[shortwheels]

Wow the old clam shell loader, that's what we called it , now the model 88-358, I was in a LGS when a man came in with one, said he wanted to sell it, what do you want for it said the store owner, 2,000 dollars its rare the store owner said number one, the 88 was a POS gun and the 358 never did make it, the man walked out he was not happy !!!

 

[.338 mag.]

I have been living and hunting in Alaska for 50 years and almost all of that is with a .338 Win. Mag. During the "off season" I carry a lightly customized Marlin 1895 45-70 loaded with 400 grain Kodiak bullets from Alaska Bullet Company. I do like the rifle and the 45-70 case. I also think lever guns could be more popular with some new calibers.

I would like to see 45-70 Govt. or modified .348 Win. case necked to .411 and .358 caliber. I am not wanting to turn a Marlin lever gun into a 500 yard hunting rifle. I do think there could be better calibers for hunting with a 'traditional" styled lever gun. A 250 grain .35 caliber bullet that duplicates the .358 Win. and a 300 grain .411 caliber bullet at 2,300 fps mv would be great and more versatile for hunting.

Many of our big bears are killed every year with much smaller bullets then a 400 grain .45 caliber bullet.

The hand gun bullets would be cheap practice for either caliber and both are a large enough caliber where cast bullets could be effectively used. It is probably wishful thinking on my part. I know existing calibers come close to my .358 wish, but they don't quite make it and nothing in .411 caliber is available. Woe is me!

 

[horseshoe]

The 358 win is a great caliber, I also like the 338 Federal, it takes a little less effort to make your brass from 308 win brass but it is a hard hitter and a little more range because of the bullet BC.

 

[Molasses]

The 358 win is a great caliber, I also like the 338 Federal, it takes a little less effort to make your brass from 308 win brass but it is a hard hitter and a little more range because of the bullet BC.

Got a little chuckle from this ^

It's entirely true and accurate info, it's just that when I was pondering whether or not to get an early BLR in .358 that I'd looked at, being able to make brass for it from .338 Federal brass (which I had access to a decent supply of) without having to start at .308 and work all the way up from there, was one of the reasons I ended up getting it. Made up a few hundred pieces without too much fuss or muss and don't recall losing a single one in the process.

Of course, that being the case, one of the gun shops I stop at every once in a while got in a whole mess of old Winchester .358 unprimed brass... :laugh:

 

[Drm50]

I had a 88/358 & 99/358, never really used them that much. Shoot a few deer with 88. Bought dies and loaded a few, then got 99
which I liked better than the 88. Got the 99 all tuned up and took to Canada spring bear hunting as " back up" gun. Never fired a shot
at game with it, gave to Canadian friend. He claims its best thing since sliced bread. He has used it with good results on black bear
and moose, for over 30 yrs.

 

[kobeinu]

A 99 in .358 is worth a fortune where I am. And online people are listing them high to start. Hope your Canadian friend sends you meat!

 

[Drm50]

30 years ago Savage 99s weren't sought after like they are now. You could buy all the 94 Wins you wanted for $100 ( not pre 64s)
Marlin 336 brought less, and Glenfield models bottom of heap. Hindsight is 20/20, if I had all the guns I have traded or sold, I would
be a millionaire. I always took two rifles with me in spring bear, for two reasons. In case something broke on my main gun and one
I wouldn't cry if lost out of canoe. $100 dollar rifle made a nice gift to friends who always helped me out. Guns and Ammo have
always been higher in Canada,not to mention the exchange rate in those days.

 

[hydrex]

OK, here is my Marlin 336 in 358 Winchester. Rechambered by Bill Morrison of Bradford, Maine. It is a tack driver, longest kill was 300 yards on a nice 8 point buck, standing head on. I had a range compensating scope, now it has a 4x12 Cabellas that I will swap out to a Leupold after deer hunting season. I can only load pointed bullets as first loads, round nose Hornaday 200g in slightly shortened virgin Winchester brass 50 grains of IMR 4064 is the max load, very accurate. The 200 gr RN went completely lengthways tru the 8 pointer, mushroomed to 100%, copper was on his haunches, lead was gone. Trust me, the 336 is strong, and the .358 brass is much stronger than .35 Rem. Shouldn't say, but I bought it at K Mart for $89 in 1974 when I got out of the Army. Re stocked it myself.

 

[Travlin]

hydrex,
Outstanding job on the stock work using an excellent looking blank.

 

[DRYPOWDER]

35 Rem. ammo and/or components just does not seem that difficult to find to me. A little online search turns up quite a bit of each.
Bass Pro for one currently shows the rem corelokts in stock and on sale.
Now if you're just itching to try something different I can sure relate to that. In leverguns the Browning BLR is chambered in .358w.
Ive always been a fan of the Rem 760 and so picked up one in a .308w reasonable then sent it to JES for a rebore to .358. That way you don't have to worry about pressures being too high or having to sub load data for a different caliber. Just my 2 cents.

 

[BubbaJon]

thanks for the info! I was starting at the basics, if the rifle won't handle the pressure then it's out. I'll likely have to look for something else.

I'll check out Flat Tops 35SG. thanks!

Browning BLR is one of the few you can get in that caliber.
Any particular reason you're looking to do this?

 

[kmcclain]

I was able to purchase 500 once fired remington brass pretty easily when I first got my 336 35 Rem a couple of years ago. Bought them from 3 different people in a short amount of time when I started looking for them. And look up Grumpa on this forum if you can't find them. He makes them from 308 brass. Top quality too I hear.
Also I have found .35 Rem. both Remington and Hornady at multiple locations in Dallas. Don't see near as many .358 Win. Bullets for sell. Don't get me wrong. The 358 Win is a nice round. Would love to have a Savage 99 in .358. But I don't believe you should go away from the .35 Rem because you think brass or bullets are hard to find. Perhaps they are hard to find where you are from but they are plentiful in my part of the country


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kmcclain]

Sorry. Grumpa is on the CastBoolits forum, not this one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hydrex]

BTW taking the 358 Marlin bear hunting tomorrow. The bear baiter guy told me to use his stand, as his customer left. He showed me pics of 4 different bears coming to the bait, one nice male with a brown face and a sow with 2 good sized cubs, maybe last years ones. More interested in meat for the freezer than a trophy. BTW, if you have a .35 Rem, bear or deer won't know the difference between .358 and a .35, both kill like lightning bolts. Main difference is, the .358, will kill em at 300 yards same as the .35 at 200. Those soft 200 grain .35 bullets are deadly.

 

[Paul B]

I would like to see 45-70 Govt. or modified .348 Win. case necked to .411 and .358 caliber. I am not wanting to turn a Marlin lever gun into a 500 yard hunting rifle. I do think there could be better calibers for hunting with a 'traditional" styled lever gun. A 250 grain .35 caliber bullet that duplicates the .358 Win. and a 300 grain .411 caliber bullet at 2,300 fps mv would be great and more versatile for hunting.

Did you ever consider a .35 Whelen? With luck you could find a Browning 1895 Winchester clone and have the barrel rebored to the Whelen. No problem pushing a 250 gr. bullet to 2400 to 2500 FPS. Hell of an elk stomper. That's the only lever gun I can think of that can take the cartridge. otherwise you'd have to go with a bolt action. Four of the last five elk I've shot with the .35 will tell you it's very effective.
Paul B.

 

[bryan alder]

I would like to see 45-70 Govt. or modified .348 Win. case necked to .411 and .358 caliber. I am not wanting to turn a Marlin lever gun into a 500 yard hunting rifle. I do think there could be better calibers for hunting with a 'traditional" styled lever gun. A 250 grain .35 caliber bullet that duplicates the .358 Win. and a 300 grain .411 caliber bullet at 2,300 fps mv would be great and more versatile for hunting.

Did you ever consider a .35 Whelen? With luck you could find a Browning 1895 Winchester clone and have the barrel rebored to the Whelen. No problem pushing a 250 gr. bullet to 2400 to 2500 FPS. Hell of an elk stomper. That's the only lever gun I can think of that can take the cartridge. otherwise you'd have to go with a bolt action. Four of the last five elk I've shot with the .35 will tell you it's very effective.
Paul B.

Check out the 36 RPP on this site. Does pretty much what you ask

 

[Travlin]

I don't think it would be at all that easy to chamber a Marlin action for any cartridge based on the .348 Winchester That case was based on the 50-110 and the case head is of a larger diameter than a 45-70.

 

[hydrex]

See my next post.

 

[hydrex]

You might check with "JDJ" SSK I think he has a wildcat for the Contenders/Encores in 35 caliber, I think could be made to work in Marlin, they might even do a barrel for you.

 

[hydrex]

The .358 JDJ uses the .444 Marlin case necked down to .358. Originally designed for the Contender pistol. BTW I have also owned a 14" barrel .358 win Contender that shot great! Guess which action is stronger? Answer, the same action that the .444 Marlin uses= 336 Marlin.