One of the best non-magnum .35-caliber cartridges, the .358 Winchester is both accurate and effective.
How the .358 Winchester tops other .35-caliber cartridges:
- Adequate for any North American Game
- Capable of pitching a 250-grain bullet 2,200 at the muzzle
- Factory performance can be improved upon by reloading
- Known as 8.8x51mm in Europe
Introduced in 1955 by Winchester for its Model 70 Lightweight bolt-action and Model 88 lever-action rifles, the .358 Winchester is based on the .308 Winchester case necked up. It’s known in Europe as the 8.8x51mm. Many European rifle makers chamber the round. In the United States, only the Browning BLR lever-action is currently chambered for this cartridge. The Model 99 Savage was also once available in .358 Win. The .358 Winchester is one of the best commercial (non-magnum) .35-caliber cartridges turned out by any American manufacturer. It’s a big improvement over the .35 Remington, slightly more powerful than the old .35 Winchester, and more useful than the .348 Winchester.
More Ammunition Information:
- The Blistering Hot 30 Nosler
- The .280 Ackley Improved
- If You Had To Pick Just One Cartridge, What Would It Be?
- Loading the .308 Winchester
As the .308 Winchester is a shortened version of the .30-06, by the same token the .358 Win. is a shortened .35 Whelen. With its spitzer-pointed bullets, the .358 is a good medium- to long-range cartridge with capabilities out to 250 yards on big game. With the 250-grain bullet, it’s better than the .30-06 on heavy game at close ranges. The .358 in a bolt-action rifle with a good scope is as accurate as any hunting cartridge available. Performance can be improved by handloading.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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