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Old February 13, 2013, 05:22 PM   #1
dgludwig
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.308 fired in a rifle chambered for .358?

To be clear, I am not advocating nor even suggesting that this can be done, let alone should be done, but I'm curious, in say an "emergency" situation when no .358 rounds are available, as to what effect firing a .308 cartridge in a rifle chambered for .358 might be. I'm guessing that the .30 caliber bullet would simply rattle on down the .35 caliber bore with little hope of being accurate and that the brass would conform to the larger cartridge's chamber but with no other serious ill-effect in terms of safety. What say you?
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Old February 13, 2013, 05:45 PM   #2
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What kind of "emergency" would we be talking about here?
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Old February 13, 2013, 05:50 PM   #3
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I dont think the round would even fire. It wouldnt be placed or locked in correctly as it isnt the proper round for said rifle.
It may go off, but i think you would just have it blow up in the oversized chamber, or have it bounce around and ruin your barrel.
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Old February 13, 2013, 06:04 PM   #4
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The .358 Winchester, if I recall correctly, is based on the .308 cartridge, necked up to hold a .35 caliber bullet, much like the .35 Whelen is a necked-up .30-06.

As long as the extractor holds the cartridge to the bolt face it would ignite, but the .308 bullet wouldn't find much purchase in that .357 bore. The brass would come out formed for the .358 and accuracy would be horrible. I don't think that the rifle would be damaged, but I don't believe that it's a good idea. I can't see the utility.
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Old February 13, 2013, 06:06 PM   #5
dgludwig
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Quote:
What kind of "emergency" would we be talking about here?
I don't know. Using my imagination, I can envision a situation where I have a rifle chambered in .358 at my disposal in a time of need (grizzlies or zombies at my door, whatever) but no ammunition for it. However, I have some .308 cartridges at hand. Could I shoot the rifle safely is the salient question.

This question was not intended to be anything more than expressing a curiosity as to what one might expect to happen if a .308 cartridge was fired in a rifle chambered for the .358 Winchester. Nothing more than that.
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Old February 13, 2013, 06:20 PM   #6
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I would expect a lot of the gases to escape around the bullet and that it would jus dribble out. Ok, maybe a slight exaggeration, but still...
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Old February 13, 2013, 07:05 PM   #7
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The 358 is based on the 308, but the shoulder area has slightly different measurements. Unless your 358 rifle has pretty loose tolerences you'd probably have to work pretty hard to close the bolt and would probably deform the brass. Not saying it wouldn't do it. I've heard of many different combinations of using the wrong ammo and it firing.
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Old February 13, 2013, 07:11 PM   #8
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I saw a picture years ago of a 308 that had been fired out of a 30/06. The shoulder had been blown out so it looked like a straight wall case.
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Old February 13, 2013, 07:20 PM   #9
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I think you'd just make the Grizz or his buddy Mr. Zombie have more of an appetite from getting them worked up!
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Old February 14, 2013, 09:31 AM   #10
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It would be like shooting a 270 Win out of a 30-06, could be done but would be worthless.

To give you an example, I was running our clubs "sight in days" just before last years hunting season.

One lady shows up with a nice Remington '06, and couldn't hit the target at 100 yards. She got up sit, saying she shoots better then that and so does the gun.

After a bit I convinced her to shoot at 25 yards to see where the bullets were going. She missed that target twice with 2 rounds, hit with two rounds, both keyholed.

Turned out her hubby wasn't paying attention, picked two boxes of ammo, one in '06 and one in 270. When this lady switched to the '06 ammo both the gun and her had no problem grouping and the rifle was sighted it.

So if I was to shoot a 358 Rem, I'd go a head and buy 358 ammo. You might get 308s to fire, by you wont hit nothing. Better off staying home.
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Old February 14, 2013, 09:44 AM   #11
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I witnessed an '06 fired in a 35 Whelen. Only damage done was the case, which was now fire formed as a 35 Whelen. Bullet did not hit the target a 100 yards.

I also know that a 30-30 can be fired in a 32 Win Spl.
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Old February 14, 2013, 10:59 AM   #12
dgludwig
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Quote:
I also know that a 30-30 can be fired in a 32 Win Spl.
You know, I heard/read that too; years ago. That, "in a pinch", the 30-30 cartridge could be fired in a rifle chambered for the .32 Special but not vice-versa. I've done a cursory search of my research material concerning this "rumor" but I've never come across the source of it. I certainly wouldn't recommend anybody trying it unless and until they knew better.

Quote:
The .358 Winchester, if I recall correctly, is based on the .308 cartridge, necked up to hold a .35 caliber bullet, much like the .35 Whelen is a necked-up .30-06.

As long as the extractor holds the cartridge to the bolt face it would ignite, but the .308 bullet wouldn't find much purchase in that .357 bore. The brass would come out formed for the .358 and accuracy would be horrible. I don't think that the rifle would be damaged, but I don't believe that it's a good idea. I can't see the utility.
I think this is the best summation presented and it's sort of what I thought might be the case. No, it's not a good idea but, at point-blank range, in an "emergency" situation (see "wolf at the door" scenario where one has a rifle chambered in .358 but only .308 cartridges on hand), it might be of some "utility" if safety isn't an issue.

Anyhow, I only posed the question to satisfy a curiosity. Question answered as best as it can be I suppose, and I appreciate the thoughts and ideas of all the kind responders.
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