And the question is, what is "enough"?

I am a very proud and happy owner of a Remington 673 in .350RM. It was my first "large bore" rifle. Heck, call me crazy but I consider anything over .30 cal a Large Bore here in the States.

My favorite load, believe it or not is a 125gr. Hornady XTP pistol bullet over 58 gr. of IMR 4895. Sub 1" group...devastating on bunnies.

Which, sadly, has been the only game that the rifle. Not for lack of trying mind you... Such is simply life.

I've been tayloring all kinds of loads for it - 200gr, 225gr, 250gr. And I'm torn - I'm reaching a questionable "what's the point". More to the point:

Some loads I've chrono'ed. Sighted with a 200 yard zero.

200gr. Hornady IL @ 2950 fps. 3865 fpe, -8.17" at 300 yards. 1816 fpe @ 300 yards.

225gr. Sierra GK @ 2650 fps. 3500 fpe, -9.25" at 300 yards. 1993 fpe @ 300 yards.

250gr. Speer HC @ 2400 fps. 3198 fpe, -11" @ 300 yards. 1935 fpe @ 300 yards.

Each will cut a 1" or lesser group at 100 yards.

So here I sit, computer in hand, dreaming of bear, elk, moose. Let's toss a Kudu, Sable, Eland in for good measure. I'm not headed for Africa tommorow...but one day...

In any case, I would love to have a "one bullet" solution for the .350. I'm just plain torn by the balistics above. The 200gr. has great velocity and a very good balistics - but penetration may be lacking just a bit. The 250gr. would have much better penetration but energy is down a tad at the muzzle... still, nearly a full ton at 300 yards is nothing to sneeze at.

I'm convinced that any of the above would pretty much be adequate for any of the game listed above. Certainly a 250 gr. bullet might just be the ticket. It's a big rifle...go big, right?

Oh, and let's not sorry too much about Horn IL's and Speer HC's - could easily sub a Partition/A-Frame in or some such as needed...

It's a big rifle and it throws big lead.

Or, is all this mindless drivel really pointless? Am I simply pushing around mental neurons for not much benefit? Really, is there all that much difference between each of the loads?


Oh, the point of all of this: I want ONE bullet/grainage for the rifle. What are your thoughts? How would you load for the .350mag?


(PS: this is a rifle for big game. Elk or bigger. And Hogs. Deer need not apply.)

rnovi
I Have faced the same issue with a Whelen and a
9.3x62. For me the point of having a a larger medium bore is to shoot heavier bullits. Those heavy bullits launched at 2300 or 2400 fps will do the job. Not that the other wouldn't but if your going to shoot a 200 grain you may as well have a 300 Win.

You should try Hornady’s R-15/.250 gr. recipe in your .350 Rem. mag. I juiced it by just a bit, and I am averaging 2569 ft/sec. through my 22†Lilja barrel. If I think I need more than this, I am lucky I also own a Norma and it can move a .250 gr. bullet to the next level. CP.

Go with the 250 grainer. It is exactly what you say, a big bore. Velocity is important but secondary. It is meant to deliver heavy bullets at modest ranges to our heaviest game.

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
...200gr. Hornady IL @ 2950 fps. 3865 fpe, -8.17" at 300 yards. 1816 fpe @ 300 yards...

Hey rnovi, I've not used the 200gr SP Hornady on an Elk, so I have no experience there. I have used a good number of them, and seem more used, on Black Bears, Hogs and Deer.

This is a "tough" Bullet and does very well when headed "Into" a Shoulder. Always makes an Exit on Deer and usually does the same on Hogs and Bear.

They are very accurate in my M7KS and are what I normally carry in it.

Nothing at all wrong with the Heavier Bullets either. So, you are blessed with having to choose between a lot of good Hunting Bullets.

Best of luck to you.

I have the same gun and also enjoy it and the cal. I generally shoot the 225 grained bullets because the 250's take up too much room and really cut down on the bullet's velocity. In my opinion, the ballistics of the 225 grained bullets are what the cal was made for. It's flat enough for elk and antelope, and powerful enough for grizzly and kudu. I never use the 200 grained bullets, they just don't have enough SD in my opinion (as compared to the 225 grained bullets).

Personally ... a good 250gr would be my "do everything" load. In my Ruger the 250gr Woodleigh can fulfill that role. If you had of bought a Ruger instead ... you could also have used the 310gr Woodleigh for the really nasty stuff Those 673's are kind of short in the magazine department ... a 225gr Nosler Partition would also be high on the list as would a 225gr TSX.
Cheers...
Con

If it were mine.

I would choose a 225gr "premium" bullet or a 250gr cup and core bullet.

My personal preference would start with a Barnes 225gr TSX/TTSX and 250gr Hornady Interlock.

The other brands would suffice also. But that is where I would start my load development and change if needed.

225 grain Woodleigh PP. Works well for me on critters from Sambar all the way to Scrub Bull.

What bbl contour/length is that? NICE.

To the OP, I had a 77 Ruger Stainless, my buddy HAD to have as he FLATTENED a large buck with 225 Sierra.

Before he bought it, I used 158 pistol bullets for reduced recoil, less expensive range session along with Remington 200 gr which I reckon are nigh identical of the Hornady. YES, those 200's work on deer hogs, bear, as many witness as even THEY carry good mass/frontal area.......AND my buddy went to Colorado, shot a 6x6 346 class bull using a 200gr FACTORY remington load, ONLY because he did not have the proper box to carry my 225 partitions on the plane with him! DEAD elk, behind shoulder on 2nd shot at 100-150 yds, first shot, still have no knowledge of where of IF it hit.

Bottom line, they all work, but I myself settled on 2 bullets for hunting loads, both 225's, one the less expensive Sierra, which we recovered one on the offside of the deer that he flattened, broke off shoulder and was under hide around 158 or so grains ironically, BEAUTIFUL expansion, this bullet is tough, made to handle elk, bear, and large game.

YET, for a little 'insurance' and for pennies a bullet more, (small price to pay for peace of mind) I recommended and so loaded 225 partitions for my friends upcoming elk hunt..that he went on.

I would personally feel as happy with a 225 TSX and CAN not fault anyone using a 250 gr or even the 270.

A 350 is a HEAVY hitter, in a compact cartridge, AL MILLER long ago said it was one of the most under rated cartridges to this day, and I believe him correct, esp. when it comes to field performance on large game. It kicks more than I like, but on a large game rifle, that often gets fired less times at range sessions, it deserves a greater following as it carries further than many people understand.

Personally, I'd choose a 338/06 or 350 Rem Mag any day over a 30 cal gun (as I want to make shots under 400yd-not striving for an ultra long kill with a laser speed magnum), but that is just MY preference, if I were looking to hunt game larger than deer. SO when I choose over 6-7mm bullets, it's medium bore for me, and 225 is a great place to start, as in these calibers at good velocity they give up nothing, and have greater energy, better sectional density and ballistic coefficient than lighter bullets of same construction.

Keep us posted on your success with the 350 RM.

First off, thank you all for your comments. Believe me, they are much appreciated.

I still haven't decided what I really want to do here. My heart tells me "go big" but my intellectual side tells me that the animal isn't likely to sense much difference.

Oh well. If I didn't handload then none of this would matter!

I wreck whitetails with the 180 grain Hornady Single Shot Pistol Bullet out of my 350RM. Just don't aim anywhere you plan to eat.

The 225 grain Nosler Partition did nicely for my pals in their 350 Rem Mags on their first trip to Africa. You could load a conventional cup and core spitzer soft for deer size game here in the lower 48.

A friend and I who both have .350s did a lot of shooting and chronographing and came to the conclusion that for the money and the "real" game we would be shooting at the Speer 220 FP HotCore got the vote. Accuracy was about the same with all bullets tested..and that was most of the 200-225 grain bullets avaiable.

The Speer FP became the overall favorite for several reasons the main one being the LOA of the loaded round. When loaded to 2.790-2.800 the Sirrra and Nosler 225s are actually no longer in firm contact with the case mouth. If you do some measuring of the shank and ojive of the bullet and where it has to be seated to one finds that the shank of the bullet is now just a little lower than the casemouth. When the tip of the bullet was pressed hard into a carpet the bullets actually telescoped into the case...just not enough neck tension. The Speer did not. A call to Lee Precision got us some Factory Crimp dies that solved the problem but it is a problem.

This a bullet taken from my friend's third black bear...286 pounds I believe...bang and down. Punched through the shoulder joint, down through the lung and heart and was found against the skin in the chest. Of four bear taken none moved, the other three bullets fully penetrated.



I took one large running doe and it could not get to the ground quick enough...

My gun is a 18.5" M600 and my friend has a M673. Velocity with 60 grains of WW748 is 2660 in the 22" barrel and 2530 from the carbine.

I do now have a second .350...a Ruger 77MKII All-Weather that someone chopped the barrel to 18.25". I have been shooting 250s from it just because I have a bunch of then to burn up...

Bob

I went to Africa using my 300 Ultra Mag shooting 200 gr partition bullets. I killed all the animals I aimed at with it. Hope this helps.

RJM,
I found the same problem here with some of the 35cal pills. I had the magazine box of my Ruger extended a touch as I found the Woodleigh 310gr and some long tapered nosed 250gr couldnt be seated and made to feed through the factory magazine box without falling back into the case.
Cheers...
Con

spit the difference down the middle
go 225 grainers all the way
shoot cheap ones for fun premiums for elk kudo and such.
regards

quote:

Originally posted by CP:
You should try Hornady’s R-15/.250 gr. recipe in your .350 Rem. mag. I juiced it by just a bit, and I am averaging 2569 ft/sec. through my 22†Lilja barrel. If I think I need more than this, I am lucky I also own a Norma and it can move a .250 gr. bullet to the next level. CP.

A little old, but I thought that since I'd just come back from the range I'd give an updated report on the Speer 250 HC & RL 15.

I tested 57-60gr. RL15, CCI LR primers.

Chrono:
59gr. = 2490, 2478 fps for two shots. Just under 1" group at 100 yds.

60gr. = 2509, 2522 fps for two shots. Both shots touching at 100 yards. I wish I took a picture of this...

My goal for a 1"/100yd 250gr. at 2500 fps load has been realized with RL15 and the initial accuracy appears to be there. RL15 was grouping 1 - 1.5" for the 57-59gr. loads and touching at 60gr. The last group could, of course, be a fluke...but it's hugely promising.

If I can repeat a 1" or sub 1" group for 5 groups, I'll call it good and won't bother with any other work-ups. That's more than enough for anything I intend to do with it.

(PS: as an aside, my 257 printed a perfect 1/4" clover-leaf at 100yds with Sierra 117gr. GK's over 44gr. of H4350. It was a good day at the range!)

I think I might go with the 225s also.
Although I use 250 grain speers in my whelen.
But I get 2600 with them.
I think the 225 sierra would do fine for anything up to 4 or 500LBS. then switch to a Tripple shock or a partition.
How ever you don't mention at what distance you expect to be shooting.
Seems to me with the 250 grainer moving at 2400 , and the 225s at alomost 300 FPS faster , The 225 would be more versital.
I would say ads as much as 100 yards to your range. Mabye not that much but certainly 50.
With that 2400 fPS load I would,nt go much over 200 yards. with a 2700ish load ID feel prety good a 300...tj3006

For years, my go-to whitetail load has been 61 gr. of H4895 and a 200 gr. Core Lokt RN. Both my 660 and 700 Remington Classic will group these under an inch for 5 shots @ 100....

.......With my Ruger M77mk 2 rsp I got 2500 plus fps chronographed with the 250 gr Kodiak Bonded Cor and the 250 gr Hornady bullet ...For down south I would choose the 225 gr, weight ..

Hey rnovi, Congratulations on finding such a fine accurate Load. I agree that it should work well on just about anything.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

Rnovi.
You are a man after my own hart.
I like bot .257 and .358 bore cartridges real well.
The Roberts is my favorite deer round.
I am going to go over to my daughters place and try to get a picture of the Roberts I just had checkerd.
I have not got the groups you are taliking about , but I am just tinkering with it. Seems to have a clear preference for IMR-4350...tj3006

If you want to shoot 200 grain bullets, get a .30. I can't see the utility of a .35 with anything less than 250 grains, and one of the most successful .35s used a 310 grain bullet.
------------------------------------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
Some loads I've chrono'ed. Sighted with a 200 yard zero.

200gr. Hornady IL @ 2950 fps. 3865 fpe, -8.17" at 300 yards. 1816 fpe @ 300 yards.

225gr. Sierra GK @ 2650 fps. 3500 fpe, -9.25" at 300 yards. 1993 fpe @ 300 yards.

250gr. Speer HC @ 2400 fps. 3198 fpe, -11" @ 300 yards. 1935 fpe @ 300 yards.

Just a quick further update on balistics: The 250gr. Speer HC driven at 2500fps gives the following:

250gr. Speer HC @ 2500 fps. 3470 fpe, -10" @ 300 yards. 1941 fpe @ 300 yards. (Recoil: 27.90 ft. pounds)

Compare that to:

225gr. Sierra GK @ 2650 fps. 3500 fpe, -9.25" at 300 yards. 1993 fpe @ 300 yards. (Recoil: 26.83 ft. pounds)


Damned if that isn't a convincing argument about which is the better load...

I like the 250 - sadly, gonna be a while before I get to test it on much more than, well, dead trees.

It will take years of hunting and testing to figure out. I like the 200 gr. Remington RNCL and both the 250 gr. Speer and the Hornady RN of the same weight. My rifle is a Whelen though and I have no magazine issues. Were I to pick one bullet and stick I'd go with the 250 gr. Speer.