.35 Whelen vs .338-06

[Why not?]

so,..........then the 30-06 leaves the 338-06 in the dust with higher BC's.... .

That's why I mentioned the 30-06, in response to B's mention of BC.

and I agree with Kimberman, re: the 338 Win Mag .....the 2.5" magnums are a good choice over the '06 case rounds in almost any bore size....why strain the pressure gauge with hot loaded '06 cased rounds when you can have a 2.5" cased mag in the same bore size....no matter if it's a 25-06 vs a 257 Wby or a 338-06 vs the 338 Win Mag....

Exactly!

Ted

 

[Why not?]

I wasn't arguing. I have immense respect for the .30-06 and it's offspring. As I have said the difference are slight. If we are going to argue .35 Whelen vs. .338-06 though... let's argue! LOL.

Never suggested you were arguing. In fact I agree with you that the differences are slight, however they certainly favour the 35 if pressures are the same.

Ted

 

[Why not?]

what are you loading to get 2650 with a 220 grain bullet Ted?

Thanks rgv! My two-finger hunt-and-peck typing again.

Should be 2550, and I will correct the post immediately. Another good thing about this forum is we keep an eye on each other.

H4831 gets there, and 4350 comes close. Buddy of mine says he gets there using Re22, and I believe him.

The Hodgdon/IMR website shows 220s at 2458 fps and 48,600 CUP. These published loads are of course kept at lower pressures, because of earlier production rifles more than 100 years old.

Thanks again for the heads-up!

Ted

 

[cam1936]

Anyone have a .375-06?

 

[Ganderite]

The 338 is better for LR, but the 35 can load pistol bullets for plinking.

I have had 2 35s and they were great performers.

 

[BC Bigbore]

the 2.5" magnums are a good choice over the '06 case rounds in almost any bore size....why strain the pressure gauge with hot loaded '06 cased rounds when you can have a 2.5" cased mag in the same bore size....no matter if it's a 25-06 vs a 257 Wby or a 338-06 vs the 338 Win Mag....

Why a .30-06 based case? Because you can build a lighter & handier rifle with a non-belted case that will do 99% of what a WinMag will do with less buck n bellow. If you require more than what the .338-06 is capable of, then pass on the little WinMag and step up to a .338RUM or a .338-378Wby.
As for the big hairy difference between the .35 Whelen and the .338-06, well the .338 has more of the Koolness factor and that's about it. On the other hand, you can locate factory ammo for the .35 Whelen locally but the .338-06 is mostly a handloaders option around this area, so whatever floats yer boat.

 

[bearkilr]

Why a .30-06 based case? Because you can build a lighter & handier rifle with a non-belted case that will do 99% of what a WinMag will do with less buck n bellow. If you require more than what the .338-06 is capable of, then pass on the little WinMag and step up to a .338RUM or a .338-378Wby.
As for the big hairy difference between the .35 Whelen and the .338-06, well the .338 has more of the Koolness factor and that's about it. On the other hand, you can locate factory ammo for the .35 Whelen locally but the .338-06 is mostly a handloaders option around this area, so whatever floats yer boat.

300 winmag and 30-06 use the same length action. You'd have to go to a 308 to make your point.

 

[AlexF]

300 winmag and 30-06 use the same length action. You'd have to go to a 308 to make your point.

Be careful, you might accidentally start a 358 Winchester vs 338 Federal thread

 

[RememberTheSomme]

Great info here guys.

I Only have one '06 now nad that's in a 7400. I fell in love with the idea of the .338-06 many years ago, but in real world performance, I mean real world ,not 150 ft lbs here or there, in range and dispatching power, can the .35 or the .338-06, out do Daddy?

When I look at factory ammo charts today with so much fast, premium bullet, ammo for the '06, and being a handloader as well, I see the .30-06 shining like never before. I always like lots of terminal velocity along with bullet construction, because I still believe and many will laugh, at Roy Weatherby and the Hydrostatic shock principle in HV Rifle cartridges. IIRC it was somewhere around 2200FPS or more, at impact to impart incapacitation from the addition of shock, incapacitating(not neccesarily immediately killing) game beyond what actual energy alone should do by the actual permanent wound channel.
This may well correspond to smaller stature game, whereas when dealing with much heavier boned skinned game, penetration requirement will dictate bullet weights and therefore terminal velocities. A trade off I guess when limited to one case size alone.

 

[Traps]

Most people don't use either chambering for a LR rifle, so for the most part a higher BC advantage is moot. Sounds good on paper though.


.

338-06 at 300 yards has a 750 ft-lb advantage, -3.2" drop and -5.8" drift versus -7.1" and 11.1"

Rembo

The 30-06 is not in the debate, nor is it in my debate. Read the heading, the posts and pay attention.

 

[Kevan]

Anyone have a .375-06?

Brother has and quite likes it....

 

[mmattockx]

338-06 at 300 yards has a 750 ft-lb advantage, -3.2" drop and -5.8" drift versus -7.1" and 11.1"

Care to post your load details for this comparison? Not that I'm doubting the results, just want to see the details.


Mark

 

[bcsteve]

Care to post your load details for this comparison? Not that I'm doubting the results, just want to see the details.


Mark

x2.

 

[Traps]

Care to post your load details for this comparison? Not that I'm doubting the results, just want to see the details.


Mark

Using a 185 TTSX BC of .432 in .338 at 3015 fps
Usiing a 200 TSX BC of .284 in .358 at 2822 fps

Published loads from Barnes website and calculator at:
http://www.biggameinfo.com/index.aspx?page=%2fbalcalc.ascx

 

[mmattockx]

Using a 185 TTSX BC of .432 in .338 at 3015 fps
Usiing a 200 TSX BC of .284 in .358 at 2822 fps

Published loads from Barnes website and calculator at:
http://www.biggameinfo.com/index.aspx?page=%2fbalcalc.ascx

The BC for the 185gr TTSX sounds high by about 10%, but that won't make a huge difference overall. If the .338 does that well with light bullets it will stomp the .35 with the heavier bullets it works the best with.


Mark

 

[Andy]

Using a 185 TTSX BC of .432 in .338 at 3015 fps
Usiing a 200 TSX BC of .284 in .358 at 2822 fps

Published loads from Barnes website and calculator at:
http://www.biggameinfo.com/index.aspx?page=%2fbalcalc.ascx

Classic "comparison".

Use a hot load (65K psi) a 25" barrel, and a bullet with the best possible BC for the 338-06, and an anemic load (<50K psi), a 24" barrel, and a poor BC bullet for the 35 Whelen.

 

[Why not?]

No! Why would anyone do that?

Ted

 

[Boomer]

If we take care to compare these two cartridges with bullets of similar SD and BC, the difference in down range velocity, energy, and trajectory is too small to have much meaning. From the data available in the loading manuals, the .338-06 does appear to have a theoretical advantage although it is unlikely that "advantage" could be exploited by a big game hunter armed with a typical hunting rifle. It almost makes the argument between the choice of a .270 or a .30/06 seem reasonable.

 

[Traps]

Classic "comparison".

Use a hot load (65K psi) a 25" barrel, and a bullet with the best possible BC for the 338-06, and an anemic load (<50K psi), a 24" barrel, and a poor BC bullet for the 35 Whelen.

The 35 Whelan has been built on older actions, too bad if you own an older Whelan, bonus if you load it to its potential. Either way though BC's and selection sucks in 358. If you purchase off the shelf ammo your getting mediocre performance in the 35. If your a handloader your better off with the 338-06. Either way its 338, lol.

Thats not classic, its getting the most for what you buy whether the animal feels it or not.

 

[grit]

Both of these are at there best as medium range rounds, and both shoot flat enough for 300yd work. they are both excellent rounds for use on elk,moose and bear,performance differences are very very small.