As a comparison, the .358 Winchester with a 250 grain bullet at 2300 fps delivers 25.4 foot-pounds of recoil from a 7.5 pound rifle. My 35 Whelen will run 250gr partitions at 2700 fps with power pro 2000 powder. Mag., and I think thats the only current production rifle in that cartridge. Norma offers factory ammunition, E.R. But there is another Rigby cartridge, vastly overlooked even among rifle cranks, but which was at one time as popular as the .375 H&H Magnum: the .350 Rigby Magnum. Griffin & Howe developed the semiwildcat .350 G&H based on the .375 H&H case, as well as pioneering the .35 Whelen. Many western hunters annually take elk with 6mms and .25s. Mag. That year, Remington also brought out the Model 673 Guide Gun in .350 Rem Mag. Mag. The Swedish firm of A.B. Frankly, I would not want to be without them. the problem in this debate is we are crossing over in calibres, which means thrust on different sized pistons. First, it will do everything the .338 will, and a bit more. Also as I have a lot of 357 pistol bullets I was figuring on being able to use them as reduced loads/smaller game options in either big 35 cal should I go that route. As it stands, it is most certainly on the edge of becoming obsolete. The experimentation with the H&H cases, first by Weatherby and later by Winchester and Remington, certainly changed the way we hunted and made our purchases; magnum mania definitely took root. 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With a 200-grain bullet the .35 Whelen actually shoots a bit flatter than the .30-06 Sprg. Thinking of a medium bore with a bit of thump.9.3 x 62 holds some exotic mystique for me being its use on African large game but I am thinking realistically .366 cant be that much of an advantage over .358 can it? All Rights Reserved. Mention the Rigby name to any rifle aficionado, and odds are that the famous .416 Rigby cartridge will come quickly to mind, and with good reason; it is an undeniable classic. But in 2003 Remington decided to attempt a resurrection. I have long been something of a .35 caliber fan, but I have to admit that I believe the reason for the general lack of public acceptance of all but the least powerful .35's is, in a word, recoil. but it does have the 22" barrel and the irons , looks and feels like a MTN rifle to me. That load actually produced 2825 f.p.s. I have used this cartridge on moose with excellent results. After ten years of not getting drawn I sold it it was too much gun for most of my hunting. Give a Gift If you handload your ammunition, it will make feeding a .358 Norma that much easier, just realize you wont find ammunition at a general store, or even at most gun shops, for that matter. The .350 Magnum has a case length of 2.742 inches, and an overall cartridge length 3.44 inches, so it will feel at home in a magnum-length receiver. This is basically a deer and black bear (CXP2 class game) cartridge, although it is reputed to be superior to cartridges in the .30-30 class for game weighing over about 400 pounds. .35 caliber rifle cartridges have been around practically forever without ever really becoming popular. My favorite hunting round. At 400 yds., the .358 Norma impacts 3.1 inches lower than the .300 Win. Follow along to see exactly how. The .35 Whelen is a fine elk cartridge. I see no reason to shy away from it. Bertram Brass from Australia is a good source when you can get it, and Quality Cartridge makes a run of .350 Rigby every few years, but you could be waiting a considerable amount of time. The .35 Win., .35 Newton and .350 Griffin & Howe Mag. were to go head to head with the .25-35 Win., .30-30 Win. The .270 WSM and .270 Weatherby deliver more energy, but all three are fine. offered the performance level of the .358 Win. Sure, you can get away with it, especially with todays extra-heavy bullets, but I think its foolish. Movement is more random in big country. Food for thought, is it not? zero-we see that contrary to popular belief, a 35-caliber can be a long-range cartridge. This means that the momentum of a rifle's reaction will exactly equal the momentum of the bullet and powder gasses ejected from the barrel. from my E.R. I wont be ashamed to take it elk hunting, but today Im certain that level of power is not essential. The Norma factory load, with Normas own 250-grain bullet, performed poorly, coming apart in the chest cavity. was designed for the American market, but sadly no American riflemaker ever chambered the cartridge in a cataloged gun. Publisher Kevin Steele is in the Beretta booth with Logan Killam, the Shotgun Product Manager, to discuss the all new Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey. Now, I have to go out on a limb and say that sensible elk cartridges aren't all about power. In more recent times, the 1994 release of the .450 Rigby gave dangerous game hunters a bit more bullet weight than the .416 Rigby and has developed a small but devout following among both professional hunters and their clients alike. In 1987 Remington made an honest cartridge out of the .35 Whelen. We've got you covered. .22 LR7mm-08 Remington8mm Remington Magnum.338 Federal.224 Valkyrie.338-06 A-Square9.3x62mm Mauser.257 Weatherby Magnum.45-70 Government.300 H&H Magnum.25-06 Remington.30-06 Springfield6.5 Creedmoor.300 Remington Ultra Magnum7mm Remington Magnum.470 Nitro Express.280 Remington.300 Winchester Magnum.270 Winchester.222 Remington.45 ACP.404 Jeffery.44 Remington Magnum.41 Remington Magnum.243 Winchester.338 Winchester Magnum.357 S&W Magnum6.5-284 Norma8x57 Mauser.38 Smith & Wesson Special7x57mm Mauser9 mm Luger.35 Whelen.454 Casull.375 H&H Magnum.45 Colt.22-250 Remington10mm Auto.308 Winchester. plowed fresh ground. As Ive said, I like mediums, such as the unpopular 8mm Remington Magnum and the faster .33s. Bottles & 12-oz. of muzzle energy. Can't really imagine one cartridge doing anything the other couldn't, though the availability of bigger bullets and way more factory ammo (if wanted) are definite pluses for the Mauser. I think it would be cheeper to get another action or a magnum bolt. Looking for previous installments of our "Behind the Bullet" series? [1] The .350 Rigby Magnum is, in the words of veteran Professional Hunter Robin Hurt, a perfect caliber to hunt lion and leopard. With a few exceptions, most African countries require a minimum of .375-caliber cartridges for thick-skinned dangerous game like Cape buffalo and elephant, and that makes sense in most instances. I am often criticized for following the Elmer Keith school in suggesting powerful cartridges. I took it to Texas in 1989 and decked a nilgai at about 90 yards. Folks who live in elk country may consciously seek a cow for the freezer. Got a nice .270 Win MTN Rifle donor 700. Had the .358 Norma Magnum been chambered in an American rifle, or at least promoted by an American company, the popularity of the cartridge may have been much greater than it is. It is very accurate, easy to carry and fast on the target. Shaw rifles 24-inch barrel. Its a flat shootermimicking the trajectory of a .30-06 with heavier bulletsand is fully capable as an all-around choice. I say that because so many reasonably successful yet hard kicking cartridges have been introduced in the last few years. to achieve its potential. Its also worth noting that, in spite of its relative obscurity, the cartridge appears in many of the most recent loading manuals, including Normas own, a worthwhile addition to anyones reloading library. Original Schultz & Larsens had substantial freebore to keep pressures down, and Normas specifications for the cartridge called for it. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Bertram Brass from Australia is a good source when you can get it, and Quality Cartridge makes a run of .350 Rigby every few years, but you could be waiting a considerable amount of time. Then come the .270s. Of course, not all .35-caliber cartridges approach greatness. While I generally prefer the former over the latter, I think that both choices are effective. Hornadys LEVERevolution pushes the performance up a notch with a 200-grain pointed bullet at 2225 f.p.s. Of the three, only the .358 Norma has not become a standard chambering. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. Posts: 46,063. Shaw rifle's 24-inch barrel.. The major problem with light loads is getting enough pressure to provide a good gas seal. That being said, with much wider availability, and the higher . Mag. in a rimmed cartridge that would work in a lever-action rifle. This list gives some idea of the .358 Normas status today: Those rifles rarely seem to come on the market. This is not enough to argue about, so Im not convinced that the 7mm is better than the .270, but you can stoke it with a heavier bullet. This is because it was discontinued in the mid-1970s, and reintroduced by Remington in 2003. Thats a question I just dont understand. is still not burning up the sales records, so maybe ahead of its time is the wrong description. Here are the features to watch out for. Alas, to the best of my knowledge, its not imported to the U.S. That load has a maximum optimal range on 1000 pound game (like a big Alaskan moose or brown bear) of 151 yards. No matter if its books, art or hunting cartridges, its only those with a deep understanding of the subject who can fully understand the greatness often buried in obscurity. Both calibers share the same dimensions of the case head as the .300 H&H Magnum, but have far less body taper, resulting in the same internal capacity in a shorter case. An elk offers a large target, so extreme magnification shouldnt be necessary. I believe in quality optics, but quality and magnification are not synonymous. 9.3x62 boots 320gr Woodleigh protected points and weldcore round noses out at 2400 fps with RL-17. But the .416 is certainly not the only cartridge to bear the Rigby surname; read the works of Walter Dalrymple Maitland Karamoja Bell, or Col. Jim Corbett and the .275 Rigbybetter known as the 7x57mm Mauserwill get all sorts of praise. However, should a hunter who enjoys using cartridges that arent among the most popular find a rifle chambered for the .358 Norma Magnum? However, the optimum game range of the .358 (250 grain bullet at a MV of 2300 fps) is 240 yards. With the 250-grain bullet, it's better than the .30-06 on heavy game at close ranges. Is the .358 Norma Magnum a cartridge destined to make a huge comeback? Introducing the Veracity PH from Burris, the perfect combination of reliability, quality, and technology delivering a simple aiming solutiona tool for the hunter that just works. The cartridge predates the more famous .416 by three years, and the .350 Rigby was the first to feature the sharp 45-degree shoulder which is the hallmark of the Rigby designs. Now, I have to go out on a limb and say that sensible elk cartridges arent all about power. Why the public abandoned it so quickly is a mystery to me. The .35-caliber cartridges usually top out at 250 grains, though if a 300-grain bullet at a slightly faster twist rate were employed, it would certainly be in the same class as the .375 Holland & Holland. How it would have done on a live animal is impossible to say. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that is one of the physical laws of our universe. as a way to boost the power of the Model 94 lever-action rifle. 358 norma mag is a rarer bird but as I understand fire forming 300 win mag. I bought it as a moose rifle but never got drawn in ten years. I rely on Roberson Cartridge Company out of Texas for projects like these, and their .350 Rigby brass is wonderfully uniform and properly headstamped. Twenty years ago, I might have said .338 Winchester Magnum was the perfect choice for elk. Well, it betters the velocity of the .35 Whelen by at least 200 fps, much the same as the .338 Winchester Magnum does to the .338-06. Let's also compare the .358 with the other end of the spectrum. I'd go with the 35 whelen. The rifle, cartridge, and bullet must be capable of handling that one opportunity. The .308 Winchester is a fine elk cartridge, and the grand old .30-06, with a bit more velocity and energy, is better. it is one nice gun and made for tight places. The most popular cartridges for hunting and even target shooting begin and end with the thirties. An elk is bigger than anything most deer hunters have encountered, but theres still a variance; a cow for the freezer isnt much bigger than a very large deer, but a mature bull elk is different. From left: (1) .35 Remington, (2) .358 Winchester and (3) .358 Norma Magnum. Loved by gun guys and rejected by the huddled masses, this is perhaps the most underappreciated cartridge of them all. By Layne Simpson. Synthetic wins over laminate because laminates, strongest of all, are also heaviest. Its often thought that if they had it would have gained popularity over the .338 Win. That load actually produced 2825 f.p.s. This standard (.30-06) length magnum cartridge drives a 250 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2799 fps with 4350 ft. lbs. He never questioned the adequacy of his .270 for elk, nor do I, but he was also a lifelong .30-06 fan and privately conceded its superiority for elk-sized game. Thats the primary game for many of us, but one size doesnt fit all. For example, take the most powerful of the factory standardized .35's, the .358 Norma Magnum. Mag. Real world, the Norma bitchslaps brown bears and moose as convincingly as the 375H&H. Mag. The .358 has 24 percent more energy at the muzzle than the .300 Win. The long accepted story was that James V. Howe developed the cartridge in 1922 and named it in honor of his friend, gunwriter Col. Townsend Whelen. The .35 Whelen is a necked up medium bore wildcat cartridge that was created by necking up a .30-06 Springfield case which is famously overpowered for the 30-caliber bullet it propels. Everybody agrees that the .358 Win. In the mid 70's I picked up a 358Norma. Heres a detailed look at each step of the process. The .35 Whelen is accurate, hits hard, penetrates deep, shoots flat and recoils mildly. Id mate it with a good 180-grain bullet, top it with a one-inch-tube scope (to save weight), and go elk hunting. Fusion Ammo has a 200-grain with a muzzle velocity of 2800 f.p.s. Also, the 35 Whelen will not do much that your 350 and 358 already do, if anything. The .350 Rem. Nosler offers the .350 Rem. X-Vision Optics long-range ImpactThermal Scope (TS300) boasts a 640 x 480 thermal sensor that can detect big game well past 3,000 yards. Kevin Steele stops by the Taurus booth to speak with Cody Osborn about the all new Raging Hunter platform from Taurus International. Remington continues to offer factory ammo, and its 200-grain factory load has a muzzle velocity of 2675 f.p.s., while the 250-grain loads muzzle velocity is 2400 f.p.s. I will go with the 35 Whelen BUT 9.3x62 will be cool due that you already have a 350 Rem mag, if you're opening the bolt face the 358 STA better option than Norma and 338-06 could be a nice choice too. Looking for previous installments of our "Behind the Bullet" series? These include some of my favorites, such as the .358 Winchester and .45-70. There are several reasons. With modern powders the muzzle velocities can certainly beat those of the Cordite loads a century ago, especially in a modern rifle. The .358 Win. That does not mean that any gunsmith who had his own ideas about velocity and accuracy might not include it or go completely the other way. Maybe I'll just get a 375 H+H instead of going the Norma route. As many hunters know, the Remington Model 600 carbine, which was introduced in 1964, was one of the first short, light, bolt-action rifles to find success with deer hunters. The 35 whelen and 358 winchester were the two I was torn between. Would be nice to have a 35 Wheelie, 350 Rem and a .358 Win. Pet Loads and Handloader are registered trademarks of Wolfe Publishing Company. Publisher, Kevin Steele is with Brett Marquardt from Streamlight Inc. discussing the new Streamlight Pro Tac 2.0, the latest edition in the Pro Tac series. Powders such as IMRs Trail Boss, Accurates 5744 and IMRs discontinued SR-4759 all work with lighter bullets, and sometimes accuracy is very good, even if the gas seal is not. it is complicated further by a requirement for different burning rate powders. A monster buck is different from a fork-horn or a fat doe. Ruger made a few bolt-actions some years back, and Remington made rifles in the 700 Classic line, but they are long gone. In its 112-year lineage, it has probably taken more elk than all other cartridges combined. Perhaps, if the word gets out to the shooting public, the born again .350 may finally achieve the commercial success it deserves. The main problem with such potent cartridges is that they kick hard in rifles light enough to carry all day in steep places. Whelen would not. The barrel is a full 22 inches, like it always should have been, but the foolish design with the huge shark fin front sight turned hunters off, and it was dropped. I have never lost an elk, and I do not recall ever tracking one for recovery. The Hornady Superformance load for the .35 Whelen launches a 200-grain bullet at a blistering. Most rifle elk hunting is not like bowhunting during the bugling season. The .35's are just plain superior for CXP3 class game. of energy at the muzzle. To return to our boxing analogy, the .358 Norma Magnum not only has the Hammer of Thor, but it also offers an excellent jab, a good hook, a wicked uppercut and a variety of feints. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. I rely on, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. 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