- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
I'm in the same camp. A .375 Hawk/Scovill has the edge in the cool factor as well as performing fine on heavy game.
Fookin' accurate & cost effective to handload for as well.
Does .35 Whelen offer much over .30/06.
- Thread starter nomad 68
- Start date
I'm in the same camp. A .375 Hawk/Scovill has the edge in the cool factor as well as performing fine on heavy game.
Fookin' accurate & cost effective to handload for as well.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
The 35 Whelen is a bit better than the '06 for really big game. I've used mine to take more than a dozen elk and a few other big critters. To me the Whelen has two main advantages over the 30-06.
When loaded with 250 grain strongly constructed bullets like the TSX, Partition or Grand Slam, I usually get exit holes. I like exit holes when hunting elk in early season & thick bush. A well shot elk usually goes on a death dash. Two holes leaking blood makes finding shot game easier. Even with a super penetrating bullet like the Barnes TSX, a 180 grain 30-06 bullet will not reliably produce an exit hole.
The other thing I like is that when heavy bone is hit, such as the point of the shoulder where the humerus and scapula meet, the Whelen will not be stopped or deflected as much. I have seen 150 grain .308 bullets stopped in the shoulder joint of two elk, and a 165gr. that stopped in the shoulder joint of a moose. That likely won't happen with a 250 grain .358. Although nothing is certain in hunting. Two years a go I shot a bull elk with a .375 H & H. & 260gr. Nosler Partition. Elk was quartering towards me at about 140 yds. Bullet hit the point of the shoulder and the bullet deflected enough to miss entering the chest cavity. The shoulder blade and top of the humerus were pulverized, but bullet failed to penetrate at the same angle and ran outwards along the ribs. A second running shot put him down. So you never know, I would not have predicted that outcome.
Really all the Whelen will do over your 30-06 is up the odds a tiny bit more in your favour. I like mine.
When loaded with 250 grain strongly constructed bullets like the TSX, Partition or Grand Slam, I usually get exit holes. I like exit holes when hunting elk in early season & thick bush. A well shot elk usually goes on a death dash. Two holes leaking blood makes finding shot game easier. Even with a super penetrating bullet like the Barnes TSX, a 180 grain 30-06 bullet will not reliably produce an exit hole.
The other thing I like is that when heavy bone is hit, such as the point of the shoulder where the humerus and scapula meet, the Whelen will not be stopped or deflected as much. I have seen 150 grain .308 bullets stopped in the shoulder joint of two elk, and a 165gr. that stopped in the shoulder joint of a moose. That likely won't happen with a 250 grain .358. Although nothing is certain in hunting. Two years a go I shot a bull elk with a .375 H & H. & 260gr. Nosler Partition. Elk was quartering towards me at about 140 yds. Bullet hit the point of the shoulder and the bullet deflected enough to miss entering the chest cavity. The shoulder blade and top of the humerus were pulverized, but bullet failed to penetrate at the same angle and ran outwards along the ribs. A second running shot put him down. So you never know, I would not have predicted that outcome.
Really all the Whelen will do over your 30-06 is up the odds a tiny bit more in your favour. I like mine.
An interesting thing about the 35 Whelen over the 30-06 is that the base of the 35 Whelen bullet is 35% larger in area than the base of the 30-06 bullet. What this means is that for exactly the same pressure, you have 35% more force on the base of the 35 Whelen bullet. So converting the 30-06 cartridge to 35 Whelen was a way of getting significantly more punch for the same amount of powder and pressure.
I agree, I haven't been around a 35, but my 338-06 hits like a cannon on game. A bison and an elk to its name so far, certainly hits with authority!
I don't have a 30-06. It's a great caliber but I have more rifles on 308 win and 7.62 NATO for the 30 Caliber. Making the jump to a 35 Whelen rather than a 30-06 for me was allot more logical big bore caliber upgrade IMHO. Now I have a rifle cartridge that can share the same projectiles with my .38/.357 pistols. The rifle/pistol combo caliber is just another applealling arrangement that made too much sense. Now you can master the rifle by putting more range time with cheaper and more accessible pistol bullets.
The 35 Whelen really starts leaving the 30-06 behind when you start reloading 250 and 300+ grain projectiles. If you decide to still rebore your Howa, make sure you have it done with a 1-12 twist to take advantage of this factor.
The 35 Whelen really starts leaving the 30-06 behind when you start reloading 250 and 300+ grain projectiles. If you decide to still rebore your Howa, make sure you have it done with a 1-12 twist to take advantage of this factor.
This has always been my opinion, my experience with the Whelen began in the 1960s when it was still very much a wildcat.
The one and only bullet I loaded for several decades was the 275 gr. Hornady RN, unfortunately no longer made and my hoard is no longer ( wish I could find some more ).
Since my pet load with that bullet lumbered along somewhere in the 2200 fps range and had a trajectory like a pumpkin , I never seriously considered my Whelen to be a long range rifle so the majority of my hunting kills were under 300 yds., often well under and my Whelen with that load was a superb killer.
That big round nose bullet did very little meat damage and stayed together very well.
I think my first barrel had a 14 or 15" twist but the present barrel has a 12" twist and does not like a light bullet which is fine with me...
I think the selection of bullets in .35 is not as good as .375 or 9.3mm
Therefore if you are going to go bigger, then go bigger....................375/06 or 9.3x62
I bet once you do it, your .30-06 is going to end up unused and dusty.
Just saying.................
Therefore if you are going to go bigger, then go bigger....................375/06 or 9.3x62
I bet once you do it, your .30-06 is going to end up unused and dusty.
Just saying.................
X 2 on 338 06, shot mine again this afternoon. 2650fps with barnes x 225 grain .very accurate. 2 yrs ago 53inch moose down in its tracks. Great penetration
Easy to load from once fired 30 06 brass. I only need to run it through the 338 06 sizer die and ready to roll
Easy to load from once fired 30 06 brass. I only need to run it through the 338 06 sizer die and ready to roll
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I was faced with a similar question when I was trying to decide on a light weight rifle for hiking around in the Yukon. I wanted more than the .30/06 could produce, but without the recoil that something like a .375 Ultra would produce in a light rifle. I hummed and hawed, first about short cartridges like the .350 Magnum, the .35-284, and the .375-284, and finally opted for a long action cartridge, initially a 9.3X62, which was then switched up to a .375 Scovile/Hawk when I discovered that Ron Smith couldn't give me a .366 barrel, and I'd have rather given up the 9.3 than the Ron Smith barrel. Anyway, the thing has since morphed into a light weight switch barrel with additional barrels in .243 and .280 Ackley, now I'm in the waiting mode until its finished up and shipped.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
It's every bit as long and heavy a a magnum.
I think the OP should go 9.3x62, but those are my proclivities showing through again.
No ones mentioned that 35 Whelen also seems to be an accurate cartridge. I purchased one of the early 7600 pumps and I am always surprised how consistently it shoots 3 shot groups.... from a cold barrel. FWIW in your shoes I might be inclined to at least look at finding a 7600 first and trying the cartridge ... you will be able to sell it - or keep it and sell one of your 30/06 if you end up liking the pump. If you do go with a pump you will find that you can increase COL with 200gr
I always found those pumps too noisy when you have to rack it to chamber a round. Nothing spooks an animal faster than a "clackity-clack". The 7600 and the 76 "sportsman" I had both were accurate, but over complicated to clean compared to a bolt gun. They have free floated barrels so they aren't any slouch. It's just a judgement call if you want to make extra noise before you shoot. I wouldn't worry if its for moose, but I've seen a couple of deer scoot when they heard a 7600 "racked".
Slooshark1
CGN frequent flyer
Well you shouldn't be racking it unless you've already fired a shot, in which case, the deer will already be spooked, and hopefully perforated. The 7600s are equipped with a safety so the rifle should be carried with a round in the chamber and the safety on, unless it's in a scabbard on a horse.
I always carry with one in the chamber... the safety is on, but I never rely on the safety, I maintain control of the muzzle... even in a slip and fall... or on uneven ground... or crossing a creek... or climbing a tree... or scaling a mountain...
Likewise....
