.35 caliber wildcats

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Nature Boy

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Some of you guys like @Legionnaire and @LoonWulf with your projects have caused my wheels to start spinning.

I’m starting to think about a future project with the basis being the .35 caliber. Not interested in the .35 Whelen or anything derived from a belted cartridges.

I have a .358 win in a BLR so this would be a bolt action with more horsepower to sling 225-250 grain bullets

Something along the lines of a .358 WSM or a .35-284

Anyone do something like this? Have any ideas?
 
how fast do you want to sling 225-250s?
Personally I'd be looking at the .284 case for 250s at 24-2500, and more than that I'd probably go all the way to the .375 Ruger/300prc just for availability and try scratch 3k...sorta like a 358 sta that fits in a "standard" length action.

The rifle it self would probably dictate what I used in the build. light, compact, and fast handling .284 or WSM based. I'd also use the .284 or WSM for a regular sporter style rifle.
Heavier more deliberate, with significant punch at range than the Ruger (or any similar case, I just use the Ruger cases cause I like them) case.
 
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These a nice right up in a book I have on the 35-284, they got some good fps and that was in the 70/80s. I want to do a 35 wssm on the Browning a-bolt action. A 358wsm would be a power house in short action.

Dad had a Siamese mauser in 35/348AI and it was very nice. He had a custom shop 350rm xp100. I really liked my 358m shot pretty flat to.

Do you have any actions around or what would you like to use.
 
Looks like the 358wsm will allow for more case capacity (albeit slightly) to seat longer than the 350 RemMag. To be honest my infatuation with the 350RM was due to my like for all things 7mm and with the 7mmRM parent case.
 
The .35 Whelen Improved is only a semi-wildcat, but is worth considering because it represents about the max that can be accomplished by uniting a .35 caliber bullet with the '06 case. Besides that it has the charming prospect being probably the only .35 Imp in your neighborhood. And it's also a good fit for a standard length action you have laying around looking for something to do, like this Argentine Mauser I had put together a few years back. 35impa.JPG DSC_0121.JPG DSC_0129.JPG
 
What's the rifle going to be used for?

Browning Model 71 carbine in 348 win is my favorite rifle.

348, to me, is an intriguing cartridge. And a very practical reloaders rifle for deer and black bear. A lot of gun in a small package that is great for walking/jumping game and woods tree stand hunting

Bullet selection is weak compared to 358. For 348 Hornady makes a good 200gr, or drop big coin on premiums I think swift makes one now. Too bad nosler doesn't make any.

I just recently explored the 358 win more. That's a cool round. Too bad the browning a bolt only chambered a few of them.

35-284 would be real cool tho.
 
I had a "Spark Plug" .350 Remington Mag as Col. Cooper called it. He used 250 grain bullets and so did I . The extra powder cap. over the .35 Remington did not get you much in a 18" barrel the 660 Remingtons had . I could only get 2400 fps in the mid 80s with mine with 250 grain spitzer bullets. The Remington only had .308 SA length and the bullets had to be deeply seated . The shortened belted H&H cases only held 3006 type charges with no bullet seated and when you deep seated the 250 gain bullets to fit the action, then you had a strong .358. Winchester. The WSM case looks promising, but not in a short action. If you want a hi velocity .35 you are gonna have to have a 30-06 length action to shoot 250 grain bullets. My .358 Norma does that with common H&H brass at .338 Win Mg length.. That .35 Whelan ackly Imp really look sweet. I would imagine 2800 FPS with 250 grain bullets from a 22"+ barrel are possible.
 
Why not interested in 35 Whelen? I'm not trying to change your mind, just curious. Is it too boring or too close to .358 Win? or do you want a shorter action?
 
Why not interested in 35 Whelen? I'm not trying to change your mind, just curious. Is it too boring or too close to .358 Win? or do you want a shorter action?

As @Gordon says above, this would likely require a long action to seat the longer 250’s. I want to be able to use the magazine and eject a live round without removing the bolt as this would be a hunting rifle.

I would be very happy with a .35 Whelen AI if I could talk @Offfhand out of his beautiful rifle. As that’s not likely I want to try something a bit different. The .358 WSM seems like it could scratch that itch
 
I had a custom AR upper in .358 WSSM. IIRC speeds with 200 grain was somewhere around 2,600-2,700. Don’t remember. It fit indiana deer laws at the time.

Brass was extremely difficult to find. One in WSM should fit the bill and have easier to find brass

I’d start the search in the opposite direction. A given bullet with a given amount of powder will yield a certain velocity. You can get all wrapped around the axle about the head stamp, but it’s all just noise.

Pick your bullet, pick the speed you want, then find a case shape. Remember, a 25% increase in powder gives a 10% increase in velocity with additional recoil and muzzle blast. Ain’t no free lunch
 
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