A few years ago-like over a decade- I resolved the larger bore wildcat question
with two Winchester pre-64 Model 70 rifles. Already had a 375 H&H along with a 338 W Magnum-both 1950s Model 70s-with controlled feed claw extractors.
A gun shop in Boise, ID had a M-70 from the 50s that was in 35 Whelen. The shop owner intrigued me
when he said it was basically a custom rifle with Biesen styled SGrade stock; re-bored, cut rifled and re-chambered original barrel & sights..
Then he set the hook:" if you don't like it-send it back..but you won't send it back". That was an under-.statement.
Then a few years later I had another M-70 30-06 that was beat up and sitting in a corner. Remembering the 35 Whelen, it went
out to the late Rich Nickle in Eatonvilel, WA. for cut rifling and boring of the original barrel to 338-06. He did his usual fine
work and I paired it with a Super Grade stock that had a few issues. It looked good and shot Nosler partition bullets into one ragged hole-which is even better.
So-I am beginning to think E. Keith was right about medium bores and elk-moose and bear. Both of these cartridges will do the
business on anything in North America. The other rifle/cartridge combination that has really worked for me over the years
is pre-war Winchester Model 71s in 348 or 348 Ackley Imp. The 348 with bonded core bullets like Woodleigh or Alaska Bullet Works-Swift
have to be seen to be believed. Like a lever action 35 Whelen. Reckon I have all the old school rifles I need-as they keep up with my style of timber hunting. Nothing else much needed
and my 270s don't see much use except for antelope.
Last edited by 450Fuller; 09/25/19.
