35 Remington rimmed

[historicfirearms]

I've got a 35 rem Contender barrel that I think I would like to have converted to taked a rimmed case. It is my understanding that one could use 30-40 Krag or 303 British brass, formed in a normal 35 rem size die. I think normally that the brass is trimmed back to 35 rem length but I was wondering if I could have the throat opened up to keep the full length of 303 brass. This would make case forming that much easier, get rid of the poor factory throat, and make a nice, long neck for boolits. Anyone else have this done? Who would you recommend to do the work, especially someone on the forum that understands boolits for the throat?

[68 couper]

Yep, Mike Bellm is that guy.

[NoAngel]

Couldn't you just take it to .356 Winchester and treat it as a 358 Winchester? In that action, I imagine the brass would be the only weak link....or your wrist. LOL.

I've reamed a CVA in 35 remington to 358 Win with no issues. You'd get the rim and factory brass.

[30calflash]

I read of it done using 303 brass but both it and Krag cases are hard to come by now.

Just my $.02, maybe find a number of cases before the transfiguration.

[cabezaverde]

I have a contender barrel that is chambered for this. It uses 30-40 brass formed to .35 Rem at standard .35 rem length. I have not played with it a lot, but if I can answer any questions let me know.

[cabezaverde]

I have been meaning to try it with .35 Remington factory loads. I would have to eject them with a dowel but I am curious. They should work.

[68 couper]

The 356 has been done by Don Bowen. I believe it was an AI cartridge tho.Treating it like an 358 win is out of the question. Too much pressure. The 303 brass is available from Hornady and PPU. PLENTY around.
Couper

[30calflash]

The 303 brass is available from Hornady and PPU. PLENTY around.
Couper
My mistake!

[jhalcott]

You COULD send it to JDJ have it converted ti 358jdj. A444 case ne ked to 35 caliber

[68 couper]

No sweat- Essentially a 35-303 AI is good for the chamber configuration. It's been done and would perform well.
When you wildcat the 35 the options are vast. I like the 358 Bellm with a nice long .5" neck for lube grooves in cast. That's the 358 Win size die on 444 marlin.
Couper

[Larry Gibson]

If you really feel the need for more case capacity and perhaps a longer throat the full length 35-303 would be my suggestion. Reamers are readily available and the reloading dies aren't as expensive as many wildcats are. However, keeping the 35 Rem chamber would be the simplest option with a throating job and simply chucking the barrel in a lathe and open up the rear of the chamber for a 303 rim. Both should be very easy and done by any competent gunsmith. The 35 Rem R is easily made out of 303 cases with standard 35 Rem dies of which you probably already have. I just formed a 35 Rem R out of a once fired SA 303 case. Was very easy to do and it should fire form with any standard 35 Rem load of which there is already a plethora of data.

Might want to turn the neck and maybe anneal the neck and shoulder.

35 Rem R on the left.....standard 35 Rem on the right.

246116

Larry Gibson

[Good Cheer]

A rimmed .303 cartridge base and longer neck for protecting lube grooves, in a cartridge to be loaded with .35 Remington dies... somewhat like a .35-3030 only better. That would be a hard combination to beat.

[marlinman93]

If you want to keep cases full length after forming, then why not just use .32 Win. Spl. or .30-30 cases opened up to .35, which is what the old .35-.30-30 is, and reamers are readily available for rental. Brass is cheap and easy to find, and just fire form, or expand to .357" to fit.
I'm having my .35-40 Maynard chamber rechambered to .35-.30-30 now so I can save shortening brass and use as formed, full length. .35 Rem. is 1.92" and .35-.30/30 is 2.04" length, and you can reload it using .35 Rem. dies if you only neck size cases.

[Scorpion8]

So what's the point of taking a 35 Remington Contender barrel and reworking it to be a 35 Remington Contender barrel but with a rim? Since you're starting with the cartridge that you want, and ending with the cartridge that you already have .... :confused:

[Nobade]

I did one of those many years ago. The main point is it works better for cast bullet loads at lower pressures as the tiny shoulder doesn't set back. It also eliminates the variable headspace of different brands and lots of cartridges which is a headache in a Contender.

If you could find a 35-303 reamer and dies I don't see any reason why you couldn't do that. You might end up with a line on the neck if the reamer isn't a touch bigger than the existing chamber but that won't hurt anything. Just keep the loads down to 35 rem ballistics so you don't hurt your frame.

[Nobade]

I hadn't noticed how old this thread is. Wonder what the OP ended up doing?

[Good Cheer]

As for me, I'm thinking that 1915 bolt action 6.5x53R.

[Larry Gibson]

To me, the biggest attraction in Contender would be much easier plucking the cases out, especially from under a low mounted scope. In a Contender using rimless cases the extractor is spring loaded that snaps over the rim to fit in the extraction groove. The spring tension must be overcome to pluck the case out. It can be a PITA. I find removing a fired case much easier with rimmed cartridges than rimless.

[marlinman93]

I hadn't noticed how old this thread is. Wonder what the OP ended up doing?

Geez! I hate when somebody dredges up an old post and I don't notice it's old when I respond.

[John Taylor]

The base diameter of the 35 Rem. is .457. The base diameter of the 30-40 is the same. The base diameter of the 30-30 is .421-.422 which is a bit smaller. Base diameter of 303 is .460.

[Good Cheer]

Hi John Taylor.
Would you think a .303 based cast boolit cartridge made with .35 Remington dies would be a practical project for a 6.5 Dutch carbine?

[TCLouis]

Hey old posts still have merit to discuss, possibly just a whole new viewpoint.

[uscra112]

Having been a .35 Rem fan for many, many years, the idea of a rimmed version has always appealed to me as a way to permit reduced loads without having to have a special set of cases for them. Modifying my Dad's 336 to take a rimmed version would work; I got as far as testing an empty case to see if it would feed, (it will). But life keeps getting in the way.

Would I do it in a single shot? I doubt it - there are easier options.

[racepres]

Having been a .35 Rem fan for many, many years, the idea of a rimmed version has always appealed to me as a way to permit reduced loads without having to have a special set of cases for them. Modifying my Dad's 336 to take a rimmed version would work; I got as far as testing an empty case to see if it would feed, (it will). But life keeps getting in the way.

Would I do it in a single shot? I doubt it - there are easier options.

Easier??? IDK... Worth it?? IDK
I been loving my 357Herrett, Contender for a Very, ...Very, long time.. But, I only run 10" barrels in Contenders..

[uscra112]

Easier is .357 Max.

[rjmelehan]

Val,

Old posts can be treasures. I often review them to 'refresh' my long lost memory.

So Q: re;
"I'm having my .35-40 Maynard chamber rechambered to .35-.30-30 now so I can save shortening brass and use as formed, full length. .35 Rem. is 1.92" and .35-.30/30 is 2.04" length, and you can reload it using .35 Rem. dies if you only neck size cases."

Are you doing this so you don't have to chase 38-55 brass..?
Because my 35-40 chamber was designed by Dan T. it was done so contemplating using 38-55 brass, that's what I use.

Is your 35-40 based on a different parent case?

THX

Bob

[marlinman93]

Val,

Old posts can be treasures. I often review them to 'refresh' my long lost memory.

So Q: re;
"I'm having my .35-40 Maynard chamber rechambered to .35-.30-30 now so I can save shortening brass and use as formed, full length. .35 Rem. is 1.92" and .35-.30/30 is 2.04" length, and you can reload it using .35 Rem. dies if you only neck size cases."

Are you doing this so you don't have to chase 38-55 brass..?
Because my 35-40 chamber was designed by Dan T. it was done so contemplating using 38-55 brass, that's what I use.

Is your 35-40 based on a different parent case?

THX

Bob

I'm doing the conversion to .35-.30-30 because my Darr barrel was supposedly .35-40 Maynard, and is not properly chambered. The chamber cast shows the neck is .350" so no way the .357" Darr 190 gr. bullet mold could be used without breech seating bullets. But no way other than a push seater to do that, and the too small neck leaves a bad lead into the rifling. The existing chamber also requires me to turn down the web above the base, and also turn down rims. So it's just overall a crumby chamber I don't like.
I could rechamber to a number of choices, but the .35-.30-30 is kind of a no brainer, and makes things easier. I have hundreds of .32 Win. Spl. cases, and no guns in that cartridge, so they simply need to be fire formed, and can be used as is. Since I wont full length size them I can reload using my .35 Rem. die set too.

[rjmelehan]

I'm doing the conversion to .35-.30-30 because my Darr barrel was supposedly .35-40 Maynard, and is not properly chambered. The chamber cast shows the neck is .350" so no way the .357" Darr 190 gr. bullet mold could be used without breech seating bullets. But no way other than a push seater to do that, and the too small neck leaves a bad lead into the rifling. The existing chamber also requires me to turn down the web above the base, and also turn down rims. So it's just overall a crumby chamber I don't like.
I could rechamber to a number of choices, but the .35-.30-30 is kind of a no brainer, and makes things easier. I have hundreds of .32 Win. Spl. cases, and no guns in that cartridge, so they simply need to be fire formed, and can be used as is. Since I wont full length size them I can reload using my .35 Rem. die set too.

================================================== ==================
Sounds efficient..
I had never heard of the 35/30-30

Thanks for the education

Bob

[Rapier]

These are several cartridges I shoot, the 357 Herrett and 30 Herrett are on the right with cast, the very similar case middle left is the 358 MGP, a necked up 6.8 SCP. Middle right is the 357 Super Mag. The one to the left next right is the rimless 30 Herrett, or TAC 30. The far left is the pip squeak, 300 BO.

[Fitz]

I have a 35 rem contender barrel that isn't all that with the 35 rem cast I am looking for something that I can do with a reamer that will make it better leaning toward a 358 win. . So following this thread closely .

[marlinman93]

================================================== ==================
Sounds efficient..
I had never heard of the 35/30-30

Thanks for the education

Bob


It was news to me Bob, and I thought one of those newer wildcats they've come up with at first. Then did some research and discovered it's one of those old wildcat cartridges and was first developed around 1900, or just after. I felt kinda stupid to discover it was that old and I'd only recently found out about it.

[rjmelehan]

Rapier,

That is quite the collection of 35 cal's.
I am mostly a fan of straight case cartridges, although I have a martini cadet that someone
chambered in 32 Win Sp. which turned out badly as the twist is too slow and it's too much cartridge for that little light weight rifle.

[rjmelehan]

Marlin,
Given the plethera of 30-30 cases, in today's environment it makes sense.
That being said I prefer straight wall cartridges
Bob