Remington .350 mag ?

[Country Boy]

 I see Ruger is making  them in s/s and with wood stocks. Which one looks the best to you ? I also found a .358. If I can sell my Blr81 .308 I'm going to buy one. Any of you have info on the .350 mag.

[Graybeard]

The .350 Mag is a short fat belted .35 Whelen. What one will do so will the other but due to it being a short action rifle it's not as well suited to the heavier longer bullets as the Whelen is. It's a nice enough round but I'd like it better still if it lost the belt.

[Country Boy]

What would you go for the wood stock or the synthetic and steel ? or would you get a .358  ?

[Graybeard]

That's a VERY PERSONAL decision you must make for yourself. I'm of the opinion a real hunting rifle should have stainless steel metal work and a laminated stock but then that's my personal decision.

[daddywpb]

I have a Ruger MK2 stainless/synthetic in .350 Rem Mag, and it's a shooter! 1" groups at 100 yards are common, and I tried it a 200 yards, getting groups right at 3", about 6" - 7" below point of aim. The woods are too dense here for many 200 yard shots anyway, but it would work if the need arose. I load 180 grain Hornady Interloks to about 2900 fps. I also added a Rifle Basix trigger - the factory trigger was horrible. It is one of my favorite calibers. I've never had a hog go more than a couple steps after being hit with it.

[Rangr44]

As posted above, YMMV.

I've owned a couple of both .358 Winchester's and .350 Rem Mag's, in Ruger 77's and BLR's, and have found that my preference lies with the .358 Win.

I find the .358 Win ammo more compact, easily made from .308 empty brass should the need arise (although can set up a dangerous situation, .358 slug /.308 headstamp), and isn't a belted case with that design's attendant needs like special shellholders, ammo carriers, primers, etc, etc, etc.

I especially would like what's currently unobtainium - a new, wood-stocked .358 Ruger Hawkeye w/iron sights as issue, or a .358 M77- RSI/ International.

BTW - Have you checked out the relatively new .338 Federal ?
It's a .358 Win clone, currently available in Ruger M-77's, and looks to be a very acceptable .358 substitute.
It may very well turn out to be the best of both worlds.  Time will tell.

[daddywpb]

I find the .358 Win ammo more compact, easily made from .308 empty brass should the need arise (although can set up a dangerous situation, .358 slug /.308 headstamp), and isn't a belted case with that design's attendant needs like special shellholders, ammo carriers, primers, etc, etc, etc.

I don't use any special shell holders, ammo carriers or primers, etc., etc., etc... at all to load my .350, and I don't have to form brass from .308's - I just order .350 brass.

[Rangr44]

By "special shellholder", I was referring to the situation in the OP, i.e. the potential acquisition of a belted magnum.

Unless someone's already set up for one, and you obviously are,  then the standard .308/.30-06 size shellholder isn't gonna cut it - requiring yet additional pruchases & details for a belted magnum-sized shell holder, switching it out when loading the belted cases, etc, etc, etc.

If one doesn't handload, belted ammunition is generally more expensive than non-belted, caliber-for-caliber, in my experience.

[Country Boy]

Well Ranger44.I couldn"t resist, I ordered a wood/matte .358 Hawkeye about an hour ago. I'm just a certifiable gun nut. I've been shoot lever .358" for years and they are great game guns. I read the August issue of Handloader and it convinced me. May not ever use it. But I almost diedlast Sept amd in April ,did in fact 6 times. It could happen again so why not enjoy while still able. I have my 30th bear hunt booked for next May

[Rangr44]

I've been enjoying seeing the sun rise, instead of the underside of the grass, myself -  since 2001, Country Boy.

Carpe Diem - Sieze the day !

The Hawkeye's a good choice - a Ruger, the way Ruger "used to make them".

[Cecil]

I just picked up A Ruger hawkeye 35 Whelen yesterday for my wife as I needed something new to play with. I built a 35 Whelen this year on a Ruger 77 II action for myself and really like it. Any way they there starting to get Ruger Hawkeye's  35 Whelens out now.