35/300 WSM (35 Sambar) Build
- Thread starter fuzzy39
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About 12 years ago, when things were going a bit smoother I tried to take the .300wsm out to .458 but just not enough left in the necks to stretch that far. So back when RUM cases were a little more plentiful and cheaper, a form die/die set from Hornady and a reamer from Manson made short work of re-chambering a rifle for this .458wsm
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nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
What's the performance? How would this fit between 458 win and 45-70?
My computer skills are noticeable!
My brother and I both had sequential # Browning 71's that we had thoughts of making into 450 Alaskans. Then the WSM & RUM's appeared and I had a 450 Marlin, so with tooo much time on my hands I started playing with different combinations. The wsm's wouldn't open that wide but with different die bodies I had I was able to use my 338Rum brass to make several mock up's. A little massaging on the ejection port, opened and changed the loading port to a 45-70 and lengthened and opened the cartridge lifter horns and it fed as smooth as a 450 or any of my 45-70's. Reamer back from Manson, spun the barrel off, chambered it and done.
Fired case H20 capacity fired case weight
450 Marlin 76.8gr 220.1gr
45-70 77.1gr 172.9gr
458wsm 88.0gr 242gr
300wsm -- 228gr
Things took a turn for me shortly after that so I never got to fully get into load development but of the several loads I did try VN 130/ 133 really worked.
22" barrel
Barnes 250grXFB / 58gr of VN130 = 2310fps.
62gr " " =2460fps
65gr " " =2573fps
67gr " " =2655fps
Barnes 300grXFB / 58gr of VN130 = 2190fps
/ 60gr " " = 2281fps
Hornady 350gr / 60gr of VN133 = 2058fps
64gr " " = 2247fps
68gr " " = 2359fps
Speer 400gr / 57gr of VN133 = 1942fps
61gr " " =2098fps
63gr " " =2172fps
65gr " " =2216fps
These were all max loads that I worked up to. The 250gr was a pleasure to shoot with that load and would do 1 hole at 100yds. On the other hand the 400gr at 2100+fps was brutal recoil but expected from a 7.5lb lever gun. I'm sure there are a lot more powders that will perform too.
I recently picked up a Rem 700/300wsm and plan on getting a .458 barrel made up and seeing if I can talk a certain westcoast gunsmith into doing it up for me.
My brother and I both had sequential # Browning 71's that we had thoughts of making into 450 Alaskans. Then the WSM & RUM's appeared and I had a 450 Marlin, so with tooo much time on my hands I started playing with different combinations. The wsm's wouldn't open that wide but with different die bodies I had I was able to use my 338Rum brass to make several mock up's. A little massaging on the ejection port, opened and changed the loading port to a 45-70 and lengthened and opened the cartridge lifter horns and it fed as smooth as a 450 or any of my 45-70's. Reamer back from Manson, spun the barrel off, chambered it and done.
Fired case H20 capacity fired case weight
450 Marlin 76.8gr 220.1gr
45-70 77.1gr 172.9gr
458wsm 88.0gr 242gr
300wsm -- 228gr
Things took a turn for me shortly after that so I never got to fully get into load development but of the several loads I did try VN 130/ 133 really worked.
22" barrel
Barnes 250grXFB / 58gr of VN130 = 2310fps.
62gr " " =2460fps
65gr " " =2573fps
67gr " " =2655fps
Barnes 300grXFB / 58gr of VN130 = 2190fps
/ 60gr " " = 2281fps
Hornady 350gr / 60gr of VN133 = 2058fps
64gr " " = 2247fps
68gr " " = 2359fps
Speer 400gr / 57gr of VN133 = 1942fps
61gr " " =2098fps
63gr " " =2172fps
65gr " " =2216fps
These were all max loads that I worked up to. The 250gr was a pleasure to shoot with that load and would do 1 hole at 100yds. On the other hand the 400gr at 2100+fps was brutal recoil but expected from a 7.5lb lever gun. I'm sure there are a lot more powders that will perform too.
I recently picked up a Rem 700/300wsm and plan on getting a .458 barrel made up and seeing if I can talk a certain westcoast gunsmith into doing it up for me.
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.350 Rem Mag = 73.7 cc H2O max
.35 Sambar = 81.4 cc H2O max
As always, give or take a pinch.
But the WSM will definitely have greater capacity, in the neighborhood of 10%...
Despite that, I have retreated back to the position that my .350 Rem Mags do everything that I need done within that performance bracket... it doesn't hurt that they are both very accurate and smooth to cycle.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
So close to 358 nm then? But should still be a short action. Not that it should matter, unlikely someone is going to build a short action/ultra light 35 Sambar. More likely a long action with room for long high BC projectile.
Do they make much in the way of 35cal high bc bullets? I see nosler only makes a 200 and 225gr accubond...
Nosler Accubond 225 gr has a BC of .430 and the Speer 250 gr bullet comes in at .422. Most other 358 cal bullets are running in the .300-.375 range other than some of the heavy for caliber Woodleigh's which are slightly higher in the .450 range. For practical hunting applications, these BCs are more than plenty adequate. My intention in my Sambar is to run Sierra 225 grains (if they shoot well). I like the 225 grainers in my 358s as they give a nice balance of Velocity and Sectional density. I don't really plan to build this as a super long range rig. I am hoping my rig scoped will come in at around the 8.25 lb range.... I will find out soon enough as the barrel is currently in transit
Nosler Accubond 225 gr has a BC of .430 and the Speer 250 gr bullet comes in at .422. Most other 358 cal bullets are running in the .300-.375 range other than some of the heavy for caliber Woodleigh's which are slightly higher in the .450 range. For practical hunting applications, these BCs are more than plenty adequate. My intention in my Sambar is to run Sierra 225 grains (if they shoot well). I like the 225 grainers in my 358s as they give a nice balance of Velocity and Sectional density. I don't really plan to build this as a super long range rig. I am hoping my rig scoped will come in at around the 8.25 lb range.... I will find out soon enough as the barrel is currently in transit
I know these bcs are perfectly adequate for hunting, I was just curious if there were any long high BC bullets for the caliber like suggested above - and I wouldn't consider an accubond with only a 0.43bc to be particularly high. High for caliber, or high compared to other options perhaps, but not high bc in general - it's lower than a 130gr 277cal accubond (which again I wouldn't consider to have a particularly high bc)
I have never understood worrying about B.C. of any bullet .35 or over. I would not use one at any ranges long enough for B.C. to be a factor. Maybe just me, but do people here really shoot those calibers at long range for hunting? Seems to me Weatherby covered all that pretty specialized ground a long time ago. It can be fun to experiment like that, and you learn lots, but you don't very often end up anywhere people haven't already gone.
It does seem the case has lots of potential.
It does seem the case has lots of potential.
That short, fat case would be dandy to play with using .366" bullets & .375's as well. Otta be a fun build either way.
the .366 exists already it is 9.3 BS Barsness and Sick ... i think.
I posted some pics above. 3 shots to sight in and those are the very first 6 3-shot groups at 100m. No pressure signs. Did not chrono yet. I posted a pic of the bolt as this was the savage action with the fixed ejector. Super nice at the bench. I’ve got a VXR 3-9x40 on top. I plan to fill my elk tag with this girl this year. Barrel is cut to 20 inches. Blast in not bad at all. The KS barrel is absolutely beautiful and Dennis Lair’s work at GoBallistic Gunsmithing is fantastic. I plan to get these chronographed then maybe try some H4895 and R17. Probably will go to my go to 35 cal projectile .... the Barnes 225 gr TSX.
