Too many choices,help me weed some out.

[Harter66]

I want to build an all pourpose cast rifle on my BRNO Mauser parts . But I'm just to dang indecisive about cartridges ,caliber for that matter. I've never succume to Magnumitis,but I do like to "have the option" to take the long shot on closing day as needed within my skills and ethos. I've several 30-06's. As for game ,honestly I'm loosing intrest the last 4 seasons just ain't been worth the effort,but,yotes,antelope,mulies,maybe an elk or bighorn.

I like the idea of a straight wall 45 ,like a Mongo but .451-2 to accomidate .410-45 special.

I've looked toward the 35 Whelen ,as in take enough gun ,boolits from 100-250 in about any style,or even its little brothers 9x57 or 358 Win. .

Then I gave the 300 Savage some thought too ,I hate to toss anything,and I've quite a bit of small lot 308 brass that would make bigger lots of the shorter brass.

The 25s hold some wonderlust for me as well,not so much the 06' as the Roberts or Savage . See my excuse above.

Lastly my 1st rifle was a 7x57, and I went through a time when ,to be more unique,I wanted a 280 Rem.although I've never heard 1 bad remark about the 7-08 it just doesn't appeal.

Thoughts,expirence,...............4 bbls , 2 bolts ,and wrenches,...................................I don't think Honey will buy into that .

[Moonie]

I'm leaning towards 35 Whelen for my rebuild of my 98, very versatile, loads from mild to African game thumpers and everywhere in between. It has enough shoulder to head space properly and brass is easy to form from about anything in the 30-06 family.

At one time I thought 25-06 ish but for a strictly cast shooter I always think larger caliber. I'd like something larger than 35 Whelen but not sure I like the idea of opening the bolt face and doing magazine mods...

Keep in mind, these are my thoughts on it and worth exactly what you have paid for it. :smile:

[redneckdan]

300 savage is less than ideal for cast due to the short neck. I have successfully developed loads for my wife's 300 savage but it takes some work.

What about .458-2" american? Reamers are readily available and your can use .450 marlin dies instead of paying for full custom RCBS. Kind of lacking in long range performance but should put the hurting on any species you mentioned at under 200yds. Feeding in the mauser might be an issue though.

You could do a 9.5x57 by using a 375-444 reamer and dies with 8x57 brass, which can be made from any of the standard '06 length cases. This is a build I am looking at doing. Should be able to get darn close to 375 whelen ballistics with a case length that will allow you to seat bullets further out in the mauser length action. Here is some case work I have done with my contender barrel. The case geometry is close enough to the 8x57 that is should feed okay from the unmodified mauser rails.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/IMGP4267.jpg

[Harter66]

I've drifted away from the 45 due to the rim headspacing ,and somebody down the road feeding it 460 Smith.

Hadn't thought about a 375. Great more choices.....................

I had ,after writting it down,and reading some more,that the little cases can be tricky.

[Wayne Smith]

I understand your interests, but I'll toss out something else. I'm really enjoying my 32-20's and now am playing with a 25-20. Very different calibers for a very different purpose, but quite fun and cheap to shoot, to boot. I'm building a .25 Kraig AI single shot, same capacity as the 257 Roberts AI. If it were a bolt action I'd go with the 257 Roberts AI.

[Larry Gibson]

If an all purpose cast rifle is the desire to include hunting "yotes,antelope,mulies,maybe an elk or bighorn", presuming with cast bullets also(?), then the 35 Whelen is the best choice of standard cartridges. It will fit the action and feed without rail modification. You should get a 14" twist barrel 26" length which allows adequate velocity for cast without having to deal with the RPM problem. It will handle cast bulets from 90 gr to 250+ gr very well. It will also handle .38/.357 handgun jacketed bullets from 110 to 180 gr and jacketed rifle .358 bullets from 150 to 250 gr very nicely along with any commercial cast .357/.359 handgun or rifle bullets you may pick up for a good price.

Thus with cast or jacketed you should find something that suits your needs very nicely and much better than most any other cartridge as an "all around" cast bullet cartridge. The 35 Whelen is the most versaitle in that regards to cast and jacketed bullets. It is my cartridge of choice if, God forbid, I should have to cut my selection of rifles and cartridges down to one, two or even several choices.

Larry Gibson

[Harter66]

Yes of course cast boolits . I have 1k copper plated swc and 3 moulds for 35/38 cal.so that's plus 1too.

[1Shirt]

Hard to beat a Whelan for both cast and J!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[felix]

Yep, 35 Whelan, and there is no doubt about it for your application(s). 14 twist will do 280 grainer rounded-wadcutters at 200 yards at 2 inches. ... felix

[JesterGrin_1]

Just ask Blammer about the 35 Whelen he had built on a Marlin XL-7 action with a Shileen barrel. :)

And also after lots of thought and reading and some pushing from people on this board I had one done as well. I am waiting on some supplies so I can get to it which should only be a few days.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/SHAKERATTLEROLL/Marlin%20XL-7%20build%20to%2035%20Whelen/35Whelen4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/SHAKERATTLEROLL/IMG_2814.jpg

The Build Here. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=91686&highlight=XL-7

[gnoahhh]

I like the idea of a Whelen too, but I like being different so I would go with the 9x57 which doesn't give up much to the .35 Wail'em.

Faced with the same dilemma over caliber choice for my current Mauser project, I narrowed it down to a toss-up between the 7x57 or .257 Roberts (I have barrel blanks for both) although I'm leaning toward the 7x57. I have a bunch of cast bullet shooters and this one was never intended to be strictly as such, although it'll get it's share I suppose. If critters bigger than whitetails were in the offing, I would have upped the ante and gone with a .35.

[9.3X62AL]

You ALL knew that I would jump on here. :)

9.3 x 62 or 9.3 x 57, depending on action length. With the possible exception of the 45-70, the 9.3 x 62 has been the BEST cast boolit rifle caliber I've played with to date. I've had the CZ-550 out at the range with me while messing about with the 30-06 for NCBS, and for the first time I shot these castings at VERY long range (for the caliber). These ran about 1700 FPS at the muzzle, and stayed on target if I did my part at 400-500-and 600 yards. Oh, I love clanging dinger plates. And now I have some empties to play with for hunting load R&D.

I debated the 35 Whelen--9.3 x 62--and 375 H&H before choosing the 9.3 in 2002. All three are VERY capable calibers for North American hunting of big/mean critters. The 9.3 is in the middle in terms of energy. The 375 came in too few rifles, most of which were mondo expensive. The 35 Whelen commercial offerings usually use a 1-16" twist, which I think is a handicap for longer/heavier bullets in the 250 grain-class. The 9.3's common twist rate (3 turns/meter, about 1-13.1") is optimized for its usual range of bullet weights--232 to 286 grains. One trait I REALLY like over the belted magnums is the 9.3's (and the 35's) ability to hold 5 rounds when full-up, as opposed to most actions holding 3 of the beeg maggies.

My CZ is a 1.5" rifle with castings at 100 yards--easily. One in a while, 5 shots go outside 1.25", but that could be the Loose Nut Behind The Stock. That is using eyeballed 270 grain flatnose castings, 22.0-23.0 grains of 2400, no dacron, and a Leup 2x-7x on top of the CZ-550. 1.5 MOA is "gilding the lily" a bit for game sizes appropriate for the caliber.

[MT Gianni]

I would like to play with a 358x57 sometime. It would seem to be optimum for things though the 358 and 35 Whelen really do the 35's well. I have had good groups with the 280 Rem and cast lately quenching any desire I had for a J-word special 6.5x06.

[felix]

Al, yep, the European 35 Whelen is great, and with the 13 twist should do 300 grainers perfectly. ... felix

[frankenfab]

What about a cast only .375 Ruger? Oh, wait, you said weed some choices out!

[Harter66]

375 Ruger ? Really I never ever .......... ok a 357 magnum but that is the only 1 ,ever,nope no magnumitis.

Whelen is looking pretty good so far.

[Harter66]

9x57 is tempting too if for no other reason to use some of the too loved 06' brass.

[Rockydog]

The 35 Whelen is a great cast bullet choice but you can only use so much powder and drive the cast so fast. You've got a bunch of 308 brass why not go with the 358 Win? Case capacity will be a better match to cast use and conventional wisdom claims that the most efficient use of case capacity leads to the best accuracy. RD

[JesterGrin_1]

The 35 Whelen is a great cast bullet choice but you can only use so much powder and drive the cast so fast. You've got a bunch of 308 brass why not go with the 358 Win? Case capacity will be a better match to cast use and conventional wisdom claims that the most efficient use of case capacity leads to the best accuracy. RD

Build Both the 35 Whelen and a 358 Winchester. :bigsmyl2: One Long Action and One Short action and the same BOOLIT. :)

[badbob454]

a 25-06 and a 30-06 will work on anything,,, in the continental united states..... ,i lean to the .223 and a 30-06 it's what i will always keep on hand ... the 25- 06 is fast and flat shooting from prarie dogs to med size deer and 30-06 will pick up the slack ...