I'd like to hear a few field reports on either of these mid-bores. Bullets? Effects on big game etc. I've got a MRC 1999 S/A on order, I'm planning to build the ultimate woods type thumper on bear, deer and maybe elk. Thanks, MtnHtr

I used a Rem 700 in .350 RM with 225-grain Nosler Partitions at 2500 fps on my first African hunt to take warthog, blesbok, zebra, kudu, gemsbok, and blue wildebeest. If I did my job it did its job, though in retrospect I think the .350RM would have put the animals down quicker if I'd used 250-grain NPs at 2350-2400 fps.

Following that logic, therefore, I've since changed my choice of light medium cartridges away from the .350RM to 9.3x62 with 286-grain NPs at 2350 fps, and .376 Steyr with 300-grain Woodleigh SPPPs at 2300 fps.

[ 05-31-2003, 06:12: Message edited by: Slingster ]

MtnHtr,

Years ago I used a 660 in .350RemMag on several whitetails and a black bear. One shot on all, nothing over 75yds. I have a friend that took a nice Dall ram with a 700 in .350RemMag, 125yds or so, also one shot.

Joe

I have a 35 Whelan Imp.Have used it with 200 gr Hornady spire pts on deer. Very effective.I also shoot the 250 speer bullet in it.Did a very nice job on a black bear.I would suggest using the 200 gr on deer or smaller game and 225 & 250 gr on larger game.Very effective calibre out to 200-250 yds.

I am a relative newcomer to the .35 fraternity (one fair bull, an antelope and five bucks). Nevertheless, I am convinced that this caliber will deliver the meat in the vast majority of the big game hunting situations in North America.

I am also having a Montana stainless short action barreled for a .350 Rem. mag. I plan on having it built light and have chosen the follow PAC-NOR contour cut back to 22�. I realize that some folk may feel that that this contour does not have enough meat for a .35 caliber, but it is actually heaver than my Special Edition .35 Whelen and the new Browning 81 in a .358 Win. CP.



[ 05-31-2003, 20:26: Message edited by: CP ]

A couple of good friends of mine in Canada use the .35 Whelen for their moose hunting. One one has ever recovered a spent bullet from his moose and that one went literally from front to rear. Bullet of choice? The Speer 250 gr. Hot-Core flat base loaded to the max their rifles like.
That will be my bullet of choice as well for my elk hunt this year, provided I draw a tag.
Paul B.

I have custom 35 whelen and I love it. I have taken caribou, elk, grizzly bear, mule deer, eland, Kudu, sable, warthog, Red stag and the list goes on and on. It is my favorite rifle, it has yet to fail me. I have used from 180 grain to 225 grain bullets. Both in GS and Barnes X. The Barnes bullets did the job as long as you did not worry about getting under 2 inch groups. I prefer the Speer bullets by a long shot.

I had a 660 in 350 Rem Mag. It was stolen before I got a chance to kill any game with it but I must say that it was by far the most unpleasant rifle I ever shot. Recoil was incredible and muzzle blast was ferocious.

Never again in a lightweight rifle!

For bears, elk or moose as an ultralight carry rifle that you shoot offhand only it could be very practical but you'd have to be nearly immune to its wicked recoil.

$bob$

I've only had the chance to shoot mine on one moose, but even at 2400 fps, the 250 gr. Hot Core went right through. Can't ask for much more than that? FWIW, Dutch.

i have a 35 whelen in m700 with a custom lam stock.. i have killed several deer and hogs with it & they fall faster than with any of my other guns.. my load is 225 sierra's with alot of rl15..this a bullet that fragments but is sudden death on deer/ hog size targets..

I've been playing arouind with a .35 Whelen Rem. 700 Classic for 2 1/2 years now. One Eastern Moose runing broadside at 175 yards. Hit him a bit far back but put him down for a finisher. 1 bull elk app. 75 yards...down! SHiras Moose standing at 280 yards. Four shots...four hits Any one of them would have been enough but he waa still standing so I was still shooting. All with 250 gr. Nosler Part. @ 2,525, fps. I'm taking it back to that spruce & fir jungle called the Bob Marshal Wilderness this fall for another elk hunt.
Rich Elliott

I've used the .358 Win, .350 Rem Mag, the Whelan and the Norma. They demonstrate, well, the benefits of caliber via case efficency and increased authority on game.

I've used the 350 on deer and moose, a couple of bears. 250 gr Speer, 2600 fps, they punch a good sized hole through whatever I shoot them at. Never needed more then one round. My 35 Whelen is pretty much the same story, just a little slower. My 358 Norma on the other hand brings recoil up to another level. Also puts my reach out a little further, but really, either the 350 RM or 35 Whelen will do the job out as far as I figure I should be shooting. Good rounds. - Dan

MtnHtr, I had one of the first Remington 7600's chambered for the .35 Whelen and that was probably one of the sweetest rifles I ever owned. While no speed demon, the .35 Whelen will get the job done. I used 250 gr. bullets and my longest kill was out about 240 yards. I wouldn't be afraid to try out to 300 though. It would make an excellent choice for a woods rifle.

Used an original Rem 600 in 350 RemMag in Alaska and took brown bear, black bear, and more than a few moose. Tremendous little cannon.

I also used a Rem 700 Classis in 350 RemMag on my 1st trip to Zimbabwe and took kudu, waterbuck, eland and lots of impala. Worked great.

Heavy medium bore bullets at modest velocity have done the trick for a century. I recently shot three feral cattle with a 9.3x62. The one I hit aft of the shoulder with a 270 Speer at 2,350 fps made it 15 feet. The others got 286 NP's at 2,300 fps through their shoulders and died on the spot.

In a short action, I'd consider a 21" 358. Also, go through the Medium Bores page--there's a ton of good information there.

Hope this helps, Okie John.

There was an article in African Hunter magazine a couple months ago about hunting in Africa with the 35 Whelen. I don't remember much be he got a lion with it without any trouble.

I horse trade guns constantly, almost a sickness. But of the two rifles that have been in my safe for almost 20 years, one is a 35 Whelen built on an FN Commercial action. It has a 22" bbl of reasonably light weight, and a synthetic stock (currently). I have shot deer, hogs, elk, eland, kudu, wildebeast, nilgai- and a trout that I'd rather not talk about.

I have two main loads that have both given great success. 250 grain Hawk bullets over 4320 powder have given a chronographed 2500 fps; factory Federal ammo with the 225 grain Trophy Bonded has also worked very very well on Nilgai in Texas. I shot three of them several years ago, and bullet performance was very good. This was a last minute hunt where I really didn't have the time to load my normal load, so I bought a box of the Federals and found that they shot/performed so well I have used them ever since.

If you're going to handload, my personal best loads have always been with the use of the factory cases, don't really know why. When I first started with this gun many years ago, I used military '06 cases, which gave higher pressures than commercial '06, prob-ly thicker brass or something. It's a great round.

These were all one shot kills with my Whelen. I was shooting Federal Premium 225 gr. TBBC's.

All,
Thanks for all the feedback.(special thanks to Longbob for posting pics - way too cool) I'm leaning towards a 22" Pac-Nor or Lilja in a 12 twist for my 350RM. McMillan Supergrade stock in one of my exotic swirly patterns. Top it off with a Leupie 4X or 2-7. Sounds like a wide selection of bullets work well, probably due to the large frontal dia. maybe?

MtnHtr

My .35 Whelen has taken several elk from 40-300+ yds. I've had 2 bullets penetrate big Bulls lengthwise. It's also taken a lot of deer and heavier game. I've only had one animal travel farther than 30 yds. after being hammered with this rifle. That was a Nilgai in Texas. He went around 100 yds. if I remember correctly.

Welcome to the cult,er, I mean club. As you can see people can be fanatical about the .35s, big bullets at moderate velocity can do things the ballistic charts may disagree with. I use the 250 Hornady over Varget for almost everything in my whelen. I would post pictures of recovered bullets but I have never found one. I zero 2" high at 100 and that works just fine, took my buck at 308 yards by holding a couple inches high. Dont forget pistol bullets for plinking. 125gr hollow points and some blue dot will turn squirrels into stunt pilots out to 200 yards if you can hit them, under 100 it will out do my .223AI for hang time. Also its a major confidence builder when put a couple hundred rounds a year through your hunting rifle in field conditions.

I really never wanted to try any pistol bullets in my 350, but if they are that "effective" I may try it. What loads can you recommend??? I have some older manuals I can look at, but if you have a proven one, care to let me have it????

CP,

A little information in Pennsylvania in the eastern part of the state there are many users of 35 and 350.. Many of whom I have spoke and hunt with the 350 has a shorter range then the 35W...
This bullet on bears is a super chuncher...But shooting at least a 22in barrel will be the ticket...Results will be super...

Mike

Freedom is not Free

The only place the Whelan exceeds the 350 RemMag is when you use 250gr bullets which I think recoil to much in a ltwt rifle. I used the 225gr Nosler for almost everything I shot with complete confidence.

As the MRC 1999 action has a longer magazine than the Rem 700 just have your rifle chambered (throated) so you can seat the 250gr bullets even with the bottom of the neck and even this difference will go away.

Can anyone explain why the 350 is a short range gun compared to a 35 Whelen, and the need for a 26" tube?????????

[ 06-20-2003, 19:33: Message edited by: sizzlebird ]

Jesse,

The 350 was originally marketed by REm in the model 660 laminated stock with an 18.5 inch barrel
Shooting it like that was like shooting slugs it dropped energy an velocity very fast after150...But as a bear gun in Pa swamps it is beyond reproach...Those original guns sell used here in the east for a grand and many sold for only 150...

Mike