I'd go with the 35 whelen. So, if you have an interest in carrying an ultra-rare cartridge of impeccable pedigree, you either roll your own or have someone load it for you. You bet they worked! The rifle, cartridge, and bullet must be capable of handling that one opportunity. to achieve its potential. This is because it was discontinued in the mid-1970s, and reintroduced by Remington in 2003. They will also slap down lighter game like deer, feral hogs and black bear with authority, of course. When chambered for cartridges such as the .243 Win., 6 mm Rem., .308 Win. This is in sharp contrast to the overwhelming success of the .357/9mm handgun cartridges, whose popularity dates right to the beginning of the self-contained cartridge era. All in, it weighed over 11 pounds, which is too heavy. However, Winchesters .338 Magnum proved to be the darling of not only those bound for the 49th state, but for those hunting elk and moose at lower latitudes. Either way, the Newton is the unbelted twin of the .358 Norma. Energy figures have it knocking at the door of 375H&H. a good brush buster and good to 300 yards. Powders such as IMRs Trail Boss, Accurates 5744 and IMRs discontinued SR-4759 all work with lighter bullets, and sometimes accuracy is very good, even if the gas seal is not. You can start with the 6.5mms. Back in the late 70's I picked up a custom 1903 in 358 Norma Mag, awesome rifle, very accurate and it put a thump on deer, I bought it hopping to get a moose tag back in MN, never did and sold the rifle. would follow that tradition. Kevin Steele stops by the Taurus booth to speak with Cody Osborn about the all new Raging Hunter platform from Taurus International. In addition, for stopping the big predators of the world, it's hard to beat a suitable .35 caliber rifle. An elk offers a large target, so extreme magnification shouldnt be necessary. In both cartridges, versatility is limited more by the narrow range of bullets available than by any other factor. So are the .350 Remington Magnum and .358 Norma Magnum. As a "stopper" for use on dangerous game the .358 Norma is clearly superior to the .300 Magnums. Kevin Steele, Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING talks with JJ Reich of HEVI-Shot about the new offerings for 2023. loaded with a 180-grain Oryx bullet to the .358 Norma Mag. from my E.R. Of course, not all .35-caliber cartridges approach greatness. Make no mistake, the .30-06 is a powerful cartridge, but it doesnt beat you to death and can be built in the seven- to eight-pound range. That load has a maximum optimal range on 1000 pound game (like a big Alaskan moose or brown bear) of 151 yards. Ill bet its been awhile since those cartridges have been seen in a hunting camp. It was introduced in the bolt-action Model 70 in which it was trustworthy, but boring. .35 caliber rifle cartridges have been around practically forever without ever really becoming popular. The big case certainly made its reputation with the 250-grain bullets, as their sectional density gives excellent penetration on even the heavy-boned animals, and the .358 Norma can push them to a muzzle velocity of 2750 fps. Normas original spec sheet for the .358 Norma Magnum when it was released in 1959 indicated the cartridges ballistics. My .375 H&H seemed quite adequate. the problem in this debate is we are crossing over in calibres, which means thrust on different sized pistons. That list, by the way, is in ascending order of power. Mag. Equal in importance is that you can hit the elk. It is easy to forget that the .358 bore comes in an extremely varied range of twist rates from 1:16 to 1:12. The bullet was the then-new Trophy Bonded 250-grain Bear Claw. 9.3x62 boots 320gr Woodleigh protected points and weldcore round noses out at 2400 fps with RL-17. Back in 1983 Winchester introduced the .356 Win. This stumpy little cartridge was introduced to the hunting public in 1908 and is the only surviving member of the early class of Remington rimless cartridges. Have a .350 Rem Mag, building a .358 Win currently, would prefer to do the .358 Norma if possible but not sure if this action can handle it.Anyone? We argue cartridges and calibers endlessly, but bullet choice matters. Any listing you find for H-4895 can be modified by loading only 60 percent of the published minimum to create some very comfortable loads. Like most of the children of the Holland & Holland parents, the .358 Norma uses its shoulder for headspacing, rather than the belt, as do the .375 and .300 H&H. The company has chambered several rifles in the cartridge including models in bolt-action, pump-action and semi-automatic. The main problem with such potent cartridges is that they kick hard in rifles light enough to carry all day in steep places. Introducing the Veracity PH from Burris, the perfect combination of reliability, quality, and technology delivering a simple aiming solutiona tool for the hunter that just works. They can take their time and pick their shots. But in my experience, if you can cover that 300-yard window with confidence youre in good shape. By Layne Simpson. Griffin & Howe developed the semiwildcat .350 G&H based on the .375 H&H case, as well as pioneering the .35 Whelen. Compare practically any small bore cartridge (.32 caliber or less) with a .35 caliber cartridge of similar powder capacity and the result is pretty much the same. Remington currently lists a Model 7 rifle with a 20-inch barrel; todays version of the 600 in .350 Rem. and is probably a better deer and black bear cartridge at woods ranges than the more popular .30-30 Win. Its a decent cartridge, but American hunters just wont flock to it. A 358Norma is a good fit for this action. From there, you can work up until you find a load that gives you the accuracy and velocity you want. I would never argue that a .243 Winchester with a good bullet placed well, or certainly a .25-06 with a tough, heavy bullet, cant do the job. Powered by UBB.threads PHP Forum Software 7.7.5. Around eight pounds set to go is a good compromise. Out of stock View Details . The hunter from afar, journeying into unfamiliar country, must also accept the pressure of a limited period of time and the knowledge that it may come down to just one chance. This raises the obvious question: Why, with so many modern cartridges around of more or less equal power, chambered in readily available rifles, is there this lingering interest in, and loyalty to, the .358 Norma? The .35 (.358) caliber has never really gotten a serious toehold here, although the occasional item like the .35 Whelen, .350 Remington Magnum, or .358 Winchester roils the waters every now and again. The .358 Norma Magnum is a rifle cartridge introduced in 1959 by Norma. Winchester still offers ammunition, but the guns are history. compare 338/06 vs 338 win, and 35 whelen vs 358 norma vs 358 alaskan (stw) loaded to same pressure. 10 GA. of muzzle energy. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is at the Streamlight booth at SHOT Show 2023 to go over the Bear Trap light from Streamlight. The .35 Win., .35 Newton and .350 Griffin & Howe Mag. Heres a detailed look at each step of the process. Actual weight depends on subspecies, nutrition, and age, but 600 pounds is a good starting point for grownup bulls and twice the size of an unusually large deer. There are several reasons. Your rifle is your most important hunting tool, and knowing how to properly clean and store it when hunting season comes to a close is critical in keeping it in tip-top shape. By coincidence, in that same year, Norma Projektilfabrik of Sweden introduced its own heavyweight champion, the .358 Norma Magnum. Everybody agrees that the .358 Win. The full spectrum of our many 7mms, from 7mm-08 and 7x57 on up to the fastest 7mm magnums, are also fine, but they are not magical giant-slayers. Either of the other two cartridges mentioned will work just fine also. Perhaps, if the word gets out to the shooting public, the born again .350 may finally achieve the commercial success it deserves. But they are not essential, and despite their effectiveness, all magnums from .30 caliber upwards generate more recoil than many folks are comfortable withand are able to shoot well. Heres a look at 10 of the most flexible long-range hunting cartridges. In more recent times, the 1994 release of the .450 Rigby gave dangerous game hunters a bit more bullet weight than the .416 Rigby and has developed a small but devout following among both professional hunters and their clients alike. Recoil was completely manageable, and it inspired me to begin the journey of having my own .350 Rigby rifle built. as a way to boost the power of the Model 94 lever-action rifle. As it stands, it is most certainly on the edge of becoming obsolete. This is a particularly apt comparison because the re-introduced .350 is available in the Remington Model Seven rifle, which is also offered in .300 short magnum calibers. From limited experience of loading for two different 358 Norma Magnum rifles (a Schultz & Larson Model 65 and a Custom Sako AV) I used to neck up new Winchester 338 Win. For example, take the most powerful of the factory standardized .35's, the .358 Norma Magnum. Whelen would not. Publisher Kevin Steele is in the Beretta booth with Logan Killam, the Shotgun Product Manager, to discuss the all new Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey. Mag.-all with a bigger, heavier bullet that will punch a bigger hole and penetrate deeper. Lyman lists 47 different moulds that were available at one time or another, ranging in bullet weight from 70 to 282 grains. The .35 Rem. Here the elk offers hunters an advantage because the vital zone, like body size, is at least twice that of any deer. exlcusive user. The 25-degree, 30-minute shoulder gives plenty of room for powder, and though the neck of the .358 Norma measures less than the desired one-caliberit comes in at 0.328-inchthere is plenty of neck tension to hold the bullets in place without the need for crimping. The Remington Model 600 Magnum rifle, along with the cartridge it birthed, was just such a product. Most ammunition makers have a 200-grain load, and Remington also has a 150-grain load with a muzzle velocity of 2300 f.p.s. An earlier Western Cartridge load delivered 2,660 fps, which I suspect is closer to the truth. Barnes has a Vor-TX load with a 180-grain TSX bullet and a muzzle velocity of 2900 f.p.s. The cartridge is closely related to the .308 Norma Magnum. The Remington Model 673 Guide Rifle was chambered in .350 Rem. Most rifle elk hunting is not like bowhunting during the bugling season. The .45-70 is another very popular cartridge. If you happen to have a .35 and don't mind the extra recoil, there is no denying that it will flat get the job done. Follow along to see exactly how. In a letter written to friend Townsend Whelen during early 1920s, Leslie Simpson-- one of the first Americans to become a professional hunter in Africa--opined that the hunting world needed a .35 caliber cartridge . How it would have done on a live animal is impossible to say. All rights reserved. My vote is for the .35 Whelen. Even the obscure .358 Norma Magnum is the most efficient of the belted-magnum cartridges [note - by the author's own data the 350 Remington Magnum bests the 358 Norma]. All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Honestly, Ive taken as many elk with the .30-06 as with any other cartridge, and the farthest at 350 yards was no problem. The .35 Whelen fires a larger .358 bullet and is therefore right at the cusp of being a big game caliber and is capable of handling everything except . Shortening the 2.85-inches long .375 H&H case wasnt exactly a revolutionary ideathat little-known .275 H&H so closely resembles the design of the half-century younger 7mm Remington Magnum that its uncannybut with the Winchester marketing machine the concept was brought to the forefront. Can Coolers | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Find More Great NRA Publications Perfect For Every Interest, Discover Everything That The NRA Has To Offer. Folks who live in elk country may consciously seek a cow for the freezer. And, as any fan of the .35-caliber cartridges knows, there are quite a few bullet weights to choose from within the caliber. Thats the primary game for many of us, but one size doesnt fit all. The better ones create mild gallery or small-game loads that are economical, quiet, virtually without recoil and best of all a lot of fun to shoot. The Swedish firm of A.B. As it was released in the first century of the 20th century, when the common boundaries of cartridge usage were being defined, the .350 Rigby Magnum was considered an all-around cartridge, especially in the more open terrain of British and German East Africa, known today as Kenya and Tanzania. In 1965 Remington took it to the next level with the introduction of the Model 600 Magnum Carbine. The cartridge predates the more famous .416 by three years, and the .350 Rigby was the first to feature the sharp 45-degree shoulder which is the hallmark of the Rigby designs. Thought about that 375 Ruger but nah. Every time I use it I ask myself, Whats not to like? Beats me, but nobody liked it enough to keep it in production. Thats a question I just dont understand. To return to our boxing analogy, the .358 Norma Magnum not only has the Hammer of Thor, but it also offers an excellent jab, a good hook, a wicked uppercut and a variety of feints. This standard (.30-06) length magnum cartridge drives a 250 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2799 fps with 4350 ft. lbs. I believe in quality optics, but quality and magnification are not synonymous. Spl. Of the bullets used, several performed extremely well, including the Bear Claw and a Nosler 250-grain Partition. The guide professed to be dumbstruck: I never saw a nilgai knocked down like that, he said, And we use some big rifles here!. They are a little short initially and after two firings they were just fine. For more specialized uses, Speer makes a 180-grain flatpoint (semispitzer)that, with reduced loads, turns the .358 Norma Magnum into a pussycat for recoil but is easily capable of handling game such as black bears and white-tailed deer out to 250 yards or so. Can Coolers | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Find More Great NRA Publications Perfect For Every Interest, Discover Everything That The NRA Has To Offer. That load actually produced 2825 f.p.s. While most of the .35 caliber rifle cartridges are powerful medium bore numbers designed for use on large (CXP3) game like elk and moose, the most popular .35 caliber rifle cartridge is the .35 Remington. Today the .35 caliber family, at least in North America, includes the .357 Magnum, .35 Remington, .356 Winchester, .358 Winchester, .35 Whelen, .350 Remington Magnum and .358 Norma Magnum. If you handload your ammunition, it will make feeding a .358 Norma that much easier, just realize you wont find ammunition at a general store, or even at most gun shops, for that matter. It will work in this action with ease and will be plenty cheap to feed and use if one simply sizes up 338 brass and goes along thier happy way. Movement is more random in big country. Thanks for any thoughts. Mag. My 35 Whelen will run 250gr partitions at 2700 fps with power pro 2000 powder. Boltface would have to be altered for the Norma. It shoots well and is light and easy to carry while hunting. If we compare the .300 Win. The original Schultz & Larsens were sold without iron sights, and they were installed on my rifle afterward. 35 Whelen. [quote=encorerbHmmm, makes me wonder. Where the .338 Winchester drives its 250-grain bullet to 2650 fps, the .358 Norma beats that figure by 100 fps or so, delivering over 4,200 ft.-lbs. Moving down a notch and comparing the .35 Whelen (250 grain bullet at a MV of 2400 fps) to the .30-06 (220 grains at 2410 fps), which have nearly identical case capacity, we find that the optimum game range (OGW) on 1000 pound animals is 10 yards for the .30-06 and 100 yards for the .35 Whelen. necked up to .35 caliber. There is certainly no lack of .358-inch diameter bullets to choose from but brass is limited. Clearly, for the hunter seeking heavy game and willing to accept this level of recoil, the .358 Norma Magnum deserves far more popularity than it has received. Released in 1908, the .350 Rigby Magnum is an entirely original design, with no parent cartridge. It has never failed me. .500 Nitro Express. Then come the .270s. One can almost hear the echoes of Norma Mag. Bottles & 12-oz. He, too, could have been one of the greats. Ive obviously left the door wide open. I am often criticized for following the Elmer Keith school in suggesting powerful cartridges. Both calibers share the same dimensions of the case head as the .300 H&H Magnum, but have far less body taper, resulting in the same internal capacity in a shorter case. It was predictable that the .356 Win. The Norma factory load, with Normas own 250-grain bullet, performed poorly, coming apart in the chest cavity. The .358 has 24 percent more energy at the muzzle than the .300 Win. But there is another Rigby cartridge, vastly overlooked even among rifle cranks, but which was at one time as popular as the .375 H&H Magnum: the .350 Rigby Magnum. Compare the Queen of the .35's, the .350 Remington Magnum--the original short (.308 length) magnum cartridge--with the new generation of short action magnums. The 6.5mm Creedmoor and the old 6.5x55 are sound minimal choices, adequate to 300 yards. As it was released in the first century of the . The .350 Remington Magnum is the only cartridge that appears on both lists of current and obsolete calibers. This is comparable killing power to the long .375 H&H Magnum with a 300 grain bullet (ME 4331 ft. Its safe to say that of all the .358 Norma Magnum rifles in existence, there are more custom than factory ones, and this makes it tricky to load for in another way. Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. So when it comes to penetrating thick hide and heavy bone, one could see where the .350 Rigby could benefit from a heavier bullet, say a premium 250-grain with a SD of .279. If you match the bullet to the game, this is one of the all-time great hunting cartridges. With the 250-grain bullet, it's better than the .30-06 on heavy game at close ranges. I had the privilege of spending some time with a 1917 vintage take-down Rigby-Mauser rifle while on a hunt in Scotland, and the words sweet shooting came quickly to mind. it is complicated further by a requirement for different burning rate powders. I was used to the 30-06 parent cases (.270, 25-06, etc) so that is what I decided on. We owe a debt of gratitude to the engineers at the British firm of Holland & Holland; though it is lost to history who exactly designed the belted magnum cartridge, the .275 and .375 Holland & Holland Magnums were game changers. Kali Parmley of Gun Dog Magazine talks to George Thompson from Benelli USA about the new features from the Benelli line in 2023. in an 8.5 pound rifle, is comparable to the much more popular but less effective (on CXP3 class game) .300 Weatherby or .300 Remington Ultra Magnums. Original Schultz & Larsens had substantial freebore to keep pressures down, and Normas specifications for the cartridge called for it. Among my own favorites for the .358 Norma are the Nosler Partitions in both 225 and 250 grains, Swift A-Frames (225, 250, 280) and various Woodleighs, including the unique 310-grain Weldcore. Mag., and I think thats the only current production rifle in that cartridge. For a while Savage chambered it in the Model 99, and I am still looking for one I can afford. Today we have better bullets than when I was a kid. Why cant we love the .35? Mag. The fortunate few who own them want to keep them, and these are the core admirers who make it worth Normas while to continue offering brass and loaded ammunition. I don't hunt Kodiac island nor elephants so utilizing the 06 case to build an elk rifle, lower 48 grizzly country rifle works for me. i have a 35 whelen and love it. There have been many others, such as the .35-30 Maynard (both in the 1865 and the 1882 versions) and .35-40 Maynard. Elk Venison and Root Vegetable Stew Recipe, Best New Thermal Optics from the 2022 SHOT Show, Venison Backstrap with Sweet & Spicy Peach Relish Recipe, Tested Tough - Modern Zeiss Sports Optics. In fact, the recoil of the .358 Norma Magnum, at about 35 ft. lbs. Pet Loads and Handloader are registered trademarks of Wolfe Publishing Company. For the next year, comparisons were inevitable between Johanssons Hammer of Thor and the .358s powerful 250-grain bullet. But the .416 is certainly not the only cartridge to bear the Rigby surname; read the works of Walter Dalrymple Maitland Karamoja Bell, or Col. Jim Corbett and the .275 Rigbybetter known as the 7x57mm Mauserwill get all sorts of praise. Although such weight is rare, a big bull can exceed 1,000 pounds. Still have a 9.3 (so I guess it "won"). factory load is a 250-grain Oryx bullet listed with a muzzle velocity of 2723 f.p.s. You know the kind with the locking bolt. That load actually produced 2825 f.p.s. If the .35 Rem. Since lack of a gas seal in a low-pressure load is more of a nuisance than a danger, it can be ignored if you dont mind the soot. Id mate it with a good 180-grain bullet, top it with a one-inch-tube scope (to save weight), and go elk hunting. With cast bullets, A-5744 and Trail Boss are usually the best choices, although H-4895 is a good powder for midvelocity hunting loads. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Kali Parmley, Editor-in-chief of Bakccountry Hunter speaks with Bret Maffet of Franchi Firearms to discuss the all new Momentum All Terrain Elite. . The .35 Whelen is accurate, hits hard, penetrates deep, shoots flat and recoils mildly. The most popular cartridges for hunting and even target shooting begin and end with the thirties. It is a good choice for shooters who are very sensitive to recoil, since its free recoil energy is only about 4.5 ft. lbs. They have almost all abandoned the cartridge. My 35 Whelen will run 250gr partitions at 2700 fps with power pro 2000 powder. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Remington Model 700 American Hunter Rifle Project, NRA Women | Understanding Sectional Density (SD), 10 Most Versatile Long-Range Hunting Cartridges | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Fiocchi USA Appoints David Blenker As New CEO After Anthony Acitellis Retirement | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, Behind the Bullet: .17 HMR | An Official Journal Of The NRA, How to Properly Clean and Store Your Rifle After Hunting Season, X-Vision Optics Launches Thermal Impact Scope, First Look: Blocker Outdoors Finisher Accessories, 10 Most Versatile Long-Range Hunting Cartridges, X-Vision Optics Launches Thermal Impact Scope | An Official Journal Of The NRA, New For 2023: Smith & Wesson M&P FPC | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Launching 2023: KelTec R50 Rifle | NRA Family, New For 2023: Glock 47 MOS | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Savage Arms 110 PCS | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Davidson's Winchester Model 1895 Texas Ranger's Edition | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Product Preview: Holosun SCS-MOS Green | An Official Journal Of The NRA, 3 Self Defense Myths That Just Won't Go Away | NRA Family, How to Properly Clean and Store Your Rifle After Hunting Season | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Shotgunning 101: The Perfect Gun Mount | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Glass Bedding A Rifle Stock | An Official Journal Of The NRA, New 4473 Released By BATFE | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Member's Hunt: Road Trip | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Springfield Launches New Online Shopping Experience | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Preview: Sarco, Inc. 2nd Amendment Pint Glass | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Riton Optics Celebrates 10th Anniversary | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Top 4 Ways to Carry a Binocular | NRA Family, Preview: Mission First Tactical 24-oz. The .358 Norma Mag. Alas, to the best of my knowledge, its not imported to the U.S. in its NoslerCustom line with a 225-grain Partition bullet at 2550 f.p.s. What keeps it alive? All Rights Reserved. That 225-grain bullet has a sectional density (SD) value of 0.251, a bit light for what is normally considered to be appropriate for dangerous game. Common loads fire a 200-grain bullet at 2,800 fps (about 3,480 foot pounds of energy), a 225-grain bullet at around 2,600fps (3,380 foot pounds of energy . I own several rifles in this cartridge and all my .35 Whelen rifles are accurate. Let's also compare the .358 with the other end of the spectrum. Mag. If the .350 Rigby Magnum was effective in the golden era of safari, modern premium bullet designs will make it even better. Kevin Steele from Petersen's HUNTING speaks to Jordan Egli of Burris Optics about the all-new Veracity PH Riflescope. Now, I have to go out on a limb and say that sensible elk cartridges aren't all about power. Perhaps thats why it has survived. Petersen's HUNTING Publisher, Kevin Steele is in the CZ booth with Dylan Rice at SHOT Show to talk about CZ 600 Series Trail rifle. Even so, most experienced deer hunters have pretty good ideas on appropriate rifles. The .35 Rem. Im going to rule out short-range cartridges that have the power because theres no sense in making the shot more difficult than necessary. These work, but my thinking has changed over the years. It is very accurate, easy to carry and fast on the target.