How hot a load for 35 Rem needed for hunting

[Billy Jack]

I am about to load for 35 Rem for general hunting of deer, hogs mainly, and maybe eventually an elk at close range someday(bucket list).

Factory Remington 200gr Corelokt SP shoots about 2067 fps in my 336. An RCBS 200gr cast bullet over 31 grains of Rel#7 shoots about 2063 fps (both chronographed). The impact point of these 2 rounds is very close, which is nice since the factory Rem 200 gr is considered a good jacketed load and I have bought several boxes over the last few months at Academy. The 31 gr load seems to be accurate as well.

My question centers around what I have learned from this forum and my own experience on 45-70 loads for hunting.

With the 45-70 there just isn't any need to load past 1600-1800 fps to kill just about anything. In fact the consensus seems to be that a little slower bullet creates "dwell time" in the animal and does a better killing job with less meat damage than the same bullet at a faster pace. Hotter loads just become less fun to shoot.

So does the same theory hold true for the 35 Rem or should I load it on up to over 2000fps and call it good?

 

[rcmodel]

Load it to factory performance and call it good.

You can't compare it to a 45-70 with typical bullet weights used in them.

It needs the velocity to get the expansion that gave it the killing machine reputation it has maintained all these years.

Plus, the bullets you can buy to reload it with are designed to open & perform reliably that factory velocity level.

rc

 

[R.W.Dale]

The factory 200 grain load as it is needs no improving upon.

Next thread.

 

[calaverasslim]

I find my Marlin 35 Rem. doesn't do well with factory. I load the Rem. 200gr RN over almost max of 4064. good luck

 

[Billy Jack]

RC that is about what I figured; that it wouldn't be wide enough flat enough or heavy enough to compare to the 45-70. BUT I wanted to hear it from those that have been doing this longer than I have.

Since I have become an advocate of cast bullets, I don't really want to shoot anything else. However, I have read great things about the Remington Corelokt's performance in the 35 Rem and have been stocking up on it. I have also ordered 400 200 gr RCBS LFN GC bullets for the Remington cases as they lose their jacketed bullets.
Thanks

 

[GooseGestapo]

It depends....

If you buy into the myth that the .35Rem is at best a 100yd woods gun, then yes. Load it to published loads and call it good.

However, if you realize that with many of the suitable powders that you can't get enough powder in the case to cause excessive pressures (ie: IMR4064, H4895, Varget, BLC2, LVR), and that at the level of the express loads of the early 1920's that you can get the same velocity with the 200gr bullet in the .35 that a .30/30 gets with a 170gr bullet. And, that with a +3" sight in with a scope at 100yds, you're -4" at 200yds for an effective point blank range of 200yds; it' point and blast for most shots on deer.

Also, bullets launched at a reasonable 2,250fps m/v expand as readily at 200yds as those launched from factory loads at 100yds; you have a very effective deer/black bear killing tool in the .35Rem.

To quote one of the gunscribes; the .35Rem and .257Roberts are factory loaded to the level of "burrito farts", pretty accurately describes the .35Rem "factory loads" that are down loaded to keep from damaging some of the early recoil operated semi-auto's.

I've chrono'd some factory ammo that only reached 1,850fps, and the infamous 150gr PtSpt Remington load that is "claimed" to get 2,400fps runs ~2,100fps...

With similar pressure loads, my .35 trails my .358win by about 100fps. Exactly what the difference in case capacity would predict... And indistinguishable performance on game, just as I would expect.

But no; there's really nothing wrong with factory loaded .35 ammo...

However, my RCBS 200gr FNGC mould actually throws it's bullets to ~218gr. Add a gascheck and size to .360" with SPG and load over 38.0gr of H4895, It's running 2,160fps. Acutally very, very close to the 220gr BuffaloBore load with the Speer 220gr at 2,200fps...
Not hardly RemChester factory performance...
But yes, I too have have very,very good performance from the Remington 200gr Corlokt. However, for the price of 200 Corlokts, I now have an unlimited lifetime supply of the RCBS FNGC.....
Thanks for the "memories" Remington !!!

 

[herrwalther]

I load my .35Rem for the 336 to run about 2100 FPS for a hunting cartridge using 200gr FTX rounds. That is well in my "good enough" category for hunting.

 

[horsemen61]

Need this info later thanks guys