DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,317
- 5,989
Over the past several days I've spent a fair amount of time at the range in preparation for hunting this fall. I have three 35 calibre rifles that are unblooded--a 358 Winchester, a 35 Whelen and a 350 Remington Magnum. This is some of the work I've been doing with these rifles to get them ready to take with me beginning this weekend.
The 358 has always shot well, so it was not a great concern. I have tried a variety of loads. Time is getting short, so I'm focused on what is working. Three loads in particular have shot very well in this rifle: 200 grain Hornady FTX with 47 grains of IMR 3031 (2495 fps and 1 inch groups, 200 grain Barnes TSX with 49 grains of H335 (2451 fps, 0.66 inch), and 200 grain Barnes TSX with 47 grains of IMR 3031 (2400 fps, 0.57 inch). It is this latter load that I'll carry with me afield when I carry this Hawkeye this fall.
Here is a picture of the rifle, and of the group produced with it.
I've worked with my Hawkeye chambered in 35 Whelen and continue to return to what has worked consistently. I worked up a load with Speer 250 grain Grand Slam which gave me a MOA group, but the velocity was somewhat low (2288 fps). Nosler 250 grain Partition with a stiff charge of A2520 gave me 1.15 inch groups at 2570 fps. This load merits consideration. I will return to it throughout the season to work with it. I do believe it would be a hammer on game. I tested and rejected RL17 with Swift 225 grain A-Frames, even though they gave me adequate velocity and accuracy. I also tested and rejected due to poor accuracy, 225 grain Swift A-Frames with Big Game and Nosler 225 grain AB with IMR 3031. The same was true with Nosler 225 grain PT and A2495. Sierra 225 grain SBT with A2520 yielded reasonable groups and the velocities are good, and I'll likely review this data again at a later time. At the lowest charge, I shot a 0.58 inch group, but the groups opened up at the charge increased. I also worked up loads built around Speer 250 grain Grand Slams and IMR 4895, as well as Swift 250 grain A-Frames with RL15. Each shows some promise, but there are better loads.
The time is here when I have to settle on a hunting load, however. Ergo, I've returned to what works: 56 grains of A2520 behind a Barnes 225 grain TSX at 2600 fps yielding 0.5 to 1.0 inch groups. Here was one group shot this afternoon.
Here is a picture of the rifle. I've grown fond of it as I have spent so much time with it at the bench.
I've groused about the 350 Remington Magnum since I bought it. It never shot quite like I thought it should. Well, that is changing. I'm not certain what happened, but the rifle has potential. One of the groups that is very promising is built around the Nosler 225 grain Partition and RL15. Across the spectrum, each charge yielded a MOA group. I did note that every group has two shots touching and one out. However, there is no consistency. The one out may be the first, the second or the third. It is just interesting, but I'm unwilling to draw any conclusions at this time.
Hornady 250 grain SP with a good charge of H4895 yields MOA and 2436 fps. Likewise, a Barnes 225 grain TSX with 61 grains of TAC gives me a velocity of 2710 fps and a group size of 0.45 inches. Obviously, this will receive some attention. I worked with the Nosler 225 grain Partition and charges of Big Game and RL17. As the charge increased with RL17, the groups opened up. Velocity was nothing to write home about, but it was adequate. With Big Game, the groups were pretty consistent at MOA, but the velocity was 2400 or less across the spectrum. I'll play with this, increasing the charge to test it again. I also tested the 200 grain TSX with Big Game, but I've rejected this load as it was inferior in both accuracy and velocity. However, when I used IMR 4895 with the 200 grain TSX, the stiffer the charge, the better the accuracy, until the maximum charge when this was the group produced.
I shot the first two rounds and wanted to quit as they were centred on each other. However, being the responsible individual that I am, I pulled the trigger on the third round, and it was only slightly out. There is still one jagged hold of 0.24 inches. The velocity is very good at 2680 fps. Then, I pulled out some of the hunting loads I had made up last fall to test them. They produced a 0.70 inch group at 2765 fps. This is a 200 grain TSX with 59 grains of TAC. It will likely be the load I carry with me on opening day for moose (Sunday morning).
Oh, yeah, I think I'll keep this ugly Remington for a little longer. It has redeemed itself and become beautiful in my eyes.
The 358 has always shot well, so it was not a great concern. I have tried a variety of loads. Time is getting short, so I'm focused on what is working. Three loads in particular have shot very well in this rifle: 200 grain Hornady FTX with 47 grains of IMR 3031 (2495 fps and 1 inch groups, 200 grain Barnes TSX with 49 grains of H335 (2451 fps, 0.66 inch), and 200 grain Barnes TSX with 47 grains of IMR 3031 (2400 fps, 0.57 inch). It is this latter load that I'll carry with me afield when I carry this Hawkeye this fall.
Here is a picture of the rifle, and of the group produced with it.
I've worked with my Hawkeye chambered in 35 Whelen and continue to return to what has worked consistently. I worked up a load with Speer 250 grain Grand Slam which gave me a MOA group, but the velocity was somewhat low (2288 fps). Nosler 250 grain Partition with a stiff charge of A2520 gave me 1.15 inch groups at 2570 fps. This load merits consideration. I will return to it throughout the season to work with it. I do believe it would be a hammer on game. I tested and rejected RL17 with Swift 225 grain A-Frames, even though they gave me adequate velocity and accuracy. I also tested and rejected due to poor accuracy, 225 grain Swift A-Frames with Big Game and Nosler 225 grain AB with IMR 3031. The same was true with Nosler 225 grain PT and A2495. Sierra 225 grain SBT with A2520 yielded reasonable groups and the velocities are good, and I'll likely review this data again at a later time. At the lowest charge, I shot a 0.58 inch group, but the groups opened up at the charge increased. I also worked up loads built around Speer 250 grain Grand Slams and IMR 4895, as well as Swift 250 grain A-Frames with RL15. Each shows some promise, but there are better loads.
The time is here when I have to settle on a hunting load, however. Ergo, I've returned to what works: 56 grains of A2520 behind a Barnes 225 grain TSX at 2600 fps yielding 0.5 to 1.0 inch groups. Here was one group shot this afternoon.
Here is a picture of the rifle. I've grown fond of it as I have spent so much time with it at the bench.
I've groused about the 350 Remington Magnum since I bought it. It never shot quite like I thought it should. Well, that is changing. I'm not certain what happened, but the rifle has potential. One of the groups that is very promising is built around the Nosler 225 grain Partition and RL15. Across the spectrum, each charge yielded a MOA group. I did note that every group has two shots touching and one out. However, there is no consistency. The one out may be the first, the second or the third. It is just interesting, but I'm unwilling to draw any conclusions at this time.
Hornady 250 grain SP with a good charge of H4895 yields MOA and 2436 fps. Likewise, a Barnes 225 grain TSX with 61 grains of TAC gives me a velocity of 2710 fps and a group size of 0.45 inches. Obviously, this will receive some attention. I worked with the Nosler 225 grain Partition and charges of Big Game and RL17. As the charge increased with RL17, the groups opened up. Velocity was nothing to write home about, but it was adequate. With Big Game, the groups were pretty consistent at MOA, but the velocity was 2400 or less across the spectrum. I'll play with this, increasing the charge to test it again. I also tested the 200 grain TSX with Big Game, but I've rejected this load as it was inferior in both accuracy and velocity. However, when I used IMR 4895 with the 200 grain TSX, the stiffer the charge, the better the accuracy, until the maximum charge when this was the group produced.
I shot the first two rounds and wanted to quit as they were centred on each other. However, being the responsible individual that I am, I pulled the trigger on the third round, and it was only slightly out. There is still one jagged hold of 0.24 inches. The velocity is very good at 2680 fps. Then, I pulled out some of the hunting loads I had made up last fall to test them. They produced a 0.70 inch group at 2765 fps. This is a 200 grain TSX with 59 grains of TAC. It will likely be the load I carry with me on opening day for moose (Sunday morning).
Oh, yeah, I think I'll keep this ugly Remington for a little longer. It has redeemed itself and become beautiful in my eyes.
.
