the problem in this debate is we are crossing over in calibres, which means thrust on different sized pistons. Sadly, my favorite bullet diameter, the .35 caliber, doesnt even rate a blip on the American shooters radar screen. were to go head to head with the .25-35 Win., .30-30 Win. of muzzle energy. Likewise, so do experienced western elk hunters. and .358 Norma Mag.). Elk bullets must be tough enough to provide adequate penetration. .500 Nitro Express. It is very accurate, easy to carry and fast on the target. 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. After ten years of not getting drawn I sold it it was too much gun for most of my hunting. 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. 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 . Campfire 'Bwana. The .358 Win. The Remington Model 673 Guide Rifle was chambered in .350 Rem. Not only that, many different bullet moulds were made for casting .358 bullets in some of the most fanciful shapes. My 35 Whelen will run 250gr partitions at 2700 fps with power pro 2000 powder. Don't like Rugers much had my fill of them and now they are gone down the road. In any mass-production rifle, either the .375 or .338, or both, will be found as a standard chambering. 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. Copyright 2003, 2012 by Chuck Hawks. 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. It was verry expensive to shoot, lots of powder and expensive bullets and brass. 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. Mag. Kevin Steele stops by the Taurus booth to speak with Cody Osborn about the all new Raging Hunter platform from Taurus International. 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. I wont go so far as to say thats foolish, but theres a major difference in size and toughness between a cow or spike and a mature bull. Is the .358 Norma Magnum a cartridge destined to make a huge comeback? 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. Today, it is strictly a custom proposition unless one of the original rifles chambered for it can be found. I see no reason to shy away from it. Heres a detailed look at each step of the process. 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. The 250-grain .358-inch bulletwith a sectional density of 0.279if properly constructed, has enough length to handle the brown bear and bison, and all of the African plains game species, plus lion and leopard. The 358 Norma is a sure mag round, but expensive ammo and brass. I'm sending my 270 tikka off to JES rebore to get it punched out to 35 whelen. I did kill a ton of squirels with pistol bullets and a little 700X, it would shoot little cloverleafs at 50 yrds. plowed fresh ground. 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? Hunting Shack 35WHELEN1N Game King 35 Whelen 225 gr Sierra GameKing Spitzer Boat-Tail - 20rd Box. It is a good choice for shooters who are very sensitive to recoil, since its free recoil energy is only about 4.5 ft. lbs. My favorite hunting round. In its 112-year lineage, it has probably taken more elk than all other cartridges combined. I have no experience with the Norma mag. 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. Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. Thought about that 375 Ruger but nah. Mag. The .270 WSM and .270 Weatherby deliver more energy, but all three are fine. The softpoints were used for the various antelope species, dangerous cats and even buffalo, while the full-patch, non-expanding solids would be used on elephant. it is one nice gun and made for tight places. Does the power of the magnum offer much over the whelen in real life terms? The .308 Winchester is a fine elk cartridge, and the grand old .30-06, with a bit more velocity and energy, is better. It can work in close or at a distance or dazzle you with footwork. Mag. This standard (.30-06) length magnum cartridge drives a 250 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2799 fps with 4350 ft. lbs. .50 Beowulf. All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Even so, most experienced deer hunters have pretty good ideas on appropriate rifles. 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. figure of 0.300 is desirable, and comparing similar cartridges, youll see the .350 Rigby comes in a bit behind the other popular choices of the day. If the .350 Rigby Magnum was effective in the golden era of safari, modern premium bullet designs will make it even better. I am not into the current long-range fad, especially on powerful animals like elk. However, that may be changing, or at least the possibility of change may exist. Then come the .270s. Still have a 9.3 (so I guess it "won"). And, as any fan of the .35-caliber cartridges knows, there are quite a few bullet weights to choose from within the caliber. THe 35 whelen did have a little more power than the 358. 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. 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. Many western hunters annually take elk with 6mms and .25s. Its often thought that if they had it would have gained popularity over the .338 Win. Normas original spec sheet for the .358 Norma Magnum when it was released in 1959 indicated the cartridges ballistics. It did shine with 148gr Double ended wadcutters over a few grains of 700x shooting clover leaf groups at 50 yards, I used it all fall putting squirrels in the pot. Let's also compare the .358 with the other end of the spectrum. 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. 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. 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. In the entry on the .358 Norma, it maintains that, had Norma convinced a major American riflemaker to offer the chambering in the early years, it could have become one of the greats. It never got up. lbs. Where does the .358 Norma sit, in comparison to the more popular cartridges in its class? From left: (1) .35 Remington, (2) .358 Winchester and (3) .358 Norma Magnum. While I generally prefer the former over the latter, I think that both choices are effective. Mag. Have all three, and have not shot any of em My medium is a 9,3x62. I rely on, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Remington Model 700 American Hunter Rifle Project, Behind the Bullet: .458 Winchester Magnum, Behind the Bullet: .300 Winchester Short Magnum, NRA Women | Understanding Sectional Density (SD), 10 Most Versatile Long-Range Hunting Cartridges | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Fiocchi USA Appoints David Blenker As New CEO After Anthony Acitellis Retirement | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, Behind the Bullet: .17 HMR | An Official Journal Of The NRA, How to Properly Clean and Store Your Rifle After Hunting Season, X-Vision Optics Launches Thermal Impact Scope, First Look: Blocker Outdoors Finisher Accessories, 10 Most Versatile Long-Range Hunting Cartridges, X-Vision Optics Launches Thermal Impact Scope | An Official Journal Of The NRA, New For 2023: Smith & Wesson M&P FPC | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Launching 2023: KelTec R50 Rifle | NRA Family, New For 2023: Glock 47 MOS | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Savage Arms 110 PCS | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Davidson's Winchester Model 1895 Texas Ranger's Edition | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Product Preview: Holosun SCS-MOS Green | An Official Journal Of The NRA, 3 Self Defense Myths That Just Won't Go Away | NRA Family, How to Properly Clean and Store Your Rifle After Hunting Season | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Shotgunning 101: The Perfect Gun Mount | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Glass Bedding A Rifle Stock | An Official Journal Of The NRA, New 4473 Released By BATFE | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Member's Hunt: Road Trip | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Springfield Launches New Online Shopping Experience | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Preview: Sarco, Inc. 2nd Amendment Pint Glass | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Riton Optics Celebrates 10th Anniversary | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Top 4 Ways to Carry a Binocular | NRA Family, Preview: Mission First Tactical 24-oz. Mag.-all with a bigger, heavier bullet that will punch a bigger hole and penetrate deeper. up to 0.358 inches and dubbed it the poor mans magnum.. With the 250-grain bullet, it's better than the .30-06 on heavy game at close ranges. Follow along to see exactly how. The full spectrum of our many 7mms, from 7mm-08 and 7x57 on up to the fastest 7mm magnums, are also fine, but they are not magical giant-slayers. In Johanssons case, disdain for serious training left him vulnerable when the superbly conditioned Patterson came back a year later, gave him a dazzling boxing lesson and reclaimed the title. zero-we see that contrary to popular belief, a 35-caliber can be a long-range cartridge. However, the majority of American deer hunters dont live in elk country, but many dream of going elk hunting. 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. Im going to rule out short-range cartridges that have the power because theres no sense in making the shot more difficult than necessary. Synthetic wins over laminate because laminates, strongest of all, are also heaviest. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. from my E.R. Todays Norma factory ammunition is loaded with the companys excellent bonded-core 250-grain Oryx. 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. Ive had a 350 RM in a 600 Remington since the 60s. offered the performance level of the .358 Win. I shot my first bull elk in Montanas Pioneer Mountains on a snowy Thanksgiving in 1972. 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. factory load is a 250-grain Oryx bullet listed with a muzzle velocity of 2723 f.p.s. 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 arrived with three other cartridges designed to compete with Winchesters popular lever-action lineup. These were, primarily, the Schultz & Larsen (Denmark), the Husqvarna (Sweden) and a few Browning High Powers made by FN in Belgium. We argue cartridges and calibers endlessly, but bullet choice matters. For the one perfect all-around elk rifle, Im not sure you can beat the good old .30-06. The origins of the .35 Whelen are controversial even today. Movement is more random in big country. The 600 Magnum suffered from a barrel that was too short at 18 inches. The Remington Model 600 Magnum rifle, along with the cartridge it birthed, was just such a product. 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. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? The writings of Robert Ruark certainly helped the reputation of the cartridge and the company, as Ruark put his young PH Harry Selby and the .416 Rigby rifle he carried on a pedestal. 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. My 35 Whelen will run 250gr partitions at 2700 fps with power pro 2000 powder. .358 Norma brass is a snap to make from 338 Win Mag brass. But there is no compelling reason to consider a caliber larger than .35. Mag. of muzzle energy. None of this can be said for either the .338 Winchester Magnum or the .375 H&H. Equal in importance is that you can hit the elk. Here in North America big game starts with deer. As Ive said, I like mediums, such as the unpopular 8mm Remington Magnum and the faster .33s. Fusion Ammo has a 200-grain with a muzzle velocity of 2800 f.p.s. 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. The .35 Caliber Cartridge Family(.357 Mag., .35 Remington, .356 Winchester, .358 Winchester, .35 Whelen, .350 Rem. In an age of ultra-specializatio in every field, and especially rifles, such versatility is almost an anachronism. The .358 Win. Shaw rifles 24-inch barrel. Mark Bansner is making one for me: synthetic stock on a left-hand Sako action. Not necessarily top dollar everything. Twenty years ago, I might have said .338 Winchester Magnum was the perfect choice for elk. Perhaps thats why it has survived. [1] A cross-section of loads for the .358 Norma Magnum include the (1) Sierra 125-grain JHP, (2) Sierra 170 FMJ, (3) Speer 180, (4) 200-grain cast bullet and a (5) Sierra 200 roundnose. But in my experience, if you can cover that 300-yard window with confidence youre in good shape. all were more powerful-and may have been excellent hunting cartridges-but they are gone; rejected by the shooting public and banished to the junk heap of obsolescence. The .358 Norma Mag. With its spitzer-pointed bullets, the .358 is a good medium- to long-range cartridge with capabilities out to 250 yards on big game. The .300 Rem. 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). factory load is a 250-grain Oryx bullet listed with a muzzle velocity of 2723 f.p.s. You know the kind with the locking bolt. is still not burning up the sales records, so maybe ahead of its time is the wrong description. The .350 Remington Magnum is the only cartridge that appears on both lists of current and obsolete calibers. SAUM and .300 WSM, with their 180 grain bullets at a MV of 2960-2970 fps, have an optimum range of about 120 yards on 1000 pound animals. Posts: 46,063. Cartridges that in many cases cannot match the killing power, at normal hunting ranges, of comparable .35's. 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. 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. 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? 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. But have owned multiple 9.3s and Whelens. Recoil was completely manageable, and it inspired me to begin the journey of having my own .350 Rigby rifle built. That load has a maximum optimal range on 1000 pound game (like a big Alaskan moose or brown bear) of 151 yards. Contributor Brad Fenson takes to the grill, to cook up some delicious venison burgers. From there, you can work up until you find a load that gives you the accuracy and velocity you want. The .350 can drive a 250 grain bullet to a MV of 2500 fps. Kynoch was a big producer of .350 ammo, but that has ceased in the recent past. It put an exclamation point on that lung shot. Compare the .308 Winchester and the .358 Winchester, which are based on the same case, and the .358 wins hands down. 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. 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. from the 24" barrel of a Marlin 336XLR rifle. That year, Remington also brought out the Model 673 Guide Gun in .350 Rem Mag. 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. Heres a detailed look at each step of the process. 358 norma mag is a rarer bird but as I understand fire forming 300 win mag brass an easy way to feed it. Sierras 225-grain spitzer boat-tail, designed for the .35 Whelen, is a stellar performer in the .358 Norma. In cartridges, as in boxing, what goes on behind the scenes often determines the outcome. So are the .350 Remington Magnum and .358 Norma Magnum. was initially chambered in Remingtons Model 8 autoloader, soon followed by the Model 14 pump-action. Heres a look at 10 of the most flexible long-range hunting cartridges. Three rivals: (1) .338 Winchester Magnum, (2) .358 Norma Magnum and (3) .375 H&H. was also the only cartridge of that original Remington family that was based on a different parent case. Hunting Shack 358NORMA2N Game King 358 Norma 225 gr Sierra GameKing Spitzer Boat-Tail - 20rd Box. In the 80s, when Jack Carter was making his Trophy Bonded Bearclaw bullet by hand, I did some elk hunting with the 240-grain .375 version. The ammunition hung on a while longer, but eventually Big Green abandoned her babies and stopped making both cartridges. In a letter written to friend Townsend Whelen during early 1920s, Leslie Simpson-- one of the first Americans to become a professional hunter in Africa--opined that the hunting world needed a .35 caliber cartridge . From the .35 Winchester (1903), .35 Remington (1906) and .351 Winchester Self-Loading (1907) to the later .358 Winchester (1955) and .350 Remington Magnum (1965), there has always been at least one .35-caliber cartridge in use. The .358 Norma established its reputation in high-end hunting rifles like this Schultz & Larsen Model 65DL. R Rocky If we compare the .300 Win. Although such weight is rare, a big bull can exceed 1,000 pounds. It was introduced in the bolt-action Model 70 in which it was trustworthy, but boring. All in, it weighed over 11 pounds, which is too heavy. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. There are specialized situations where close shots are the norm, but most often, the ideal elk rifle should have enough versatility for shots out to 300 yards and change. What keeps it alive? So, I've hunted elk with less ambitious rounds. I could get brass easy from each by forming parent cases, 308 and 30-06. Most rifle elk hunting is not like bowhunting during the bugling season. Oklahoma. But in 2003 Remington decided to attempt a resurrection. The cartridge is closely related to the .308 Norma Magnum. This new model featured two new cartridges, the .350 Rem. Theres also a mindset difference. Head to the range this week with American Rifleman staff as they discuss a trim little repeater from Savage Arms that comes chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge. From a 12 twist bore, accuracy sweet spots for light bullets include 2950fps with 180 grain bullets, 2925fps with 200 grain bullets, before normalizing with 225 grain bullets at 2900fps. but it does have the 22" barrel and the irons , looks and feels like a MTN rifle to me. With a 200-grain bullet the .35 Whelen actually shoots a bit flatter than the .30-06 Sprg. As it was released in the first century of the . The .35 Whelen is a fine elk cartridge. The .35 Rem. 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. So it is fair to say that, over the years, .35 caliber rifles at least have caught the interest of the gun and ammo manufacturers, if not the general shooting public.