Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 338 federal or 35 whelen for a new hunting rifle.

Long action (Whelen) or short (338) ?

How important is are a few ounces? 338 lighter?

Local on the shelf ammo important, is it existent for either? You need to figure this out.

If you reload, is a wide and varied choice of bullets important? More 338 available if they chamber in your rifle.

If it's available in the rifle you want, you reload, and a long action is ok. 338-06

If you just want a "big gun" 9.3x62.

I owned a 350 Rem Mag in a Remington 673. I did local trade with guy and wish I would have kept it. I really enjoyed that rifle. Loaded the Spear 220gr, shot it into bugholes.

Took a couple of deer with it. I moved on to the 338-06 and have not looked back.

First off, I'll admit I'm prejudiced. My vote is for the .35 Whelen. I'll also admit that I consider Remington's factory ammo to be rather anemic as just as they did with the .280 Rem. they went with loads suitable for pump and semi-auto rifles. When will they ever learn?
Handloaded the Whelen is a horse of another color. My pet load shoots the 225 gr. Barnes TSX at 2710 FPS and drops elk like a rock. I've taken elk as far out as 350 yards with it.
JMHO but I think the 225 gr. bullets are the way to go, especially if after game larger than deer. For the great bears, probably would go with the 250 gr. Nobler Partition but would now worry with the 225 gr. TSX.
As has been mentioned. one can download it to the levels off the .35 Rem. or .358 Win. for deer with a reduction in recoil if that's an issue and go to full power loads for the larger game.
The Whelen is also an excellent cast bullet cartridge should you want to try that route.
I have three .35 Whelens. A Ruger M77RS I use for cast bullets, a Remington M700 Classice for 250 gr. bullets and a very nice custom Mauser I found at an estate sale. It's been my go to rifle for elk with the barnes TSX bullet. Groups run in the .50 to .75" range when I do my part. That would be one of the very last rifles I would ever part with.
Paul B.

It is easy to improve on the way a 35 Whelen hit the target.

If going after a large maneating or just tough animal just change the type and or weight of bullet.
As said it does a fine job with cast as well.

For a varmint bullet i use those heavy pistol bullets at speeds less than full loads.
If the stock fits you it does not kick any more than a 30-06 or other types.

i like my 338 Federal in a Sako 85 SS Hunter. Has a 2-7x36 Kahles TDS. Shoots 200 Federal Fusion Ammo very well.

"The game that I'll mostly be hunting is deer."

Then why would you even consider a .35 Whelen or a .338 Federal?

A 30-06 or .308 would be far superior: Less recoil, better trajectory, ammo more available, ammo costs less, bullets for reloading cost less, you can practice more for the same dollars. Plenty of power to kill any deer that walks and, in case you ever hunt elk, that too. If you're absolutely never going to hunt elk, consider a 6.5, .270, or .280/7mm.

35 whelen

I used to be intrigued by more obscure chamberings, now I'm more concerned with how easy it is to get component brass, and how appropriate the available component bullets are to the velocity range of the round.

To me the biggest issue with the 338 fed is most component bullets are designed for the 400 fps higher velocity of the 338 win mag. The 210 gr partition would be a good bullet for the 338 fed, but I'm not much interested in a one trick pony.

If you want a 338, go with the win mag and if can't handle the recoil use 225's and throttle them back to 2700 fps.

I chose a 25-06 nearly 50 years ago (1969). Glad I did then and now. Everything from many prairie dogs to several elk have been shot with the same rifle, which is by the way, a M77 Ruger with a custom stock.

Thanks guys. A lot of good info. It seems like the 338 fed doesn't get much love. This must be because it's still a relatively new cartridge. What I have read on the internet about the Fed is that people that have one absolutely love it. People that don't have one basically see no need for the cartridge with so many 30 cals out there that work fine. So it sound like the whelen is comparable to the 30-06 depending on how it's loaded. I think the most punishment that I've gone through recoil wise was sighting in my mossberg500 with 1oz slugs. Shot well over 20 rounds finally got it sighted in after checking the scope rings and found them loosening up. Rookie mistake I know, should've checked that earlier.

.30-06 Springfield.

The main reason there isn't much love for the 338 fed, 358 win, 35 whelen, 350 rem mag, 325 wsm and so forth and so on is that the critters that require more than a .264-.30 bore in NA are few and far between.

If you're going to jump to the next level of power, you jump to the 338 win mag or 375 H&H.

Nothing has changed In the past 60 years to negate that reality.

Just thought I'd add this from another site.
Paul B.

The 35's Reputation

The 35s have been too often given a "bad rep" - an undeserved kick in the sides from quite a few gun pundits. What have some been reporting? That they are all medium range cartridges. Enemic factory ammo has somewhat fueled this. However, if you roll your own, there are a number of the 35s that can be excellent long range recipes for big game hunting success - when properly loaded that is (see my comments and senario "But This Just In" bottom this page).

Spring 2005 Rifleshooter Magazine declares 35 Whelen the most efficient!

An article in March/April 2005 Rifleshooter Magazine entitled Cartridge Efficiency, written by George W. Calef, proposes - "Forget about the highest power and velocity : which rounds produce the most with the powder they burn?"

I think Calef's article is somewhat flawed with errors of fact, some questions about logic, and and some ommisions (like straight walled cases like the 444 Marlin and the 45- 70 and other worthy efficient wildcats). However, his basic conclusions about 35s are no suprise to knowledgable 35 calibre fans. They confirm my own reflections on relative cartridge efficiency. Calef presents his findings;

"I put my money on the 7mm-08, the .284 Winchester, or the .308 Win., with the thought in the back of my mind that, just possibly, the wonderful little .250 Savage would beat them all. Boy was I astonished when the numbers started rolling in - suprised on several counts in fact - and I suspect you will be too.

To keep you from holding your breath any longer, the winner is the .35 Whelen. This venerable cartridge (a long time wildcat designed way back in 1930 in honor of Col. Townsend Whelen and finally legitimized in 1995 [note - error of fact - should read 1988] by Remington) delivers more kinetic energy and a higher L [Wooter's lethality index] factor per grain of powder burned than any other cartridge.

In Ackley's improved version it is even better, becoming the only cartridge on the list capable of generating more than 50 ft-lbs of energy and a L factor exceeding 5.00 at 200 yards for each grain of powder loaded.

What's more as a group, the .35s are all highly efficient, beating virtually every cartridge of smaller caliber. Even the obscure .358 Norma Magnum is the most efficient of the belted-magnum cartridges [note - by the author's own data the 350 Remington Magnum bests the 358 Norma]. This wonderful efficiency of the .35 calibers is especially remarkable when one considers that most all of these rounds are verging on obsolescence today. Take a look at the list of .35-caliber cartridges; do you or any of your friends shoot one? Luckily they are not entirely gone. In fact Remington reintroduced the splendid .350 Remington Magnum a couple of years ago in the model 600 carbine series."

Edited to add from 35cal.com
PB

X2
No need for either unless bigger game is a possibility and really not even then. No way I would buy a 35 Whelen or a 338 Federal if I didn't reload.

The MRC gun is also a bit heavy. If this is a first big game gun,you will be much better served with a lower recoiling caliber and you may want a lighter gun. If it is a first,I would highly suggest one of the discount Tikka T3's under $500.


If I had to pick I would pick the Whelen and learn to reload, since it has the most versatility with reloads.

35 whelen bullets range in weight from 150 to 300 grains. More bullet options and greater power if needed.

.338F 250gn around 2100-2200mv, will knock the lights out of anything from a 2000lb bull eland and down.
even at distances many people won't shoot at...and trajectory out to 250yd or so aint as bad as some might imagine.

2200 MV 250NP (B.C. .473) S.D .313

100yd 2.69" high
200yd 1872vel 1945egy
250yd 1796vel 1791egy...-7.39"

My .35 Whelen gets 2470 fps with a 250 gr bullet,from a 22" barrel.

WHELEN!!!!!!!!

Ok starman, crs, and 007fj tell me what it is that you like about the 338 federal. I can get factory ammo (fusion) at cabelas and a couple other factory loads at gander mountain. I hear good things about the fusions out of the Fed. If I go with the Fed I would like to be able to push a 210 partition to about 2650 and other 200 grainers to 2700 or faster. Would that be possible with this cartridge? I haven't started reloading yet but I plan on it soon after getting the rifle. Whichever one I choose.

First let me say theres nothing I don't like about the 35Wh...nor here to talk you out of 35Wh in anyway.
I would not argue anything about long vs short act. either.
I don't have a 338F, but I do know the performance of the .338win at longer ranges, the impact velocities
which I trans-late into how 338F would perform at closer ranges with similar impact vel.

The 338fed is capable of serving many people very well as can 35Wh. although you didn't present the option of 338/06
or 338RCM, they would be the ones I also considered if I wanted to comfortably push a .338cal 200-210 in the area of 2700.

I would also point a .308win 200gn NP/AF 2400-2500, at the same creatures I would .338F or 35Wh.

I've never understood the lack of love for the .35 from us (Americans). At the turn of last century we had the very fine 35 Newton. When that faded Griffin & Howe gave us a great 350 Magnum. There has been a host of great .35s and the only one to really catch on is the 9 x 57... errr Whelen.