he suggested H4350. Using a Heavy bullet for Caliber" another smith added another bit of information: "set bullet into/against rifling" this will ensure case head is against bolt face so you don't stretch the web of the case. Your brass will last longer.

I looked back in my records for what I used And found the following:

¤ 77gr/H4350,bottom charge in manual was 79gr/H4350)
¤ Hdy 250grRN
¤ Large Rifle Primer
¤ Remington 8mm Mag Brass
Note the bolt was stiff to close. If I were to change anything I would probable use spire points to fire form, the will not have to be set out of the case so far to contact the rifling.

 

[MTHunter]

Thanks that took a long time to get some one that had info but thanks that will help. I hope to be fire forming soon just geting every thing together. thanks again Darren

 

[358STA]

Let me know how you make out, and if you end up using a different comb. To fire-form. Always looking for a better mouse trap.

 

[CoverDog]

I posted this response on the High Road several weeks ago....

Needless to say I have not run into alot of 358STA owners. I purchased mine from Winchesters Custom shop around July of 2000. They had just made a small special run of them in stainless with stainless Badger barrels. I wanted it in the hopes of a Brown bear hunt but it has only dropped one bull Elk so far, but that was impressive.

Before I began load testing on mine I sent it off to get an Answer muzzel brake and thier recoil pad on the stock Winchester wood.

Once back from Answer it went to McMillan for one of their custom stocks bedded by them. I have not put the Winchester wood stock back on.

I did the break-in while I was fire forming my brass. I used Win. 375 H&H cases and a set of Redding Custom dies $$$.

Before I go on, I must say I got alot of info from an article that Layne Simpson did for the Nov. 1997 issue of Shooting Times.

My fire forming consisted of necking down the 375 H&H in the 358STA Redding dies and then a 250gr bullet and 80grs of H4350. I turned my head to the side the first time I shot it to fire form the case. I had never done anything like that before. Must say, it works.

Then the cases were put through the FL dies and trimmed and de-burred and load testing started. I used 4 different powders IMR 4831, H4831, R22 and H4350.

I used either Nosler 250gr Partition or 250gr Swift A-Frames in load developement.

Speeds for the two 4831 powders were as high as 2774fps. R22 took speeds to the mid 2800 and H4350 broke the 3000 barrier.

Best accuracy was R22 with a Nosler partition, Fed 215 GM primer @ just over 1/2",.502) three shot group. Avg fps. 2900.1. ES 59.5 and SD 30.5

Load I setteled on for Brown bear,Elk) was H4350, Fed. 215 primer, 250gr Swift A-Frame. 3 shot group was .990 at 3060fps ES 16.4 SD 8.3 The energy developed was 5200ft/lb.

I didn't give any powder weights other then to fire form since you will need to work up to YOUR guns safe load. I mic'd my cases after each shot to find where my limit was. I FL sized the cases again after the second firing and then loaded these for the hunt.

I was about a 3 week period to test all loads. About 85 shots in all. Just to let you know, you Will know when the gun fires.

Have fun.....Cover Dog

 

[358STA]

Cover Dog

Thanks for mentioning that article. I forgot all about it. Lane has a lot of good articles. I used 8mmMag brass because I was told that it was easier than going thru what you did. Re size with standard full length dies, fire-form and trim. It is good to know that I can use 375 H&H brass. The gun smith recommended using the 225gr bullets over the 250gr. It sounds like you have had good luck with the 250gr's. Your Winchester sound like a dream. Do you have any brag-gin pictures? Mine is built on a M700 With a Med Contour Shilin barrel, and all the metal is glass beaded down to a matte blue finish. Do you like your muzzle break? I have a decelerator on mine and it seems to work just fine. I was considering a break but was not sure I wanted to go through the fuss.

 

[CoverDog]

358STA.....as for the brass, 375 H&H, I used what Layne Simpson said to use in his article. He also said to use a 250gr for fire forming, and I too used the HDY 250grRN. As far as the muzzle brake goes, I did not fire the gun before I had it installed, and have not removed it since. You cannot tell where the brake begins and the barrel stops. It's that good of a job. Everyone is amazed when I un-screw it because they just thought it was part of the barrel.

I don't know what you are going to hunt with your gun, but I had hoped to hunt brown bear and that's why I went with the 250gr bullets. I have several pics of the gun, but I'm not sure I have the knowledge to get them to this format.

If you don't have that article, I can copy it and send it to you.

 

[MTHunter]

Hey DOG thanks for the info didn't get to many responders to this post i would likemto get that article if i could are you sending it email or PO

Darren Beadle
box 1127
choteau,Mt 59422
beadle@3rivers.net

 

[CoverDog]

MThunter....I will send it out U.S. Mail

 

[MTHunter]

Thanks

 

[MTHunter]

Hey i got the article it is very good thanks coverdog