Is anyone still using their 358/25WSSM Rifle for deer hunting?

[Skip]

I have used my Encore in 358WSSM to kill deer, coyotes, rams and hogs. That thing works like a sledgehammer with everything at 150 yards or less. I’ve never had to take a longer shot so…no experience there. I’ve heard of lots longer shots. I’ve also heard fishermen tell tales of 10lb blue gills! Lol
Seriously though, my wife and I will be toting our Encores back to the field this year too.
I did a search of the forum and there isn’t much current discussion about this cartridge of it’s sister, 358WSM. Just wondered if anyone else is using theirs too.

 

[tjh88]

I'm still using my Dtech 358 WSSM AR. I'm rolling my own ammo and yes I'm using the non-existent TSSX Barnes bullet. Good thing I still have some ammo loaded up. I do love this round and have shot and dropped deer at the 200 yard mark. I have the Nikon BDC scope with all the ranges figured.

 

[Skip]

I have a ton of brass. Some all the way opened up, some still in 223WWSM! My wife swears by this round and when asked what she was taking to the field to deer hunt this year, she just looked at me like....DUR!
I want a DTech so bad I can taste it but, since I have 3 Encores in this caliber, kind of hard to justify it! Do you like that DTech?

 

[42769vette]

Once they allowed centerfire rifles, mine started collecting dust.

 

[Skip]

Once they allowed centerfire rifles, mine started collecting dust.

If someone had to hunt public land, it would be a good thing to have yet though.

 

[42769vette]

If someone had to hunt public land, it would be a good thing to have yet though.

Yes sir. Its by far the best public land option on the market right now.

 

[Purdue1991]

I had a 358 Win that I used to hunt with in Indiana. I made it legal by trimming the cartridge neck down to meet the cartridge length requirements in Indiana. Worked great for the time I had it.

 

[tjh88]

I love my Dtech. A friend has the Encore (Justhunt I think) and his brass/chamber is different from my Dtech. I still use mine most of the time since I have so much invested in it. It definitely does the job.

 

[two70]

Once they allowed centerfire rifles, mine started collecting dust.

Same here. I only keep mine around in case I need to hunt public land.

 

[BigMoose]

I could be wrong, but all these rifles are pretty much just a finish reamer short of being 358 Winchester.
Or am I thinking of 358 Hoosier?

These weird wildcats confuse me.

 

[two70]

I could be wrong, but all these rifles are pretty much just a finish reamer short of being 358 Winchester.
Or am I thinking of 358 Hoosier?

These weird wildcats confuse me.

You're thinking of the 358 Hoosier. As the thread title suggests the 358 WSSM is the .25 WSSM shortened and necked up.

 

[42769vette]

I could be wrong, but all these rifles are pretty much just a finish reamer short of being 358 Winchester.
Or am I thinking of 358 Hoosier?

These weird wildcats confuse me.

That's the problem with wildcat's. 1 guy comes up with an idea, does all the leg work, patton's it, then everyone else jumps on board, changes a dimension's a couple thou somewhere, and calls it something else and market's it as a game changer. Off the top of my head there are

358 BFG
358 WSSM
358 WSM
358 hoosier
358 just hunt
358 IDC

Some of these re interchangeable, some are not. The BFG's and the WSSM I believe to be interchangeable. BFG was the original, 358 WSSM was the name change so MGM could make barrel's. I believe the Hoosier was a new design using 308 as the parent case. I'm not sure on the rest.

Don't take my word for that last paragraph. Thats why I said "I believe" so much. Do your own research. This whole thing would be a lot simpler if everyone hadn't tried to cash in on Fireball168's idea. AJ brown did the Hoosier, and I believe it was the only fresh idea out of the bunch. Im not sure who did the WSM.

 

[two70]

That's the problem with wildcat's. 1 guy comes up with an idea, does all the leg work, patton's it, then everyone else jumps on board, changes a dimension's a couple thou somewhere, and calls it something else and market's it as a game changer. Off the top of my head there are

358 BFG
358 WSSM
358 WSM
358 hoosier
358 just hunt
358 IDC

Some of these re interchangeable, some are not. The BFG's and the WSSM I believe to be interchangeable. BFG was the original, 358 WSSM was the name change so MGM could make barrel's. I believe the Hoosier was a new design using 308 as the parent case. I'm not sure on the rest.

IIRC, you can make the Hoosier from .308 cases but not really a new design. It was essentially a shortened .358 Win which was originally created by necking the 308 up to 35 caliber.

 

[42769vette]

IIRC, you can make the Hoosier from .308 cases but not really a new design. It was essentially a shortened .358 Win which was originally created by necking the 308 up to 35 caliber.

Yes sir.

I knew the hoosier was based on 308, but I had forgot the 358 win was based on that aswell

 

[Onebad06vtx]

I still use my 358 wssm.
Hits like a mack truck,never had a deer run more then three feet.
Plus where I hunt,I dont need anything else and I have plenty to choose from.

 

[Walter55916]

I use my .358 Hoosier every year!! It’s a great deep woods round!

 

[yetti462]

I'm going to rebarrel mine to a 7mm08. Not used my 358 in years.

 

[Skip]

I'm going to rebarrel mine to a 7mm08. Not used my 358 in years.

What kind of barrel is the 358?

 

[yetti462]

What kind of barrel is the 358?

The guy that made my rifle used savage rifles, took barrels off and rebarreled to his 358 tube. He has a pile of barrels at his shop that I am going to pick out of.