I will go with you Scotty on enough bullet selection. I would only need 2 of the weights mentioned. And likely only load one, the 250PT, then use it on everything I would hunt it with. There would be very limited circumstance's/senario's on this continent, where the potential of the .338's 250gr. added SD may be of benefit imo. I would have no qualms, if the Whelen was my only rifle. As for what I have now, the .338-06 would fall nicely between the 30-06 and 9.3, and have no need for a betweener. Want would be another story. But with those two as is for now, with 180 gr. PT in one and 286 PT. However, I really look forward to giving the ABLR's a try in the 06. I think either one, brings new life to the grand old .30-06!
.338-06 vs .35 Whelen vs heavy .30-06
- Thread starter Guy Miner
- Start date
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SJB358":1tawpie2 said:
There's a lot of horse sense in that statement, Scotty. To be sure, I'm not averse to rounds where bullet choice is limited, as long as there are good choices. I have two which fall in that category - the 350RemMag and my 8x57. For the 350, I'm limited by the magazine length on the 673 (Model 7 short action) but with the 220gr Speers shooting so well, I don't much care. I can always go to a 225 or 250gr Speer or Nosler Partition and be fine. No Accubonds or other, longer profile bullets, but good stuff available for sure. For the 8x57, there are far more options now than when I bought it, but again, I considered only a few bullets when I went to load for it. The 180gr BT, 185gr Core-Lokt, 195gr Hornady, and 200gr Speer Hot-Cor. I started with the 185gr Rem Core-Lokt because it was cheap and I wanted to test the barrel. Never shot great, but I could kill deer with them (~2" at 100yds best group). The Nosler 180gr BT was my first choice for a hunting bullet, and I've never ventured beyond loading it, as I can get 1moa out beyond 200yds (as far as I've tested that one) so I'm pretty happy with it. It knocks the snot out of deer, too. So bullet selection is just one piece of the puzzle for me, and not ever the most important piece.
Good topic. 8) I've done much of my hunting with the 30-06 and am relatively new to the .35 Whelen. Been shooting one for 6 or 7 years now at the range but have only had it out on three hunts. Drawing tags to hunt is the problem, not because I wanted to use something else. 
I guess shooting two elk doesn't mean much other than they both dropped on the spot so the Whelen will be seeing more action down the road. I emeber an article by the late Finn Aagaard whee he compared the .336-06 to the .35 Whelen and at the end said he preferred the 338-06., slthough did admit that the difference was negligable.
Like the OP, I too have a 1917 Enefield in 30-30 that was rebarreled in 1943 with a two groove Remington barrel. Naturally, corrosive priming and pisspoor cleaning took their toll but it has a nice Bishop stock on it, receiver sight and the ears have been ground off. Oh well the tab for the gun was only $150. I've only shot a few cast bullet loads through the gun more for spits and grins than anything else. Whoever made up the stock must have hands like King Kong as it is a bit clubby and taking off a lot of excess wood and refinishing it would go a long way toward making a nice rifle. There's a guy up in Prescott AZ who does reboring; a bit pricey but I hear he's very good. http://www.cutrifle.com/reboring.html I bought it with the intention of making it into another .35 Whelen with a proper 1 in12" twist and full 26" barrel. But some of the thoughts on the 338-06 are also interesting. I've ready John Taylor's book on African rifles and artridges and some of his comments on the .318 WR were intdeesting and on closer examination, a 30-08 really is nothing more thnn that .318 with a very slightly larger bore (.338" vs .327" according to Taylor.) You get the benefit of a 0.011" fatter bullet in the ..38-06. 8) One of these days I ust might drive up to Prescott and chain him to his work bench. :lol: :lol: :lol: I just might do a 338-06 just to see what all the fuss is about. :shock: :lol: :lol:
Paul B.
I guess shooting two elk doesn't mean much other than they both dropped on the spot so the Whelen will be seeing more action down the road. I emeber an article by the late Finn Aagaard whee he compared the .336-06 to the .35 Whelen and at the end said he preferred the 338-06., slthough did admit that the difference was negligable.Like the OP, I too have a 1917 Enefield in 30-30 that was rebarreled in 1943 with a two groove Remington barrel. Naturally, corrosive priming and pisspoor cleaning took their toll but it has a nice Bishop stock on it, receiver sight and the ears have been ground off. Oh well the tab for the gun was only $150. I've only shot a few cast bullet loads through the gun more for spits and grins than anything else. Whoever made up the stock must have hands like King Kong as it is a bit clubby and taking off a lot of excess wood and refinishing it would go a long way toward making a nice rifle. There's a guy up in Prescott AZ who does reboring; a bit pricey but I hear he's very good. http://www.cutrifle.com/reboring.html I bought it with the intention of making it into another .35 Whelen with a proper 1 in12" twist and full 26" barrel. But some of the thoughts on the 338-06 are also interesting. I've ready John Taylor's book on African rifles and artridges and some of his comments on the .318 WR were intdeesting and on closer examination, a 30-08 really is nothing more thnn that .318 with a very slightly larger bore (.338" vs .327" according to Taylor.) You get the benefit of a 0.011" fatter bullet in the ..38-06. 8) One of these days I ust might drive up to Prescott and chain him to his work bench. :lol: :lol: :lol: I just might do a 338-06 just to see what all the fuss is about. :shock: :lol: :lol:
Paul B.
35 Whelen
Handloader
- Dec 22, 2011
- 2,249
- 582
Bad as I hate to I have to side up with Scotty on this one. Up to deer sized game you dont ever need anything else but the 06. But when you begin to fire at stuff in the thousand pound catagory, the larger diameter bullets performing like a 35 Whelen does say with a 250gr bullet running along at 2600fps does tip the odds into its favor. I am going to say up to around 400lbs the 06 is unstopable . But at the 1000 lb mark either the 338/06 or the 35/06 probably has the edge.
The 30/06 with 220gr bullets will kill an Alaskan Brown Bear just fine if you hit it exactly where you need to.
But if its gettin dark and he moves when you fire , I personally would like to have that extra hp that the 35 Whelen brings to the table , as I dont want my life insurance cashed in early!
The 30/06 with 220gr bullets will kill an Alaskan Brown Bear just fine if you hit it exactly where you need to.
But if its gettin dark and he moves when you fire , I personally would like to have that extra hp that the 35 Whelen brings to the table , as I dont want my life insurance cashed in early!
Mighty Peace
Handloader
- Jul 5, 2006
- 328
- 2
I went with the 338-06AI version, to be different and listening to my gunsmith who built and owned a few himself.
Me, I like the 338-06 for your rifle with 225gr Accubonds. If you dont want larger bullet weights, a 30-06 shooting 165gr AB's would be the ticket....maybe an AI version???
Me, I like the 338-06 for your rifle with 225gr Accubonds. If you dont want larger bullet weights, a 30-06 shooting 165gr AB's would be the ticket....maybe an AI version???
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,588
- 6,756
SJB358":2mno983v said:
It is a good looking rifle, Scotty. You can view it here: http://www.noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7871&start=45
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,588
- 6,756
Elkman":2249htwz said:
Oh, that hurts, Bill. How can you say such mean things?
Woodycreek
Handloader
- Aug 2, 2007
- 2,240
- 0
Another vote for the 338-06AI or should I vote for the 30-06AI setup to shoot the new 190 ALRs???
FUNNY!!!
Elkman":12z6i9qh said:
FUNNY!!!
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
At 2900-2950 with a 200 and 2750-2800 with a 225 the answer is clear to me. 338-06AI!
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 7
You go Jake!
Elkman":7j9bcf2h said:
This is coming from the guy that has just about worn through the steel on a Model 70 from carrying it...
I thought he had finger grooves cut into the floorplate, come to find out, it was just from 50 years of carrying the rifle! :lol:
This old statement still stands ture. "The 35 whelen takes over where the 30-06 leaves off on larger game like elk and moose".
The 250gr 358 and the 180gr 308 bullets have very simular sectional densities and trajectories. While the 250gr is both heavier and wider which packs more on game performance. You can go heavier in the 308 cal but it is still a 308 dia bullet and will not give the advantage the 358 dia does.
A very fare comparison would be between the 25-06, 30-06, and 35 whelen. The same relationship exsists between the 25-06 & 30-06 as does the one between the 30-06 & the 35 whelen. True for both pros and cons for each step up or down in caliber for the same cartridge case.
If all three are loaded to the cases potenial. I have a 270win and a 35 whelen to benifit from both cartridges atrabutes.
The 250gr 358 and the 180gr 308 bullets have very simular sectional densities and trajectories. While the 250gr is both heavier and wider which packs more on game performance. You can go heavier in the 308 cal but it is still a 308 dia bullet and will not give the advantage the 358 dia does.
A very fare comparison would be between the 25-06, 30-06, and 35 whelen. The same relationship exsists between the 25-06 & 30-06 as does the one between the 30-06 & the 35 whelen. True for both pros and cons for each step up or down in caliber for the same cartridge case.
If all three are loaded to the cases potenial. I have a 270win and a 35 whelen to benifit from both cartridges atrabutes.
taylorce1
Handloader
- Jun 3, 2007
- 1,080
- 0
I don't have anything too add to what has already been said. I own all three rifles and won't part with any of them. However, when it is all said and done I don't use particularly heavy bullets. 165's in the 06, 200-210 in the .338-06, and 225's in my Whelen.
Mighty Peace
Handloader
- Jul 5, 2006
- 328
- 2
DrMike":2mymq5am said:
Thanks DrMike, you beat me to it! :grin:
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,588
- 6,756
A most handsome rifle, MP. It would be a source of pride for anyone to carry.
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
Shouldn't it read this?
"Actually, there are only two classes of people posting here: Model 70 owners and those who wish they could sale their Remington."
"Actually, there are only two classes of people posting here: Model 70 owners and those who wish they could sale their Remington."
