35 Whelen of 338-06?

Fox

Fox

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This is one of those well into the future thoughts but was looking for opinions.

I have 2 Parker Hale 30-06 rifles, one has a beautiful stock and irons, I have rings for it and as long as I can put a low profile or 3 position safety on it I will be able to load 200gr Partitions for the scope and 220gr RN for the sights, I know that it is not the standard 180gr but I do not get guns to shoot what everyone else shoots, I have to be unique.

The other rifle has a nice stock but not awesome, the low profile safety is a bit loose (still works fine) and it has had weaver mounts bolted to the parker hale bases. The sights have been removed from the barrel and the crown is not in great shape. I bought this one first to build as the 30-06 above but the one above sort of fell into my lab a year later.

My thoughts were that the second one would be a great candidate for come custom work, it is a 98 Mauser action. I would remove the parker hale bases and put on new bases right to the receiver, I do not think I can modify the parker hale ones to take standard rings and parker hale rings are hard to find.

Then I thought about re-barrelling, I have smaller bore guns, so why not go larger. The 35 Whelen has always sparked my interest but a few people have suggested the 338-06 A Square.

Here are my thoughts on both.

The 35 Whelen you can get proper headstamp brass. You can load pistol bullets and 35 Rem bullets down to hunt deer and plink little critters if you really wanted to. You can find commercial ammo so to re-sell it would be easier.

The 338-06 has a lot more options for bullets with higher BC and higher SD.

I am leaning heavily towards the 35 Whelen, I would assume that the gunsmithing work and cost would be similar, 338 vs 35 barrel cost does not seem to be that much different.
 
There's a big discussion on that very topic here: https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1804892-Advice-for-first-build-in-35-Whelen?

Loaded to the same pressure, the 35 Whelen will have higher MV's than the 338-06 with the same bullet weight. You can go to 310 grs with the 35 Whelen and 300 grs with the 338-06, but you'll need the right barrel twist.

Much greater choice of bullets for the 338-06.

I have a 35 Whelen, but since I got a 9.3X62, I have mostly forgotten about it...

Tradex has inexpensive 9.3X62 barrels: https://www.tradeexcanada.com/content/mauser-m98-barrel-zastava-93x62

They also have many rifles in 9.3X62: https://www.tradeexcanada.com/content/husqvarna-commercial-fn98-93x62-12
 
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I like your thinking.

I believe that the original rifling grooves need to be totaly removed, when the barrel is bored out. Going to .35 provides a better chance of accomplishing that. Do your homework on this, as you may need to get a new/different barrel, or go even larger (I.e. .375??).

Good luck :)
 
Bigfoot 870 said:
I like your thinking.

I believe that the original rifling grooves need to be totaly removed, when the barrel is bored out. Going to .35 provides a better chance of accomplishing that. Do your homework on this, as you may need to get a new/different barrel, or go even larger (I.e. .375??).

Good luck :)
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I would be doing a barrel swap, get something with a started chamber and then the gunsmith would just have to finish ream it.

I really like the idea of just swapping the barrel and doing nothing else, hence my thought on keeping it a 30-06 base and rim, 9.3x62 would fit that design but no plinking loads that is for sure.
 
The 338-06 will outperform the 35 Whelen in velocity, flat shooting and energy at all ranges...

The 35 Whelen you can get proper headstamp brass. You can load pistol bullets and 35 Rem bullets down to hunt deer and plink little critters if you really wanted to.

What's most important to you?
 
I decided on the .35 Whelen quite some time ago and have no reason to regret my decision. The .338-06 is more "versatile" and is a slightly "longer range" option, but I look at the choice more as an alternative to .30 caliber for big critters. You already have a 30-06. If you're stepping up in caliber and bullet weight in order to kill very large animals more decisively, the .35 delivers heavier bullets faster than the .338-06. And it is a standard reasonably widely available factory cartridge. Look at the new data from Speer - it lists their 250 grain .358" bullet at 2700 fps using CFE223. Or use the standard 250 Remington factory loads at 2400 fps if you don't need that much punch. Or the Remington 200 grain if you are only after deer. Or shoot Federal 225 grain TBBC loads for range and deep penetration. Or loads from Nosler, or Hornady, or Norma. I've taken more than a dozen elk and several moose with mine. Using 250 gr. bullets I usually get complete penetration and exit wounds even when shooting through the big humerus bones. I like that.
 
guntech said:
The 338-06 will outperform the 35 Whelen in velocity, flat shooting and energy at all ranges...

The 35 Whelen you can get proper headstamp brass. You can load pistol bullets and 35 Rem bullets down to hunt deer and plink little critters if you really wanted to.

What's most important to you?
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I really like the 35, the idea of a pistol bullet plinker/survival rounds all the way up to big medicine for nasty big toothed animals.

I hunt in Ontario so big toothed critters is not as likely for me but it seems to be truly an everything in NA type of rifle.

Longwalker said:
I decided on the .35 Whelen quite some time ago and have no reason to regret my decision. The .338-06 is more "versatile" and is a slightly "longer range" option, but I look at the choice more as an alternative to .30 caliber for big critters. You already have a 30-06. If you're stepping up in caliber and bullet weight in order to kill very large animals more decisively, the .35 delivers heavier bullets faster than the .338-06. And it is a standard reasonably widely available factory cartridge. Look at the new data from Speer - it lists their 250 grain .358" bullet at 2700 fps using CFE223. Or use the standard 250 Remington factory loads at 2400 fps if you don't need that much punch. Or the Remington 200 grain if you are only after deer. Or shoot Federal 225 grain TBBC loads for range and deep penetration. Or loads from Nosler, or Hornady, or Norma. I've taken more than a dozen elk and several moose with mine. Using 250 gr. bullets I usually get complete penetration and exit wounds even when shooting through the big humerus bones. I like that.
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"versatile", I like the quotes because it seems like outside of the BC of the bullet there is almost no difference between the 338-06 and 35 Whelen for velocity/energy. One concern would be, is it possible for them to stop making the .358 bullets, did anyone ever think they would stop making .311 bullets? The 303 Brit was used by everyone and bullets could be had up to 215gr, now you have 180gr and 150gr and not from everyone, there is always the fear that this happens with your odd caliber rifle. The BC is not even that much different with standard bullets, just the specialty stuff.
 
Fox said:
I would be doing a barrel swap, get something with a started chamber and then the gunsmith would just have to finish ream it.

I really like the idea of just swapping the barrel and doing nothing else, hence my thought on keeping it a 30-06 base and rim, 9.3x62 would fit that design but no plinking loads that is for sure.
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Good stuff.
.35 W gets my vote!! :)
 
I don't think you will see .35 caliber bullets disappear for a while yet, with some big deer hunting states restricted to straight wall and .35 caliber or larger, look at Winchester releasing the .35 Legend or whatever its called. Our choices may get limited but with the way pricing is going you may as well stock up once you find a load your rifle likes.
 
Jim870 said:
I don't think you will see .35 caliber bullets disappear for a while yet, with some big deer hunting states restricted to straight wall and .35 caliber or larger, look at Winchester releasing the .35 Legend or whatever its called. Our choices may get limited but with the way pricing is going you may as well stock up once you find a load your rifle likes.
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To be fair, 350 legend uses 357cal pistol bullets not 358cal rifle bullets. I would suspect it doesn't provide the velocity needed for reliable expansion with the 35cal rifle bullets.

OP I would lean towards the 35, simply because the 35 pokes a bigger hole. The difference between 35Whelen and 3006 is greater, so that would be my pick.

Fox said:
I would be doing a barrel swap, get something with a started chamber and then the gunsmith would just have to finish ream it.

I really like the idea of just swapping the barrel and doing nothing else, hence my thought on keeping it a 30-06 base and rim, 9.3x62 would fit that design but no plinking loads that is for sure.
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You could always do low velocity cast loads for plinking. Bullet barn makes a 280gr bullet in 368cal.
 
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Of course it's always about personal preference, but my vote would be the 35 Whelen. Larger bullet frontal area compared to the 338-06. It can lob heavier bullet weights. Pretty impressed with the calibre.
 
Factory brass for the 338-06 is available. I recently purchased 5 boxes of new unloaded/unprimed Weatherby brass, and Jerry at Mystic was able to source 100 pcs new bulk Weatherby. It’s around, just have to dig...Good luck finding factory loaded stuff, however. Unobtainium.
CranePete
 
billdick said:
I find it odd you need help with this. I would just have one of each. I hope to some day have a rifle in each caliber that is possible on the 30-06 case.
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Ha ha, I have a young family, life is too expensive for that, maybe before I was married.

CranePete said:
Factory brass for the 338-06 is available. I recently purchased 5 boxes of new unloaded/unprimed Weatherby brass, and Jerry at Mystic was able to source 100 pcs new bulk Weatherby. It’s around, just have to dig...Good luck finding factory loaded stuff, however. Unobtainium.
CranePete
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I know that brass is pricey, would just make 338-06 but 35 Whelen virgin brass is the same cost from Hornady as virgin 30-06 essentially.

mbogo3 said:
Buy a Zastava 98 mauser threaded/chambered for 9.3x62 from Trade-ex.
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Not looking to go that big, not ideally, but it may end up being cheaper.
 
Fox said:
Ha ha, I have a young family, life is too expensive for that, maybe before I was married.



I know that brass is pricey, would just make 338-06 but 35 Whelen virgin brass is the same cost from Hornady as virgin 30-06 essentially.


Not looking to go that big, not ideally, but it may end up being cheaper.
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Fox, I've had both in the past. I recently sold the last 35 Whelan I had. I have kept three 338-06 rifles though. Two built on Winchester Mod 70 actions and one on a Ruger #1.

The 9.3x62 isn't a bad cartridge by any means but it's usefulness is a bit limited IMHO. Not because it isn't capable of clean kills or accuracy out to 400+meters. Bullets are very difficult to come by if you hand load is mostly the reason.

I stayed with the 338-06 mostly because of the great bullet selection, the rifles I have are very accurate/predictable/dependable. I also have a 338-08 which is almost as effective.

Just remember, the heavier the bullets at decent velocities the heavier the recoil.

The one drawback of the 338-06 is that cases nor loaded cartridges are available. The 35 Whelan can be purchased off well stocked LGS shelves. I checked out several different gun shops last summer and only one, Del Selin's in Vernon BC, carried loaded ammo. two others carried 35 Whelan brass and only three carried 35 cal bullets suitable for the cartridge.

Not a big deal because all of the above utilize the 30-06 case as a parent. All are easily necked up and fire formed.

Ballistics comparisons show very little REAL difference between all of them.

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Looking at barrels, in the 35 Whelen, 1 in 14" seems like the norm, this should be good beyond 250gr from what I have been reading, that make sense?
 
My current .35 Whelen is 1-14" twist and handles 250 gr. with no problem. But then so did my Rem 700 with 1-16" and my custom #1 with 1-12" Never saw much difference.
 
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