35 Caliber Rounds
 

Ok a few days ago I was looking for a good "Mid Bore" rifle to hunt all of NA with. But the MDWFP came out with a new law that allows all single shot, break open rifles in 35 caliber or larger as part of thier new "Primative Weapons" season.. So that means I will be buying a new barrell for the Encore in either. But since I don't reload.. Ammo is a concern. What are your thoughts. Again this will be mostly used on Deer, with a slight chance of larger game later on down the road.

35 Rem - Ammo readily available
35 Whelen - Somewhat available
350 Remington Mag - Haven't seen any ammo around.
358 Win. - Can't even find someone that can order it.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

You might check to see if they make 35 whelen barrels in encore-it's a winner.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

They do.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

The 35 rem is a awesome deer round. But if your looking to hunt with anything bigger than deer. Id go with the whelen. .

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

If you do not reload then the 35 Remington or the 45-70 would be the way to go.

The Whelen and the 358 Winchester are both dandy's. They are both good long distance cartridges with the 200 grain bullet. I have a 358 Winchester(Encore pisol). The barrel was made by MGM. However I handload. Tom.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

The 350 Remington outclasses the 35 Whelen but only a little. So I'd go with the 35 whelen only b/c it is based on the 30/06 case and ammo will be easier to find loaded, and cheaper to load. I would suggest that even thought you don't currently reload you look into it. It is not that big an investment, and although it's not a HUGE savings, it is a savings. And you have the satisfaction of cooking your own home-brewed loads.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

35 Whelen. It is powerful enough for everything in NA including grizzley. Basic ammo runs around $30 per box. I see it available at all the larger local gun shops.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

You don't need to reload. Contact www.reedsammo.com for any kind of cartridge you can think of or dream up. Very high quality at decent prices.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

I live near Baton Rouge, LA and try to keep up with the Miss. hunting laws. It's my understanding that the single shot has to have a patent date prior to 1900's and the minimum caliber is .38. I copied this from their web page:

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.38 caliber or larger) of a kind and type manufactured prior to 1900, and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons. Sidearms are not allowed during primitive weapon season.

Here's the link: http://home.mdwfp.com/license.aspx

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

The law just changed about a week ago.. You can now use any Single Shot Break open with an exposed hammer in 35 caliber or larger during the PW season. Also youths 15 and under can use an legal centerfire rifle 22 caliber or larger during PW season. These are both new developments..


I have decided to go with the 35 Whelen.. But now the question is what barrell length.. My encore has a 24" 308 on it now.. But do you think I could get by with a 22" or 23" on the Whelen without giving up to much performance out of that looooonnnnggggg case?" :D

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

Since the 35 whelen is way underbore,you can easily get by with a 22" barrel without giving up a lot of velocity.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

I had an Encore in a 350 R.M. with a 24” barrel. I found the rifle handled very well and nice and short. The 22” or 23” barrel would be even better for my taste any ways...

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

My rem 700 35 whelens got a 22 inch barrel

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

How do you figure. Every writeup I've seen in the reloading manuals states that the Whelen is what the 350 RM should have been.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

I was referring to easily obtainable factory loadings by Remington, both with 200 gr pills. Handloading they come out close with an advantage to the 35 Whelen.
And in myloading manuals the nod does goto the 35 Whelen. But the difference is slight, and only appreciated by handloaders. That's why I recommended the 35 Whelen even though I said the 350 outclasses it. I should have been clearer that i was referring to facrtory stuff.

My point was that the 35 Whelen is the way to go if you wanted to appreciate the difference in handloading and what advantage it'll give you.... easier to obtain and cheaper brass, and slightly better performance to boot, but only if you plan on handloading.

But in the Remington factory offerings the 350 has slightly higher velocities.

http://www.remington.com/Products/Ammunition/Ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=R35WH1*R3 50M1

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

For ammo:

35rem -Hornady, Buffalo Bore, Remington,Wichester,andFederal.
358 Win- Winchester, andConley Precission.
35 Whelen -Rem, Nosler, Federal.

For the hornady 35rem 200gr at 2240fps deer out to 200yards and elk/moose/black bears out to 125 yards all day any day.The BB 220gr at 2200fps is my choice for Bear/Elk/Moose out to125yards its what the 358win loaded with the same bullet dose at 200 yards.

I load and use the 35 whelen, 358win, and 35rem and simply put the whelen is good for 300yards as the 358win is at 250 yards and the 35 rem is at 125 yardsand thats for elk/moose/bear and if it is only deer the rem will go 200yards with the Hornady LE AMMO. If you are looking for a great deer gun the 35 whelen with rem 200gr CL AMMO is a 300 yard hammer, sledge hammer that is!

I load the the 358win with 225 partitions @ 2430fps and 200 spire points to 2490fps. The 35rem gets the 200gr CoreLokts @ 2200fps.

RE: 35 Caliber Rounds
 

If you need a good place to find factory ammo, www.midwayusa.com has a very good selection for the .35 Whelen.