Experiences 358 cal rifles: 35 Whelen AI, 358 Norma Mag, 358 STA (Shooting Times Alaska).
- Thread starter D.Pagenkopf
- Start date
If the old hot-rodder adage is being applied to case volume and interior ballistics then yeah, sure start with more and end up with more.
If it is being applied against bore size, then it doesn’t jive. It’s really easy to start with more and end up with less. In many cases a whole lot less.
Not everyone likes rebated rims. The sambar is the more logical choice but when does wildcattimg have to be logical? Velocity potential should be within 100fps between the cases
From personal experience, the advantage gained from blowing the case to AI proportions is almost nil.
You may be able to get a bit more velocity, less than 50 fps, and in my experience, the sweet spot for accuracy with any bullet I tried was always in the velocity range of the original form designed by Whelan.
I went away from the 35 Whelan and went to the 338OKH, or 338-06.
The main reason for doing so was availabilty of good bullets for .358 diameter back in the 80s-90s.
The difference seen on targets, both paper and game, between the 358 and 338 at ranges out to 400yds is a few inches more drop for the 358 at longer range.
I still have a Ruger No1 chambered for the 338-06, and even though I'm unlikely to use it again in field, I am reluctant to sell it or give too anyone.
The 35 Whelan has the advantage of being available off the shelf, in most local gun shops. The 338-06 is primarily a hand loading only option, unless you can find the Weatherby produced 338 A-Square, which is based on the original 338-06 case.
A-Sqare went out of business in early 2012.
I needed a lighter 338 cal rifle to carry in hunting areas or from a stand, when shots were never over 100 yds. The 338 Federal hadn't come out yet, and I had a custom reamer, picked up at a gun show, called a 338 Jordan, the reamer had a 2 degree taper to a .275 in long neck, above a 35 degree shoulder. I sent it to J&G to be ground to 2.150 OAL. The 30-06 was the basic design for the Jordan cartridge, and a new neck and shoulder had to be ground. I opted for the same dimension shoulder and neck as that on the Jordan.
It's very easy to fireform 308 Win cases.
I built a rifle for it from a surplus, customized 98 Mauser action, and a heavy 338 take off Schilen, match grade, barrel I had on the shelf. The barrel is just 19 in long from the bolt face, and it has some 120 year old double set triggers installed. I cut the barrel back from the tenon end to utilize the least worn part of the barrel.
Good double set triggers are a weakness of mine, especially on decent 98 Mausers.
The heavy barrel makes it perfect for off hand shooting
I exclusively use Hornady FBSP IL, 225 grain bullets.
W748 and Varget are my go to powders over CCI 250 primers. Velocities a just under 2600 fps. I load much hotter than loads listed for 338 Federal, as there is more powder capacity, and the tight set up will allow it safely. More like the 338RCM in performance.
I apologize for the off topic diatribe, but I posted this in your thread to comment on your AI thoughts, and to give you a few more ideas of what you can do. No reason the 35 Whelan can't be an inspiration for for other cartridges in 35 cal.
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I found a 350 Rem Mag in a standard Mauser action (which lets you fit the bullet further out of the case for more case capacity) equaled the ballistics of my 35 Whelen AI. The biggest advantage of either the standard Whelen or the AI version is brass availability. 350 Rem Mag brass is getting hard to find. You can make it from the standard Mag cases, but it's more work. - dan
The amount of work you have to do on brass, either making it or finding it, is usually the bottleneck on cartridge choice. The friskier you get the more work you have to do... sometimes you overshoot with your decision and the work becomes too tedious, at that point, you might as well have burned half the money you spent on your custom rifle, because that is all it's worth... speaking from significant experience, but that is not always a deterrent to the fun that is produced.
