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6,655 Posts
Englander,
If it is marked XTR it is probably a pre-safety rifle. XTR stood for extra, or something to that effect. It meant that the wood was checkered. These early rifles had a little nicer wood thatn the later examples.
The pre-safties still have the rebounding hammer. Now that we know that we can swap out the lower tangs, if the rebounding hammer bothers you there is a fix.
The .356 is a serious rifle that will meet your velocity and muzzle energy laws. They are all 20" barrels. For your larger Roe deer the Speer 220 gr. jacketed FN is probably the best starting point. Strongly built and good ballistic coeficient. The RCBS 200 gr GC cast bullet is another good starting point. For smaller stuff the Hornady and Sierra 200 gr RN bullets are fine.
If this is an early rifle the rear scope mount holes are drilled at an angle and the current Williams reciever sight will not work. Winchester changed this pretty quickly but check before you purchase scope mounts or receiver sights. The monte-carlo stock of the early big bore rifles are ugly but they handle recoil well.
If you mount a scope I suggest Weaver bases and Millett Angle Loc rings, they handle recoil very well.
The Speer #13 reloading manual has a good cross section of loading information to get you started along with free stuff from winchester.
You can make your brass from .444 Marlin brass. Use a Redding form/trim die, worth whatever it costs to get one over the deep water.
If I sound like a .356 booster, I am! Not a lot of jacketed bullets available but those that are available are good ones. RCBS and NEI have you covered with molds. Nothing currently available from Lyman is worth messing with.
Pistol bullets, both cast and jacketed work very well in this caliber/rifle. The Lyman 200 gr. RN for the Super Police .38"s or the .38-200 feeds well in this rifle for reduced loads.
I could go on and on....
If it is marked XTR it is probably a pre-safety rifle. XTR stood for extra, or something to that effect. It meant that the wood was checkered. These early rifles had a little nicer wood thatn the later examples.
The pre-safties still have the rebounding hammer. Now that we know that we can swap out the lower tangs, if the rebounding hammer bothers you there is a fix.
The .356 is a serious rifle that will meet your velocity and muzzle energy laws. They are all 20" barrels. For your larger Roe deer the Speer 220 gr. jacketed FN is probably the best starting point. Strongly built and good ballistic coeficient. The RCBS 200 gr GC cast bullet is another good starting point. For smaller stuff the Hornady and Sierra 200 gr RN bullets are fine.
If this is an early rifle the rear scope mount holes are drilled at an angle and the current Williams reciever sight will not work. Winchester changed this pretty quickly but check before you purchase scope mounts or receiver sights. The monte-carlo stock of the early big bore rifles are ugly but they handle recoil well.
If you mount a scope I suggest Weaver bases and Millett Angle Loc rings, they handle recoil very well.
The Speer #13 reloading manual has a good cross section of loading information to get you started along with free stuff from winchester.
You can make your brass from .444 Marlin brass. Use a Redding form/trim die, worth whatever it costs to get one over the deep water.
If I sound like a .356 booster, I am! Not a lot of jacketed bullets available but those that are available are good ones. RCBS and NEI have you covered with molds. Nothing currently available from Lyman is worth messing with.
Pistol bullets, both cast and jacketed work very well in this caliber/rifle. The Lyman 200 gr. RN for the Super Police .38"s or the .38-200 feeds well in this rifle for reduced loads.
I could go on and on....
