BLR in 358 Winchester

[358 Win]

I had the good luck of finding one of these BLR's in 358 Win with a steel receiver. The serial number makes it 1989 manufacture. I have tested a few loads already and got good accuracy with it with 200 and 250 grain jacketed bullets. I will now be doing some chronograph work soon to find out the velocity and accuracy I'm getting with the different powders and bullet weights. A friend of mine gave me an older steel Weaver 4x, I believe I will put that on the BLR as it just looks right.
I will post my chrony results.......

[Doc Hudson]

my steel frame BLR was made in 1978. it is the most accurate rifle I've ever owned and one of the most accurate I've ever shot.

When I started load development, the first load I tried was a 200 rain Hornady Jacketed Spire point bullet with 41.6 grains of IMR 4198nd a CCI 200 primer. It produced a one hole group ay 100 meters and very little bigger at 200 meters. I quit load development right there. This load produces about 2465 fps (IIRC) in my rifle.

Congratulations onf acquiring a fine rifle.

[Old Savage]

Should be interesting, CowboyTutt has one of the newer ones and loves it.

[Goat]

I have a steel frammed BLR81 in 358 also. It shoots better than it has any right to with 200gr Hornady RN and IMR 4064. It will consistantly go less than an inch with that combo. I have settled on the 225 Nosler Partition as my all purpose load in that rifle. They don't do as well (1-1/4") but I like what they do when they contact game. The 358/BLR81 is an awesome combination.
Goat

[358 Win]

I had the good luck of finding one of these BLR's in 358 Win with a steel receiver. The serial number makes it 1989 manufacture. I have tested a few loads already and got good accuracy with it with 200 and 250 grain jacketed bullets. I will now be doing some chronograph work soon to find out the velocity and accuracy I'm getting with the different powders and bullet weights. A friend of mine gave me an older steel Weaver 4x, I believe I will put that on the BLR as it just looks right.
I will post my chrony results.......

I ran some handloads over the chrony, the 200 RN Hornady's clocked in at just under 2300 fps. I was expecting a little more velocity, but the loads were not book max.
Stay tuned........

[tman]

the old steel frame blr's tend to be as accurate as the bolt actions in their day

[Pete44ru]

I ran my 1971 BLR .358 with a Williams WGRS peep, and it was very accurate with the 250gr JSP's I used to hunt with.

I hated that cheesy-lookin' checkering, though...................................

.

[358 Win]

I had the good luck of finding one of these BLR's in 358 Win with a steel receiver. The serial number makes it 1989 manufacture. I have tested a few loads already and got good accuracy with it with 200 and 250 grain jacketed bullets. I will now be doing some chronograph work soon to find out the velocity and accuracy I'm getting with the different powders and bullet weights. A friend of mine gave me an older steel Weaver 4x, I believe I will put that on the BLR as it just looks right.
I will post my chrony results.......

I ran some handloads over the chrony, the 200 RN Hornady's clocked in at just under 2300 fps. I was expecting a little more velocity, but the loads were not book max.
Stay tuned........

UPDATE
More chrony time with a different powder.
I tried the 200 grain Hornady SP bullets with some IMR 4198, the load was safe in my rifle at 39.5 grains, it did a decent time over the chrony at 2581 fps.
I could probably get more velocity if the BLR had a longer tube than 20 inches.
While I had the chrony set up I ran some 303 British reloads through, the 174 grain Sierra HP bullet did a respectable 2582 fps shot out of a full military No4Mk1* Longbranch with the 25.5 inch factory 2 groove tube..
All in all, avery nice outing with some good results, perhaps it's time to dig up a bear tag for the spring season............

[Lawyer Daggit]

Well done. You do'nt often see them in 358 down here.

[edsguns]

I had the good luck of finding one of these BLR's in 358 Win with a steel receiver. The serial number makes it 1989 manufacture. I have tested a few loads already and got good accuracy with it with 200 and 250 grain jacketed bullets. I will now be doing some chronograph work soon to find out the velocity and accuracy I'm getting with the different powders and bullet weights. A friend of mine gave me an older steel Weaver 4x, I believe I will put that on the BLR as it just looks right.
I will post my chrony results.......

Congrats on finding that nice rifle! I also have a steel receiver .358 and find it a great rifle, perhaps my favorite of all I own for typical woods hunting. It is, of course, capable of much more than short range woods hunting, but mine is most at home there.

I have owned several BLRs and still have two others besides my .358 (alloy receiver guns) but they do not have the same feel as that steel receiver gun. My two newest ones may have better triggers, but the actions are not nearly as smooth and the between the hands feel is not quite as nice, to me any way.

[358 Win]

I had the good luck of finding one of these BLR's in 358 Win with a steel receiver. The serial number makes it 1989 manufacture. I have tested a few loads already and got good accuracy with it with 200 and 250 grain jacketed bullets. I will now be doing some chronograph work soon to find out the velocity and accuracy I'm getting with the different powders and bullet weights. A friend of mine gave me an older steel Weaver 4x, I believe I will put that on the BLR as it just looks right.
I will post my chrony results.......

Congrats on finding that nice rifle! I also have a steel receiver .358 and find it a great rifle, perhaps my favorite of all I own for typical woods hunting. It is, of course, capable of much more than short range woods hunting, but mine is most at home there.

I have owned several BLRs and still have two others besides my .358 (alloy receiver guns) but they do not have the same feel as that steel receiver gun. My two newest ones may have better triggers, but the actions are not nearly as smooth and the between the hands feel is not quite as nice, to me any way.

I have has several BLR's, mostly in 308. You're right, the steel ones have more to offer in smoothness alright.

[358 Win]

I tried some 225 grain Sierra SBT over the chrono today,I got 2451 fps, 2422 fps and last shot was 2417 fps. That's not bad for a small case with a big slug,
I think I found my bear medicine.....

[358 Win]

I found some old 250 grain Barnes originals for the 358 Winchester, as soon as I get to the range I will post results with these big slugs.

[iceman]

I used to hoot those Sierra 225 gr out of a model 700 in 35 whelan and it shot REAL NICE. I never shot any big game with it, but I did clip a few heads off of partridge with it using a williams FP. Good enough for me.

[20cows]

I know it's not exactly the same, but this makes me want to get back to work on that big bore puzzle in .356!

[358 Win]

I know it's not exactly the same, but this makes me want to get back to work on that big bore puzzle in .356!

The 356 is a very capable game getter, I had a chance to get a lever 356 or the 358 BLR, the 358 won out mainly because I didn't have to go out of town to pick it up.