35 Whelen VS 444 Marlin.

[Slamfire]

Here is a picture of the two!

Very nice! Your .444 reminds me of the '80s vintage 1895 SS I had but sold and regretted it ever since.

I've downed Moose, Elk and Deer with my 35 Whelen using 250gr Core-Lokt, Swift A-Frame and X bullets. Best results with the discontinued 250gr X bullets.

 

[Northern Amateur]

True story, I shot at a doe with a 200 grain bullet at around 2300fps, she ran off, as I walk to where she was standing, there was a small saskatoon branch that I could see had been hit by the bullet. I followed the does tracks for perhaps 300 yards before I found her down surrounded by blood, my behind the shoulder shot at maybe 80 yards became a nick the jugular hit that didn't even bleed til she had covered a considerable distance.

So, that small branch had turned a good shot (I assume) into very nearly a miss.

Sighting in my 450 Marlin from my tree stand shooting 55yrds. 350 gr leverolution ammo. Hit a small branch about 15yrs in front of me, deflected the bullet 20 inches by the time it reached the target 40 more yrds away. Branches and leaves will deflect bullets and it doesn't take much to put it off course.

cheers,

 

[Northern Amateur]

To me the topic is closing in on comparing apples to oranges. Bolt action rifles vs lever action. Each has their purpose and it depends on what you are hunting and where you are using either. The area I hunt is wooded with typical clearings within 60yrds. I gravitate towards lever guns as I find them easy to carry and maneuver in the brush. Switch between 30-30, 44mag, 444, 45-70 and 450 Marlin.

 

[badbrass]

The 444s is a 1974 DOM. in VG Condition.

 

[remington jim]

Keep the 35 Whelen ! Its Much BETTER all around cartridge then the 444 Marlin is ! RJ

 

[Superbrad]

I am a big fan of guys shooting their favourite carridge in it's intended range for its intended purpose.......

But comparing a 444 to 35 whelen is like comparing a 30-30 to a 300 win mag....... completely ridiculous IMOP......

 

[PEKS]

Keep them both, prevent sellers regret..

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Keep the 35 Whelen ! Its Much BETTER all around cartridge then the 444 Marlin is ! RJ

True enough, but then, in reality, the list of cartridges that are better all round choices than the 444 Marlin is long and distinguished. The 444, reloaded using the 265gr Hornady has been a dependable performer over the years on a number of occasions. My use of it, started a 'few' years back, just north of where you're located. In the Wells/Bowron Lake area. Again, while there's better out there, I'll still hang onto my Marlin 444S.

 

[WhelanLad]

Goin by my Handle...... Ima stick with the Big Whelen....
My 250gr mild load is like 20 something inches low at 300m , Which is FAR enough to get closer!


If I were Brush hunting, It is really hard to Go past the Lever action Rifle though, just Looks and Feels right and Generally 300meters is thru an Acre of tree/scrub.

WL

 

[Jay]

35 vs 444

This post screamed POLL! I say keep the 35 Whelen!

 

[WhelanLad]

310 gr Woodleighs considered light in the 35 Whelen ?
I would not feel undergunned with that round in a Whelen any where on this Continent

Copy That!

I'm going back up North for Buffalo this Year, You bet I will Load 310 Woodleighs , depending on how performance is out of my Hawkeye.. if satisfactory Accuracy wise and 'enough' Velocity for say 200 Meters...

Last time, the 225 RN was not the Medicine, however did the Job.

 

[Slamfire]

For the 35 Whelen, the Woodleigh Bullets Loading Manual lists 2215 fps as the maximum MV with their 310gr RN SN bullet using Reloder17. Barrel lengths aren't specified for any of their load data which should matter.

In my 24" barrel Remington 700 CDL 35 Whelen I get just under 2300 fps MV. But with a 1:16 twist (Woodleigh recommends 1:14 or faster) I get around 3" groups at 100 meters.

However, with my custom .350 Remington Magnum which has a 24" 1:12 twist barrel I get sub MOA accuracy and 2500 fps MV using Reloder17. I've used the 310gr RN SN bullet in my .358 Winchester BLR (1:12 twist barrel) at 2100 fps MV on Moose with good results.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

True enough, but then, in reality, the list of cartridges that are better all round choices than the 444 Marlin is long and distinguished. The 444, reloaded using the 265gr Hornady has been a dependable performer over the years on a number of occasions. My use of it, started a 'few' years back, just north of where you're located. In the Wells/Bowron Lake area. Again, while there's better out there, I'll still hang onto my Marlin 444S.

I should've clarified a little. I voted to keep both. However, to decide only between the two options listed, the 35 Whelen would be the way to go. My statement on the 444 was a result of my history with it in the field, plus I already have two 35's in the gun safe, a pair of 358NM's. As such, a 35 Whelen isn't a real 'need'.

 

[badbrass]

O well! Its a forum! Each to their own thought's!

I am a big fan of guys shooting their favourite carridge in it's intended range for its intended purpose.......

But comparing a 444 to 35 whelen is like comparing a 30-30 to a 300 win mag....... completely ridiculous IMOP......

 

[hoytcanon]

I like the Whelen and have had several... I would definitely choose it over a .444 in an "either or" scenario... but I have abandoned the Whelen in favour of a pair of .350 Rem Mag's, mostly because I prefered the platform of one rifle and the wood on the other.

 

[Slamfire]

I like my custom .350 Rem. Mag. It has serious cool factor.

And stabilizes 310gr Woodleighs.

 

[Highwind]

I don't know too many guys who hunt the same conditions all the time so my views are based on variety of situations. In tighter bush conditions the 444 makes the most sense. In clear cuts the 35 Whelen makes more sense. While variety adds a bit a spice to life - If I was to keep one it would likely be the 35.

 

[hoytcanon]

I like my custom .350 Rem. Mag. It has serious cool factor.

And stabilizes 310gr Woodleighs.

I don't bother with the heavies... 250 Partitions will do the trick on anything I might pursue or vice versa... ditto on the "cool factor."

 

[Slamfire]

The 310gr is a good penetrator. Exit wounds increase shock and promote hemorrhaging.

 

[BigUglyMan]

This is a toughie for me. They're both like the ugly younger siblings of a couple of my favourites...the 366 Wagner and the 45-70. Now, if I was going to choose between those two (and I really wouldn't want to) I would have to keep the old Kraut metric in the safe than the 45-70. And to say that hurts a lot because I love the 45-70 and shot my first deer with it.

So if I look at the two pretenders in question, the not quite cool enough 35 Whelen and the overgrown revolver cartridge 444 Marlin, I'd come down on the side of the Whelen. The 444 just hasn't got what the 35 has in the Sectional Density department. The Whelen is the all around superior choice (I think I puked in my mouth a little typing those words in any context) to the 444.