Fgulla, I can believe that as my 20" M7 260 I was shooting, combined with the load back then might not have had a lot of velocity.
North 61, interested as when I was in the shop picking up my 350 Ruger, I noticed a 450 marlin and wondered just what a blood trail, IF ANY, one might have with that size bore and the blunt bulet-at close ranges. It looks like a short-medium range thumper, not familiar enough to know how it compares to the tried and true 45/70
Make sure you are comparing the same type of bullets. Nosler Partitions will generally exit and make a big hole either in 270 or 35 on a deer in my experience. If you are using conventional bullets then I'd give the advantage to the larger diameter, but then again it all hinges on shot placement.
Shot placement and bullet construction are the two factors that rank highest in my experience. Bullet construction becomes that much more important in circumstances where shot placement is less than ideal. Raking or quartering away shots seem to work out better for me with a 35 because of the increased penitration, but only with Partitions.
Posts: 763 | Location: Montana | Registered: 28 November 2004
Sorry, i can't say as far as the 6 & 7mm's go. Never used them. But everything shot with a .338 or .358 leaves no blood trail, it just falls over dead!
" If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand which feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countryman " Samuel Adams, 1772
Posts: 1117 | Location: Helena, MT, USA | Registered: 01 April 2001
Originally posted by schmaus: I believe that if you have to follow a blood trail after shooting a deer with a .338 or larger than maybe you should take up the sport of golf.
No, no, no, it just means you need to trade the 338 for a 375...
I can't tell the difference between .35 Whelen and .270 or .280 on deer/hog sized game in terms of killing power or blood trails. All are devastatingly effective and leave excellent blood trails in the odd instance that I actually have to blood trail something shot with one of the 3. Maybe on larger game, the .35 cal would make a difference.
-Lou
Posts: 333 | Location: Dallas, TX, USA | Registered: 15 January 2001
