.35-300 WSM build

[1000yardstare]

In the process of building a thumper for moose in dense bush. In the past have tried a custom .338-06 and .375 Whelen Imp. They were built on `98 Mauser actions and didn`t feed worth a damn from the magazine.

Never tried a factory .35 Whelen because of the slow twist Rem puts in their Whelens. Have read from others that Rem Whelens will not stabilize the heavy 250 gr bullets that they really should be shooting.

Have a whack of .300 WSM brass. Necked some up to .35 caliber with a tapered expander ball in a .358 Win sizing die. Looked pretty good. So here goes with another project. Bought a used Rem SPS .300 WSM from a chap. Looks like the barrel was used for a tire iron. He said "don`t ask" so I didn`t. Have jacked live rounds through the action while pointing safely down range. Feeds smooth.

Will get a McGowen 24 inch .35 caliber blank, Remington profile. Reamer will be from PT&G. Seated bullets in the trial cases with a Hornady .300 WSM die. Didn`t mark the bullet. A machinist friend will hone out a .300 WSM Sinclair body die to .358 for full length sizing.

Comparing powder charges in reloading manuals, the .35-300 WSM should be midway in velocity between the .35 Whelen and .358 Norma Mag. Can plink with cheap handgun bullets.

Shown below left to right are .270 WSM, .300 WSM, .35-300 WSM. Has any forum member chambered for the .35-300 WSM? Would be interested in your results.

 

[Kenny474]

I really like the looks of this project you have going. I have a Remington 750 Carbine in .35 Whelen and I can attest to the twist only working for bullets of 225grs of less. I have only tried a few 250gr Partitions and they didn't shoot for beans. But the 225gr Accu-Bonds are awesome, so I have to think it's twist related. I have some 250gr round nose bullets I am going to try, as they are a bit shorter and might work, but I don't have high hopes.

I am very interested in the results you get from this project. I hunt in the thick woods of Maine and NH, and big heavy bullets are a must in most places. I have always used a Rem 740 in 30-06, but I think the 35 Whelen will be better suited to my situation, and will be better suited to Black Bear should I ever get the chance to actually shoot one. But a .35-300WSM would be a nice addition as well. Big bullet at impressive velocity, shouldn't have any issue with anything you encounter in the woods.

I had been using either my H&R 45/70 or 500S&W Mag for short range thumpers, but the .35 Whelen has both a bigger bullet (than the 30-06) and extended range over the big bores, both good things in the hunting world. I still plan to use the .500S&W when ranges will be under 75yds, but beyond that the .35 Whelen or the 30-06 come out.

Good luck with this, I can't wait to see what it has for performance.

Kenny

 

[gnoble]

Hello, Have you thought about the .35 Brown-Whelen? I had one built about 30 years ago. You can get 2600fps with a 250gr bullet. Using 30/06 brass, which there is a lot of and cheaper than the 300WSM.The round also feeds through a standard action.
I've taken deer through buffalo with this round and they all were one shot kills.
RCBS made the Die set. Also there is no headspace problems as with the .35 Whelen.
I would like to see what you achive with this round.

 

[1000yardstare]

gnoble.............thanks for your interest. I have a truckload of .300 WSM brass used in an F Class rifle so brass cost isn`t a factor for me. Also I prefer short actions.

I am looking in P.O. Ackley`s "Handbook" where he talks about the .35 Brown-Whelen on page 472. He didn`t like the method of fireforming but you pays your money and takes your choice.

Been looking over McGowen`s web site and he offers a 12 twist .358 groove Remington Standard profile 26 inch barrel, stainless or chrome-moly, your choice of crown style. Will buy the blank and order the reamer from PT&G.

Used to mail order barrels from the U.S in the 1980`s but can`t do that anymore, 9-11 and all that. Have to use a Canadian importer which adds to the cost. The McGowen importer will also headspace the barrel onto the receiver so have to mail the reamer and action to him. Just part of the process we all go through.

 

[gnoble]

It is interesting that you mention P O Ackely. My Brown-Whelen is built on a P O Ackley rifle. It was a .270 Win., not my favorite cartidge, that was rebarreled.

 

[15Tango]

It seems like I'm noticing a lot more 'XX-WSM' ideas lately that just don't make any sense but this is the first one that's making sense to me, although .338-WSM would make even more in my opinion but for hunting .35 will probably be just as good.

I think it'll be interesting, keep us in the loop.

Wayne

 

[1000yardstare]

15Tango...............the .338-300WSM is also on my mind. I still have many boxes of .338 bullets from the .338-06 I had back in the 1980s. Just don`t have a tapered .338 expander to make up a sample case but that is easily solved.

Weight for weight the .338 has a higher sectional density and hence deeper penetration than the .358. But the .358 has a broader meplat which adds to knockdown power.

Can use cheap handgun bullets for plinking with the .358. Have cast bullet moulds for both calibers.

Will be making up my mind in the next few weeks whether to go .338 or .358.

 

[CJ6]

The 35 Sambar (35x300WSM)was done in 2001 by a gun writer/editor (Breil Jackson) in Austrailia. The following are loads by him for his 23" barreled rifle. 1) 200 Horn. SP 65.0 gr Varget fps 2771 (2) 200 Horn. SP 68.0 gr Varget fps 2920 (3) 225 Nos. BT 65.0 gr Varget fps 2775 (4) 225 Nos. BT 75.0 gr H 4350 fps 2843 (5) 250 Speer GS 72 gr H 4350 fps 2700

 

[1000yardstare]

CJ6......great stuff. Just what I was looking for.

 

[Ont0001]

Hi Bill,
Will be interested in your finished project results.
Was playing on Quickload and Quickdesign with another WSM idea that I'm sure has been done.
Since I sold my 375H&H a couple years back,I still miss the authority it produced on Moose.
So I thought of a 375WSM and the QD and QL showed very promising numbers.
Downloaded for deer and uploaded for moose both the 35WSM and 375WSM would be interesting.
Bring it out to the club when you get her done
Gord O

 

[CJ6]

Ont0001, The 376 Styer would be close to what your looking for wouldn't it or maybe the 375 Ruger.

 

[1000yardstare]

Hi Gord.........I had a .375 Whelen Imp. back in the 1980s. Built on a `98 Mauser action. Wouldn`t feed worth a damn. The recoil from 300 gr bullets destroyed a scope. But she is a damn fine cartridge. Would be interesting to compare it to the .376 Styer that CJ6 suggested.

Making up my mind right now whether to neck the .300 WSM up to .338 or .358. Can see advantages for both.

Am building a 6.5x57 Ack Imp for F(O) at Mons range next Summer - Rem 700 action, Shilen barrel and PT&G reamer. Necking up brass from my shot-out 6AI. See you at the ORA AGM in March.

Bill

 

[wboggs]

Have a .35 Whelan Ackley Improved on a 98 action with a 24" 1 in 12 twist Douglas barrel. Had it throated for the 280 gr. Swift bullets It is very accurate with all weights to some experimental 300gr. Swifts Have used it on deer with 225gr. Sierras and they are deadly.
Don't hunt the big stuff but it would be perfect for larger animals at moderate ranges.

 

[357Mag]

1,000 -

Howdy !

Brilliant thnking !!

I'm a big fan of .35 calibre too, but more for those cartridges @ the lower-capacity end of the scale.

Have you given ANY thought to use of a .338 calibre, instead of .35 ?

I say this because there more aero bullet choices in .338, than there are in .35 cal. These tend to be heavy, yes, but then... that's what you're probably looking for anywayz.

In .35 calibre, what twist are you thinking ?


Regards,
357Mag

 

[wilpenny]

just putting in my input on the subject of heavey cal and brush cutting abilities i have always favored the 338 win mag and have built the 338 family so to speak . I have a fn mark x action with a mcgown barrel set in a richatds micro fit thumbhole laminated stock its a smooth shooter .. and i use it for long range work. i then decided to go with a savage switch gun set up and one of the 7 barrels is a 338 06 Ai 40* shoulder and it feeds smooth and is just 150 short of my mag . i also wanted a hand gun in 338 so i went with the federal round on a savage striker platform 3 rounds rt hand ejection left hand bolt in ss i rebarreled it in 338 federal went to a 15 inch barrel with a quick dump brake it has the recoil of a light 44 and is pushing a 225 grian sst bt at 2650 and is holding a 2 inch group at 225 meters off the bipod so im very pleased with my clan of 338 s And im now building a 338 edge on a savage action

 

[1000yardstare]

Am starting to lean towards the .338-300WSM for a variety of reasons - better bullet selection, less stress on the brass when necking up, higher SD and BC.

Asked PT&G to e-mail me the reamer diagram for the .338-300WSM if they had such a beast on file. Thought they would and "voila", on the same day received Kiff print #4401. Great service from those good folks in Oregon as usual.

Now a question I have of Forum members. An Australian chap by name of Breil Jackson named the .358-300WSM the .35 Sambar. Is anyone aware of a published name that has been applied to the .338-300WSM? Somehow .33 Moose doesn`t have the same poetic ring as .35 Sambar. How about .33 Wapiti? Would be interested in your opinions.

 

[CJ6]

I believe there's a 338 Wapiti, Haven't heard of the 33 though. Just a thought, you could use 325WSM brass. Now that neck up would REALLY be painless (.323 to .338). You can also leave the initials the same and call it the 338 Wapiti Slaying Maching

 

[1000yardstare]

CJ6......did a Google search for .33 Wapiti and .338 Wapiti with no results. But could just mean the originator doesn`t have a computer. Don`t be surprised. There are a couple of old guys at my local gun club who are proud of the fact that they don`t have a computer. They say it gives them more time to investigate the bottom of 26 oz bottles. Elmer Keith would be proud.

So what`s the process for originating a name for a cartridge? Do you have to go through some sort of copyright process?

 

[CJ6]

Have a reamer maker make you a reamer to your specs and put your John Henry or whatever on it pretty simple ( they'll let you know if they already have a reamer CLOSE to what you request). At 1 time RCBS (give'em a call) had a catalouge of all their Wildcat dies PAGES of'em. Then you need to get those reloading dies made also (it all adds up).

 

[CJ6]

My bad it's a 7mm ICL Wapiti. Developed by Arnold & Vern Juenke. LV Nev. 300 H&H shortend blownout.