350 magnum or 35 whelen

[canuck4570]

I would like to know wich has the best chamber for cast bullets

[Bass Ackward]

For what weight bullets?

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I have no experience with the .350 mag, but I chose the .35 whelen because I could convert '06 brass like there was no tomorrow. Using the RCBS 250gr mold, 92-2-6 air cooled, sized to fit the barrel, red rooster HVR lube, she shoots into 1" at 2000 fps all day long. Just about 1" with anything slower and the same bullet with a surplus barrel off the web. I like the whelen and she does right by me.:drinks:

[canuck4570]

For what weight bullets?
saeco 250 gr and 200 gr for plinking.....

[canuck4570]

I have no experience with the .350 mag, but I chose the .35 whelen because I could convert '06 brass like there was no tomorrow. Using the RCBS 250gr mold, 92-2-6 air cooled, sized to fit the barrel, red rooster HVR lube, she shoots into 1" at 2000 fps all day long. Just about 1" with anything slower and the same bullet with a surplus barrel off the web. I like the whelen and she does right by me.:drinks:
I am asking because some told me thant the chamber are different (chamber thraot etc)

[Bass Ackward]

Yes. If you are going to get a caliber for bore ride bullets that only require a short neck, then I would go 350 Mag. That is assuming you can't get your hands on a good 358 Winny.

This recommendation is made from a SAMMI standardization specs. In truth, it's up to the guy that ground the reamer for who ever is going to chamber yours as to what you really get. And that can be all over the place. So in the end, yaz takes yur chances no matter what you do.

But short can always be lengthened. Long is always long. :grin:

[waksupi]

As an unabashed fan of the .358 Win, I would say it comes out on top. I get 2100 fps range with the 280 gr. range bullets, into an inch at a hundred. Some make a big deal about neck length on the .358W, but I suspect most of them, have never shot one as much as I have. I have found no problems with it.

[badgeredd]

I would like to know wich has the best chamber for cast bullets

Of the ones you mentioned, I prefer the Whelen. EASY to find 06 brass, military and civilian. I am a 35 caliber fan too. Although I don't have a 358, I do have a 356 and I love it. Also everyone I have personally talked to with a 35 anything have found a great, accurate cast load for their gun without too much trouble. Kinda is one of those "what do YOU like?" things.

[jhalcott]

Another Whelen user and lover! I've had the .358 Winnie and have a 388 JDJ. Those are fine calibers. The whelen just SEEMS to be better!

[Marlin Junky]

Any of the .35's can be a fine choice when coupled with a good chamber and the proper barrel. If choosing between factory rifles, I'd probably go with a Remington 700 in .35 Whelen if the chamber dimensions made sense. For a short action rig, I'd hunt down an older M77 in .350RM. Each of these had 16" twists. I've experienced my share of frustration with the 12" twist; however, I'm a high velocity fan. Don't forget to consider a 336 XLR in .35 Remington. A 336 XLR (assuming a 24" barrel and a 16" twist) should come real close to equaling the performance of a 22" .358 with a 12" twist. I base this assumption on comparing my 57 year old .35-336A (24" bbl/16" twist) to my brand new M77 in .358. The old Marlin will do 2100 fps with SAECO 352 and out shoot the M77, with less powder. In a new, stronger gun (336 XLR) I would think a little more power can be coaxed out of the little .35 while keeping pressures at or below 40K CUP. A M7 in .35 Remington is also on my wish list.

BTW, I don't think the ability to form .35 Whelen cases from '06 case is a good reason to pick the Whelen over the .350 and I would only choose the Whelen over the .350 if I could find a gun with a close fitting chamber. Some of the .35 Whelen reamers out there are just flat out terrible for cast bullet use; i.e., really, really wide necks and way too long throats.

MJ

[Bret4207]

If you choose the Mag, lay in a good supply of brass. You never know......

[insanelupus]

I haven't tried the cast boolits in my Whelen yet. Still melting down my wheel weights. I'm up to about 123 pounds of ingots.

If you like the looks of the 358 WCF but want a longer neck, check the dimensions on the 35 WCF. I think that's going to be a great cast bullet.

[goatboy_k]

i shoot 35 whelen with the 283 grain lyman 358009 with trail boss. i get about 1300 fps with a full case and recoil is mild in my custom 1903. I cast with straight wheel weights very hot and water quinch, I don't size them, just lube at .360 and don't have to try to hard to get 2 inch groups at 100 yrds. Very clean and good for practice since noslers are pretty high these days. I use Remington nickel 30-06 brass necked up for my practice loads since i shoot them so often they clean very easy. i load in batches of 50 and shoot a whole batch with no leading. the .360 bullet sizes itself in the throat and does not lead even in my 26 inch douglas barrel. I get the grease star at the muzzle!

ps i ordered my barrel 1:12 twist!

[clodhopper]

As a Whelen fan I was visiting a with some Canadians at a small bore silhouette match some years ago. after mentioning my whelen a guy said he sure wished he had one. So I asked him what you hunting? he said moose. What you useing? 350 rem magnum. 350 rem mag won't put down a moose?
Then he told me his story. He shot a moose in heavy timber, gave him two for good measure. As the moose tipped over, an unseen grizzly bear came at him fast. So he gave the bear two. Bear is slower but very mad and still comming. He is digging in his pocket for ammo thinking should I load 1? 2? fill it up? as his hand came out of his pocket he only managed hang on to one. He dropped it in slammed the bolt and fired. The bear dropped with in feet of him.
A .35 whelen magazine holds 4 and the .350 rem mag magazine holds 3. He said the ole SMLE ten round mag was very appealing.

[GabbyM]

Clodhopper hit on it.

A few disadvantages with the belted magnum case with no real benefit. You get reduced case life, higher price with increased bulk. With the Whelen you've a neck .079” longer than a 350 mag. Which some say is advantageous. With the 350 you get the magic magnum in the name. Doesn't shoot any faster but by gosh it's a magnum.

The belts were used on the 375 H&H to facilitate plopping down the tubes of double guns with break open actions. They're just a PITA in a bolt action. Their's a whole new generation of magnum cartridges out expressly to get away from the resized 375 H&H case with it's belt.

[35remington]

No question about 350 cases being harder to find, but we've found that bullets up to 250 grains can be seated with essentially no real compression of the charge in full charge loads.

Properly handloaded, 350 cases will last every bit as long as 35 Whelen cases. No disadvantage whatsoever to the belt, except one less shot.

The 350 does shoot well, depending upon how fast you want to go with cast bullets. A 1-12 .30-30 seems to handle cast bullets at elevated velocities well, so it would seem that a 1-12 350 should do to standard .35 Remington speeds (and has so far with 200's -220's at a little over 2000), with jacketed used for higher velocities. If you are determined to shoot a 250 lead bullet at 2200 plus a 1-16 twist may very well be superior.

I do believe Ruger has just come out with a 1-16" 35 Whelen in the Hawkeye, if my sources are correct (twist rate is secondhand). The 350 Ruger Mk II has been dropped. I'm getting one (a leftover .350) in stainless, FWIW, but you may find the 1-16 Whelen superior for what you may want to do. It would be somewhat less capable with bullets over 250 grains in jacketed full power persuasion in theory, but since there's not many of these the downside may not amount to much.

[wiljen]

If you want a belted Mag with a real advantage over the 35 Whelen, I highly recommend the 358 Norma. I've got one built on a 17 Enfield and it will be in my possession until I pass. Great rifle, great cartridge, just somehow never caught on.