Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 35 Whelen or 338-06????

Does anyone have experience with both of these fine cartridges? A friend of mine has a 700 LA sitting around unused and I suggested that a blueprinted action and a new barrel in either 35 Whelen or 338-06 might be a nice project. (Just being helpful you know! )

I would be interested in your experience(s) any Handloader or Rifle articles on either or both of these calibers.

Thanks guys.

Ennis

Whelen. I know you can get brass for the 338-06 with the correct headstamp, but if I was going big bore in the '06 case I would go Whelen or buy into the metric world with the 9.3x62. Which, now that I think about it, is what you ought to do.

Grew up in Peachtree City, Played for Fayette County Tigers, hunted more deer, trapped more coon, fox, beaver, and mink than the law should allow there, and my dear old mom is a big-time real estae agent in Fayetteville. My fraternity brother, Ben Autrey, owns Autrey's Armory there. Get by and do some business with him. One of my favorite people in this world!!

Clay

Whelen for me too.. I can find ammo for it in most places where I hunt. The 9.3x62 is a nice choice too but the ammo is harder to find. Go with whatever will make YOU happy!

My preference is the 338-06. I have not found it lacking.
The Whelen I owned was brutal to shoot off the bench.

In the field you will not be able to tell the difference.

Both use basically 200-250gr bullets with the 338 caliber bullets having a slight paper advantage.

Potato- Potahto
Go with your gut instinct.

I have shot both at critters and would pick the Whelen. However, if you handload, consider the 9.3X62. All three will get the job done if you do your part. Sounds like a good project.

I currently have two rifles chambered for the 35 Whelan (Ruger Model 77 SE and Rem CDL) and a Barrel in 338-06 for my Encore. I like the Whelan better than the 338-06, however in the field one could probably not tell the difference between the two. There is an adequate selection of bullets for both calibers for the handloader, although most will say that the 338 bullets will penetrate better. In my experience both caliber's bullets put two holes in everything properly hit. Actually, the 338 Federal is a very adequate substitution for the 338-06, both are more than good out to 250 yds. That is at the far end of most folks ability anyway. I have a BLR in 358 Win that I like too.

Bottom line here is go for the 35 Whelan, the 338 Federal or the 358 Winchester.

I have had both, although I have more experience with the 338-06 to date. I tend to go about cartridge selection backwards--I think about a bullet that I want to shoot at a certain speed and then figure out what cartidges can do it.

My thinking would be 338-06 if I wanted to shoot 210 Partitions at about 2800 (perfect for elk), and then if I was interested in significantly bigger bullets I would be tempted to build a 9.3x62 because it looks like it has more thump than the Whelen. Neither the 338-06 or the Whelen get 250 grain bullets going to a speed that turns my crank. (But then again, I hunt fairly open country, which is why the 235 Barnes TSX out of a 375 H&H at 2900 fps was my elk round last year.)

Another reason to choose the 338-06 is that there appears to be more action in releasing new bullets for it because there are more new cartridge introductions in .338 bore.

But I would not do any of the three unless I reloaded. The combination of the cost of factory loads (particularly with premium bullets) and the limited selection would likely less than satisfying.

Either would do a good job for you. The 9.3X62 is a good choice as well I have a book that says brass can be made from 06 brass but I do not know if it is the best way to go and 9.3 brass may be a bit pricey. Another possibility is the 8mm-06.

8mmwapiti

I have no experience with the 338-06 but would cast my vote for the 35 Whelen. I did a barrel swape on a Savage and am well pleased with it. 1 - 1.25 inches groups are what I am getting with either the 250gr or the 200gr with Rem factory bullets or my handloads.

Can't make a bad choice here. Either is excellent. My vote goes to the Lilja #3 35 Whelen 1 in 12".

Handloader No.184 .338-06 vs. .35 Whelen by Finn Aagaard. VERY good article by one of the most honest people to ever grace a piece of paper with words!
I've got to make a decision REAL soon on what cartridge for my .25-06 Mauser redo. Was 35 Whelen vs. 9.3x62. And then Ennis came along!!

til later

One nice advantage of the Whelen is the availability of pistol bullets for low power loads and the ability to use a caliber adapter to fire pistol rounds. It's only a minor advantage - but afterall, that is what are we discussing here anyway.

My bet is there are more bullets purpose designed for the Whelen, than there are for the .338-06.

The .358 Winchester was the most potent .35 available in a standard chambering for many years, and the bullets from Speer, and Hornady were built for reliable performance in that rifle. When the Whelen came along, there were enough shooters for Sierra and Nosler to jump in. They all work well from either on larger game.

The .338 bullets are all designed for the .338 Winchester/.340 Weatherby. Surley they will be OK in the .338-06, but,

I've had 3 .35 Whelen's and one .338-06. I've had more problems with .35 cal bullets than .338 bullets (zero problems). IMO, the .338 bullets are much better than "OK" in the .338-06.


And don't call me Shirley!
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Ennis,

I have both; as well as AI versions of both. About 10 years ago I wrote the author Ken Waters with the same question. It will take me a while to find his answer. But IIRC, he said both work well and one is as good as the other...

There are several articles in Handloader and Rifle about them. At least two articles were written comparing the two. One by Finn Aagard, and one by Layme Simpleton...

If you wish, I'll look up in the index and see what issues they were in. FWIW, I built my first .338-06 because of an article by Steve Timm (Dogzapper on this board) He gave it high marks.

Personally, being a cast bullet shooter, I think I favor the Whelen, at the moment, but that could likely change tomorrow...

Best regards,

Grasshopper

Between those two above, I would choose the 9.3x62.
But I am having a 9.3x64 Brenneke being made as we speak.

Thanks for the response guys. Now all I need to do is locate Handloader #184. If anyone can scan a copy for me that would be great! Thanks again for taking time to respond.

Ennis

I've got a couple of each. You'll like either.

Ive owned (3) 338/06 and two 35 whelens,
IVE still got and use the two 35 whelens
theres almost no differance I can see between the two calibers under field conditions, (but I only load 250 grain bullets in both)but for some reason guys I know always want to buy the 338/06 rifles I have built in the past
theres been no differance in accuracy,velocity or performance in the feild that I can see other than the 250 hornadys in the 338 cal open slower than the 250 speers I use in the whelen

I've had both, but the Whelen was in a fwt M-70. Of the two, I'd pick the 338-06, but only 'cause I could shoot it without jarring my ears off. The 250 grain with stout loads in either will handle everything I'm ever gonna hunt.