.358 Hoosier wildcat

[astenftenagel]

Has anyone shot the new .358 Hoosier wildcat round? It is a new round compliant with IN laws for deer hunting. It is an amazing round. I have a Marlin .243 rifle that was fitted with a new barrel for the .358 round and I used it this deer season, it shoots consistently at 250yds. I don't actually know the ballistics on this round but it is a must own gun for IN deer hunters! It makes a devastating exit wound. Not quite the knock down power of a shotgun, but it has the ability to shoot much farther and more accurately.

The gunsmith I had do my rifle said that the Marlin (I believe it's an X7) is the easiest gun to modify to shoot this round. The bolt needed no modifications nor did the magazine.

Has anyone had any of their rifles customized to fire this round? If so, What kind of rifle was it? and what were the Modifications to the gun?

 

[fireball168]

It is an amazing round.

I don't actually know the ballistics on this round but it is a must own gun for IN deer hunters!

Thanks for the chuckle.

Hope you enjoy your rifle.

 

[astenftenagel]

I was saying it is an amazing round in that it has such a devastating effect on deer on ranges much longer than that of a shotgun or any other legal rounds.

 

[Glockowner]

I cannot imagine shooting at a deer that far away in southern Indiana. Probably a cool round to shoot, but certainly not necessary. What cartridge is it adapted from?

 

[astenftenagel]

its from a .308, and yea I still use my browning A-bolt when i'm hunting areas that don't allow a longer shot. I've used it along the edges of some small fields and it is awesome being able to shoot at a deer regardless of the range.

 

[kludge]

...ranges much longer than that of... any other legal rounds.

Well, that's just not the case. There are several wildcats with magnum parent cartridges that can push bullets faster than the Hoosier.

As far as I can tell from my own crude experiments, the case capacity of the .358 Hooseir is between 50 and 51 grains of H2O. Similar in fact to the .35 Remington, but loaded to higher pressure.

Tha case capacity of the .358 WSSM is 57+ grains of H2O, same as the .358 Winchester (the parent case of the .358 Hoosier).

1.8" .358 wildcats based on the WSM, SAUM, or Ruger brass will have similar case capacity to .35 Whelen, which is 71 grains. These cartridges are spitting out 200gr bullets at over 2900fps.

I've seen some of the claims for the MV of the .358 Hoosier, and well, le's just say I'd like some third party verification.

As far as building rifles and making brass, the .358 Hoosier is one of the more simple wildcats, uses common bolt face diameter and common brass -- and to me that is the attraction, not the performance, per se.

 

[astenftenagel]

hm, I didn't realize there were so many legal wildcat rounds like that...

Either way. Its a good, practical round for hunting.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I cannot imagine shooting at a deer that far away in southern Indiana.

What about squirrel?

 

[Hookeye]

It's "practical" ???

If one already has a proven and legal deer slayer, how is buying another gun practical?
Buying a gun that has to be modified by a rifle maker might not be practical either.
And then there's having one chambered in a cartridge that can't be found at you local hardware place, bait shop or big box store.........some might consider that less than practical.

It might be neat, it might offer shot selection previously not available, it might offer better performance in many areas, but I wouldn't call it practical

Long distance capability is awesome, assuming one sees a buck worthy of shooting at long distance. I saw nothing but small bucks this past season so it didn't matter what I was carrying.

 

[throttletony]

call me crazy, but I like the ability to take a safe 200+ yd shot on a deer - given that it is a safe shot. That 358 Hoosier looks like a cool caliber. Some of the fields we hunt coyotes in are prime deer land, and to shoot 200 or 250 yds is necessary just to get across the field. (disclaimer - I currently do not hunt deer in IN, but I scout them and see them all the time while hunting other critters)
I'm originally from out west where the standard deer gun is 270 or 30-06, or at bare minimum the 243/308/7mm-08, so maybe my perspective is a little different, but I don't like being limited to the typical shotgun slug, .357mag, .44mag (I know there are plenty of wildcats too).

 

[Hookeye]

Lots of people here used to hunt chucks with centerfires, when we still had them. So the 200-250 yard stuff isn't considered "long range" for many

 

[astenftenagel]

yea, I definitly wish there were still 'chucks' (I assume groundhogs?) around to shoot, i would love that

 

[whipfinish]

Has anyone shot the new .358 Hoosier wildcat round? "Not quite the knock down power of a shotgun, but it has the ability to shoot much farther and more accurately. "


I had the good fortune to deer hunt this year with a friend's .358 rifle that was built from a Ruger Model 1 I believe. The knockdown power was incredible. My shot was across a wooded ravine at approximately 200yards. The deer dropped in its tracks. I would never had taken that shot with my 870 Remy.

 

[Tandor]

Yes, my buddy has one, $1600 rifle and $1000 scope, but loads are $$$$$$, I believe it was 4 bucks a round and this was in August!

 

[astenftenagel]

yea the rounds are very expensive, its definitely not a plinker... I just make sure its lined in before the season with a few shots. then she just sits in my safe... which kinda sucks because I'd love to shoot it all the time.

 

[HOLY LAND]

I have created this petition to change gun cartridge change for hunting in Indiana.
Please take some time and look into my petition and help me spread it around!

Petition Indiana Hunting Rifle Cartridge Change

I am a hunter and have been hunting for years here in Indiana, like most people I started hunting with my father. I love hunting because it's a way for me to get away from city life and relax. Recently, it has become an option for hunters in Indiana to use rifles, but the problem is rifles cartridges that we are allowed to use are very uncommon rounds for rifles. These cartridges are really pistol rounds and hunters could converted a normal rifle to a 358 Hoosier round. Hunters do not have enough options for hunting with common hunting rifle rounds. Many hunters need to have a custom gun made to use the cartridge that is allowed by the state of Indiana. It would be nice if we could bring out our grand fathers 1903 Springfield 30-06 and just go hunting or even use a brand new one off the shelf.

The rules for what we are able to use are both confusing and hard to
understand. It sounds as though we have a lot of choices in rifle cartridges but in reality we do not. I do not want to drive all the way to Kentucky in order to hunt with a 30-06, .308, or even a 7.62x54r. The states allowing rifle hunting are North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Michigan.
I would like to expand the hunting laws to allow rifles that are more common calibers for rifle hunting: .44 Mag, 30-30, .223, .243, 300 AAC BLK, 300 Whisper, 7mm-08, .308, 7.62x39, 7.62x54r, and 30-06. If you agree with what I request, please sign my petition. This petition will then be directed to Governor: Mike Pence, DNR Director: Cameron F. Clark, and Legislative Director: Chris Smith so we can make this change for the next hunting season 2013-2014.

In to comparison Indiana's Max Case length is 1.8 inches:

*.308 is 2.015" or 2.215" above current max
*7.62x54r is 2.115" or 2.315" above current max
*.30-06 is 2.494" or 2.694" above current max

These are the rules that the state of Indiana allows:

*Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger;

*have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches

*and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms and special antler less seasons.

Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf.

 

[bruno1371]

I've considered having my savage .243 converted to the Hoosier. I use a .30-06 in Minnesota and have taken the .243 as a back up. The guys In the deer camp prefer everyone use 30 cal or larger so I don't take it anymore. I've coyote hunted with it but like my ar more for that. So the savage just sits. Decisions.....

 

[luvall]

The rules in IN are confusing at best. As a former PA hunter for 40+ years, the rifles used there should never be allowed here in the flat lands. I've been on the other end of long shots and it would be a dangerous change for hunters. The new rifle rounds like the 358 are going to be seriously dangerous. I loved my 270, 308, and 30.06 but understand the reasons for handguns and shotguns.

 

[42769vette]

The new rifle rounds like the 358 are going to be seriously dangerous.

In the 5-6 years they have been around I have not heard of any accidents involving the 358 wildcat's. Has there been some that I'm un aware of?

 

[ryanbr]

The reason we arent allowed the 30-06, 270 ect in Indiana are because of the numbe rof deer killed years ago and the dwindeling population we had. Many on here will remember hunting and maybe not seeing a buck all year. It has nothing to do with the flat lands.