44hunter45's 358 Norma build.

[44hunter45]

Heavy, but as long as it balances as well as it looks, that’s not bad. My .338-06 weights right over 10lbs.

I recall the days when a 7.5lb rifle and a 22oz scope was called light. Hell a 7.5lb Winchester is branded Featherweight.

This is so you can fight off a brown bear after you have missed four times.

 

[44hunter45]

@p_ham started this thread by saying I came to the shop and did a little BSing.
The BS stops today. 36 250gr mystery bullets over 64 grains of H380. .030" off the lands. COAL = 3.255"
I think these are actually Core-Lokt.

She's going out for a play date this afternoon. We will see if I can walk the talk.

 

[Hickory1991]

@p_ham started this thread by saying I came to the shop and did a little BSing.
The BS stops today. 36 250gr mystery bullets over 64 grains of H380. .030" off the lands. COAL = 3.255"
I think these are actually Core-Lokt.

She's going out for a play date this afternoon. We will see if I can walk the talk.

View attachment 335973

Wow two threads about 358nm. I get all geeked when I see threads titled with 358 Norma Mag. Very handsome rifle.

 

[jeff_gibbons]

Nice rifle and work!

 

[44hunter45]

So I'm not gonna lie. I didn't shoot that group until after I had shot 5 rounds learning the windage dial on the new Leupold. All strung out horizontally. Once I had my POI nearly straight above my aimpoint I shot for group.

The rest of my loads went for field position practice and playing with the rangefinder and CDS. Really fun to check an object with the RW-2800 and then fiddle with the dials.
I have never had a CDS scope before so there is some learning curve.

I've never owned such an accurate rifle. Thanks Paul!

Recoil not bad on the shoulder, but I learned to not shoot offhand with the bipod on.

I cannot wait to see how she shoots with dialed handloads.



This last pic is about the joys of shooting on public land.

 

[44hunter45]

Yeah, that's a 250 grain premium pill.

 

[BAKPAKR]

That is scooting right out!

 

[BAKPAKR]

And, why the heck aren’t you on the mountain?

 

[44hunter45]

And, why the heck aren’t you on the mountain?

You are right, I should be at that certain high country lake tonight. Not shooting until I know I can hit it. Shooting for drops tomorrow, then going out to clang some gongs at 500.
After tonight I'm pretty certain any shot I got at the lake would be a chip shot. Its only about 200 yards at its longest.

Oh - and I destroyed my knee yesterday. So there's that. @p_ham thinks I blew my knee to add drama to my semi-live thread. FWIW I was able to set up targets and shooting table at Mizpah Ck today without whimpering. No way I would be able to pack out a quarter.

That is scooting right out!

Look at those down range numbers. Gonna have to start fast. These have the BC of a wet brick. Loses 125ish fps in 50 yards. I decided that velocity and right at 1 MOA is definitely minute of moose.
I will know my dope for 500, but plan to zero at 300. 3 1/4 high at 200.

Speer #14 says BC=.35x for muzzle of 2900 = 1700 at 500 yards. I found an old email from a Speer tech who told me that the 250 GS will expand at a 1700 fps minimum. I really need to draw a hard line at 400. That is my confidence limit as well without a lot more trigger time.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I would zero for no more than 200 yards and figure out the clicks you need to get your fancy new scope out to 500. With a 300 yard zero, I think you will be closer to 5” high at 200 yards and I bet you a jelly donut that any shot at a moose will end up being at 200 yards or less. I think it is much harder to hold under where you want to hit at closer ranges than it is to hold over at longer ranges. Just my thoughts.

And, good luck with the knee.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I'm getting pretty excited seeing these posts on PHams rifles. He's got one one his bench for me!

 

[std7mag]

Yeah...
With my luck, if I had a rifle like that and zeroed at 300 yards, game would come in and be standing 40' from me.

And I'd be wishing I had my pointy stick traveling at 236fps.
Especially after all I would see in the scope is fur.

Been there, done that with my 7mm Rem Mag and a 6-24 power scope while deer hunting. Scope was on the rifle when I bought it.

 

[44hunter45]

I would zero for no more than 200 yards and figure out the clicks you need to get your fancy new scope out to 500. With a 300 yard zero, I think you will be closer to 5” high at 200 yards and I bet you a jelly donut that any shot at a moose will end up being at 200 yards or less. I think it is much harder to hold under where you want to hit at closer ranges than it is to hold over at longer ranges. Just my thoughts.

And, good luck with the knee.

All true.

With a 300 zero, QL Target says I'm 5.7" high at 165 yards peak above line of sight. Alaska F&G site says the moose kill zone is "The size of a basketball". I'm gonna assume they mean an NBA regulation ball. 9.5 inches more or less.

So a 250 zero seems to be best. Keeps me less than 4.75" from LOS out to 300. I fall below 2000 ft/lbs at 400.



The VX-6HD comes off today and the 4.5-14x50 VX-3i 2-10x42 Conquest goes on. Have to keep the Governor happy.
No turrets, just dope on the stock. 200 250 works. It Second Focal Plane, so at full magnification, the crosshair is zero, the top of the bottom post (thick part of the duplex) is 2.65 MOA. So the same as 10.5 clicks. I've killed deer this way with West Virginia (see what I did there...) windage before.

I value this tag too much to shoot beyond my confidence distance.

Yeah...
With my luck, if I had a rifle like that and zeroed at 300 yards, game would come in and be standing 40' from me.

And I'd be wishing I had my pointy stick traveling at 236fps.
Especially after all I would see in the scope is fur.

The numbers don't lie. A load that will knock anything on its butt up close, but fades fast. Changes my scope choice to be more like a classic 3-9. My 2-10x42 Zeiss seems a better choice. Ironic that is the scope I had on the rifle as a 7mm.

 

[Sask hunter]

Not sure exactly how big a moose kill zone is but it’s a lot bigger than 10”. The heart will be 10” alone almost

 

[44hunter45]

Call back to this thread. Most know I had health issues and got skunked on my moose hunt last year. Got back in the saddle for the finish, but missed two important days tent bound.

Anyway. Closing out this thread with this pic from my https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/shortest-season-ever.329920/ thread

My 358 has earned a name. I was calling it "Norma" , but now I'm going with "Norma Jean". Added MRS first name as an honorific because she tolerates these little rabbit holes on my part.

Tagged out on August 1st, 2025. Almost a year to the day since Paul test fired the rifle.

I may have to send the floor plate back to @p_ham for a laser etching.



Tagged

 

[TradeGun.62]

A fine name, 44.