[LoneEagle]

Well, I have priced it all out and it looks like reboring a 7600 is a do-able project. So which should it be. I want thoughtful answers here. I know there isn't much difference between the two of them.
I have a set of Whelen dies already and I shoot a .358 Win in a pistol but I am not sure what the new rifle should be. So what do you all think. Thanks, Sean

 

[RugerNo3]

The 7600 was factory chambered in a 35whelen and one should be readily available in the used market. James Gates has posted the name of a gun shop that rebarrels the 7600. A rebore job is a crapshoot at best by only a couple smiths in the US and usually requires a secondary bore dia as a backup to the primary dia. I'd refuse to keep a firearm tied up for a year to arrive at the solution you desire and I believe that is in the realm of possibility. On your rebore desires then the first would be 338-06 and it may not be possible to get the 35Whelen as a backup. A 375 would be the next logical step. What's doable and what's practicle has to be weighed in ones own mind after the facts have been presented.

 

[LoneEagle]

RugerNo3
While I appreciate your reply, the question asked was about the cartridges, not the method to arrive there.  I have been quoted a 5 month delivery time on this project which is acceptable to me since I won't be able to shoot again until April or May anyways. But, again thanks for your reply. Sean


(Edited by LoneEagle at 3<!--emo&:0--><img src="http://beartoothbullets.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'><!--endemo-->1 pm on Dec. 7, 2001)

 

[Alk8944]

Since you wanted an opinion, FWIW my choice is the Whelan.  Having the dies is an advantage.  If you already have a Whelan there is the issue of keeping ammunition separate between two guns, but if I read what you meant, this would be the only one.

There is really little to choose between these two calibers as both are a big game caliber only.  You really cannot go wrong with either.  Bullet selection is good for both.  Either is good for anything in North America, including the big bears.

You didn't ask for it, but you should at least talk to Cliff LaBounty at LaBounty Precision Re-boring, Inc.  I wanted a Colt Army Special .32-20 re-bored to .41 Colt and called Hamilton Bowen about this.  Bowen referred me to LaBounty who does all of Bowen's re-bore work!  This is a pretty good recommendation.  Turn-around on the job was about five weeks and the price 1/3 of what one of the other shops wanted!  His phone is (360) 599-2047 and Fax (360) 599-3018.  If you call he will actually answer the phone and spend time talking with you, rare these days!

So far as RugerNo3 saying a re-bore is a crap-shoot, since the tooling used to re-bore is the same as to manufacture a new barrel the degree of precision is the same.  If RugerNo3 had a smith tell him that you should have a back-up just in case he screwed up the reaming or rifleing on a re-bore, I would be looking for a different shop!!

 

[Charlie Z]

Interesting info on the reboring -- experience is an expensive.  

If you like Ken Water's opinion, he prefers the 338-06.  They're equal to 250yds, then the 338-06 shows up better.  There are more choices in bullets in 338, too.  Since most game is taken under 250yds, it seems like a pretty academic difference.  One of those .35rem vs 30-30 vs 32 spl connundrums.

Charlie

 

[LoneEagle]

More info on this project. I contacted the shop that RugerNo3 mentioned in his post. There price to rebarrel a Rem 7600 is &#36450 "any caliber that is feasible". Sean

 

[Bill Lester]

My choice would be the .338-06 A-Square. With the popularity of the .338 magnums you have a wide selection of bullets to choose from compared to the largely unloved-in-America .35 caliber, .35 Remington not withstanding. Pressure-tested load data from the bullet and powder manufacturers will also show a slight edge in velocity compared to the Whelen with identical weight projectiles due to the .338's 53,000 CUP SAAMI maximum versus the .35's 50,000 cup ceiling. Not a whole lot, usually under 200 fps, but it's there. Finally if long range shots are to be considered the .338 always has a much higher ballistic coefficient when similar bullets are compared. For example, and only because I have the Speer load manual next to me, the .338/250-grain Grand Slam has a b.c. of .431 while the .358/250-grain Grand Slam goes .335. In real world ballistics that means the .338 is going as fast at 300 yards as the .35 Whelen is at 200. While trajectory differences will be inconsequential in the field, that amount of retained velocity can do nothing but improve bullet performance of the .338-06 compared to the .35 Whelen.  

 

[IDShooter]

I would go with 338-06 for all the reasons Bill said, plus the fact that .338 bullets are generally tougher and would penetrate better. Also, bullets like the 200gr Speer are soft enough to be useful on deer, so you have a wide variety to choose from. My local gunshop has Weatherby brass in 338-06 too, and it's not nearly as expensive as Weatherby magnum brass. Let us know what you decide!           Good shooting,  ID

 

[RugerNo3]

Gentlemen, on my original post I 'll stand by my words as stated.  No base cartridge was stated nor was any fact related as to chamber concentricity to bore dia. The statement 'doable'  covers a large area and price was the only criteria mentioned to make it doable and I point out what may not make it 'doable', hence a second choice is necessary.  Any barrel maker worth his salt would be pointing out the ramifications including possible damage to the barrel extensions used on the 7600-7400 Remingtons. It all depends on the definition of 'doable'.

 

[LoneEagle]

Not to belabor the point but the question was and is about the cartridges not the process. Sean

 

[whitehunter35]

I am a big fan of all things 35 caliber, and while i do not have any expirence with the 35 Whelen, i have considerable with its ballistic twin, the 350 rem mag, and am just trying out the 358 win.  

All 35s that i have fired and the two that i own, are uncommonly accuratte.  My 700 classic 350 consistantly groups an inch or less at 100 yards, and a few less than a half of inch.  This is with every load that i have tired, in the 180, 200, 225, and 250 weights.  Pistol bulletts don;t do as well in my rifle, but are close enough for government work.

Everything that i have shot with the 350 acted like it was hit with a sledge hammer, and all bulletts performed beautifully, regardless of weight and relative hardness.  Downrange perfomance is no slouch either, alhtough all of my game shots have been within 150 yards, i still can group at 300 with no trouble, and feel that i could push that, although right now  i think i will  reserve such for paper and not flesh targets.

I don;t think there are many flies on either, but i sure do like the 35s.  

Either way, i bet you get a real shooter.

Take care,

Steve

 

[MikeG]

The discussion got me to thinking, if there is risk in reboring a rifle, why not start out with the correct bore diameter in the first place?  That is, see if you can come up with a .35 Rem barrel, and merely rechamber to .35 Whelen.

Any reboring job is going to end up including the use of a chamber reamer.  A chamber job should not be terribly expensive.  If the difference would cover the cost of a barrel, the I'd say that would be the way to go.

Of course this would rule out the .338-06.

 

[Eric]

Depends on what you're using it for. My opinion - go with the 35 Whelen.. But I like fat bullets. I doubt the critter will tell the difference.

Paco Kelly at sixgunner has written some about his experiences with the 35 whelen might be worth looking up.

If you can raise James Gates he can give you the phone number of a smith in his country that does great work on pump guns. Or look for some of his past posts here in the rifle and wild cat forums.

You should be able to get a re-barrel job done for a reasonable amount of &#36&#36, might be cheaper than a re-bore.


My .02 - good luck.

 

[LoneEagle]

As I posted earlier a rebore/rechamber job will cost &#36265. To rebarrel the only place I have found charges &#36450. Sean

 

[jim love]

I have owned both 35 Whelen and 338-06,truth is you won't go wrong with either.Right now I have a 338-06 that shoots fine a little heavy on recoil but so is the Whelen.There is a good selection of bullets for the 338-06.Here on the left coast a lot of our areas you have to shoot lead free.Mine shoots the Barnes good just a little pricey.Brass is available for both,or use 30-06,I have used both with no problems.I would say 51% for the 338-06 and 49% for the 35 Whelen. Jim

 

[2Bits]

I feel that both calibers are very good for close to medium yardage and they also will handle all those big game one might run into, including the big bad bears.

I think the .338-06 is more versatile with the bullets that are out there for it to hunt down various game animals. However, there is no denying that the .35 calber has taken a heck of a lot of big brown bears years ago, when owning a .375H&H was almost impossible to find and one had to be a blessed banker to afford the gun.

The .338-06 has a better down range capability but in the thick stuff that .35 cal. really seems to shine, weather elk, moose or bears. I favor the .338-06 because I know it is only a 100fps slower than my .338 Win mag and it sure is not giving up much in the way of energy.

 

[black mamba]

SAAMI maximums are a moot point when comparing the 338-06 to the 35 Whelen, as they both use the same case in the same actions. Whatever pressure ceiling is safe in one is just as safe in the other. Loaded to the same pressures, you should always be able to get more velocity with same weight bullets in the Whelen, because of it's better expansion ratio. The difference would be slight, but enough to offset the equally slight BC advantage of the .338 bullets, so ballistically they are as close as any two cartridges could be.

Good bullets are available for both, but the Whelen has two advantages: 1) low cost pistol bullets for practice and small game hunting, and 2) it makes a bigger hole. When I faced the same decision, I chose the Whelen.

 

[shane256]

This thread was 11 years old... until yesterday, that is

 

[broom_jm]

This thread was 11 years old... until yesterday, that is

That has to be some kind of record.

 

[Confederate Ordnance]

Just a thought. While there is a much wider selection of .338 caliber bullets, I think it necessary to point out they are designed for cartridges capable of higher velocity than a 338-06 can produce. Perhaps one runs the risk of less than optimal expansion when ranges get longer and velocities drop off. Bullets of 35 caliber are generally designed for the velocity class one can expect from a 35 Whelen and if lower power loads are desired for deer in the woods or other instances where higher velocity is not necessary or desirable, the very reliable 200gr rn at 35Rem levels are easily done. Again. Just a thought.