I don't have either of these calibers and have been thinking about maybe building one up on a Turk mauser action. Anyone care to suggest why they would choose one over the other? I'm leaning towards the 35 for a number of reasons, probably the main one is that I have been interested in that round since I could read about hunting bears. Also, if I were to go with a 338 I'd just go with the win mag I would think.

But if there is anyone here who has a hunting application where the 338-06 works better than a 35 whelen (lets say something like "Elk in the mountains" or so) please let me know, I'd be interested to hear what you have to say.

Back a few years ago Finn Aagard did an article in Handloader comparing the .338-06 to the .35 Whelen. He felt that between the two "they were very close". "There seems to be little one could expect to accomplish of the one that the other would not accomplish about as well".
Interesting article Handloader #184, Dec/Jan 1997.

I have a new M70 with a 24" Lilja in .338-06 and I am quite happy with it. Standard 06 cases are easily necked up with my Redding dies, its easy to load for, no surprises. With 210's up to 250 grain bullets its fine on deer or elk to 300 yds. If a 225 gr at 2600 or 250 grain bullet at 2500 fps isn't enough get a .375 H&H. Which not to plagarize Finn was basically what he said at the end of the article.

Frank N.

I agree with Frank.I have a 338-06 I think I can use it from whitetail to the bears with no problems. I can load a 180gr at 3000 for goats or deer up to 250 for the bears. Not a MAG but thats OK with me.

They both well do just fine one isn't any better then the other one. Pick the one you find is the most interisting of the two and go with that.

I agree that they are both good. In reality it is still personal preference.

The only difference is the 338 has a much better bullet selection than the 35 Whelan. With so many premiums out in 358 that isn't as true as it once was but it is still true with most makers. As an example Barnes has 13 .338 listed and 358 only has 5. Combined Technology has no 358 bullets. However, Hornady, Seirra and Speer have started putting out a good variety for the 358.

Good hunting
Steve

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Every man dies, but not every man really lives!!

Ever heard of something like 9.3x62? Still the basic Mauser case head, in �06 lenght and slightly improved ...

Good shooting! H

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I can't swear to this. This is only something I have read.

But from what I understand, not to far down range the 338 performance exceed the 35's.

The 338 is an awesome NA caliber in that it has such a variety of good bullet weights, from many different manufactures.
You can drop to a 160 or 180 in a Barnes, a 210 in Nosler, a 225 in Hornady InterLock for just a few types. Not that the the 35 is sorely lacking for choices, I just have seen a better variety in 338.

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Live Free! Madison, Jefferson and all the boys paid for it, and so did our very own fathers.

aHunter you beat me too the punch. 9.3x62 bigger than both the 35 Whelen and 338-06 and with more muzzle energy in any given bullet weight. 9.3x62 DAMN FINE ROUND.

ahunter,Paleohunter,

I sure agree with that assesment, Like Finn Agaard said the 9.3x62 is the best of the lot.

I used and liked the 338-06, and 35 Whelen a number of years ago but today I wouldn't even consider them because of the 9.3x62, I agree with Finn it is the best of the lot.....I'm not basing that on paper balistics but actual use of the three....but you cannot go wrong either way.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I agree the 9.3 is a very fine round and a bit more gun than the other two , and the one to pick for African use. But for North America the .33/06 or the .35/06 are just easier to deal with . Bullets and 06 cases are everywhere . I know, you can make 9.3 cases from 06 too , but it ain't near as simple as one pass thru the sizing die .

I don't think you will ever be able to tell the diff between 338-06 and 35 whelen, but 9.3 x 62 or 9.3 x 64 would be a big improvement over either. Otherwise, the 375 H&H is a fine solution without much recoil.

I would think any one of the two would be more than sufficient for most hunting anywhere. Seeing as I don't know squat about the 9.3's, other than they exist, I won't put my foot in my mouth on those.
What I do not understand is why the American shooter literally shuns the 35 calibers,with the exception if the .35 Remington, but the .338's walk on water, figuratively speaking? Really. What can one do that is demonstratively better than the other? Does the .338-06 really outperform a .35 Whelen to such a degree that the .35 falls that far behind? I don't think so.
Any big game animal hit properly with either round is dead meat. No more, no less. So I ask again, what is the reason behind the dislike for .35 caliber rifles with larger cases than the .35 Remington? I kind of have an idea, but I'd like to hear other thoughts first.
Paul B.

IMO I think it might have something to do with the .35 cal rounds starting life in lever guns with black powder. When smokeless came around all new bullets and cases were developed for it and the .35 were seen as old when people wanted something new. Just a thought.

I was working my gun clubs NRA sight-in day last year when I saw a couple of 35's in use 35 Rem,358 Win and a 35 Whelan. I started looking at them and the 338-06 the only reason I settled on the 338 was the availability of Hunting bullets in the 338.Other than that I see no real difference. I'm now thinking of converting my 7mm RM to a 358 Norma Mag but time will tell I'm still playing with the 338-06.

How many bullets do we need? Partitions for hunting, Hornadies or Speers for shooting practice. I don't need 85 possible bullet variations just a few!

mike

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Victory through superior firepower!

I shoot a 35 Whelen Improved, and so far it has done the job for whatever it was asked to do, from stray cats, deer,and black bear.
I would'nt worry about bullet selection, you only shoot one, the selection is plenty big to find the one your rifle and you will like.

I like the .35 Whelan because of factory available ammo, although its only a step up from the bottom, its still there. I found an interesting article on the .35 at www.sixgunner.com under the back issues and was written by Paco Kelly. the link directly to there would be, http://www.sixgunner.com/backissues/default.htm
if you cant get it, let me know and i'll e-mail you the article. oh, another thing, i like the .35 because its bigger, not by much, but i just like bigger things .

cyberhick

Those two rounds are different sides of the same nickel. I prefer the .338-06 because of the wider variety of bullets available than the .35 caliber. I have had mine in use over two years and hasnt failed me yet. Some give the .35 higher marks due to factory load availability. Weatherby is chambering the .338-06 in their ultra lightweight this year and loading ammo also. Who knows...perhaps Savage or Ruger will chamber for this round also and we'll have another flavor of the month...like this latest short magnum craze currently going on. regards swede

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WyomingSwede

Frank refrenced the Finn Aagaard article. Good article too.

Finn stated in that article if limited to ONE rifle betwwen the two (35 Whelen and 338-06) he'd take the 338-06 because of lighter, flatter shoting bullets for lighter game. He went on to say if he already had a deer rifle in the 270 class, he'd go with the Whelen as it "does deliver slightly more energy and makes slightly bigger holes."

He ends the article with:

"The awful truth, however, is that when I believe that I must absolutely have more thump than my 30-06 provides, I would prefer to go all the way up to the 338 Winchester Magnum, or even the 375 H&H, in order to get a meaningful and readily discernible gain in power."

Probably a lot of truth there... the old 06' is hard to beat, as is the 338 Win Mag and 375 H&H. I went through with a 338-06 project that shot well but ended up being heavier than a 338 Win Mag I had. That sort of defeated the purpose, so I traded it for a Model 70 stainless 375 H&H. Nice rifle, and the real "queen" of the medium bores as O'Connor once called it.

Wow, that was a lot of gun-writer quoting! Guess I've filled my quota for 2001.

Brad

I have a .35 Whelen which I have used to take a number of big game animals in the states as well as in Africa. I absolutely love this cartridge. I have found a wonderful compromise between weight and trajectory to be the Federal Premium 225 grain TBBC loading. Every animal that I have shot with this load has been a one shot kill and nothing has moved farther than 15 yards after being hit.

I don't have any experience with the .338-06 but would imagine that its performance would be similar. I am not a handloader and so appreciate the availability of factory ammo for the Whelen.

For what this is worth. I shoot only 250 gr. bullets in my .35 Whelen. Either the Remington 250 Core-lock or the Speer 250 gr. spitzer in my handloads.

In answer to my question on the unpopularity of the larger case 35's, I thinck that the late Jack O'Connor and tle late Elmer keith had something to do with it. Both these gentlemen had a great deal if influence on the shooting public.
I'll start with Jack. He commented that the .358 Win. was a good brush cartridge for deer, but really a short range proposition. This at a time when hot magnum rounds were what was in style. Much like all the beltles magnums being pushed today. He also said it kicked like hell. Nothing like damning with little praise. FWIW, It doesn't kick like hell. I seriously wonder if he even ever shot one? On the .35 whelen, Jack had one, but the bullets of the time were mostly for the .35 Remington, too light in construction for use in the Whelen. He complained that they blew up too much meat. Probably, he was right, considering the bullets he used. Just piss poor bullet choice, it looks to me.

Now let's look at Elmer. For a long time, the .35 Whelen was one of his choices for big game, but when he and his cohorts designed the .333 OKH,(basically the same as a .338-06) all of a sudden the Whelen wasn't any good? Give me a break.
If you read his 1936 book, BIG GAME RIFLES, he speaks rather well of the 30-06. Go to his 1946 book, KEITH'S RIFLES FOR BIG GAME, and the 30-06 is barely adequate for small deer. Hmmm. Something stinks here.

Guess I'll just stick with my .35 Whelen. It does anything I want a big game rifle to do.
Paul B.