Gun guys recognize the potential in the .358. Mark Bansner is making one for me: synthetic stock on a left-hand Sako action. I wont be ashamed to take it elk hunting, but today Im certain that level of power is not essential. While the Colt Model 601 was the first AR-15 to be mass-produced, there were several design variations that came before during the platform's development. For this reason, anyone acquiring a .358 Norma should start low with every load and work up slowly and carefully. and .35 Rem., it was an excellent woods rifle for hunting whitetails. Equal in importance is that you can hit the elk. Ruger made a few bolt-actions some years back, and Remington made rifles in the 700 Classic line, but they are long gone. A monster buck is different from a fork-horn or a fat doe. crying, My kingdom for a rifle.. But perhaps youre not after thick-skinned dangerous game. The .35 Whelen has a relatively simple design: it's a .30-06 Springfield case necked up to use .358 instead of .308 bullets (the exact opposite of the .270 Winchester in other words). Today, it is strictly a custom proposition unless one of the original rifles chambered for it can be found. Mag.-all with a bigger, heavier bullet that will punch a bigger hole and penetrate deeper. The ammunition hung on a while longer, but eventually Big Green abandoned her babies and stopped making both cartridges. Why the public abandoned it so quickly is a mystery to me. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The .358 Norma established its reputation in high-end hunting rifles like this Schultz & Larsen Model 65DL. With todays interest in long-range shooting, big scopes are in, but powerful scopes add weight. Among the .35 caliber cartridges popular in the United States, the .358 offered a definite step up in performance; the .35 Remingtonthat popular woods rifleis much slower than the .358, and though the .35 Whelen has been among us since 1922, it would remain a wildcat until 1988. The fortunate few who own them want to keep them, and these are the core admirers who make it worth Normas while to continue offering brass and loaded ammunition. Compare practically any small bore cartridge (.32 caliber or less) with a .35 caliber cartridge of similar powder capacity and the result is pretty much the same. On those gray, moody November days when I am feeling blue I take my Remington Model 141 pump-action rifle in .35 Rem. Mag. Alas, to the best of my knowledge, its not imported to the U.S. For the one perfect all-around elk rifle, Im not sure you can beat the good old .30-06. If we compare the .300 Win. 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. Out of stock View Details . The classic .350 Rigby Magnum load pushes a .358-inch diameter 225-grain bullet to a muzzle velocity of 2625 fps for 3,440 ft.-lbs. and .32 Rem. It was verry expensive to shoot, lots of powder and expensive bullets and brass. 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. Mag. was initially chambered in Remingtons Model 8 autoloader, soon followed by the Model 14 pump-action. Lyman lists 47 different moulds that were available at one time or another, ranging in bullet weight from 70 to 282 grains. The sad truth is that the active list of current .35-caliber rifles and cartridges is tragically short. Though still under construction, Im eager to take the classic cartridge into the hunting fields. DoubleTap loads the 180-grain Barnes TTSX bullet at 3100 fps, and the 225-grain Swift A-Frame at 3000 fps, giving options to the hunter who wants the most versatility from their big-game rifle. exlcusive user. Here in North America, you could take the .350 Rigby anywhere youd take the .35 Whelen or .358 Norma Magnum, and that includes north to Alaska for the great bears. I believe in quality optics, but quality and magnification are not synonymous. of muzzle energy. This standard (.30-06) length magnum cartridge drives a 250 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2799 fps with 4350 ft. lbs. However, the majority of American deer hunters dont live in elk country, but many dream of going elk hunting. It will kill farther than that, of course, but that is its optimum range. But when Winchester chambered the .358 the following year in its unique lever-action, the Model 88, it became a really interesting cartridge. Ive had a 350 RM in a 600 Remington since the 60s. 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. Not necessarily top dollar everything. I could get brass easy from each by forming parent cases, 308 and 30-06. My favorite hunting round. The .350 Remington Magnum is the only cartridge that appears on both lists of current and obsolete calibers. As it stands, it is most certainly on the edge of becoming obsolete. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that is one of the physical laws of our universe. Heres a look at 10 of the most flexible long-range hunting cartridges. The main problem with such potent cartridges is that they kick hard in rifles light enough to carry all day in steep places. Hunting Shack 35WHELEN1N Game King 35 Whelen 225 gr Sierra GameKing Spitzer Boat-Tail - 20rd Box. There are several reasons. G. Joined: Sep 2009. cases. This is comparable killing power to the long .375 H&H Magnum with a 300 grain bullet (ME 4331 ft. Can Coolers | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Find More Great NRA Publications Perfect For Every Interest, Discover Everything That The NRA Has To Offer. My 35 Whelen will run 250gr partitions at 2700 fps with power pro 2000 powder. I was used to the 30-06 parent cases (.270, 25-06, etc) so that is what I decided on. Its safe to say that of all the .358 Norma Magnum rifles in existence, there are more custom than factory ones, and this makes it tricky to load for in another way. 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? Its a decent cartridge, but American hunters just wont flock to it. Opening up a boltface on a standard action is NOT a difficult job for a decent gunsmith and does not affect the strength or viability of the action one WHIT. The .351 WSL did grab a bit of fame, first as a popular rifle for prison guards and then as one of the rifles used to punch a lot of holes in Bonnie and Clydes automobile (although that accolade is in question). The .35 Whelen is a fine elk cartridge. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. The hunter from afar, journeying into unfamiliar country, must also accept the pressure of a limited period of time and the knowledge that it may come down to just one chance. 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. Sadly, I cant find a single major gunmaker chambering this cartridge today. 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. This is because it was discontinued in the mid-1970s, and reintroduced by Remington in 2003. 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. I have a .356 Win. Make no mistake, the .30-06 is a powerful cartridge, but it doesnt beat you to death and can be built in the seven- to eight-pound range. Cartridges that in many cases cannot match the killing power, at normal hunting ranges, of comparable .35's. Winchester and Hornady both offer 200-grain loads at 2475 f.p.s. In addition, for stopping the big predators of the world, it's hard to beat a suitable .35 caliber rifle. Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING magazine, Kevin Steele is at the Steiner Optics booth with Alberto Corbetta to discuss the Predator 4 and Predator 8. In many areas a 100-pound deer might be normal, but mule deer and whitetail bucks exist that are triple that size. Moderate, safe, bland and predictable. You know the kind with the locking bolt. Elk Venison and Root Vegetable Stew Recipe, Best New Thermal Optics from the 2022 SHOT Show, Venison Backstrap with Sweet & Spicy Peach Relish Recipe, Tested Tough - Modern Zeiss Sports Optics. Rifle Recoil Table. At 400 yds., the .358 Norma impacts 3.1 inches lower than the .300 Win. I had the privilege of spending some time with a 1917 vintage take-down Rigby-Mauser rifle while on a hunt in Scotland, and the words sweet shooting came quickly to mind. Layne Simpson did an article on the comparison of the two and it was reprinted in Big Bore Rifles and Cartridge ISBN 1-879356-00-7. Can this be made into a .358 Norma Mag or must I do a .35 Whelen. 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When chambered for cartridges such as the .243 Win., 6 mm Rem., .308 Win. Either of the other two cartridges mentioned will work just fine also. From limited experience of loading for two different 358 Norma Magnum rifles (a Schultz & Larson Model 65 and a Custom Sako AV) I used to neck up new Winchester 338 Win. In cartridges, as in boxing, what goes on behind the scenes often determines the outcome. But there is no compelling reason to consider a caliber larger than .35. Another vote for something different.The 358 STA would be the one. That load has a maximum optimal range on 1000 pound game (like a big Alaskan moose or brown bear) of 151 yards. and the 6.5 mm Rem. However, the small bore cartridges from .24 to .32 caliber have proven quite reliable on these smaller animals, so I am not going to argue that anyone needs a .35 to hunt CXP2 class game. Of course, not all .35-caliber cartridges approach greatness. Sure, we experiment a bit with other bore sizes, but in the end it always comes back to the .30 caliber. Since lack of a gas seal in a low-pressure load is more of a nuisance than a danger, it can be ignored if you dont mind the soot. were to go head to head with the .25-35 Win., .30-30 Win. Our editors have hand-picked these essential pieces of gear to make you a more successful hunter when you hit the game trails this season. It was predictable that the .356 Win. 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. By and large, we shooters seem to gravitate to the middle of the road; to bland, yet predictable, mediocrity. Of course, it took the .338 Winchester Magnum many years to catch on, and it took the .243/6mm cartridges over a half century after the introduction of the 6mm Lee Navy cartridge to gain popular acceptance, so perhaps there is still hope for the .35's. But in 2003 Remington decided to attempt a resurrection. Shortening the 2.85-inches long .375 H&H case wasnt exactly a revolutionary ideathat little-known .275 H&H so closely resembles the design of the half-century younger 7mm Remington Magnum that its uncannybut with the Winchester marketing machine the concept was brought to the forefront. Energy figures have it knocking at the door of 375H&H. It can be the ballistic equivalent of the .30-06 with a 180-grain bullet or, pushed the other way, it can easily match the velocity of the .300 Weatherby Magnum with the same weight bullet. Subscriber Services. The .358 Norma Magnum, like the .358 Shooting Times Alaskan, generates a considerable amount of energy, but due to the caliber restrictions for dangerous game of most of the African countries, it falls shy of the markthe .375-inch bore is minimum for many countries. can drive the same weight bullet a bit faster. The rivalry between the .338-inch and .358-inch bore diameters has a considerable history; both topped out at 300 grains (at one point in time in history), and both have a lower end of 180 grains. To reach the .300 mark, youd need a 270-grain bullet (the North Fork and Woodleigh bullets come immediately to mind), but stabilization becomes an issue in the slower twists, and thats long been a problem in .35-caliber barrels. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Being able to take off the scope and work with iron sights, using cast bullets or light jacketed bullets, adds an entirely new dimension to the rifle. Griffin & Howe developed the semiwildcat .350 G&H based on the .375 H&H case, as well as pioneering the .35 Whelen. The .358 Norma established its reputation in high-end hunting rifles like this Schultz & Larsen Model 65DL. I have shot a few critters, including a tough South Texas Nilgai, and have been happy with the performance. [quote=encorerbHmmm, makes me wonder. The 25-degree, 30-minute shoulder gives plenty of room for powder, and though the neck of the .358 Norma measures less than the desired one-caliberit comes in at 0.328-inchthere is plenty of neck tension to hold the bullets in place without the need for crimping. Ill bet its been awhile since those cartridges have been seen in a hunting camp. All rights reserved. If you happen to have a .35 and don't mind the extra recoil, there is no denying that it will flat get the job done. And for the larger antelope species, like any of the eland, wildebeest, zebra and roan, the .350 Rigby Magnum is a sound choice. Thought about that 375 Ruger but nah. Kali Parmley, Editor-in-chief of Bakccountry Hunter speaks with Bret Maffet of Franchi Firearms to discuss the all new Momentum All Terrain Elite. Its a flat shootermimicking the trajectory of a .30-06 with heavier bulletsand is fully capable as an all-around choice. The guide professed to be dumbstruck: I never saw a nilgai knocked down like that, he said, And we use some big rifles here!. to achieve its potential. Id mate it with a good 180-grain bullet, top it with a one-inch-tube scope (to save weight), and go elk hunting. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is at the Streamlight booth at SHOT Show 2023 to go over the Bear Trap light from Streamlight. 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. That 225-grain bullet has a sectional density (SD) value of 0.251, a bit light for what is normally considered to be appropriate for dangerous game. I shot my first bull elk in Montanas Pioneer Mountains on a snowy Thanksgiving in 1972. Maybe it's a regular BDL? Quite honestly, the .350 Rigby isnt a cartridge Id describe as practical, but if you are looking for something quite left of center, this may be for you. Any listing you find for H-4895 can be modified by loading only 60 percent of the published minimum to create some very comfortable loads. For the handloader, as the accompanying table demonstrates, the .358 Norma Magnum provides an almost unbelievable range of possibilities, from loads light enough for gallery shooting to heavy enough. It was an 03 Springfield action, unknown barrel, very nice piece of wood, all the fancy metal work done (custom trigger, side safety ala Rem 700, cocking knob and safety removed, milled floorplate, forged bolt, speedloader slots removed, D&T'd ,polished and blued). In fact, the recoil of the .358 Norma Magnum, at about 35 ft. lbs. The company has chambered several rifles in the cartridge including models in bolt-action, pump-action and semi-automatic. Today, rifles can be made very light, but that can also be overdone because light rifles are whippy and hard to control when youre out of breath and have to settle in for a quick shot. As Ive said, I like mediums, such as the unpopular 8mm Remington Magnum and the faster .33s. Recoil was completely manageable, and it inspired me to begin the journey of having my own .350 Rigby rifle built. Norma loads their 250-grain Oryx bullet to this velocity, and as the rear portion of the bullet is bonded, it will give an excellent blend of expansion and penetration. What keeps it alive? Faster 6.5sthe new 6.5 PRC, the old .264, or the super-fast .26 Nosler and 6.5-300 Weatherbywill deliver more energy and open the range envelope a bit. With its spitzer-pointed bullets, the .358 is a good medium- to long-range cartridge with capabilities out to 250 yards on big game. That version is in some dispute, with evidence that Whelen himself developed the cartridge or at least worked with Howe on its development. Yet, that bore diameter produces some of the best hunting cartridges available. But starting in the late 1950s, the .338 bore size gained considerable tractionthanks to the emergence of the .338 Winchester Magnum. 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. And with modern powders and loads, it knocks on the door of the .300 WSM and .300 Winchester Magnum. Clearly, for the hunter seeking heavy game and willing to accept this level of recoil, the .358 Norma Magnum deserves far more popularity than it has received. Ruger briefly chambered the M77 rifle in .35 Whelen. From left: (1) .35 Remington, (2) .358 Winchester and (3) .358 Norma Magnum. I have built all 3 several times for various customers and owned both the 358 Norma and the 9.3X62. 35 Whelen. Here in North America big game starts with deer. Since then, I have often recommended medium bores, such as Elmer Keiths favorite .33s, and Ive used the 8mm Remington Magnum a lot. Throw a belt on the .35 Newton and you couldnt tell the difference three feet away. With a 200-grain bullet at 2460 f.p.s., it is a heavy-hitter on whitetails. The .35 Rem. For a while Savage chambered it in the Model 99, and I am still looking for one I can afford. would follow that tradition. Elk hunting can be extremely physicalnot only steep country, but also altitude and sometimes deep snow to buck. was simply a .308 Win. Why cant we love the .35? Short of a wounded elephant or Cape buffalo in thick cover, there is no game I can think of for which you could not concoct a load in the .358. The .358 Norma Magnum is a rifle cartridge introduced in 1959 by Norma. I have never lost an elk, and I do not recall ever tracking one for recovery. Among my own favorites for the .358 Norma are the Nosler Partitions in both 225 and 250 grains, Swift A-Frames (225, 250, 280) and various Woodleighs, including the unique 310-grain Weldcore. It put an exclamation point on that lung shot. As a "stopper" for use on dangerous game the .358 Norma is clearly superior to the .300 Magnums. Your rifle is your most important hunting tool, and knowing how to properly clean and store it when hunting season comes to a close is critical in keeping it in tip-top shape. While I generally prefer the former over the latter, I think that both choices are effective. The Newton was supposedly loaded, by Western Cartridge, to 2,975 fps with a 250-grain bullet, but I, for one, would want to see the chronograph reading. You bet they worked! with a similar 180-grain bullet. Ive seen many elk taken cleanly with a .270 Winchester, and my own longest shot on an elk was on a big New Mexico bull at 400 yards using a .270 Winchester with a 150-grain Nosler Partitionone step and down. From there, you can work up until you find a load that gives you the accuracy and velocity you want. The .25 Rem., .30 Rem. In the shooting sports we call that reaction recoil or "kick." Petersen's HUNTING Publisher, Kevin Steele is in the CZ booth with Dylan Rice at SHOT Show to talk about CZ 600 Series Trail rifle. If you match the bullet to the game, this is one of the all-time great hunting cartridges. Kevin Steele stops by the Taurus booth to speak with Cody Osborn about the all new Raging Hunter platform from Taurus International. Don't like Rugers much had my fill of them and now they are gone down the road. Powered by UBB.threads PHP Forum Software 7.7.5. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. 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. Have all three, and have not shot any of em My medium is a 9,3x62. Tried and true. Released in 1959though there were no factory chambered rifles or factory loaded ammunition available for the new cartridgeNorma offered chamber reamers and new component brass for its new brainchild. Mag.They have almost identical case capacity, but the .358 Norma Mag. They live in steep, rough country, and their long legs cover a lot of ground. 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 Remington Model 673 Guide Rifle was chambered in .350 Rem. was designed for the American market, but sadly no American riflemaker ever chambered the cartridge in a cataloged gun. I would also expect it to handle anything in North America from deer to the big bears. in an 8.5 pound rifle, is comparable to the much more popular but less effective (on CXP3 class game) .300 Weatherby or .300 Remington Ultra Magnums. Blocker Outdoors Finisher gloves, headcovers and other accessories are available in Mossy Oak Bottomland and Mossy Oak Obsession NWTF camouflage patterns to match various turkey hunting terrain. At 300 yards, it has 19 percent more energy than the .300 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. 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. The Hornady Superformance load for the .35 Whelen launches a 200-grain bullet at a blistering. 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. Theres also a mindset difference. Common loads fire a 200-grain bullet at 2,800 fps (about 3,480 foot pounds of energy), a 225-grain bullet at around 2,600fps (3,380 foot pounds of energy . Contributor Brad Fenson takes to the grill, to cook up some delicious venison burgers. None of this can be said for either the .338 Winchester Magnum or the .375 H&H. Any of these will handle just about any big game one might hunt with a .358 Norma, where you want to employ its ample knockdown power. Also, the 35 Whelen will not do much that your 350 and 358 already do, if anything. Looking for previous installments of our "Behind the Bullet" series? Kevin Steele, Publisher of Petersen's HUNTING talks with JJ Reich of HEVI-Shot about the new offerings for 2023. Mag. It has never failed me. The .35 Rem. The ammunition situation is a little better than the rifles. 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.