350 Remigton Magnum

[daddywpb]

I just got a Ruger M77 all weather in this caliber. Does anyone have experience or favorite loads for the 350 Rem Mag to share?

[Pine]

It's a nice rifle.  I just got one myself a few months ago and started from scratch on some reloads.  I wanted to focus on heavy loads for elk and bear so went with 250 and 225 gr bullets.  Stared with Speer recipes out of their #12 manual and supplelmented that with the 'Complete Reloading Manual for 35 Rem and 350 Rem Mag' booklet.  I like IMR powders because the burn clean.

Loads I've tried:  virgin (but sized) brass, federal mag primers

53 grs IMR 4320 with Hornady 250 Round Nose ~ 2350fps
58 grs IMR 4320 with Sierra 225 SP ~ 2475fps
52 grs IMR 4320 with Speer 250 Grand Slam ~ 2100fps
57.5 grs IMR 4064 with Speer 225 SP ~ 2475fps
55 grns IMR 4064 with 250 Grand Slam ~ 2300fps

Honestly, all these rounds shot great with no more than 2 inch groups at 100yds, which is about as good as I can shoot.  I was happy with all of them.  The cartridge seems pretty very versitile for powder and bullets.   However, be aware, this cartridge/gun combo kicks like a mule team!!  But dont mind that,  it's definitely shootable!!  All of these rounds are mid-range loads and I'd have to think hard about wanting  to shoot a high end one after testing these out.  I bought this gun to supplement my 7mm mag to give me a little more mass down range.  I thought it would be about the same to shoot from a recoil standpoint.   Oh no...these will rock you!  I loved it.

....but I'm looking for a good recoil pad too!

I settled on the 55gr IMR 4064 with 250 GS for a recent cow elk hunt mostly because it was giving me good FPS and accuracy with the 250gr bullets and the recoil was....well 350 Mag managable!  I didnt get a shot so can't comment on the performance...but out to 250 yards I would have made the shot with confidence! 

Ruger 77 All Weather in 350 Rem Mag - Nikon 2X7x32 scope

Good luck - let me know what you come up with.

[daddywpb]

I finally got dies, so I will be starting to reload for it this weekend. At $44 for 20 rounds, I won't be buying any more factory ammo. Thanks for sharing your loading info. Recoil with factory ammo is , well, sharp...to say the least. I ordered a Limbsaver recoil pad from Midway for the Ruger, and it fit perfectly. In fact, it fit better than the factory pad. I haven't shot the rifle since I installed the new pad, but it is a LOT thicker and softer, so I have high hopes. A friend of mine who has had a 350 for years told me it wouldn't be any worse than my 30/06...boy was he wrong. I gotta find out what load he is using.

I'm going with the lighter end of the bullet weights to get the velocity. 180 grainers at 3000 fps is well within the pressure range, but I'm hunting deer and hogs, not big bears. It's nice to have the 250 grain option if I ever need it though. It's been so long since I posted, that I was beginning to think nobody else had ever heard of this caliber. I love this rifle. It will see a lot of use this year. Thanks.

[cwlongshot]

The 350 RM is one I have never loaded for...but most of the other 35's I have.

I noticed you mentioned the recoil and possibly will try loading it down some...  I used to load Hornady 200gr Spire points for a oldtimer with a 358 win. Cannot remember the load but the velocity was about 2200 fps. He knocked deer absolutely FLAT with this load.  I know load it in my 35 Whelen at about 2400 fps with the same results using 2520 powder.

 I will recommend the Hornady 200 GR spire point for any loadings for deer sized game.

CW

[bobthenailer]

ive had a 350 mag since 1976, ive only shot whitetail deer with it so far with 200 gr spitzer rem bullets, and horndays 200 gr spitzer, both handloaded.   of the 20 or so  deer i shot all  droped in there tracks except 1 and he was running through the brush but only went 50 yards