AR Comp in 358 Winchester and Other Mid-Range Cartridges

[CowboyTutt]

AR Comp in the 358 Winchester and Others

Hey guys, I just made a remarkable (for me) discovery. I have been working on my project 416/284 wildcat in a Model '88 Winchester made in ''71 I think, with the most recent trigger upgrades.

While working on the load data with McPherson on his version of this cartridge, which uses a 30* shoulder instead of a 40 degree one, we had decided on two propellants to try out, Hodgdon CFE 223 and Alliant AR-Comp. Hodgdon 223 CFE is the slower of the two propellants by far, but still fast. Last night my friend McPherson made an off-hand comment that AR-Comp would work great in the 358 Winchester. That got me playing in Quick Load.

Mic said it was also great in a number of mid-range powder burning cartridges. Well, I ran the data in Quick Load and AR Comp is THE BOMB! in 358 Winchester, probably 356 Winchester, certainly 308 Winchester, probably 30-06 too.

The wonderful thing about the 358 Winchester cartridge, is that when hand-loading, you can use match
grade 308 components (brass) and neck size them up easily. I bought a bunch of Lapua 308 cases a decade or more ago, and still have virgin cases to use. This saves a lot of time having to uniform your cases, sort them by weight, bla bla bla, and by starting with cases so accurately made, that nothing more is needed.

What I found worked very well for me, was Varget powder, with a CCI BR-2 primer, in a Lapua case, was extremely accurate in my rifle, maybe the more so after McPherson improving the action and bedding the stock and forearm. But while I never put it on paper, I found most of us hitting Coke cans at 100 yards off hand on fence posts with ease. And the 250 grain bullets, traveling about 2100 IIRC, hit with authority on the hillside.

Now fast forward to today, and using AR-Comp, I should be able to get about 2300 fps with the same bullet!!!! The next load will be AR-Comp, a Winchester LR primer (the hottest primer out there before the Fed 215) in a Lapua case and the best I have available to me after a recent purchase.

I put the word out to my friends to look out for AR-Comp, and my friend Jim Williamson (aka Professor Loudenboomer) found some in L.A., CA for me. About $37 a lb. for an 8 lb jug. Not great, but not bad either. I had just paid $60 a lb for 4 lbs of CFE 223 off of Gun broker with no shipping and sales tax because he was close to a friend of mine for drop off for me later.

Finding components is really hard now. Just wanted to inform the board that AR-Comp is really good powder choice in these cartridges if you can find it. I feel like such a novice! Still learning how to use Quick Load.

Regards,

Tutt

[Tycer]

I really like the 358. I’ve had “several” rifles chambered in it. I have never found anything moa. The best has been 2.5ish.

[CowboyTutt]

I think you would find that the 358 Winchester in a BLR levergun, more recent made, with the aluminum receiver and steel on steel front locking mechanism, would be accurate for you. Much more so than 2.5 inches at any rate. I sure love mine! Light and handy, easy to carry and powerful too! But I appreciate you answering Tycer! -Tutt

[Tycer]

I have one. Have had more than 6. Steel, aluminum, takedown…
And a savage.
And a Marlin
And a 356 Win

The BLR TD I currently own is 2.5 MOA out to 300 which is the longest range I have. 180 speers, 220 speers, 150 corelokts, 200 corelokts, 225 Sierras, 200 hornadys, sp, rn, Barnes tsx, 180, 200,280 grain cast…
3031, 4064, 4320, rx7…
Hundreds of combinations.
Slugged barrels, lapped barrels, bedded stocks…..
Never better than 2.5. Still my go to hunt rifle.
Got rid of the Speer 180s.

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

Now my 32wcfs? MOA, 30 WCFs, 1.5, 45-70 2moa
Tha darn 358 has always eluded me.

[Tycer]

Gonna have to try Comp.
and varget
Maybe different dies. All I have is RCBS

[AJMD429]

I never have had a 358 but if starting from scratch would probably have a few.