| Posted: Tue Mar 8th, 2005 02:37 AM |
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klallen
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Evening Fellas >> Well ... just finished up my finishing portion of the stock for the .280 Ack. Imp. and left everything in the capable hands of 50 for completion. Next time I see it, I should be ready to fire-form brass.
Anyway, with that done and the .338 Kahn coming sometime in the future, it's as good a time as any to shift gears for a bit and do some load development. I'm so far behind in this respect it's sickening, but it's rather easy to pick where I'm starting things off ... the .358 STA.
Poor things been put on hold for far to long. No blood on it up till now and because of that, I'd made the decision that it would be loaded up with some of the 250 gr. Speer HotCor SP's I'd used to fire-form and this rifle is what I'd use come deer season next fall. Well, 50's thrown an interesting little wrench into that thinking with a possible hunt in Canada. Large exotics are the primary animals I'd be after but buffalo was also thrown out there. Buffalo ...
 !!!
I will be using the .280 on the exotics, but with images of these other mammoth creatures running around in my head and a box of Swift 280 gr. .358 A-Frames setting on the shelf just screaming to be used, I figure I'd skip the deer load and jump right into loading my elk (or buffalo) load.
Hopefully I can get shooting in this weekend and have something promising to report then. If I can get the darn things to shoot well, it should be a great one to hit hard and penetrate deep. Nice qualities for big, big game, I would think. We shall see.
Either way, it sure feels good to get back reloading things.
Here's the Ruger M77 Mark II .358 STA. It's stocked by Boyds with reinforcing pins installed at the factory. Kick-Ezz recoil pad to ease the kick to the shoudler and a Holland muzzle brake on the other end of the Douglas barrel that finished up just over 26" long. Topped with a Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40mm with the ballistic plex reticle. Later. >> klallen
Attachment: 000_0003-1.jpg (Downloaded 108 times) Last edited on Tue Mar 8th, 2005 02:45 AM by klallen
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| Posted: Tue Mar 8th, 2005 06:45 AM |
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macca
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Korey that is a sweet looking rifle.
Did you ever try the woodleighs??
I hope you get to hunt your mamoths.
You have more good projects going then is decent. (this is pure enevy talking by the way.)
Look forward to further reports.
Macca
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| Posted: Tue Mar 8th, 2005 02:45 PM |
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bea175
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Should make a good squirrel rifle. How is the rifle grouping and what load do you plan to use? Great looking rifle, the only problem it is for a right handed person.
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| Posted: Tue Mar 8th, 2005 06:50 PM |
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klallen
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Nope MACCA, I did not get to the Woodleigh bullets. I really like the combination of sturdiness, weight, SD and BC associated with these Swift A-Frames. Now, if I can just get the velocity and accuracy out of them that I want, all will be fine in klallen-land. If not, we'll have to rethink things. If things go bad, rather then going up to the 310 gr. Woodleigh, I'll probably drop back down to the 250 gr. weight class. There's a lot of bullets to choose from for the STA in that weight. I'll have to wade through the numbers to see which best suits my needs. Hopefully these A-Frames will work and I'll not have to take it to that step. As for the projects, for now, I'm just about to the end. Get the .338 Kahn built and running and that should be it for a while. Maybe  .
BEA175, No groups yet. Looking to have something to show this weekend. I'm hoping to have this rifle work around the 280 gr. Swift A-Frame. Heard stories of finicky accuracy with these bullets, but I'm really not expecting benchrest stuff. If I can sneak into that 1" to 1 1/2" range for a 3-shot group at 100 yds., this rifle will suit all my needs that I'll ever use it for. Other components used for this development are fireformed R-P brass, Federal 215 primers and Hodgdon's H4831 powder. Would like to see 2750 - 2800 fps if it can be reached safely. We'll see how it all comes together soon.
Later fellas. >> klallen
Last edited on Tue Mar 8th, 2005 06:53 PM by klallen
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| Posted: Wed Mar 9th, 2005 01:02 AM |
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Timberghozt
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Hey Klallen.Very nice looking rig.I like that Boyds stock.I am not too familiar with the 358 STA?If memory serves me it is the 8mm Rem Mag necked up to .35?I`ve never seen anybody around here with a rifle chambered in it.Interested to see how accurate you get that rascal to shoot.With that Douglas barrel, she oughta be a winner..
Gene
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| Posted: Wed Mar 9th, 2005 04:36 AM |
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klallen
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From what I understand, the original .358 STA was simply the 8mm RemMag necked up but Simpson got a wild hair in his bonnet, I guess, and did some rearranging. As it sits today, the current .358 STA sharpens the standard 25* shoulder of the RemMag case to 35* and straightens the body taper, pushing the case from .487 at the shoulder to .495 for the new case. Not as radical as the ackley improvements, but it looks to be plenty effective. Ya might be able to see these improvements in the pic with the fireformed STA case on the left and a virgin 8mm RemMag case on the right. Hopefully it's clear enough to see. Later. >> klallen Attachment: 1.jpg (Downloaded 88 times) Last edited on Wed Mar 9th, 2005 04:40 AM by klallen
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| Posted: Wed Mar 9th, 2005 03:45 PM |
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The_Mountaineer
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Well, you probably remember my thoughts of the 358 STA - quite a powerful workhorse!
Can't wait to hear more!
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10th, 2005 12:45 AM |
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Timberghozt
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Klallen..very impressive cartridge.It is visbly different than the 8mm Rem Mag cartridge.I remember the 8mm Rem Mag well.I fired a Rem 700 chambered in that beast.Without the muzzle brake and a medium sporter barrel.That cartridge had some substantail recoil..but it is a horse downrange..
I am sure with that .35 bullet, it is gonna be tough on even a buffalo..
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19th, 2005 04:04 AM |
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kuduhunter
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Klallen,
Did you ever get a load worked up for your 358 STA? I have been trying to work up one for mine using the 250 gr North Forks with either RL-19 or H4831SC. I have just began so do not have anything to report yet so am interested in how the H4831 worked for you.
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21st, 2005 05:30 AM |
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klallen
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Hi KUDUHUNTER >> Sorry for the late response. Been on vacation since last Wed. Long story short, the .358 STA development is still a work in progress. My preliminary loads, using H4831 have been shot and results gathered. Here's what they gave :
- 80 grains = 2613 fps averages (for 3 shots)
- 81 grains = 2660 fps averages
- 82 grains = 2707 fps averages
83, 84 and 85 grain loads have been put together and are waiting for me to get a little range time available.
Accuracy has been 1 1/4" to 1 1/2". Not necessarily great, but in the light contour Douglas barrel, it just might be all I can expect. I have since scoured the barrel down so we'll see if this helps in the accuracy department. A-Square claims 2850+ fps with their 275 gr. Lion load in a 26" barrel. I'd like to get every bit of that if I could so have set that as my goal for this development project. Like to inch closer to 1" groups, too.
This might be an open weekend from work (and camping) so hopefully I can get something accomplished. Hopefully. Will report findings when available. Take care. >> klallen
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21st, 2005 09:27 PM |
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kuduhunter
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klallen,
Thanks for the input. I have been working mostly with the RL-19 as that was what was recommened but since reading that the alliant powders are affected by temperature changes I had some H4831SC that I normally use for my other reloading. I have only tried two weights so far 82.8 gr with the 250 gr bullet (2709 fps) and 83.8 gr (2731 fps) Hope to try some others this weekend myself. The manuals I have say you can get a little above 2900 with 90 grains but the North Fork guys recommend starting low and working up since their bullets have the ridges like the Barnes triple shock. Maybe I can get around 2900 with a little less than 90 gr. The accuracy was about the same as yours a little over 1" but I know the rifle can do better as I was shooting the 225 gr Sieras and was averaging .63" groups. Hopefully I can get the 250 gr North Forks to do the same thing. maybe even this weekend.
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24th, 2005 12:03 PM |
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LilMag
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Klallen, the one thing that sticks out in my mind about the .358-STA, is it's ability to produce outstanding numbers on the chalkboard when dealing with "penetration abilities" and "shocking power" etc.
Years ago, I had been kicking the idea around of putting together a medium bore wildcat in the .358 caliber, someone beat me to it is all. Nonetheless, I can think of no better caliber out there today, than the .358-STA. The other thing that will really impress a person thinking of such a project, is the Shocking Power it gives on paper verses other well known heavy hitting caliber's.
Anyway I wish you the best with that new Dragon Slayer! I am positive that with those 286 grain Swift A Frames bullets coming out the end of the barrel, it would stop a freight train hence forth. Interesting to note that the .358-STA, according to Art Alphins reloading manual, the penetration index rankings of the .358-STA were a whopping 151 compared to a .338 magnums 141. Now only the .378 Weatherby had a higher ranking (154), very impressive indeed. I
Last edited on Fri Jun 24th, 2005 12:12 PM by
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28th, 2005 10:23 PM |
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Fiftydriver
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Lilmag,
How was that penetration index figured?
I just do not see how a 250 gr 338 would not far outpenetrate a 250 gr .358 bullet driven to similiar velocities?
If you can, how would a 350 gr .338" bullet at 3050 fps compare to these numbers?
Thanks for the information. If there is a formula please include that as well.
Kirby Allen(50)
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29th, 2005 06:07 PM |
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longhunter
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The figures were probably done using the sectional density for each caliber, for example, a Speer .338 250gr Grand Slam has a SD of .313, and a .358 250gr Grand Slam has a SD of .279. Driven to equal velocity, the .338 would have an edge, at least on paper. But, that being said, on paper a .490 lead round ball with a muzzle velocity of 1500fps wont kill a whitetail at 50 yards.
Whoops, misread the previous posts! Sorry!
Last edited on Wed Jun 29th, 2005 06:09 PM by
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16th, 2005 03:11 PM |
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LilMag
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Kirby......I have always been a great fan of the .338 caliber period! However, I'll take a stab at this Penetration Index chart and how it was constructed.
The PENETRATION INDEX is calculated by dividing kinetic energy with the area of the bullet and multiplying the resulting quotient by the "sectional density".
Also the SHOCK POWER INDEX is calculated by multiplying the kinetic energy by the cross sectional area of the bullet.
Sorry but I can not at this time seem to be able to list the formula as needs to be shown mathematically. I cannot get my PC to cooperate in proper manner.
However all information is listed in the reloading manual "Any Shot You Want" by Arthur B. Alphin - A-Squared Company.
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