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Thread: 358 Win -OR- 35 Wheelen. . .decisions decisions!

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    358 Win -OR- 35 Wheelen. . .decisions decisions!

    In the last few years I've really been getting into the "cast bullet" swing of things for several cartridges that I load for. As of the last few months and joining this forum, I've begun casting my own boolits (purchased commercially or cast by others in the past) and I've learned a great deal. Most all of my cast boolit shooting revolves around hunting loads/cartridges and handguns, now I'm finding myself wanting a "cast boolit" specific hunting rifle of .35 caliber. A long time ago I owned a Winchester 94 Big Bore in .356 Win. -LOVED IT- and it was stolen, I currently have a 35 Rem. and I'm not to impressed with it, but it works. So, I've decided I'm going to buy/build a .35 caliber rifle and I'm on the fence between the 358 Win or the 35 Wheelen, I'm just not sure I need the added oompf of the Wheelen. Looking to shoot 200/225 grain boolits 2250/2500 FPS and 250 yard max range. I have buckets of brass for each (.308/30-06) and I have two doner rifles (no, I don't need one of each!) to make my new rifle. I am leaning more towards the Winny, but something keeps telling me the Wheelen. . .and then, I find a Ruger No.1 (one of the sexiest rifles there is!) in the Wheelen that a guy is looking to trade off and it has really put me in a spin. I'm sure the difference is the same argument as the 308 vs. 30-06, but I can answer that one for myself. You guys out there that have these cartridges and shoot CAST ONLY out of them give me some advice, please. Thank you.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

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    With a 250 yard limit, the 358 is all you need. The Whelen will just use a little more powder and give you a little more recoil. It would give 25-50 more yards of effectivness.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    I'm very pleased with the 358 Winchester.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master


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    .35 Whelen, had on 30yrs now. REM 700 CLASSIC. Use a light load with the LYMAN #358315/212grs.
    Heavy load, I use the old #358318 an old mold no longer in Production. Weighs 245-260grs depending on alloy. Both are Gas Checked. I have an old IDEAL #358318GC small block mold.

    You can find them on smell-bay occasionally. Or maybe a #3589 or #358009, a 250gr GC. I use H4895 in the Heavy Load & UNIQUE in the plinking load.
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

    My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.

    SASS #375 Life

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    In a boltgun, I'd take the Wheeelen.

  6. #6
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I've had both although I never shot cast in the Whelen Imp. I think I'd still pick the .358 Win. Mine was a joy with the RCBS 35-200fp.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    If you love the Ruger #1, get the Whelen.

    I have a Ruger Frontier in .358 that loves the 220 grain MeHic cast HPs... A friend has the same rifle and uses the 200 grain RCBS mold. He had a Remington 700 Classic in .35W and it shot just as well as the Frontier...

    I like short action bolt guns which is why I chose the .358...but in a #1 go the Whelen... I had one of the limited edition K1A stainless #1s in .35W...AAA stock that was just too pretty to hunt with. Wish they had brought that same gun out with a black/gray laminated stock...

    Bob

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    Last edited by RJM52; 10-14-2018 at 08:01 PM.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Uncle Grinch's Avatar
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    Got both, the 358 is on a military FN action with a 20 inch barrel with Williams receiver sights. The 35 Whelen is a Rem 700 that was rebored from a 30-06. Both are nice and look great. The 358 seems to handle better and gets used more, especially with cast boolits. Both are great rounds and will kill efficiently. Pick one and be happy with it.
    Shoot Safe,
    Mike

    Retired Telephone Man
    NRA Endowment Member
    Marion Road Gun Club
    ( www.marionroad.com )

  9. #9
    Boolit Master 35 shooter's Avatar
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    You can’t go wrong either way. I went with the whelen in a tc encore and love it. It’s shot every cast boolit from 200to300gr. I’ve put in it extremely well, from 1275 FPS. to 2500fps.
    Still would like to have a short action bolt gun in .358 to go with it just because lol.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy kaiser's Avatar
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    Get the rifle you want first; either caliber will meet your "stated" requirements. You can always make a Whelen perform like a .358, but not the other way around. I've owned both and wish I'd never gotten rid of my 99-358, but it being a "lever" was never as accurate as my "pump" or "bolts" in a .35 Whelen (just a bit "classier"). My .02.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
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    Wait for it .......



    Problem solver on the way .......






    9×57 ! Bam Bam Bam . Half way in between . Simple neck up an shoulder bump from 8×57 . Still plenty of magazine length to stick a bullet way out there as needed . More zoom zoom than 358 and burns less powder than the Whelen .
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  12. #12
    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
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    I have a Rem 722 in 300 Savage that I want to turn into a 358 Win.
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
    Proverbs 1:7

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by waco View Post
    I have a Rem 722 in 300 Savage that I want to turn into a 358 Win.
    It won't hurt that old classic and It will probably gain accuracy. Call JES Reboring- you'll love the results.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    If I had to choose just one, it would be the .35 Whelen. As another poster said, you can always download the .35 Whelen. I've had both cartridges and now only have one .35 Whelen in a Rem 700 with a 1:12 twist bbl. Be careful of the twist on the .35 caliber if you wanna shoot boolits of 280g or more. Some 1:16 twist bbls will not stabilize the heavier boolits. At least one that I HAD,... didn't!
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    Call JES Reboring- you'll love the results.
    NOW YOU'VE DONE IT ! ! !

    I've heard/seen bits and pieces of JES, but never really looked into what he did or his quality until now. I just did a pretty substantial internet review of posts (about an hour and a half worth) regarding the `smith work of JES and I must say all of it was positive. Now I have all kinds of ideas dancing around in my head. . .I may even go back to a .356 Win for my o`le Marlin 336. The .35 cal has become a Catch22 for me! Thank you all for the above information. . .I was leaning towards to .358 Winny (still am - kinda), but now I have a few more options to consider as far as the donor rifle. You have educated and twisted my mind a little more.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by OFFSHORE View Post
    NOW YOU'VE DONE IT ! ! !

    I've heard/seen bits and pieces of JES, but never really looked into what he did or his quality until now. I just did a pretty substantial internet review of posts (about an hour and a half worth) regarding the `smith work of JES and I must say all of it was positive. Now I have all kinds of ideas dancing around in my head. . .I may even go back to a .356 Win for my o`le Marlin 336. The .35 cal has become a Catch22 for me! Thank you all for the above information. . .I was leaning towards to .358 Winny (still am - kinda), but now I have a few more options to consider as far as the donor rifle. You have educated and twisted my mind a little more.
    Just look at it as a brand new rifle that's eerily familiar- for $225 tyd!

  17. #17
    Boolit Master



    atr's Avatar
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    I really like my 35 Whelen ! It shoots both cast and jacketed accurately.
    My only advice is that whichever you get, make sure you a good barrel with the correct rate of twist for the weight of bullet you intend to shoot.
    Death to every foe and traitor and hurrah, my boys, for freedom !

  18. #18
    Boolit Master Yodogsandman's Avatar
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    The 35 Whelen will always be capable of more than a 358 Win. Always!


    You can always reduce it for 358 Win performance, though.
    A deplorable that votes!

  19. #19
    In Remembrance Reverend Al's Avatar
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    My vote is for the .358 Winchester. I like a short compact rifle and so took one of my Remington 600's and had the .308 barrel re-bored and re-rifled to .358 Winchester with gain twist by Ron Smith in Alberta since I live above the 49th Parallel. It is primarily a cast bullet rifle, but can be shot with J words in a pinch. I dropped the barreled action into a pepper grey laminated Boyds thumbhole stock since I've always wanted to try a thumbhole design and I've found that I love it. I couldn't be happier with the end result ... a nice light, great handling 20" carbine.

    I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't reached my "Expiry" date!

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

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    Nice looking rifle you have there Reverend!
    ..

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check