I have a custom .358W on a Mauser action. Recoil can be OK about like a .30-06 but gets heavier with added bullet weight. As an example I have been working on a load for 250 gr. Speers and the recoil is starting to get up there----this is off the bench by the way---offhand would be a different matter.
To compare it to the recoil of the .444 or .45-70 depends what level of the loads you are shooting-----my 250 gr. (358) reloads would be about the same as .444 factory loads. Recoil is subject but I'm 65 yrs. old and weigh 150 #.
It is a great caliber whether you are using it in the timber or out to 300 yds. with the correct loads.
Accuracy in my rifle is less than 1 moa at 100 yds. I have heard of Marlins in .35 Rem. being rechambered to .358----check Paco Kellys Levergun website and also do a search here.

Hip

 

Thanks Hipshot. I use to have a 1895 in 45-70 for quit a while and then went back to the 30-30 and like the ease of the shooting but I still want something with more lead to it. I am currently using a 35 Remington and I like how it feels and shoots. I was doing some research on the 35 Rem and come across the 358 Winchester. They both look to be about the same in size but the 358 looks like it holds more powder. I am definitely going to do more research on the 358 Winchester. I wanted to hear from people who actually have it and use it and not just read a article by a gun writer or such.

 

I've owned two, one a Savage 99 and a Browning BLR. They're thumpers. It's a .308 Win. necked up to shoot a .358 bullet. Pressure would be more than a tad on the high side for safe chambering in a 336.
You might reconsider going with a .356 if you're wanting more than a .35 Rem. can offer.

 

The 356 Winchester(Rimmed 358) was chambered in a Marlin. The 358 COL is longer so you can't load them the same in a marlin. You could use 356 loads but I would stick to the lower end. I think if you hand load your 35 you will come very close. Or you could buy a browning if you really want a 358.

 

The 358 Win is an AWESOME deer cartridge. However....

No. The 336 Frame was NOT designed to handle the pressures of the 358 Win! Also I believe the overall length of 358 Win may not cycle in the 336 action. You would have to seat the bullet deeper and loss of poweder capacity to make it work.

Some 336 been converted to 356 Win. with some success. That would be the max extent. The 358 Win pushed beyond the 356 Win.

Do a search on this site and you will see this discussion many times.

Also consider these three things:

1) If you handload you can go to +p in the 35 Rem and get nearly the performance of the 356 Win and you do not have convert a thing.

2) The Marlin 444 out to about 200 to 250 yards nearly identically matches (Hornady 265 light mags) the ballistics of the 356 Win and again you do not have to convert a thing. And have ample available factory ammo. Have you found or priced 356 or 358 Win ammo!

3) Just Buy the new 338 Marlin Express. Again, no conversion and you would get if not exceed the performance of the 356 or maybe 358 Win. At least in real world performance. One drawback with this gun is the currently has only one factory ammo offering.

I started my search for a new gun wanting a 358 Win. However after MUCH research, I came to the conclusion that all I need (for my hunting conditions) is the 35 Rem and am very happy.

You don't specify your hunting conditions. But if you are only hunting whitetails and bears inside of 150 yards (Elk inside say 100 yards). I would recommend the standard 30-30, 35 Rem, 444 and stay away from converting to 356 Win. And definately would NOT recommend for safety reasons to 358 Win!

 

I really have no intentions of converting a 336 over to a 358. I found this article researching more info for the 35REM: http://www.gunweek.com/2003/feature0301.html From what I have read here and other posts about the same thing this seems to contradict what was posted. The 30-30 or the 35 REM will be all I'll ever need for now. If I wanted more range with more power I am looking at the 308MX. From what I have read about it the 308 MX seems to be a good choice when going after larger game like elk and moose and maybe even grizzlies. I even saw a show on tv where it was used very successfully to take an antelope close to 300 yards.

 

I am a HUGE .358 fan and have a pet load using 225 gr Sierra's that is a devastating and impressive round. I am approaching 350 Rem Mag velocities from a .308 case with no pressure signs. As stated earlier definitely not for 336 action. Recoil is no where near my stout 45-70 loads. I shoot irons on everything so scope bite is not an issue, but recoil is not bad at all ;D Accuracy is easily 1 MOA and I believe is the best most effective short action round there is. Ther is NOTHING on this continent that has not fallen to a 30-30, but I wouldnt puposely pursue them with it. The .308 MX is NOT a .308 Win and that cartridge is considered marginal by many for the game you describe. Grizzlies are a different matter but id feel very confident with my .358 225 load. I shot a huge sick adult cow at 40 yards and had complete pass through. including ribs. She was HUGE. Another one I shot was just under the other side. Changed up the load and viola. But like is quoted here all the time, shot placement. Im not sure about .308 MX bullets to be honest with you. Let alone moose and grizz.

 

eric,
You want real life experiance-----well I have shot app. 30 whitetail deer with it plus 3 black bear with it and ALL were 1 shot kills. That sure doesn't make me an expert but as you can see I haven't exactly been sitting still and this is in a state the allows 2 deer max a year and only 1 some years and not that many years in the area I hunt. The bear were taken in Maine and Quebec.
If you want more of a THUMPER than the .30-30 or .35 Rem. go with a .375 Win. and if you can't find one have a .30-30 rebored. With my 280 gr. cast bullets the recoil difference between the .375 and a .30-30 or .35 Rem is significant. Unfortionetly my real life expierence with the .375 is NIL !

Hip

 

I love the steel framed Browning BLR-81 in 358! I have had one for roughly ten years and have taken between 15-20 whitetail deer with it during that time. All but one were taken with a single shot and that one could not get up and was shot again with a 22 pistol to finish the job. I have shot most of them with the 200gr Hornady round nose bullets. Only two were taken with the Speer 220gr flat point and the remainder with the 225gr Nosler Partition bullet. All will cleanly kill deer but the 225 Nosler Partition is simply awesome. It is by far the most destructive and I do not think you could stop them in a deer from any angle at any reasonable range.
However, I have found that the 35 Remington loaded with 200gr core-lokts kills deer with authority and I like packing the Marlin better. I will hunt with the 358 again... when I must be able to stop a deer no matter the shot angle or there is the distinct possibility that a deer may not be recovered if it moves more than a few steps. The 358 speaks with authority and the 225gr Nosler is "the bullet" for my 358.
Goat

 

I shoot it in a Ruger M77 bolt. With 200 grainers loaded on the light side its just a tad more than a .35 Remington.
Loaded full power I'll shoot 20 or so and call it a day.
No real comparison with a 45/70 which is a thumping big push.
I'd say it feels more like shooting a 308 Win on steroids, which is exactly what it is, a necked up .308 win.
Also tried the new .338 Federal, another necked up .308 win, ;D
Accuracy is awesome on both.

 

The 358 is just excellent - I have one of the Ruger Hawkeyes, and it doesn't kick much differently than 180 grainers the same rifle in '06 or 308. The 225 grain Sierra is the BOMB in this caliber; 2,400-2,500 fps is possible and it knocks down our smallish NM elk like a Swedish-swung 9-iron on Tiger Woods!

I also have a 35 Whelen, which does the same thing with 250 grain bullets. Either one will make you happy.

If you want a heavy 35 in a levergun there are half a dozen 356 Winchesters 1894 AE on Gunbroker right now; there is also one Marlin 336ER in 356, but those are usually higher priced than the Winchesters. I newly have a Winchester in 356, but haven't killed so much as a stinking rat with it yet, so I have no opinion on it as a hunter. The 200 grain Hornady Flextips shoot very well, indeed in it, however.

 

I had two leverguns in 356 Win. a 94 BB which i purchsed at a Wal-mart on clearance and a 336 356 ER...I handloaded and shot both guns..I really like the lighter 94BB and the straight stock ..I sold )like a dummy ) the 336 356 ER.
One thing i noticed the 94 BB handled the higher pressure loads a bit better (sticky cartridge extraction),,but the with the OAL the 336 had the edge...

I really couldn't see much difference no game between the (handloaded) 35 Rem. and the 356 Win. (with one exception) the 180gr. Speer

During the 356 win, years I handloaded the 35 Whelen and the 9.3 X57 and 350 Rem Mag. and the 9.3X62....444 M and the 45/70 out of all that loading theres only one little cartridge that stuck out and it was the 375 Win.
It is a hot little number you may want to check into..no its not a barn burner but delivers a lethal blow to Hawgs Black Bears Whitetails and such.. without alot of fuss..its a High pressure cartridge operates at about 52,000 CUP..and its a straight walled case. Basically a modernized 38-55...

Is the 375 win, better than a 356 win. No. is the 356win better than a 375 win. No..Even though they are similar they are different ...both high pressure ...both fit and function in a 336 or 94 BB but the 375 has a bit of frontal advantage...but it will not shoot as flatt as the 356 ...trade off.


Where the 356 win shines is with a lighter bullet , the double tuff Speer 180 gr. bullet....that is long for its weight and thus has a good BC and can be pushed to over 2550 Fps out of a 20in barreled levergun ...that bullet does not act like a 180 gr. bullet it holds up and drives through tuff critters..If i was going back to the 356 that is the O-N-L-Y bullet I'd use.
With that bullet it shines. (Like a crazy diamond)

A 336 with a 24in barrel re-bored to a 356 win .and the 180gr. Speer,... would be the 'cats PJ'

 

What about reworking a model 336 to handle the .35 Greevy Express which is the 45-70 necked down to .35 caliber? What part would have to be replaced? I am sure the bolt face would have to be opened up. Probably the carrier would need to be altered too, right? Anything else? TD

 

Would a 336 handle a .45-70 case to make your .35GE? The 1895 is chambered for the .45-70, that would seem to be a much easier conversion, ie. just bebarrel and go. The .35GE sounds like a revamp of the old .38-56.

 

The .358 is simply awesome, a true overachiever. I currently own two, a Savage 99A and a BLR and they both shoot great and lay low everything I've ever pointed it at. That include moose, deer and black bear. It's a hammer. Buy one. Don't sweat about cases as they're easy to make from .308's.

 

Big thing is it is very redundant, when you have the new .338 Marlin with near match in power.

 

Big thing is it is very redundant, when you have the new .338 Marlin with near match in power.

I'd say the .338 is redundant, wasn't the .356 first?
..

 

I have a Browning BLR and love it. It is very accurate and has plenty of knockdown power. It is more of a handloading proposition due to the lack of factory ammo but cases are easily formed from 308 winchester cases. I think if more people actually tried it before casting judgement it would be a hot seller. It continues to get labled as a short range cartrige but it actually shoot fairly flat, at least as far as most hunters have any buisness shooting. Mine will consistently shoot 3" groups at 200 yards with a 4x scope mounted on the rifle.

 

Festus,
The last that I know is that Winchester still makes the 200 gr. Silvertip factory ammo-----------probably hard to find though and you can get new brass from Midway.

Hip

 

Festus,
The last that I know is that Winchester still makes the 200 gr. Silvertip factory ammo-----------probably hard to find though and you can get new brass from Midway.

Hip

Hip, The factory Silvertips are hard to find now days for sure. I still have a couple of unopened 20 round boxes but now days I mostly shoot reloads but hunt with the Silvertips. I am a big fan of the 35 caliber and own and hunt with the .35 Remington, .358 Win, and 35 Wheelen. Festus

 

I like the 358 very much. I've only killed one 5x5 bull elk with it. One shot, one elk. 200 grain Hornady Spire Point, H4198 powder.
I also killed a few elk with my 356 Win. It worked much the same. I just didn't like the rifle (M94 Win) it was in. It had issues. Good cartrige though.

 

I like the 358 very much. I've only killed one 5x5 bull elk with it. One shot, one elk. 200 grain Hornady Spire Point, H4198 powder.
I also killed a few elk with my 356 Win. It worked much the same. I just didn't like the rifle (M94 Win) it was in. It had issues. Good cartrige though.

What issues with the Win in 356? I just bought one like new a few weeks ago and so far have had no problems. . .it's the model with a safety. . .

 

I have a couple 358's (BLR and a 99)....they do kick a little, but its not abusive.

 

This 94 Big Bore was a pain in the neck to shoot. You had to have an absolute death grip on the lever and tang to get it to shoot, and then it would only do it some times. I was surprised that it left the factory that way.
The other problem was a very heavy, very creepy trigger. It was bad enough that this gun was tough to shoot in the field very well at all.
It was just accurate enough, but not a tack driver by any means. I used it for a few years and sold it. It was a pre-safety model.
I had a rifle in 307 just like it that was a better specimen, so not all of them were this way for sure. The 307 cycled and fired just fine. The trigger was pretty heavy on it as well, but less creep. It would shoot 2" most of the time but again it was not a tack driver.
Both are gone now. I started culling out rifles I didn't like and they were on the list. One of them turned into a 22-250, the other was sold to get my Guide Gun which I like better.

 

Hello from 358 Win, new to the site. I have three 358 Winchesters. A rechambered 760 with 18" barrel, a custom built on a Rem 700 short action with a 22" ER Shaw barrel on it, and a brand new Ruger Hawkeye with walnut stock and blued metal. The 358 is just simply awesome on deer. Only ever shot them with handloads and 200 gr round nose hornady or rem rncl's. One cannot trully relate to someone who has never used a 358 on deer just how effective it is. I am kind of a 35 caliber guy I guess since I have a 357 magnum model 1894C, three 35 remingtons, the above three 358's, two 35 Whelens, and a rem mod 673 in 350 magnum. Love them all. Like I have said many times, "Thump any deer with a 35 and they stay thumped."