What to do with my 358 Norma Mag rifle?

[Ledd Slinger]

I have a 358 Norma Magnum that I dont really use much and the trajecory isn't very good past 600 yards being that nobody makes a 35 cal bullet with a high BC. Its basically just a back up safe queen hunting rifle. It sees a little range time every year to keep it ready in am emergency, but it rarely sees field time during hunting season. Had the rifle for 10 years now and its only made 3 kills. Thinking about rebarreling to something else that I will use more.

I keep thinking about grinding my 338-375 Ruger reamer down to a 7mm-375 Ruger and using the 195gr Bergers. Figure it should push them up around 3100 fps in a 26" barrel. Other option is making my reamer a 30-375 Ruger. Kinda like the idea of the 7mm better tho because Berger is starting to support the 7mm with enough options to make me comfortable if I couldn't get a certain weight to shoot as good as I'd like. Or I may jump to a 28 or 30 Nosler, don't know yet.

However, my biggest hold up is when I think of the old saying "beware of the man with one rifle". It makes me recall when I hunted with the same 300 win mag rifle for many years. I was very deadly with that rifle in any situation and killed a LOT of animals with it. I was so used to shooting it that it was as if it was an extension of my body. I lost that feeling when I foolishly sold it got carried away with building all kinds of different rifles. Nowadays I mainly hunt with just my 6.5 Rem Mag for smaller game like pronghorn and deer to minimize meat damage, and my 338-375R for the big critters when I want the extra punch. So at least im narrowing it down to 2 rifles in an attempt to gain back that feeling if TOTAL confidence. So im not really sure if I want to introduce another hunting rifle to the mix. I'd almost rather continue to gain familiarity with the 6.5 RM and 338-375R

Now for my crazy idea that i really like...thinking about turning the 358 NM into a 6mm Remington Magum AI for extreme long range varmint hunting. Just use my 6.5 RM brass and neck them down. Could you imagine the speeds with a 85-105 gr bullet? Maybe 3600-3700+? The 6.5 RM as it stands can push 120gr bullets up over 3400 fps in a 26" barrel. Of course the 6mm-6.5 RM AI would be a real barrel burner, but it would be a lot of fun. So im kind of torn. Not really sure what I want to do with the 358 NM...Feel free to shoot me some other varmint round ideas with a case that uses a magnum bolt face.

 

[areaone]

Why not just sell the 358 Norma, a knockdown Elk, Large bear, or Africa cartridge, and replace it with what you want. A 358 is a great round, just not so popular in the the US, but still a fine medium caliber only slightLy less than the 375 HH power wise

 

[swd]

Put the money towards a trip to Alaska and shoot moose or brown bear. A great stomping cartridge.

 

[wboggs]

Put the money towards a trip to Alaska and shoot moose or brown bear. A great stomping cartridge.

I have some custom 300 A-frame bullets that bring out the best in large capacity .358 cals.
It is not a long range load, but for 300 or so, you can't beat them.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Would actually love to go to Alaska and hunt moose and bear. Can't hunt grizzlies in Montana and drawing a moose tag is like trying to win the powerball lottery.

I currently shoot the 225gr Nosler Partitions at 3050 fps in my 358 Norma Mag. But my 338-375R pushes Berger 250gr Elite Hunter bullets at over 2900 fps. Can hit 3000 fps with them, but my best accuracy was around 2900. With the far superior long range capability of my 338-375R, it can do everything the 358 Norma can, and much more. I like having the 358 Norma as a backup, but it could never match the long range capability of my 338-375R or my 6.5 Rem Mag where I push 140gr Berger Hunting VLDs at 3209 fps. On the rare occasion when the 358 NM sees field time due to changing a scope or having to tweak a load for barrel wear on the other two rifles, it limits my long range capability. If I had a big 7mm or 30 cal as a backup, I could shoot Berger bullets to keep that long range capability in my backup rifle as well

 

[cowboybart]

I can't imagine life without my 358 Norma. I actually have 2, Rem 700 and a 98 Mauser. The Mauser is unfinished and unfired. I could part with that one, but never the 700.
Where in MT are you? I usually don't go into bear country w/o the Norma, even if I'm after something little. If you hunt Miles City or the east side you are OK living w/o the Norma. If you hunt near either Park - use the Norma.
250 gr bullets work well in mine. I have some 300gr Barnes orig bullets and 290gr Norma bullets. They are not flat shooters, but kill everything they hit.

Why are you looking for "long range" options? After you shoot the animal, you have to walk over there anyway. Why not walk over there before you shoot it?

A 30/375 Ruger is basically a 30 Newton

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I can't imagine life without my 358 Norma. I actually have 2, Rem 700 and a 98 Mauser. The Mauser is unfinished and unfired. I could part with that one, but never the 700.
Where in MT are you? I usually don't go into bear country w/o the Norma, even if I'm after something little. If you hunt Miles City or the east side you are OK living w/o the Norma. If you hunt near either Park - use the Norma.
250 gr bullets work well in mine. I have some 300gr Barnes orig bullets and 290gr Norma bullets. They are not flat shooters, but kill everything they hit.

Why are you looking for "long range" options? After you shoot the animal, you have to walk over there anyway. Why not walk over there before you shoot it?

A 30/375 Ruger is basically a 30 Newton

Sure would be nice if all animals just stood there while I traveresed mountainous terrain to get closer, but thats not always the reality.
I've never shot an animal at a distance past what my 358 Norma can handle, because I always try to get as close as possible. Farthest shot on an animal was 655 yards. But most shots are 400 yards and under.

My 358 Norma lies in the shadow of my 338-375 Ruger. It just cant match the power or trajectory. Now the 358 Norma is more powerful than my 6.5 Rem Mag at closer ranges, but can't touch the trajectory of that rifle either. Plus the 6.5 RM is an absolute pleasure to shoot with its low recoil. My 358 Norma maxes out at about 700 yards and that's really pushing it. I don't TRY to take really long shots on animals, but I like to have the ability if there's no way to get closer in time.

It has served as an excellent backup rifle, but I want a backup rifle that can perform at long distances like the rifles it subs in for on ocassion.

Too bad nobody makes a high BC 35 Cal bullet.

 

[cowboybart]

I wish they made high BC 35 cal bullets too.
A 300 or 320gr 35 cal bullet would be the hammer of Thor

 

[SheepDog]

Barnes has a TTSX 200 grain with a BC of .369 or close to that. I'd like to see that bullet in a 250 grain with a bit more boat tail to it.
Sierra offers a .370 BC with a 225 Game king. I would like to see a 180 grain spire point with a boat tail and I have talked to Sierra about it. They are "considering it". I believe that the bullet folks underestimate the market for 35 caliber long range bullets because the number of 35 caliber rifles offered to the public is so low. There are a lot of us out here that have made custom rifles in 35 calibers that if we all started asking for what we want from Sierra we might get it.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Barnes has a TTSX 200 grain with a BC of .369 or close to that. I'd like to see that bullet in a 250 grain with a bit more boat tail to it.
Sierra offers a .370 BC with a 225 Game king. I would like to see a 180 grain spire point with a boat tail and I have talked to Sierra about it. They are "considering it". I believe that the bullet folks underestimate the market for 35 caliber long range bullets because the number of 35 caliber rifles offered to the public is so low. There are a lot of us out here that have made custom rifles in 35 calibers that if we all started asking for what we want from Sierra we might get it.

The 250gr Nosler Partition has the highest G1 BC I know of with a .446, I shoot the Nosler 225gr Partition which has a decent BC of .430. it's pretty good to about 400 or 500 yards when launched at 3050 fps, after that it's dropping like a rock making my max range about 700 yards.

But when I say I wish they made a high BC bullet, I mean something well in excess of .500

 

[bobinpa]

I've always wanted a 358 Norma... I have a 308 Norma so it just always made sense to me to build it's big brother..... I've thought about the 358 STA also, but since I have 308 Norma brass, the STA is probably out. Tell me about your 358 Norma....

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I've always wanted a 358 Norma... I have a 308 Norma so it just always made sense to me to build it's big brother..... I've thought about the 358 STA also, but since I have 308 Norma brass, the STA is probably out. Tell me about your 358 Norma....

Yeah you could just neck up the 308 Norma to 35 cal, load and shoot. Probably want to step the neck up to 33 cal first. I make my brass from 300 Win Mag cases. I run a 33 cal ball in the neck, then run it in my 358 Norma FL sizer with the 35 cal expander ball to finish out the neck and knock the shoulder back. Then I trim the long neck down to length, anneal, load, and shoot. The Norma 358 Norma Mag brass is good, but I have a bunch of once fired 300 win mag cases. Actually shoots better with cases made from Winchest 300 WM brass than it does using my actual Norma brass.

The rifle is built on a Ruger M77 Tang safety action (originally a 7mm Rem Mag). Has a 26" Lilja barrel with 1 in 14" twist. Stock is a custom thumbhole/beavertail forend design from fancy walnut. I hand picked the block of wood and told the gunsmith exactly how i wanted it made and he turned the chunk of walnut into my vision. Not too crazy about thumbhole stocks anymore, so I have a new AA fancy walnut sporter stock waiting for me to slap on the rifle once I decide what I want to do with it.

It will shoot 1.5" to 2" groups regularly at 300. Scope is just a Nikon Monarch 4-16x50mm. Action and barrel are Cerakoted. Really is a hammer on game. I like it, just don't really need it so it just sits there.

 

[cowboybart]

All of my 358 Norma brass started out life as 338 Win Mag brass. One pass and it is ready to go.
Sounds like bobinpa needs this!!

 

[Ledd Slinger]

All of my 358 Norma brass started out life as 338 Win Mag brass. One pass and it is ready to go.
Sounds like bobinpa needs this!!

I was going to use 338 win mag brass, but noticed it is a little shorter. I was worried that after expanding the neck .020" then allowing the neck to grow to proper 358 Norma case length that the necks would get thin and brittle. So I make my cases from 300 Win Mag. But the more I read about it, a lot of folks make 358 Norma brass from 338 win mag and I never hear about any of the issues I was concerned with.

 

[Zero333]

Your 6mm-6.5 RemMag idea sounds decent.

Not as much powder capacity as the 264winmag which is a good thing because I don't think a 6mm will gain much velocity going from 60ish grains to 70ish grains.

It would just about duplicate the 6mm-284 ballistics.

Necking down the 358 NM to 7mm would basically make a 7mm RemMag.

Personally I would keep the 358 NM and load it with some Flat or Round nose heavy bullets and use it as a short range instant killer. You already have a long range medium size cartridge 338-375r and a smaller 6.5RM which you can use with varmint bullets.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Your 6mm-6.5 RemMag idea sounds decent.

Not as much powder capacity as the 264winmag which is a good thing because I don't think a 6mm will gain much velocity going from 60ish grains to 70ish grains.

It would just about duplicate the 6mm-284 ballistics.

Necking down the 358 NM to 7mm would basically make a 7mm RemMag.

Personally I would keep the 358 NM and load it with some Flat or Round nose heavy bullets and use it as a short range instant killer. You already have a long range medium size cartridge 338-375r and a smaller 6.5RM which you can use with varmint bullets.

I wouldn't change the load. My 225 gr Partitions at 3030 fps are a hammer. But there's still no reason to carry it in the field. I don't hunt anywhere that only allows short distance shots. In the Rocky Mountains and on the great plains on any given day, shots can range from 25 yards, which has happened, to as far as you and your rifle are capable of shooting. Would be foolish to create a load only capable of shorter ranges