Alright. I need to replace my 'borrowed' 35 Whelen. And I hate to post another 375 Ruger thread. But I'm not sure which caliber to build.

I have my 280 AI which covers about 90% of everything I need a hunting rifle to do. What I need is a big gun. I don't really plan on going to Africa ever, but I do want to hunt the Outback with an Aussie friend who keeps trying to get me back down there. So big Crocs and Buffs are what I'm looking at. Would also like to do an Alaskan hunt before I die, too. Big bears. I want more punch than the 35 had, but there aren't many rogue elephants in Florida, so the really big stuff is out.

I have considered 9.3x64, 9.3x66, 375 Ruger and even the 416 Remington. I'm really leaning toward the 375 Weatherby.

I'll never own another 77 and don't care vfor short barrels, so those aren't considerations. It will be a 26" tube.

What say ye?

Ted,
You could really get weird like a couple of us here and go to a .395 caliber! Seriously, considering everything, your .35 Whelen was "borrowed" so a 9.3x62 seems appropriate. Slightly bigger caliber with a classic history and right in line case-wise with your 280AI. For something bigger, how about the .416 Taylor?

what Prof242 says has merit. If you enjoyed the 35 Whelen, you are going to just be ga-ga! over the 9,3x62. Everything the Whelen offers and about ten-percent more. CZ offers a very trim little fullstock carbine, and the magazine holds five rounds. 286 grain bullets at 2400fps is a cruncher for anything you might find over there, and a big bear will go down like lightning struck if you do your job. I think the work RIP and he are doing on the .395 series is awesome, and the one on the Ruger case will fit in a 98 action.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

My vote goes to the .375 Weatherby

Consider the 9.3X64. Its REALLY easy to convert any M98 to a 9.3X64 and it will easily do a 286 gr bullet at 2750fps. When I last built one it went way over 2900fps and I had to tune it down. Accuracy was .5MOA at 100 yrds. Probably the easiest .375 H&H equivalent possible in a near box stock M98. Bolt face can literally be opened with a dremel tool if thats needed at all. Rails need only slight mods and all you need to do is open the mag box a little. Brass is readily available as are bullets. A very neat cartridge. I vcan't reccomend it enough!-Rob

The 375 H&H is a good choice. With full power loads everyone knows what it can do.

With 220 to 250 gr bullets at 2300 to 2500 fps it is a good deer gun.

If you really want to get esoteric a 400 H&H or a 404 Jeffery, or even a 416 Rem Mag would be a fun gun.
Loaded down to 405 Win ballistics [300gr bullet at @2200fps] it would be a fun, mild recoil great killer of deer sized game.

Hi,
I´m building a 9.3x64 at this very moment -even though I own a 9.3x62... The x64 has a small edge over the x62 and will be fine for buff. I was thinking of doing a .375 Ruger but didn´t like the pressure profile. I once owned a .375 H&H and it was nice enough and can´t really be badmouthed.

Good luck on choosing

Have you considered the 350 Rem Mag? It is practically identical to the fine 35 Whelen in terms of performance and ballistics, but has the added advantage in that it requires only a short action. It's one of my all time favorites. Best, Brad Starcevich.