A Ruger #3 in 358 Win ?

[Rapier]

Larry,
The cadet is actuall a BP gun built in the smokless era. It has an action that will easily do 50K and probably over 60K. The trick is that the barrel, like a bolt gun provides the real pressure machine. The bolt of a cadet closes to a straiht in line lockup, inside a steel box. In other words you must drive the bolt through the rear of the steel box to open a gap in the front.

The one area in the configuration where the action shows its age is the firing pin hole. For high pressure cartridges the hole must be reduced to a moder diameter and the firing pin reduced in diameter. I made a small shouldered bushing for this purpose held in place with black locktite (5,000 PSI). As all of the pressure is to the rear all that is necessary is a slight shoulder to hold the bushing in place.

Once the bushing and reduced diameter pin is in place the Cadet will eat just about anything a 357 SM or 225 can put out.

Regards accuracy and performance:
357 SM with 16 inch barrel
180 gr Hornady Rifle bullet H-110 24.5 Gr 2,140 fps, slightly flattening primer, .70 group @ 100
200gr Remington RN 23.5 gr 2,040 fps no pressure signs .50 group @ 100

This is the 2nd gun which shoots identical to the first. But is a 357 SM only gun.

[PJgunner]

I do so dearly love the way people will take a thread and get away with the original subject at hand.

Frankly, I kind of like the idea of a Ruger #3 in .358 Win. A nice reasonbly lightweight thumper that still won't beat you to death. I could go for one myself. I have had a couple of #3's in 45-70 and those hurt with powerful loads. because nowadays they have some collector value, I didn't do anything to mine and finally sold them off.
What I think I wold do, as long as you're doing it to be a .358 is I would add a Pachmeyr Decelerator recoil pad. They do make a difference. it would also serve anther purpose as well. I'm not a particularly lrge individual, but I find that the butt stock on the Ruger #3 was designed for a midget. By adding that pad, the stock will be more of a normal legth, the pad and extra length will, IMHO make the recoil a heck of a lot more tolerable. As I didn't want to alter my 45-70s, I used a slip on pad and the added length did make a difference.
I only have one question though. Is the barrel at the muzzle thick enough to allow boring out to .358"? I'm OK with the 1 in 14" twist rate. That's a lot better than Ruger doing it with a 1 in 16" twist.
I have five rifles in .358, two Ruger 77s (tang safety model) a savage 99, browning BLR and a Kodial Mauser. The browning and savage came with the peope 1 in 12" twist that Winchester used in their .358s but the other three are 1 in 16" twist and frankly, they don't shoot worth a damn. I also have three rifles in .35 Whelen, a Ruger 77 tang safetym Remington M700 Classic and a custom Mauser. The Mauser came from an estate sale and has a 1 in
14" twist and is avery decent grouper especially with the 225 gr. Barnes TSX. The other two have 1 in 16" twist rates and are somewhat mediocre when it comes to accuracy. Dunno what they were thinking but somebody had his head in a warm dark place.
As you have probably guessed, I like the .35's. The only real draw back with the .358 is finding brass and ammo. It's one of the cartridges Winchester loads or makes brass for on a "seasonal basis". I have a friend that deals in componenets and he got me a sweet deal on 500 rounds of Winchester .358 bass. So, I'm good to go forever.
Paul B.

[Ridge Runner]

will the #3 action handle the pressure of a 358? I thought 223 was the biggest rimless it was chambered in.
RR