I want to have a custom barrel put on a left handed 06 length action. I can't decide between the two. Any input welcome, even bad input.
If you own one or the other send me your favorite loads.

Thanks

why not the 338? just load it down if recoil is an issue. spending $100 or so on the bolt face would be much cheaper than the wildcat dies or the fireforming. also it would be superior in all respects to the 2 wildcats mentioned.
just my .02
woofer

Watkins,

In my book you can flip a coin and choose. You'll here arguements about SD and BC and how the 338 is better. I have not found the difference.

I own a 35 Whelen and a 338 Win Mag., can't tell the difference in how they kill yet. I do know the 35 Whelen is much better than the paper stats show. It flat out gets the job done, I favor it over the 338.

My Whelen has a very long throat, enabling me to seat the bullet as long as the magazine will allow. Using Winchester 06 brass combined with the longer length I get right at 2620 fps with 250 grain Hornady's and Speers. I have used the Barnes 225 gr X with good results.I have no pressure signs either. This rifle seams to like heavy loads and groups better loaded right at max., 1" or less.

Remember each rifle is a individual and loads I use may not work in you rifle and should be developed for the rifle.

I like the Whelen !

Good Day

BD

Bigdog; What would that load be for the 35 whelen??? I am still looking for one like that..
Maddog

[ 01-14-2003, 18:35: Message edited by: MADDOG ]

My personal preference would be a 9.3 x 62. You can shoot 250 ballistic tips or 320 grain round noses.

I suggest the justly famous 8,5 x 63 "Reb" instead. A brilliantly designed semi-wildcat from 1984. Was formally CIP approved in 1987, so it's an "official" cartridge now.

Carcano

Maddog,

The load I have been using with the 250's is a health dose of RL 15, I will just say it more than Alliant shows on their web site which is 59.5 grs. I also had good luck with AA 2015BR (not XMR), BL-C(2) and Varget. I could not get the same groups from the other powders, they were 1.5-2".

AA2015BR is excellent w/ 225 gr Barnes.

I am trying H414 in the Whelen now since my other rifles like it soooo much.

just my .02 worth

I favor the 338-06 over the .35 whelen due to better choice of bullet weights. I will agree that the two cartridges are very similar. They definitely hit harder than their ballistics suggest.

I favor the barnes X bullet at 250 grains riding atop 50.9 grains of Reloader 15. Runs out about 2500 fps and hits like the hammer of Thor.
I like shooting the heavy bullets in the .338-06 because I can. If I want to go to a lighter bullet their are other calibers that do as good or better. IMHO the 338-06 shines with the 225 & 250 gr bullets. 50.4 grains of IMR 4064 will give the same results with a 250 gr bullet. I kind of favor Reloader 15 because it meters better than the IMR stick powders.

Another good load is 50.5 grains of Reloader 15 over a 225 grain bullet. I get not quite 2500 fps out of that one, but it does the job. Hope this helps.

swede

A couple years ago I had an extra '06 700 action, and I asked my gunsmith what I should do with it. Especially since I had a .22-250 and a 25-06. Without blinking an eye, he said .338-06AI. So I did. And I've never had reason to look back!! Also, with it's 23.5" fluted #6 barrel pac-nor barrel, squared and trued actioin, basix trigger, it's the most accurate gun I own!

This summer I worked up a load: 59.7gr RL-15, winchester brass, and CCI magnum primer pushing a 180gr NBT. I have not put it to a chrony yet. But this I can tell you, it's close to max in my rifle and will put 5 shot's in a single hole. A friend of mine poked fun at the cartridge and proclaimed the .338 to be "doggy and slow", insisting that I should have opted for a 7mag with a flat trajectory. We went shooting on a number of occasions and he (as was I) dumbfounded by the shootability of that rifle at long range and the sheer authority it hit with. And those were just the pidly 180's!!

If you want something unique and amazingly effective, the .338 will suit you fine. BUT I doubt you'd be dissappointed in a .35 or 9.3 version either! Good luck!

I alwalys wonder when I see something like this just what it means?

"They definitely hit harder than their ballistics suggest."

Could I tell the policeman that in my car, 55 mph is not as fast as it seems in his car? Or that 85 mph is a lot slower in my car than the speedometer would suggest?

Keep it fun.

Oh, and go with the Whelan. I am a romanticist when it comes to choosing between two nearly identical cartridges, why not go with the fun one? Saying at the range that you have a 35 whelan sounds like the fine bentleman colonel or the outlaw Josey Wales.

saying you have a 338-ought6 ackley improved, sounds like a prescription not a western tradition rifle cartridge.

It really does come down to what winds your clock. tradition or technovelty.

keep it fun.

Both cartridges have similar ballistics, and both use the same case. The are several .35 "plinking" bullets, and just a few for the .33's. But there are a great number of .33 bullets, from 160 grains to 300.

I am certain you will be happy with whichever of the two you choose. Since I have a .338WM, the .338-06 would be my choice as a second rifle, since I could use the same bullets to reload for both.

I have a std. .338-06 & really like this round. I see no real reaason to AI either it or a Whelen. Pick one, you won't be unhappy w/ your choice.
Having said that, a 9.3x62 does sound really interesting?

I'm so sick and tired of hearing about the 338 having such a superiour choice of bullets of the 35.

Manufacturers that make 35 bullets are Sierra, Speer, Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, Swift, North Fork, Woodleigh, Hawk, Alaska Bullets, and likely a few I've forgotten. Available weights are 200, 220, 225, 250, 270, 280 and 310 gr.

That doesn't even include all the 35 cal pistol bullets in 110, 125, 150, 158, 160, 180 and 200 gr, plus a host of bullet molds from 110 to 280 gr.

Those that pooh pooh the cast bullets and plinker loads have never shot a 180-200 gr bullet over 10-15 gr unique doing 1200-1700 fps. Those loads put a grin on the face of everyone that shoots them.

The whelen is easy to load for hunting, 60 gr RL 15 or Varget over a 225 gr for 2700 fps or 58 gr RL 15 or Varget over a 250 gr for 2500 fps. Work up to these loads, but they are standards and used by many/most whelen shooters.

I had my 35 whelen AI re-chambered to a 350 Rigby, but I'll eventually build a replacement 35 whelen, after I build a 9.3X62

338-06, soundum sexy, 35 whelen, makeum bigger hole.

Well, damn! Paul H has said already everything I was going to!

Bullet weights from 110 to 310 grains -- now that is versatility (and bigger holes to boot!)

I have a .358 Norma Mag and like it a lot... a bit more recoil than a .338 Winchester Mag, but not enough to be that concerned with.

jpb

I agree with Paul. Make it a 35 Whelen Improved and you will have no regrets.
Thanks Paul, for telling it like it is.
How about the SD on that 310 gr Woodleigh. That should be good enough for ya.
Dale

Not to argue here, just a clarification. There are more .33 caliber "hunting" and long range target bullets made than those for the .35 caliber. You can visit all the bullet manufacturers sites and look for yourself. Also, the heavy .33 bullets have a greater SD than the heavy .35 bullets (for those interested on things like that).

If you look at the Wooleigh web site, you will notice there are three 250-grain bullet for the .33, and only one 250-grain bullet for the .35. There are two 310-grain bullets for the .35, and two 300-grain bullets for the .33.

.358
TYPE WT SD BC
SN 250 .285 .365
SN 310 .346 .346
FMJ 310 .346 .378

.338
TYPE WT SD BC
SN 250 .313 .332
PP 250 .313 .470
SN 250 .313 .326
SN 300 .375 .416
FMJ 300 .375 .398

Again, most manufacturers have a greater bullet selection for the .338's. Some of the weights are the same, but the bullets are of different design. Both the .338-06 and the .35 Whelen use the same case, both cases take the same amount of powder, and the ballistics are almost identical. Read the article written by Finn Aagaard in Handloader 184, and you will realized that arguing about these two cartridges is like arguing about apples and apples.