I'm considering building a 35 whelen or something similar. My goal is to have a hammer bullets at enough velocity to take a deer at 350 yards. The other consideration is weight and recoil. So I'm considering the 178 to 203 grain weigh bullets. Would like to keep weight close to 7 1/2 lbs bare rifle. Any and all comments suggestions/ thoughts about cartridges bullets etc. are appreciated. Thanks Tribb
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Thoughts on 35 calibers
- Thread starter tribb
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ATH
Well-Known Member
I have a WSM wildcat (shortened version of the 358 Sambar) which shoots right at 35 Whelen AI velocities with 225gr bullets. It's an absolute hammer on deer. I love the big bores, their major deficiencies are moderate velocities and poor BCs. To that end, I'd recommend sticking with 200-225gr bullets. They make a run of 225gr Accubonds about once a year, I had to watch for them to be released and stock up a couple times.
There is nothing wrong with a .35 Whelen, but... I think my two picks in .35 cal with more than enough range and power to satisfy your needs would be the .350 Rem Mag and my favorite, the .358 Norma Mag, the Norma is a monster killer. For the lighter rifle, the .350 Rem Mag might be the better pick, but... for a standard-weight 26" barrel rifle the .358 Norma Mag is the one to go with. Good luck. Cheers
Ross1147
Well-Known Member
My main hunting rifle for the last 3 years is an older M70 I had rebored to a 35 Whelen. Last year cut the barrel down to 16.5" and ended up losing 100-150fps from my original loads. Right now I'm shooting the 245 grain Hammer at 2330 fps. That'll keep 1800fps right to 300yds, so a 178 / 203 should easily get you to 350 yds. I've never weighed the rifle but with the scope and Talley rings it can't be much over 7-7.5 lbs.
I've had three .35 Whelens, starting with a rebarreled Mauser in the early '70s, then a rebored Rem 700, then a 700 Classic when they came out in Whelen.
I had great results with Speer 180 Flat Nose bullets in all of them and took quite a few deer with them. I also used Hornady 200 Spire Points with good results, but consider them a little 'hard' for our smallish whitetails. I also shot the Speer 220 FP, Speer 250, Nosler 225 BT and a box of Barnes 300 RNSPs, but only took a couple deer with the 250s. They did "OK", but are a little heavy for WTs and the one 250 I did recover (raking shot hit the right hip and was under the skin at the left shoulder) had barely expanded.
I had poor results with Remington 150 Spitzers, very little expansion, but I was looking for a lighter, low recoil load and found out later that they were designed for max loads in the .350 RemMag. The .35 Whelen and the .350RM are ballistically very close, but since I was trying to use lighter loads, the bullets didn't get the velocity they needed.
I never shot any 200 RN in the Whelen, which are available from several makers and designed for .35 Remington velocities. They may be suitable for lighter loads, but are probably too fragile for full power Whelen loads.
I sold my last .35 Whelen a few years ago to a friend that wanted a hammer. He only shoots deer, but believes they're tough, so the Whelen gives him the confidence he needed and he's taken quite a few with it.
I'm now in the process of building a .358 Winchester. I have a lot of .358 bullets left over and plan to use them up. I had a spare short action receiver and stock laying around and got a barrel with the idea of keeping it short and using my suppressor with it.
I had great results with Speer 180 Flat Nose bullets in all of them and took quite a few deer with them. I also used Hornady 200 Spire Points with good results, but consider them a little 'hard' for our smallish whitetails. I also shot the Speer 220 FP, Speer 250, Nosler 225 BT and a box of Barnes 300 RNSPs, but only took a couple deer with the 250s. They did "OK", but are a little heavy for WTs and the one 250 I did recover (raking shot hit the right hip and was under the skin at the left shoulder) had barely expanded.
I had poor results with Remington 150 Spitzers, very little expansion, but I was looking for a lighter, low recoil load and found out later that they were designed for max loads in the .350 RemMag. The .35 Whelen and the .350RM are ballistically very close, but since I was trying to use lighter loads, the bullets didn't get the velocity they needed.
I never shot any 200 RN in the Whelen, which are available from several makers and designed for .35 Remington velocities. They may be suitable for lighter loads, but are probably too fragile for full power Whelen loads.
I sold my last .35 Whelen a few years ago to a friend that wanted a hammer. He only shoots deer, but believes they're tough, so the Whelen gives him the confidence he needed and he's taken quite a few with it.
I'm now in the process of building a .358 Winchester. I have a lot of .358 bullets left over and plan to use them up. I had a spare short action receiver and stock laying around and got a barrel with the idea of keeping it short and using my suppressor with it.
snox801
Well-Known Member
I agree .358 Norma mag is a absolute blast and I run the 178gr hammer at just over 3100fps
snox801
Well-Known Member
That would be tough. I've played with that round a ton. It's a .355 not .358 not that that matters.
I haven't been able to get any reliable expansion past 230. Killed a few deer past that but it was just leaving a .35 cal hole bullet looked like it could be shot again.
med358-boise
Well-Known Member
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
If you're set on 35 cal, so be it.
I have had 35 Sambar (WSM), 35 Whelen and a 358NM.
Bullet selection was, and still is, poor.
I had 338-06, 338WM and 340 Weatherby all at the same time, bullet selection in 338 was never lacking, BC is higher, SD is higher and you had many choice's, the Speer 175g was a fantastic bullet in 338, took lots of Water buff with those. Pity they were discontinued, they were a real DG bullet.
I'm sure there are more Hammer offerings in 338 than there are in 35 cal, that would be my choice.
Cheers.
I have had 35 Sambar (WSM), 35 Whelen and a 358NM.
Bullet selection was, and still is, poor.
I had 338-06, 338WM and 340 Weatherby all at the same time, bullet selection in 338 was never lacking, BC is higher, SD is higher and you had many choice's, the Speer 175g was a fantastic bullet in 338, took lots of Water buff with those. Pity they were discontinued, they were a real DG bullet.
I'm sure there are more Hammer offerings in 338 than there are in 35 cal, that would be my choice.
Cheers.
memtb
Well-Known Member
Had I not planned on a trip to Africa (which never happened)….I may have gone .358 rather than .375!
IMO …..for a handloader the .358's are the near perfect NA "do it all" cartridge.
While I'm offering opinions……seriously consider the .358 STA. Brass can easily be made from the generally, very available.375 H&H brass.
With the .358 STA, you get a potentially pretty high velocity cartridge …..which can always be downloaded a bit if one desires.
In fact, if you're a handloader and especially so if you cast bullets….you can use jacketed handgun bullets or pick one of dozens of cast bullet styles/weights for very effective, inexpensive, low velocity, low recoil plinking/small game use.
There's nothing better than using your primary hunting rifle throughout the year for a wide variety of uses. If you're do……I can pretty much guarantee that you will be pretty darn efficient with that rifle when big game hunting season rolls around! memtb
IMO …..for a handloader the .358's are the near perfect NA "do it all" cartridge.
While I'm offering opinions……seriously consider the .358 STA. Brass can easily be made from the generally, very available.375 H&H brass.
With the .358 STA, you get a potentially pretty high velocity cartridge …..which can always be downloaded a bit if one desires.
In fact, if you're a handloader and especially so if you cast bullets….you can use jacketed handgun bullets or pick one of dozens of cast bullet styles/weights for very effective, inexpensive, low velocity, low recoil plinking/small game use.
There's nothing better than using your primary hunting rifle throughout the year for a wide variety of uses. If you're do……I can pretty much guarantee that you will be pretty darn efficient with that rifle when big game hunting season rolls around! memtb
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. Accuracy is Great
️lol this one I won't reload for, I can't duplicate itCount me a Whelen fan. While it is a hammer, its trajectory past 350 is a limitation for a western rifle in the areas I hunt.
My present rifle is a 7600 shooting 225 SKGs at 2725 over IMR4064. Set up with a Zeiss DL 2x8, It is my favorite woods rifle these days.
FWIW, I've shot a number of deer with .338 and 340, and I think there is something to be said for the effectiveness of larger diameter bullets, even if going slower. Just my 0.02.
My present rifle is a 7600 shooting 225 SKGs at 2725 over IMR4064. Set up with a Zeiss DL 2x8, It is my favorite woods rifle these days.
FWIW, I've shot a number of deer with .338 and 340, and I think there is something to be said for the effectiveness of larger diameter bullets, even if going slower. Just my 0.02.
