OK, here we go. I have a 1917 Enfield (Winchester) and I’m going to build a medium bore on. Currently, I’m considering either a 35 Whelen or a 9.3X62, leaning to the Whelen because of brass, bullets, etc. And the Enfield has been ruined as a military piece with ears ground, etc long before I got it so that is not a consideration. And I have several rifles both sides such as 7x57, 8x57, 30-06 on the low side and 375 H&H upside, etc.
What I would like is your input: What you would build and why. Don’t just say “Boy, if it was mine I’d sure build it up as a Dippy-Doo BullSmasher but tell me WHY you would build it as whatever.

Are you a serious handloader? If so then there is the 35 Whelen AI, 375 Wh AI, 358 Hawk, 375 Hawk & 411 Hawk, also the 375 Scovill. Then there is the 35 Gibbs. For factory there is the 375 AHR. All are based on the .473 case head. If you desire uniqueness try the 9.3x66 Sako.
Personally I would narrow it down to either the 358 Hawk or the 35 Gibbs. From the reports they are farely powerful.
However given other desicions, my 1917 Win is being worked on to be a 9.3x64 Brenneke. I have wanted one for a while. It looks like a bigger '06. It is also efficient and slick feeding. I got the idea from a friend here that has one.

If you're insistant on building something on the enfield action and are torn between the 9.3 X 62 and 35 whelen it's like this.....
The action is heavy and will always be that way. It's best use is in the building of a heavy cartridge.....at least heavy recoiling.

If you're thinking of staying with the 30-06 size head diameter you've picked the right two.

You might want to open the bolt face and the rails and entertain the 338 win mag or the .358 Norma.

Simply because of the weight of the action I'd put the most power I could safely stuff in the chamber....in your case it's the 9.3 X 62

quote:

Originally posted by .366torque:
Are you a serious handloader? If so then there is the 35 Whelen AI, 375 Wh AI, 358 Hawk, 375 Hawk & 411 Hawk, also the 375 Scovill. Then there is the 35 Gibbs. For factory there is the 375 AHR. All are based on the .473 case head. If you desire uniqueness try the 9.3x66 Sako.
Personally I would narrow it down to either the 358 Hawk or the 35 Gibbs. From the reports they are farely powerful.
However given other desicions, my 1917 Win is being worked on to be a 9.3x64 Brenneke. I have wanted one for a while. It looks like a bigger '06. It is also efficient and slick feeding. I got the idea from a friend here that has one.

You'd be hard pressed to find a better calibre than the 9.3x64 for the same reasons you mentioned. Much better choice than the 9.3x62.

I guess most folks would want to know more about you, your age, your shooting background, whether you hunt, and if so, what & where.

The age is to evaluate your potential propensity to detached retinas, and get some feel for what you might be able to afford to build. Your shooting background is needed to give an idea whether you reload and how much variety of experience you have in doing it, how experienced at handling recoil you are, whether you are a competent offhand shot or just a bench shooter, and whether you are a "little group" afficianado or a "minute of deer to 300 yards" type, etc.

If you hunt only in the South, I would not recommend any bolt action, unless it was only over crop land and never in the dense piney woods.

For myself, I'd probably go with either a .338 Win Mag as an overall, do anything in North America tried-and-true cartridge, a .358 Norma Mag (as more of the same), or a .300 H&H if I wanted a small bore (just because the action is long enough and I like them).

To tell the truth, though, because of the action size and weight, I'd probably not use it at all unless I wanted a real "thumper". Then I'd probably use it for either a 9.3x64 or a 10.75x68. It will handle either of those fat cartridges well if done by a knowledgeable pro. Either will make a rifle capable of handling anything you're likely to come up against in either North or South America, or elsewhere.

Even in Africa, if I was just going to shoot ONE elephant on a once in a lifetime trip and had a guide (PH) with a REAL stopper rifle as a backup (and his permission) I would not feel undergunned with either, though I would pick my shot carefully. (Yes, I know many countries specify the .375 bore as minimum, but exceptions ARE made sometimes.)

Probably no one else would agree with my choices,but there they are.

If you already have a 375, a 9.3x62 or Whelen is really crowding it. If you go with the Whelen, I would go with the AI and have it stamped 35 Whelen. You can always fire factory in it (by design) and not have any headstamp issues.

My choice would be the 300 H&H. Wonderful old classic that exactly duplicates the 300 Winchester in ballistics, and is absolutely the slickest feeding magnum cartridge you will ever see. I bought a vintage Enfield sporter already set up in 300 H&H, and it is really sweet!

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
...If you hunt only in the South, I would not recommend any bolt action, unless it was only over crop land and never in the dense piney woods. ...Probably no one else would agree with my choices,but there they are.

I would agree - that no one else would agree with the above statement.

Wait a minute, maybe AC means the Southern portion of Canada.

I'd go traditional and go with the 35Whelen in a 1917enfield

any difference between the whelen and the 9.3 is the product of elistist rantings... it's like argueing the difference between the 270Win and the 280Rem.

I really love how the 9.3 guys come out of the woodwork and make claims that the 9.3 is more powerful...
I'd like to see someone tell me with a straight face in person face tell me that there is that much difference between .358 bullets and .366 bullets.....

That's 0.008" if you have mastered simple addition and subtraction.... Hey, atleast when the arguement goes to the 264Win Vs the 7mmRem the arguement is over an 0.020" difference...

when someone shows me a bag of factory brass for the 9.3x62 and 9.3 bullets on the shelf to load into them
next to each other on the shelf at Cabela's I'd consider the 9.3x62.... until then?

Now, a 375-06 is another matter.

AllanD

the whelen is the least work / money on a 1917 but for all around medium bore my 1917 in 338 win is my favorite rifle. its not the most expensive I own but a well worn hunting buddy that just plain works.

quote:

Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
I'd like to see someone tell me with a straight face in person face tell me that there is that much difference between .358 bullets and .366 bullets.....


AllanD

Allan-

I believe most of the statements above (if not all) about a 9.3 being more powerful are referring to the 9.3x64, NOT the 9.3x62. The 9.3x64 is CONSIDERABLY more powerful than the .35 Whelen. It has a much larger case, and uses a lot more powder, regardless how different the bullets may or may not be.

It is also more powerful than the .375/06.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:

quote:

Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
I'd like to see someone tell me with a straight face in person face tell me that there is that much difference between .358 bullets and .366 bullets.....


AllanD

I believe most of the statements above (if not all) about a 9.3 being more powerful are referring to the 9.3x64, NOT the 9.3x62. The 9.3x64 is CONSIDERABLY more powerful than the .35 Whelen. It has a much larger case, and uses a lot more powder, regardless how different the bullets may or may not be.

It is also more powerful than the .375/06.

And I'm pretty sure that the original poster was asking about 30-06 based cartridges as his original questions was a choice between the 35Whelen and the 9.3x62

Additionally (for all who OBVIOUSLY MISSED IT)

quote:

Originally posted by TrapperP:
What I would like is your input: What you would build and why. Don’t just say “Boy, if it was mine I’d sure build it up as a Dippy-Doo BullSmasher but tell me WHY you would build it as whatever.

So why is everyone recommending 0.534case-headed "magnum" cartridges?

Yes, the 1917 "Enfield" is a good action for a
magnum cartridge, but that doesn't seem to be what TrapperP was asking about.

Like one of my favorite movie lines:
"The Almighty says: Don't change the subject and answer the fookin' question!"


AllanD

I did not reccomend the 9.3x62. I reccomended either the 358 Hawk or the 35 Gibbs. I also did not reccomend a .534 case head.
I gave insite to another cartridge (9.3x64) to let him know that a .473 case head is not a limiting factor. (the 9.3x64 has a .495 case head)
He also said not to mention a bigger cartridge without explaining why you would go that route. In other words don't reccomend a 338 Win mag without giving good reason for your desicion.
So his choices were limiting to a 35 Whelen or 9.3x62 but realized other offerings would be served up as well.

I have an enfield in 9.3x62. I went with the 9.3 over the whelen because most of my hunting with it will be here in alaska and I believe the better selection of 286-320gr bullets in the 9.3 would be a little better than the 250s out of the whelen. Not that the whelen wouldn't work for the same intended use, just that 36grs more bullet at the same velosity can't hurt. I've had a few whelens and think they are fine guns but my best working loads were with 250gr bullets at 2400-2450 fps while my 286gr partition load in my 9.3x62 is right at 2425fps with good accuracy and great performance on moose.

My rifle has a 23" barrel, synthetic stock, and scout scope setup and the whole thing was hard chromed for weather protection. It has proven a great walking rifle for moose and bears.

Thebear,

What stock is that on your Enfield? If you don't mind me asking.

Rojelio

And I'll ask what kind of coating is on it?

AllanD

And, Mr.DeGRoot, if you had read my answer throughly, you would have seen that I recommended to him not building that sort of a cartridge on a P-17 action, but saving it for some time when he wanted a big thumper.

Now, he can do whatever he wants, and so can you, but that's my recommendation whether you agree or not.

quote:

Originally posted by Thebear_78:
the whole thing was hard chromed for weather protection.

quote:

And I'll ask what kind of coating is on it?

AllanD

Seemed pretty clear to me!!!!!

To answer the question: 35Whelen. It's a much cheaper option all round. Dies, cases, projectiles, etc are more readily available. In the States you have manufacturers of 280gr .35cal projectiles which places the 35Whelen on an equal footing with the 9.3x62 for heavier game, unless you wish to argue 100fps. Lighter projectiles to suit your whitetail sized game are also much more readily available in .358 then .366. If you build as a 35Whelen, just ensure you get a 1:12" barrel so that you can shoot 310gr Woodleighs (if you ever want to try them) without any question of stabilising them. As far as overlap in chamberings ... who cares. I have a 358Win, 350RemMag and am saving to build a 358Norma and Whelen. That's with an 8mmRemMag and 375H&H already in the safe too!
Cheers...
Con

I must be boring... I have had two enfields come my way...

One I left in a sporterized 30/06....

The other I put a heavy barrel in 6mm Rem on it, and put a new boyd's varmint stock on it...

And gave it to a nephew for a graduation present, as he had joined the guard and was getting activated as soon as he got out of high school and back from basic and AIT...

Boring, ain't I???

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by Con:
To answer the question: 35Whelen. It's a much cheaper option all round. Dies, cases, projectiles, etc are more readily available. In the States you have manufacturers of 280gr .35cal projectiles which places the 35Whelen on an equal footing with the 9.3x62 for heavier game, unless you wish to argue 100fps. Lighter projectiles to suit your whitetail sized game are also much more readily available in .358 then .366. If you build as a 35Whelen, just ensure you get a 1:12" barrel so that you can shoot 310gr Woodleighs (if you ever want to try them) without any question of stabilising them. As far as overlap in chamberings ... who cares. I have a 358Win, 350RemMag and am saving to build a 358Norma and Whelen. That's with an 8mmRemMag and 375H&H already in the safe too!
Cheers...
Con

Yep! Nosler no.5 lists their 180 grn Partition HG for the Whelen.

It is a corelite stock, I actually like the stock quite a bit but it is a little hard to get down low enough to use the open sights with. THe hard chrome finish is called "metal life" I'm not sure who does it but its a pretty standard hard chrome like finish. It seems to hold up pretty well to the alaskan elements.

Thebear_78,
You sure it's a CoreLite?? Cant find anything listed on their website for the M17, just the M98 and 10/22. Do you have a part number or anything? I'm looking for a synthetic for an M17 and that one looks okay. Just a guess but could it be a B&C Carbelite???
Cheers...
Con

Many, many thanks for the answers and opinions. I'll fill in a bit now just to answer some of the questions that have been asked. I'm 62 yrs old, about 6'5" and 280 pounds - never had a problem or concern about detached retinas, etc. As for the ears/hearing, don't worry, jet engines and 45 ACP took care of that long ago.
At last count, I could load for 41 different calibers as well as 6 guages shotshells. As for staying with the Whelen I want to do some loads with the 358 heavy pistol bullets as I have loaded a lot of 158 and 180 gr bullets in the 35 Remington and at 1900-2000 fps they are absolute death on white tails, etc. Just an excuse to blow a lot of bullets downrange, etc.
If I ever go beyond the 375 H&H for a real thumper, it will be a double and has to be 470NE I think it will look good alongside my Ruger No 1, Browning and Marlin 1895 - all in 45/70, another caliber I love to shoot.
As for the Enfield action, it will be sporting a 35 Whelen barrel as soon as it arrives - not sure if I'll leave it 'as is' or push it up to the AI - can always open it up but can't back up. I intend to leave the barrel as long as possible up to the full 26" - where ever it cleans up. And I want it to come in heavy, prefer it to be about 10 - 10 1/2 lbs with scope and a full mag. Probably will top it off with a Leupold 1.5X5 - or maybe not as I have some other choices. My concern now is coming up with a stock that I really like and I'm leaning heavily toward one of the synthetic's.
Again, thanks for the replies and recommendations. I'll try and post up some photos as the project commences. As to what I'll use the rifle for, I really don't know what or even if. I have other choices but so far in my mis-spent life I've never allowed that to stop my search for yet another 'perfect' rifle - I 've had my share of these and hope to find some more - soon!