In the shooting sports we call that reaction recoil or "kick." would follow that tradition. A medium variable in the 3-9X or 2.5-10X range should be enough scope for elk hunting. Folks who live in elk country may consciously seek a cow for the freezer. But there is another Rigby cartridge, vastly overlooked even among rifle cranks, but which was at one time as popular as the .375 H&H Magnum: the .350 Rigby Magnum. necked up to .35 caliber. For example, take the most powerful of the factory standardized .35's, the .358 Norma Magnum. We've got you covered. .450 Nitro Express .17 Hornet 7mm STW 6.8 Western .375 Ruger .223 Remington6.5x55 Swedish .416 Remington Magnum .300 Winchester Short Magnum 28 Nosler 6.5 PRC .22 WMR .458 Winchester Magnum .204 Ruger .22 Hornet .280 Ackley Improved .240 Weatherby Magnum .458 Lott.264 Winchester Magnum.348 Winchester.33 Nosler.260 Remington.30-30 Winchester.416 Rigby.358 Norma Magnum.22 LR7mm-08 Remington8mm Remington Magnum.338 Federal.224 Valkyrie.338-06 A-Square9.3x62mm Mauser.257 Weatherby Magnum.45-70 Government.300 H&H Magnum.25-06 Remington.30-06 Springfield6.5 Creedmoor.300 Remington Ultra Magnum7mm Remington Magnum.470 Nitro Express.280 Remington.300 Winchester Magnum.270 Winchester.222 Remington.45 ACP.404 Jeffery.44 Remington Magnum.41 Remington Magnum.243 Winchester.338 Winchester Magnum.357 S&W Magnum6.5-284 Norma8x57 Mauser.38 Smith & Wesson Special7x57mm Mauser9mm Luger.35 Whelen.454 Casull.375 H&H Magnum.45 Colt.22-250 Remington10mm Auto.308 Winchester. For the handloader, as the accompanying table demonstrates, the .358 Norma Magnum provides an almost unbelievable range of possibilities, from loads light enough for gallery shooting to heavy enough. [1] The Hornady Superformance load for the .35 Whelen launches a 200-grain bullet at a blistering. In more recent times, the 1994 release of the .450 Rigby gave dangerous game hunters a bit more bullet weight than the .416 Rigby and has developed a small but devout following among both professional hunters and their clients alike. Mag. and the 6.5 mm Rem. Pet Loads and Handloader are registered trademarks of Wolfe Publishing Company. How it would have done on a live animal is impossible to say. Sure, we experiment a bit with other bore sizes, but in the end it always comes back to the .30 caliber. Remington currently lists a Model 7 rifle with a 20-inch barrel; todays version of the 600 in .350 Rem. Far more alternatives, in fact, than exist in several more popular caliber families. Bertram Brass from Australia is a good source when you can get it, and Quality Cartridge makes a run of .350 Rigby every few years, but you could be waiting a considerable amount of time. Mag., and I think thats the only current production rifle in that cartridge. all were more powerful-and may have been excellent hunting cartridges-but they are gone; rejected by the shooting public and banished to the junk heap of obsolescence. I own several rifles in this cartridge and all my .35 Whelen rifles are accurate. Its said that the French used it in World War I, but it probably didnt see much action. You can start with the 6.5mms. The .358 Win. First, it will do everything the .338 will, and a bit more. Like most of the children of the Holland & Holland parents, the .358 Norma uses its shoulder for headspacing, rather than the belt, as do the .375 and .300 H&H. They truly were ahead of their time, as they were short magnums back when being a short magnum wasnt cool. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. . Trust me, you could do worse, but youll be hard-pressed to do better! The bullet went in behind the near shoulder, struck the far shoulder from the inside, and the blue bull hit the ground with a thud. In the entry on the .358 Norma, it maintains that, had Norma convinced a major American riflemaker to offer the chambering in the early years, it could have become one of the greats. The .358 Norma Mag. I rely on, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Remington Model 700 American Hunter Rifle Project, Behind the Bullet: .458 Winchester Magnum, Behind the Bullet: .300 Winchester Short Magnum, NRA Women | Understanding Sectional Density (SD), 10 Most Versatile Long-Range Hunting Cartridges | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Fiocchi USA Appoints David Blenker As New CEO After Anthony Acitellis Retirement | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, Behind the Bullet: .17 HMR | An Official Journal Of The NRA, How to Properly Clean and Store Your Rifle After Hunting Season, X-Vision Optics Launches Thermal Impact Scope, First Look: Blocker Outdoors Finisher Accessories, 10 Most Versatile Long-Range Hunting Cartridges, X-Vision Optics Launches Thermal Impact Scope | An Official Journal Of The NRA, New For 2023: Smith & Wesson M&P FPC | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Launching 2023: KelTec R50 Rifle | NRA Family, New For 2023: Glock 47 MOS | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Savage Arms 110 PCS | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Davidson's Winchester Model 1895 Texas Ranger's Edition | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Product Preview: Holosun SCS-MOS Green | An Official Journal Of The NRA, 3 Self Defense Myths That Just Won't Go Away | NRA Family, How to Properly Clean and Store Your Rifle After Hunting Season | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Shotgunning 101: The Perfect Gun Mount | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Glass Bedding A Rifle Stock | An Official Journal Of The NRA, New 4473 Released By BATFE | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Member's Hunt: Road Trip | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Springfield Launches New Online Shopping Experience | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Preview: Sarco, Inc. 2nd Amendment Pint Glass | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Riton Optics Celebrates 10th Anniversary | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Top 4 Ways to Carry a Binocular | NRA Family, Preview: Mission First Tactical 24-oz. were to go head to head with the .25-35 Win., .30-30 Win. Everybody agrees that the .358 Win. Make no mistake, the .30-06 is a powerful cartridge, but it doesnt beat you to death and can be built in the seven- to eight-pound range. and a 250-grain Partition load with a muzzle velocity of 2550 f.p.s. from my E.R. 358 norma mag is a rarer bird but as I understand fire forming 300 win mag brass an easy way to feed it. Hunting Shack 358NORMA2N Game King 358 Norma 225 gr Sierra GameKing Spitzer Boat-Tail - 20rd Box. Most ammunition makers have a 200-grain load, and Remington also has a 150-grain load with a muzzle velocity of 2300 f.p.s. of muzzle energy. Ive had a 350 RM in a 600 Remington since the 60s. The writings of Robert Ruark certainly helped the reputation of the cartridge and the company, as Ruark put his young PH Harry Selby and the .416 Rigby rifle he carried on a pedestal. 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. The .35-caliber cartridges usually top out at 250 grains, though if a 300-grain bullet at a slightly faster twist rate were employed, it would certainly be in the same class as the .375 Holland & Holland. The original Schultz & Larsens were sold without iron sights, and they were installed on my rifle afterward. For the next year, comparisons were inevitable between Johanssons Hammer of Thor and the .358s powerful 250-grain bullet. Why the .35 Rem. At the same time, it will do almost everything the .375 will but with vastly more versatility. .35 caliber rifle cartridges have been around practically forever without ever really becoming popular. The 6.5mm Creedmoor and the old 6.5x55 are sound minimal choices, adequate to 300 yards. Its a flat shootermimicking the trajectory of a .30-06 with heavier bulletsand is fully capable as an all-around choice. Thats the primary game for many of us, but one size doesnt fit all. My 35 Whelen will run 250gr partitions at 2700 fps with power pro 2000 powder. These are elk cartridges, and as Jack Atcheson Jr. likes to say, the .338 numbs them. Since then, I have often recommended medium bores, such as Elmer Keiths favorite .33s, and Ive used the 8mm Remington Magnum a lot. Head to the range this week with American Rifleman staff as they discuss a trim little repeater from Savage Arms that comes chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge. What keeps it alive? It is, as you say, a thumper. The ammunition situation is a little better than the rifles. You know the kind with the locking bolt. The .35's are just plain superior for CXP3 class game. Included in that have been a whole bunch of deer, hogs and a bear or two. I shot my first bull elk in Montanas Pioneer Mountains on a snowy Thanksgiving in 1972. pushes a 200-grain bullet to just more than 2000 f.p.s. 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? Its a decent cartridge, but American hunters just wont flock to it. Theres more to success than merely landing a good one on the chin. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Perhaps thats how it should be, the masses rarely embrace true greatness. Real world, the Norma bitchslaps brown bears and moose as convincingly as the 375H&H. to achieve its potential. If the .350 Rigby Magnum was effective in the golden era of safari, modern premium bullet designs will make it even better. There are places where .22 centerfires are legal for elk. Of the bullets used, several performed extremely well, including the Bear Claw and a Nosler 250-grain Partition. and .35 Rem., it was an excellent woods rifle for hunting whitetails. You can never lead if you always follow; the other cartridges were designed to chase Winchesters success, while the .35 Rem. Quite a difference! By and large, we shooters seem to gravitate to the middle of the road; to bland, yet predictable, mediocrity. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? I think Jack OConnor, the great champion of the .270, would agree. Either way, the Newton is the unbelted twin of the .358 Norma. This is a particularly apt comparison because the re-introduced .350 is available in the Remington Model Seven rifle, which is also offered in .300 short magnum calibers. In an age of ultra-specializatio in every field, and especially rifles, such versatility is almost an anachronism. Loved by gun guys and rejected by the huddled masses, this is perhaps the most underappreciated cartridge of them all. Recoil was completely manageable, and it inspired me to begin the journey of having my own .350 Rigby rifle built. Most Professional Hunters agree that a bullet with a S.D. Let's also compare the .358 with the other end of the spectrum. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The .350 Remington Magnum is the only cartridge that appears on both lists of current and obsolete calibers. But there is no compelling reason to consider a caliber larger than .35. I have a .356 Win. Here are the features to watch out for. Petersen's HUNTING Publisher, Kevin Steele is in the CZ booth with Dylan Rice at SHOT Show to talk about CZ 600 Series Trail rifle. Yet, that bore diameter produces some of the best hunting cartridges available. The better ones create mild gallery or small-game loads that are economical, quiet, virtually without recoil and best of all a lot of fun to shoot. Mag. He never questioned the adequacy of his .270 for elk, nor do I, but he was also a lifelong .30-06 fan and privately conceded its superiority for elk-sized game. On June 26, 1959, Sweden's Ingemar Johansson demolished Floyd Patterson in the third round of their first heavyweight title fight in New York. Kevin Steele of Petersen's HUNTING is with Dawn Wehunt of Rock River Arms INC. learning about the new Ascendant platform. but it does have the 22" barrel and the irons , looks and feels like a MTN rifle to me. and is a good cartridge for hunting the thick woods for deer, hogs, black bear or even elk. crying, My kingdom for a rifle.. Around eight pounds set to go is a good compromise. Although such weight is rare, a big bull can exceed 1,000 pounds. Today we have better bullets than when I was a kid. I wont go so far as to say thats foolish, but theres a major difference in size and toughness between a cow or spike and a mature bull. Twenty years ago, I might have said .338 Winchester Magnum was the perfect choice for elk. The 338/06 when compared to the .35 Whelen only beats it with the lighter bullets and not by much. Then come the .30s, and now were talking business. Ive seen many elk taken cleanly with a .270 Winchester, and my own longest shot on an elk was on a big New Mexico bull at 400 yards using a .270 Winchester with a 150-grain Nosler Partitionone step and down. Mag. While the American mainstream wont accept the .35, they are not unloved. Heres a look at 10 of the most flexible long-range hunting cartridges. Gun guys recognize the potential in the .358. And Barnes makes a 200-grain TSX bullet designed for this cartridge that, when handloaded to 2850 f.p.s., allows the .350 Rem. Among my own favorites for the .358 Norma are the Nosler Partitions in both 225 and 250 grains, Swift A-Frames (225, 250, 280) and various Woodleighs, including the unique 310-grain Weldcore. I will go with the 35 Whelen BUT 9.3x62 will be cool due that you already have a 350 Rem mag, if you're opening the bolt face the 358 STA better option than Norma and 338-06 could be a nice choice too. In many areas a 100-pound deer might be normal, but mule deer and whitetail bucks exist that are triple that size. Here the elk offers hunters an advantage because the vital zone, like body size, is at least twice that of any deer. The .358 Norma Mag. The major problem with light loads is getting enough pressure to provide a good gas seal. in an 8.5 pound rifle, is comparable to the much more popular but less effective (on CXP3 class game) .300 Weatherby or .300 Remington Ultra Magnums. Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. Nosler has three loads in its Custom line. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. At 300 yards, it has 19 percent more energy than the .300 Win. Follow along to see exactly how. To return to our boxing analogy, the .358 Norma Magnum not only has the Hammer of Thor, but it also offers an excellent jab, a good hook, a wicked uppercut and a variety of feints. Contributor Brad Fenson takes to the grill, to cook up some delicious venison burgers. Being able to take off the scope and work with iron sights, using cast bullets or light jacketed bullets, adds an entirely new dimension to the rifle. up to 0.358 inches and dubbed it the poor mans magnum.. THe 35 whelen did have a little more power than the 358. This was not the factory bullet from the 1960s, with its mild-steel jacket, but a later one. Synthetic wins over laminate because laminates, strongest of all, are also heaviest. Think of the .358 Norma Magnum as the chunky cousin of the .338 Winchester Magnum; not quite as svelte or popular, but equally effective in a fight. Got a nice .270 Win MTN Rifle donor 700. The Whelen is a more sensible choice, but the Rigby isnt about sensibility, its about nostalgia and a connection to a bygone age. Cartridges of .25 caliber and below are not ideal elk cartridges, especially if a big bull is a potential. It was predictable that the .356 Win. The main problem with such potent cartridges is that they kick hard in rifles light enough to carry all day in steep places. The Swedish firm of A.B. Its safe to say that of all the .358 Norma Magnum rifles in existence, there are more custom than factory ones, and this makes it tricky to load for in another way. Today, it is strictly a custom proposition unless one of the original rifles chambered for it can be found. The Remington Model 600 Magnum rifle, along with the cartridge it birthed, was just such a product. factory load is a 250-grain Oryx bullet listed with a muzzle velocity of 2723 f.p.s. I did kill a ton of squirels with pistol bullets and a little 700X, it would shoot little cloverleafs at 50 yrds. Winchester introduced its initial trio of belted magnums in the mid-1950sthe .458 Winchester Magnum, .338 Winchester Magnum and .264 Winchester Magnumand all were designed for the long-action receiver, using a case length equal or similar to the .30-06 Springfield. Griffin & Howe developed the semiwildcat .350 G&H based on the .375 H&H case, as well as pioneering the .35 Whelen. 1 Item (s) Show per page. from my E.R. and .358 Norma Mag.). Mag. Ill bet its been awhile since those cartridges have been seen in a hunting camp. The 600 Magnum suffered from a barrel that was too short at 18 inches. Of course, not all .35-caliber cartridges approach greatness. In both cartridges, versatility is limited more by the narrow range of bullets available than by any other factor. As a result of all this activity, .358-inch diameter jacketed rifle bullets are available in a wide range of weights and styles, from 150-grain semipointed to 200- grain roundnose, all the way up to 310 grains for the heaviest game. However, the optimum game range of the .358 (250 grain bullet at a MV of 2300 fps) is 240 yards. Though still under construction, Im eager to take the classic cartridge into the hunting fields. The .350 can drive a 250 grain bullet to a MV of 2500 fps. A monster buck is different from a fork-horn or a fat doe. Mag. Since lack of a gas seal in a low-pressure load is more of a nuisance than a danger, it can be ignored if you dont mind the soot. There are many good choices, and shot placement is more important than case dimensions and bullet diameter. Mag. And the hunter must have full confidence in his or her choice. Well, it betters the velocity of the .35 Whelen by at least 200 fps, much the same as the .338 Winchester Magnum does to the .338-06. Norma Projektilfabrik answered Winchesters designs with a pair of their own: the .308 Norma Magnum and its slightly older brother, the .358 Norma Magnum. I have long been something of a .35 caliber fan, but I have to admit that I believe the reason for the general lack of public acceptance of all but the least powerful .35's is, in a word, recoil. can drive the same weight bullet a bit faster. The 35 whelen and 358 winchester were the two I was torn between. in its NoslerCustom line with a 225-grain Partition bullet at 2550 f.p.s. It never got up. The .318 Westley Richards was a highly popular choice at that time, and it drives a 250-grain bullet of .330-inch diameter, with a SD of 0.328, and the .375 Holland & Holland uses a 300-grain bullet of nominal diameter with a SD of 0.305; both are renowned for their penetration. There is certainly no lack of .358-inch diameter bullets to choose from but brass is limited. Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. That load actually produced 2825 f.p.s. Kali Parmley, Editor-in-chief of Bakccountry Hunter speaks with Bret Maffet of Franchi Firearms to discuss the all new Momentum All Terrain Elite. That year, Remington also brought out the Model 673 Guide Gun in .350 Rem Mag. With todays interest in long-range shooting, big scopes are in, but powerful scopes add weight. I'd go with the 35 whelen. Many western hunters annually take elk with 6mms and .25s. Looks like I'll do a Whelen. All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Clearly, for the hunter seeking heavy game and willing to accept this level of recoil, the .358 Norma Magnum deserves far more popularity than it has received. The Remington Model 673 Guide Rifle was chambered in .350 Rem. The Newton was supposedly loaded, by Western Cartridge, to 2,975 fps with a 250-grain bullet, but I, for one, would want to see the chronograph reading. Throw a belt on the .35 Newton and you couldnt tell the difference three feet away. Also, after a few dozen elk hunts, Ive seen many taken effectively with lighter cartridges.