Anybody use a 35 caliber for your medium bore rifle battery anchor?

Last year, I used my 35 Whelen for my medium bore in my 3-rifle Safari battery. I took a 7mm(Rem Mag), 35 Whelen, and a 404 Jeffery. As is many times the case, the medium bore was used the most. In fact, my Whelen took all (Leopard, Kafue Lechwe, L. Hartebeest, Warthog, Bushbuck, & Oribi) of the animals except one; the Buffalo taken with the 404.

For Africa, I like this battery as I have a 20,30 and 40 caliber. Using a 160gr. for the 7mm, 280gr. for the 35, and 400gr. for the 404, each caliber can use bullets 120 grains heavier than the previous one. Overall, a good spread of calibers and weights I felt. Someday, I may replace the Whelen with a 358 Norma, but for now, I am happy with the Whelen.

In NA, I seem to have gravitated to a 2-rifle battery; a 25.06 for varmints, antelope and deer and the 35 Whelen for everything else. I have many rifles and calibers, but probably like many of you, I seem to grab the rifles/calibers I like the most when I pack up to hunt, and these two seem to have won the popularity contest in my mind.

The 35 caliber seems to get used a lot by me in NA, and now I like it for Africa as well. Ammo availability in Africa being a weak point however I suppose.

There are infinite combinations of calibers used in great batteries, both 2 and 3 rifle, that are perfect for either continent. I'm sure you have your own favorites.

Anybody else like the 35 caliber for their favorite medium in their battery? Let me hear about your favorite 35.

358 Win gets dragged out deer hunting every year. Also got taken up the Maine last year for a(n unsuccessful) black bear hunt as a back up gun. Very pleasant to shoot and plenty of umph for medium size game.

I, myself, (with no african hunts under my belt, so take this with a grain of salt...) would take a 375 as my medium and a 458 or 470 as my heavy, then round out the low end with a 270/7mm/30 as my light if desired game deemed necessary.

What bullet did you load up for the Whelen?

Sounds like you can do an all Whelen battery. 25 Whelen, 35 Whelen and 400 Whelen. Yes, there was such a thing as the 25 Whelen.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townsend_Whelen

FF

Like you, I too like the soft recoil of my 35 (Whelen).

Also like you, I too enjoy, and have taken, a 458 Lott, 375 H&H, and 30-06 (3)rifle battery. A classic and perfect 3-rifle battery.

For my 35 Whelen, I took 250 NP, 250 A-Square solids (now discontinued), and 280 SAFs last year to Zambia to hunt with Andrew on Royal Kafue. I used the NPs mostly, and the solids on the little guy (Oribi). I think I used the 280 SAF on something, but I can't remember right now. Maybe I didn't. I'll have to look up my notes in my journal.

It's the 280 SAF that I think about the 358 Norma for mostly. I may make one of those yet. I have a Ruger Hawkeye SS/syn in 338WM that I am thinking about reboring with JES to the Norma. So far, however, I am pleased with the Whelen.

In 2014, I used a 2-rifle battery in Zambia, a 338WM and my 404. I used a 250 NP for my animals and my wife used a 275 SAF on her Zebra. I was impressed with that 275 gr. bullet. So, the 280 SAF for the 35 caliber is similar in weight, however, I realise the 275gr. 33 cal. has greater SD than the 280 gr. 35 cal.

Good hunting with your 358 Win!

BOOMIE,

I have read about the 400 Whelen, but never the 25 Whelen. Thanks for the info.

What is the difference in the 25 Whelen and the 25-06?

Have you hunted much with your Whelen?

It is the same thing as far as I know. Was a popular wildcat. Call it the 25-06 Whelen.

The 35 Whelen is a excellent choice, and its an extremely good killer on about anything short of Elephant and Hippo on dry ground I suppose..

I certainly wouldn't hesitate to shoot a Buffalo with one under normal circumstances. and a good PH to back me up.

I used it some over the years up until a until The .338 Win came out..I was always impressed how it worked on large animals like elk and Moose. I have seen it used on PG with excellent results, and the 310 Woodliegh worked well enough on Buffalo, Eland and Giraffe by a lady I know. I loaded the ammo for her and her husband..I remember thinking it seemed about as good as a 375 as far as anyone could tell, even though I know the 375 has to be a better round.

My 2 gun safari has been a .338 win. or 9.3x62 in combination with a 404 Jefferys for the most part, but I tend to use a different caliber on every hunt, for no other reason than to satisfy my curiosity. Same with bullets.

I've used a variety of mag rifles, 338, 340 and several 300 mags on moose and elk for years.While they worked fine longish barrels and 9 1/2 lb rifles were not that handi in the bush and there is a little meat wasted when you shoot something up close. A few years ago I built a 35 Whelan Imp. I have found it to stop big moose and elk as well as any of the magnums I had been using with less meat damage. This is all in a rifle 1 1/2 to 2 lbs lighter. 250 gr Partitions work on just about anything and if your shooting range may get a little long the 225 gr Partion, Accubond or TSX bullets all shoot unbelievably flat. Wish I would have built that rifle 20 yrs ago.

I guess I am a .35 caliber nut, since my gun room holds a .35 Remington, a 9X56 M/S, a 9X57 Mauser, a .358 Winchester, a .35 Whelen, a .35 Brown Improved Whelen, a .358 Norma Magnum, a .350 Rigby Magnum and a .350 G&H Magnum. A 400/350 Rigby is in the works.

One of the cartridges Taylor speaks highly of in "African Rifles and Cartridges" is the 400/350 Rigby. He was particularly impressed by the design of the 310 grain bullet it used. I once owned an original Rigby 400/350, but at that time there was no source for the 310 grain bullets. There is now, and if I were to take a .35 caliber rifle to Africa now, it would certainly be loaded with them.

It should be no problem to duplicate 400/350 performance with the .35 Whelen. Although the Rigby has the greater case capacity, (79.73 grains of water vs. 72.63 for the Whelen) the cartridge was designed for use with cordite and for use in break action rifles, with correspondingly low pressure levels. If the need was felt for even greater velocity, the .358 Norma Magnum would be an easy choice.

I never took a .35 caliber rifle to Africa because I was concerned with the availability of ammunition, should mine get separated from my rifles. Today, I would think that that was less of a concern.

Ray & Snowman:

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I agree with both of you on the appreciation of the Whelen built in a 1-2 lb. lighter rifle. Like Ray, I really love my 338WMs and have taken elk and a lot of African plains game with them. However, I haven't seen any difference in results with it and my 35 Whelens. My Whelens are all 22" barrels and all of my 338WMs are 24", with only one being 23". Depending on the brand and model, the Whelens are usually 1.5 lbs lighter, some more, some less. The Whelen recoil is less than the 338WMs with similar weight bullets. All in all, I prefer the Whelens.

Zeroed at 200 yards, the Whelen 250 gr. NP drops only about 1" lower at 300 yds. than the 338WM with the same bullet. Not enough to make any practical field difference for my hunting. Others may disagree.

SM: You have more experience than me. I have only used a 300, 338 and a 35 on elk, but I have never owned a 340. But I have come to the same conclusion as you: my choice of the three is the 35 Whelen. The others are great elk killers. They just weigh more, are longer, and recoil more than my Whelen. Sounds like the 225 NP, AB, and TSX have served you well. My wife uses the 225 TBB and likes it a lot. Kills elk for her and she feels the recoil is a little less.

Ray: Thanks for sharing the story of the gal who used her Whelen with 310 Woodies for Buffalo, Eland and Giraffe. Now that's a confidence builder! I agree, the 375 is more. I have taken most of my PG with the 375H&H. My 375 H&Hs are about 2 lbs. heavier than my Whelens however. But my 375 Ruger Hawkeyes are only about 3/4 lb heavier! I am anxious someday to try the 375 Ruger in Africa.

But for now, I plan to take my 35 Whelen back to Zambia, backed up by my 404, using the Whelen for PG mainly. You said your favorite 2-rifle battery is a 404 and either a 338 or 9.3x62. I guess I have split the difference on the latter and gone with a 35. One couldn't go wrong with any of them. All great mediums!

My Remington 700 CDL in .35 Whelen has become my 'go-to' gun for everything. A bit much for deer, but better to be over-gunned than under-gunned in my opinion. It was an easy choice for a last minute plains game hunt in Namibia a few years ago and worked to perfection on kudu, oryx and zebra.

On paper it definitely gives up range to the .338 type magnums, but I won't shoot past 300 yards because I don't get to practice much at that range, and I prefer to get as close as possible before the shot.

So for me, it's the perfect combination of foot-pounds, bullet diameter, manageable recoil, and ease of making brass.

The one thing I don't like about my particular rifle is it has a 'slow' barrel. It's 24 inches, but the best I can do with 250 grain bullets is about 2425 fps, and 225 grain bullets top out at around 2650 with most 225 grainers hitting around 2550.

Not that an extra 100 fps matters that much, but I really wish I could get some Accubonds up to about 26-2700 fps just to flatten trajectory a bit and provide a little more ass to the impact.

I have always had a hankering for a 35 Brown Whelen, that seems to be the ultimate 35, probably a lot of trouble making the brass and fireforming, but once done the trouble is overwith..It appears to be right up there with the 358 Norma, and that's a killing machine for sure, beats the .338 on paper at least.

I use the .358 Norma Mag. I Will try Either Barnes or Swift bullets now in it. It has worked good, but factory loads is too brittle and soft so no good experience from that . It was good factory stuff for a while, then they changed from Swift, Woodleigh to their own Oryx bullet.

A friend have a .358 Win, and he has taken very much game with that of lot of wild boar, Red deer, lot of Moose and fallow deer ++. He is very pleased with the hammer.

Peregrine bullets of RSA have some good bullet`s i will try also.

My son, grandsons and I have used two .358 STA's for several years now for larger than Deer sized game or while in Big Bear country. With Northfork and Swift A-Frame bullets they are awesome. I also used one for plains game in Tanzania. We also shoot a .340 Wby and .338 Lapua extensively for Elk, Moose etc. Normally I use the NOrthfork bullets on game, but Barnes XLC and TSX and Nosler Partitions have served well. The big bullets going fast work best with the tougher bullets IMO. Good shooting.

Xausa:

Wow, you ARE a 35 caliber nut! I only own 35 Whelens and one 358 STA. The STA is a Winchester Custom Shop that is barrel heavy IMO. I have shot paper with it, but no game.

So, with that much '35' experience, here's the $64,000 question: if you had to give them all up but one, which is your favorite?

I have contemplated making a 358 Norma and a 350 G&H, and you have both! Which of the two do you like better?

You need to take ONE of those beauties to Africa!

35whelenman:

"So for me, it's the perfect combination of foot-pounds, bullet diameter, manageable recoil, and ease of making brass". -- I think you wrapped up a lot words very nicely there! I would only add: short barrel and lightweight rifles...

I too had 35 Whelens in a Rem. CDL and also a Classic. I took one elk with the Classic, but the CDL was NIB unfired. I really liked their light weight, and prefered the 22" barrel on the Classic to the 24" barrel on the CDL, as it fit my smaller stature better. I am only 5'7" tall. I ended up trading them both away for a Ruger Hawkeye 35 Whelen and a Ruger Hawkeye African 300WM (old style, no muzzle brake). I prefered the 1/12 twist of the Ruger 35 Whelen to the 1/16 Rem. for the heavier bullets.

But I'm OK. I still have (12) 35 Whelens. I know, it's a disease...

Good hunting with your Whelen!


PerH:

I hear you! I bought two boxes of Norma 358 NM with 250 gr. SAFs many years ago, knowing one day I would build one. Now, all I see offered is the Oryx. Too bad. Get all of your Norwegian 358 NM buddies together, and demand the SAFs once again! I'll shout from across the pond.

Phurley5:

I've read many of your posts on your 358 STAs. I know you love them. Thanks for always sharing.

So, I was wondering. My STA is SS/syn from the Winchester Custon Shop. As I stated earlier, it seems muzzle heavy to me. Does yours? Is yours blue/wood or SS/syn, and are they factory Winchesters or ones you have put together?

Some day, I need to try those Northforks...

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by surefire7:
Phurley5:

I've read many of your posts on your 358 STAs. I know you love them. Thanks for always sharing.

So, I was wondering. My STA is SS/syn from the Winchester Custon Shop. As I stated earlier, it seems muzzle heavy to me. Does yours? Is yours blue/wood or SS/syn, and are they factory Winchesters or ones you have put together?

Some day, I need to try those Northforks...

Thanks!

I've drooled over a few of those Custom Shop STA's in stainless/walnut. I'd like to eventually own a pair in STA and STW.

surfire7--- Thanks for your interest. My original STA is a Winchester Custom Shop rifle that Winchester was commissioned to produce for a the A-Sqare Corporation. It is stainless with the most georgeous read Walnut you ever laid eyes on. I had a Muzzle Brake installed and have used it in Alaska, Canada, Colorado, and Africa. I have a 4.5 X 14 Vari X lll Scope that matchs the stainless. I have taken many Elk, Deer with it as well as Zebra, Kongoni and Impala with it. It handles well for me and I treat it like any other rifle I hunt with. My other STA was built on a post 64 action with a fantastic stripped wood thumb hole stock. When I shot it it murdered my knucles so I put a custom composite stock on to hunt with, it also had a Muzzle Brake already installed. Both rifles are super accurate when I do my part pulling
the trigger, both will touch three shots. The Winchester Custom Shop rifle is a little heaavier than the other, which has a Lilja barrell, but it is fine to carry. With Northfork 225, 250 and 270 gr. bullets these two are trully amazing as to their knock down and flat shooting capabilities. I could recommend them to anyone hunting the larger animals and particularly those the fight back. The second STA has a matching scope to the first. The Custom Shop produced 58 of the STA's and I feel I was lucky to own one. Good shooting.



the

35s I like in a rifle: 358 Norma, 357mag, 358 win. Had a 35 Whelen, effective but I became bored with it and replaced it with the cartridge that scares 35 Whelen owners shitless, the 9.3x62 . Norma, she is a grand cartridge.

I've used the ballistic cousin to the Whelen, the .350 RM for the past several years and like it quite a bit. To me it seems to dump things in their tracks without a lot of noise and recoil. Too bad the 358 bore size just didn't catch on with most shooters, it really has a lot to offer.

Surefire .

I will do my best to say it to them. But i think sadly it is best to reload it self . Woodleigh makes a 225 PP, 250 and 275 grain version, the 275 is the one that is best suited as a allround bullet for what one is pointing at .

But also the 280 grain Swift is good i have heard. Due to the finance crisis , i havent been able to fully setup my reloading stuff again , but first thing to do soon is dumping the Oryx from some factory ammo i have and stuff them with other ones. One i have tried that went very well , on steel and paper is the Nosler AB, but in some velocitys tougher is better. And Aframe is best of both.

Strange that a 280 Swift is banned as buffalo ammo / ele with solid when 9,3 . 286 grain in smaller velocity is legal...


Anyway Jens Perto used his .358 on many game around the globe. 250 NOsler P loaded to 270 Win ballistic, and 310 grain Woodleigh for big game / DG. Old Norma data, that is around on the web say maks load 750- 760 ms for that combination. Soft / solid. He loaded it hgher though.

He said in a chat that recoil was quite brisk . But it was so on both ways.

quote:

Originally posted by surefire7:

So, with that much '35' experience, here's the $64,000 question: if you had to give them all up but one, which is your favorite?

I have contemplated making a 358 Norma and a 350 G&H, and you have both! Which of the two do you like better?

Keeping in mind that I am 77 years old, crippled up with neuropathy in both feet, have impaired vision in my right (shooting) eye, and will therefore never go back to Africa, I would have to vote for the .358 Norma, which is on a Ruger LH action and was rebored from 7mm Remington Magnum, which makes it quite light.
It will do pretty much everything the G&H Magnum will do and do it more efficiently. The G&H, like most G&H rifles I have handled, is just too heavy for me to want to carry, even in my younger days.

Ray, my .35 Brown Whelen is on a M1917 Enfield action with the original barrel rebored to .35 by P.O. Ackley, which gives you an indication of how long I have had it. I was intrigued by an article in Gun Digest years ago and had it built. It is quite heavy, even with a short barrel and Mannlicher stock, and is a real pleasure to shoot, if not to carry. Forming cases is not a problem, if you have, as I do, a 30 to 40 neck expanding die. I just expand the case necks, then run the cases through a FL die and fire form.

I was basically ignorant of how useful 35 cal. is until a few years ago. I have never hunted Africa and odds are I never will but I have become somewhat enamored of the caliber. However, my choices are none of those mentioned although someone did mention the 9 X 57. My preference for local game and US hunts with a 35 would be one of my 9 X 57's either in a drilling chambered for the "R" case or one of my Mauser bolt rifles. If I needed more "oomph" I would reach for my 9 X 71 Peterlongo. It is chambered in a very nice Peterlongo Mauser with the excellent Lyman 57 receiver sight. Given the 8mm more length than the Whelen you can do the math.

Love my 35 Whelen. Would happily take it anywhere and shoot anything.

quote:

Originally posted by sharps4590:
However, my choices are none of those mentioned although someone did mention the 9 X 57. My preference for local game and US hunts with a 35 would be one of my 9 X 57's either in a drilling chambered for the "R" case or one of my Mauser bolt rifles.

I was the one who mentioned the 9X57. Here is one of mine, a Westley Richards built on a 1909 commercial Mauser action, after being rehabilitated by Lon Paul, but before bluing and installation of the Lyman 35 receiver sight.

Xausa That is a lovely old rifle'
sharps4590 Your 9x71 Peterlongo sounds like an interesting caliber. What do you make cases From??

While my .358 Win chambered 99F has been my primary woods rifle since 1966 it's not an anchor in my battery of hunting rifles.

I got a second one long ago for my son to hunt with when he got bigger. He had been hearing about my exploits with it.

I got him a 99F 358 of his own and when he shot it he said it kicked too much. Thus I got him a Kimber 84M 7-08 to hunt with.

The 358's do kick but it's so cool to carry one in the bear woods!