Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 35 whelen vs 358 norma mag vs 9.3 x 62

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? 358 norma mag is a rarer bird but as I understand fire forming 300 win mag brass an easy way to feed it. Does the power of the magnum offer much over the whelen in real life terms? Energy figures have it knocking at the door of 375H&H. Also as I have a lot of 357 pistol bullets I was figuring on being able to use them as reduced loads/smaller game options in either big 35 cal should I go that route. Thanks for any thoughts.

My 35 Whelen will run 250gr partitions at 2700 fps with power pro 2000 powder.

358 Norma runs 250gr partitions at 2810 with Norma 204 powder.

9.3x62 boots 320gr Woodleigh protected points and weldcore round noses out at 2400 fps with RL-17.

The 358 Norma would most likely do better with some of todays newer powders, i used the 204 because ive had it for decades, it needed to be used, plus, it's an extremely accurate hunting load, 250 npt's at 2800 will do anything that needs done this side of Elephant imho.

Real world, the Norma bitchslaps brown bears and moose as convincingly as the 375H&H.

From limited experience of loading for two different 358 Norma Magnum rifles (a Schultz & Larson Model 65 and a Custom Sako AV) I used to neck up new Winchester 338 Win. Mag. cases. They are a little short initially and after two firings they were just fine. I did secure properly head stamped Norma cases thinking we'd need them going over into the Yukon (no one ever checked).

As for the 358 Norma's power, as a 338 Win. Mag fan back in the mid to late 80's this was discussed to no end around many campfires over coffee or a little bourbon. After using and seeing them both used on deer, elk, moose, nilgai, zebra and black & brown bear I never saw any difference in the field using similar bullets (250 grain Nosler partitions when they became available in 35 caliber). Nothing scientific mind you, a bad shot equaled bad results and it didn't matter if was with the 338 Win or 358 Norma.

I have a 35 Whelen Ruger M77RS that I purchased new in 1988 and it has seen some use over the years, it is easy to load for, some factory ammo is available (or at least used to be), can use 06 brass in a pinch, does shoot cast and reduced loads well. There are excellent 35 caliber bullets available for it now; it is much more versatile than people think.

The 9.3x62mm, the cartridge that made me rethink all of my prior medium bore rifle/cartridge choices. I had heard of it, saw and then shot a Belgian Mauser sporter that was used as a camp rifle in the summer of 1975 when my dad was on safari in Rhodesia. Never gave it another thought, read a Finn Aagaard article and then I had to have one. I purchased a CZ 550 LUX in 1999 first scoping it with a 1.5-5X Leupold Hvy. Plex and it worked; it has worked so well that my long loved 338 Win. Mag. sits in the safe, my 35 Whelen sits as well and my Model 70 375 H&H after not being hunted for 10 years recently traveled to the local consignment rack.
The 9.3x62mm CZ 550 does lots of things well, it has legs with the 250 gr. Accubond load, 270 gr. Speer bullets cheap practice and good for deer and pigs, 286 Nosler PT or Nosler Oryx good for anything I would have used my 375 H&H for. It is lighter than my 338 and 375 and hold 5 down and kicks less; what is not to like.
I have swapped scopes and now it has a Zeiss Conquest 2.5-8x32mm; for me I think it checks lots of boxes.

Obviously, YMMV.

StarchedCover

I'm sending my 270 tikka off to JES rebore to get it punched out to 35 whelen. I don't hunt Kodiac island nor elephants so utilizing the 06 case to build an elk rifle, lower 48 grizzly country rifle works for me

I have no experience with the Norma mag. But have owned multiple 9.3s and Whelens. Still have a 9.3 (so I guess it "won"). 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.

Any desire to hunt African dangerous game with your medium bore?

I’ve had a 350 RM in a 600 Remington since the 60’s. It is, as you say, “a thumper”.
I bought a 700 classic in 350 so as to run tests - to compare the differences in barrel length etc. Then the prices of classics have gone through the roof so it pretty much has gone unfired.
I have a Plain-Jane ADL 30-06 that will be sent to JES to become a 35 Whelen as I just let go my pre-64 parts rifle in 35 Whelen.
I have a 77 tanger in 7mm RM that will be getting a 358 barrel from ER Shaw, unless I can move it. If I sell it I’ll pick up a 700 in 7mm RM and convert it one way or another to 358.
As my teeth probably won’t get much longer, I doubt I will ever need more power and I’m pretty sure that the 358 is more power than I need. Heck a 30-06 is likely all I’ll ever need as far as power goes.
But I like 35’s and 375’s. I’m sure I’d like 9.3’s too.

As far as 35 Whelen compared to 358 NM, the bigger case in the 35 makes more difference than in smaller diameter cartridges, IMO.

I'm getting somewhere between 250-300fps over 35 Whelen speeds with my 358 Norma using PP2000MR in both cartridges. I'll let you figure out the power/energy difference. Both are 16 twist Remington factory 22" barrels. In the Whelen 3000 fps with 200s is possible but the brass is happier & accuracy better around 2930-2950, 225s are comfortably at 2900fps. Add 250fps to that for the Norma. Haven't done much recently with 250s due to the current component situation, but some initial testing in the Norma saw 3000 fps & 2650+ in the Whelen. Again, both with PP2000. Accuracy in the bigger case was better down around 2930 to 2950fps. JOC made the 270 a "flat-shooting" favorite with a 130gr bullet at around 3000fps back in the day. A 270/130 Partition has a BC of 0.416. The 358/225 Partition has a BC of 0.421, while the 250's is 0.446.

Cast & pistol bullets haven't proven to have top level accuracy (yet?) but are fun to plink with. A cast 250gr GC around 1900fps is accurate enough for deer sized animals to reasonable distance. Tried some 150gr PSP Core-Lokts at around 3200fps in the Norma for a groundhog load. The best it would do was 2" groups at 100 yds which just isn't that great. Maybe this side of 200 yds. I've been using some PPU 300 WinMag brass reformed for the Norma. It works very well & is lasting a long time. I hear Lapua is making 300 WinMag brass now too.

Never had a 9.3 or felt the need to get one other than out of curiosity. The 9.3x64 Brenneke looks interesting. If you have the need, I wonder what a quicker twist than 16 would do with some of the semi-custom heavy bullets in 35 caliber.

I have built all 3 several times for various customers and owned both the 358 Norma and the 9.3X62. Of them all the one I still have is the 9,3X62.

The 358 Norma was a great shell limited by a lack of bullets back then, that would work at the velocities it produced. I'd have to say those days are now past, and you can get VERY good bullets now in 35 cal made for fast expansion, slow expansion and a few in-between. But when I had my 358 I found it kicked about like my 375H&H and didn't preform as well, so I sold it.

Of the many 35 Whelens I have made, I have yet to have anyone say they didn't like it, and with the same bullets I mentioned above and also the older "soft" ones, the 35 Whelen has few faults. From small deer to bull moose, it covers all the ground.

The 9.3X62 is my favorite of the 3 because it does all the 35 Whelen will do, and also has bullets available in the 286-320 range. Now hard to get, but the Norma 232 grain bullets are very good for game under 400 pounds.

I choose the 9,3, but truth is I'd probably be just as well armed in North America with the 35 Whelen. Shooting 250 grain bullets from either the 9.3 or the 35, I seriously doubt there would be any meaningful difference on game. The 286 grain 9.3 bullets do it all VERY well too, but with the possible exception of bison, I doubt there is any animal in N. American that would be effected any differently compared to a good 250 from the Whelen.

Great thread,
I've been wanting a medium bore for a while.
I tend to lean towards the 9.3x62....that would allow me to tell my dad he needs a bigger gun (his bear rifle is a 35 Whelen).

Thanks
Ross

My vote is for the .35 Whelen. Tried and true.

Have all three, and have not shot any of em...

My medium is a 9,3x62. Either of the other two cartridges mentioned will work just fine also.

Back in the late 70's I picked up a custom 1903 in 358 Norma Mag, awesome rifle, very accurate and it put a thump on deer, I bought it hopping to get a moose tag back in MN, never did and sold the rifle. 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.

I never lost my craving for a 35cal and built a Rem 721 into a 35 Whelen and acquired a Rem 760 in 35 Rem. The 35 Whelen is more than enough for my needs but a 358 NM is a grand round for game, I shot 250gr RN's.

I've owned several Magnum Mediums...338 RUM, 340WBY, 375 H&H, 375 WBY, 358NM, 338WM

And "just Mediums"...35 Whelan, 35 Whelan Ackley Improved, 338/280 wildcat, 9.3x62, and a 338RCM
I hunted 20yrs with the 35 Whelan AI, and really like the 9.3x62. IF you want a thumper, they work just fine. IF you want a bit more range, I used the 200 Barnes X in my 35 Whelan AI out to 347 yds on Black Wildebeest, and zebra at 250/never recovered a bullet. I also used the 250X on 8 PG and only recovered 2. Personally, I settled on the 300WM for my everything rifle now, but we still have both the 35 WAI and the 9.sx62! . While I love the big magnums, they do boot n beller more! Have a ball man!