Rechambering 35REM 336 to 358Win

[madsenshooter]

First I want some of you experienced 336 owners to read this article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1182274/rechambering_the_35_remington_marlin.html?cat=11 and tell me what you think of this guy's opinion. Understand, I'm not considering rechambering my 35REM. What I'm wondering, based on what this guy is saying, is would it be safe to load my 336 in 35REM a bit hotter than the SAAMI standard pressure of 33,500PSI for hunting purposes? Say, up to 30/40 Krag pressures? Are the 336s in 358 really the same rifle as my 50's vintage 336? For those of you who are going to say the 35 REM case is only designed for the above pressures, I swage down 7.62 NATO to make my 35 REM cases.

[Hickory]

I don't know who could/would do the rechambering, but you might want to consider a 358 Bellm.
The Bellm chambering is nothing more that a .444 Marlim case sized to the 358 Bellm by using a 358 Winchester die.
I have a T/C Contender that use to be a 357 Max that is a 358 Bellm.
The advantage over the 358 Win. is the Bellm has a larger rim and better able to handle the back thrush.

[madsenshooter]

Not changing mine Hickory, just wondering if this fellow knew what he was talking about. NW Ohio, that's somewhere near NE Indiana isn't it?

[excess650]

Handloader's Cast Bullet Special Edition from 1992 has an article by Ron Carmicheal about this. His test mule was a 336CS.

In the link above, they guy talks about using moderate loads for almost indefinite case life, but Carmicheal pushes 200gr jacketed to 2400fps+, 180gr jacketed to 2600fps+ and the RCBS 35-200 to almost 2500fps.

As far as the 336 action goes, I'm not aware that there were any changes in material or heat treatment from 30-30 or 35-Rem to the 375 Win, 307 Win, 356 Win, etc. Winchester had to introduce a new receiver to take those same cartridges in their '94 (94 Big Bore).

I do have a vary early 336 35 Rem sporting carbine. IIRC, its the first year for the 35, so 1950 or so, and has cut rifling. Would I do that rechamber to my old, 2 year production model(without grip cap and white spacers)? No, I wouldn't, but not because I was afraid of the action strength.

The 358 has an advantage in that it is a stronger case with better defined shoulder. Maybe a 35 Rem Improved would be a better answer? By removing all but .005" taper from the 35 Rem case, it would have the same diameter shoulder as the 358 Win. with steeper angle.

As far as pressures in the 35 Rem case goes, recall that SAAMI is holding pressures down because of some of the old rifles chambered in that caliber. The Stevens 425 High Power lever action, the Standard Arms pump/semi, the Remington Model 8 recoil operated semi to mention a few.

[Hickory]

I live just south of Bryan and highway 6

[Bret4207]

I know this much, he's got his bolt thrust theory backwards. Smaller case head at the same pressure equals less back thrust.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

The usual rebore/rechamber is from 30-30 to 356 as bolt face work is not required. The 35 R has a head larger than 30-30 but with a rim smaller than 30-30. A great many Marlin chambers are sloppy and the 356 rechamber fixes that too. Do a search for Jesse Ocumpaugh reboring here. There are a great many threads.

BvT

[madsenshooter]

Hmm, excess650, you make an interesting point on improving the 35REM. It just so happens I have this removable pilot reamer for the 6mm/30-40AI, it cuts a .441 shoulder. But not just yet, heck I haven't even began to play with it as is. Then I'd have to have a set of custom dies too, no, not right now. Not now that I know I can safely bump up the Pmax a tad. Well, I see Hickory lives less than 50 miles away from me. Howdy neighbor, I'm a fellow Buckeye too, originally from Hocking County, where I may be returning to soon. A little town in the middle of over 6000 acres of wildlife area. A fellow from Toledo left the state a bunch of money to buy up some old coal company land, my old stomping grounds. Now I'll have to be wary of the Game Wardens! I been up in this flatland 5 years now, some Buckeye transplants just don't take! Bret, you mean the fellow in the article has his thinking wrong on the bolt thrust?