Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 338/06 vs 35Whelen rebore

CRS
When I ran out of TrailBoss I started using Titegroup. I like Titegroup better. Try it, I think you will like it.

Will give it a try.

Thanks Charlie

.338 for me over .358. Way better for distant shots and the 225gn .338 bullet has better sectional density than the 250gn .358, the 250gn .338 has better sectional density than the 275gn .358 and if 250gn isn't enough in a .338 then there's the 300gn .338 bullet. With the 9.3's the 286gn is quite good for SD, but you can go 300 and even 320 grain in a 9.3...but they suc at long range.

I had this debate more than a decade ago but since I was rebarreling a nickel steel 1903 in a classic stock including a steel trapdoor buttplate, I went with the .35 Whelen. Then the advancement in factory loads for the Whelen, especially the Nosler loads, pushing the velocity of 225 gr to 2700 fps, it turned out to be a great choice. Shooting from a bench is not as pleasant as a 222 but I don't use it on gophers.

Get both so you don’t have a dilemma

Thats the plan I think. Already have a 35 Whelen SS Hawkeye. Was back and forth on reboring this 84L to a Whelen or 338/06. Doing the 338/06.

i just did a JES rebore on a Ruger #1 ,i went 35 Whelen.

Bet that’s gonna shoot. 3 groove?

DF

I first read of the 35 Whelen and .333 OKH (338/06) through Elmer Keith in the mid-70's. I was very keen on both, but had no money. Had a young family instead! Years later, I was in Bible School (Broken Arrow, OK)in 1988 when Remington came out with their Classic in the Whelen. Boddington shot that moose with it, and it started an itch. After that I found an article by Gary Sitton on a 20" 35 Whelen Ackley Improved. I liked the looks of the case and his idea of a 250gr going 2600. I had an invitation, to go on a combined business/hunting trip to South Africa in '95, the trip planned for Spring, '96. I wanted something with some thump, and was on the lookout for another 338WM ( had played with one, too heavy for Utah mountains and traded it for a Mountain Rifle in .280 which I had Ackleyed).

On the used gun rack was a Classic in 35 Whelen. I bought it, sent it off to Gary Stiles ( something about guys named Gary??) had rechambered for the Ackley. The Barnes 250X going 2550-2600 just went through zebra, Blue Wildebeast, Hartebeast, Oryx and Kudu like a hot knife. It made them S.S.F.F. (Start, Stumble, Fart & Fall!) right now! Impressed me all get out. Later hunts/rifles came with the 338WM/340Wby/338 RUM/375 H&H & 375 Wby. I had tried a 338/280 but got frustrated with the Remington Nickled cases, and had the rifle converted to 338WM. I liked the looks of the 338/06 Ackley, but with new powders, I cann get all I want out of the simple 338/06. Fortunately for me, I found a like new Wby UL-Lwt 338/06 A-Square, with brake, a decelerator pad and already bedded/floated. Scoped with my leupold 2.5x8, It weighs 6 3/4 pounds, kicks like a 7mm/08, whoopee!! ha My Marine Son in Law has several rifles I have gifted him through the years. An FN Mauser in 35 Whelen AI, a CZ 550 FS 9.3x62 and many others. He has killed elk with the Whelen and a big hog with the CZ. I can use either if i want, but I'm happy.

P.S. I first read about Keith's 333 OKH then 338/06 in the mid 70's. I had an old sporterized 1917 Eddystone ,my uncle gave me when I was 16. Back then, no one really wanted to bore/chamber it nor rebarrel it for fear of the Eddystone's brittleness. It shot great as is, so I just loaded up the 200 Sierra BT and shot it some more, but I really wanted the 338/06. Fate had me start out with that Classic Whelen!

Right!

I get terrific accuracy with the 185gn TTSX in my .338 Winchester so if you can attain the velocities often cited for the '06 version, I would opt for that for general use on medium game and have a few on hand with top loaded 250gn Partitions if you hunt where these may be useful.