Wanna buy a .35... which one and why?

[ShortRange]

 I've lurked for a long while....1st post.

 I've decided I "need" a new gun  and decided a .35 is what I want. Always wanted a .35 and I have a .30 cal. rifle so I for me a .338 is too close to .30 in diameter so I don't want a .338. I also looked at .375 JDJ and 45-70 but want to get more range than the latter and I like the Idea of using cheap pistol bullets so that kinda limits my interest in the .375...

Since I hunt in areas with both heavy cover and big clearcuts and will have 1 shot a thumper sounds like a good idea for anchoring game...

 I want to get an Encore pistol in .35 Whelen, .350 Remington Magnum or possibly a .358 Win. The purpose of this gun will be to hunt Black Bear, Deer and Elk and maybe bigger stuff later. I also want the option of using a rifle stock on it for some uses and to be able to load it down to .35 remington or so levels for my 12 year old daughter to use.  I have and load for a .357 magnum revolver so using pistol bullets for plinking and small game is useful.

 So a .35 seems very practical. I want an 18" to 20" inch barrel which I know will make for a long pistol but in that configuration I will use it from tree stands and ground blinds so a shorter barrel won't make much difference IMO and I will be legal when switching to a rifle stock for myself and my daughter.

 In reading as much as I can find on these cartridge choices I see that they all have there tradeoffs.

 In the .35 Whelen I've heard of problems with headspace because of the small shoulder and no rim and that a longer barrel than 20" is better. Anything to this?

 In the .350 Magnum I've read that the belt is an issue on chambering a round but as I understand, it performs a little better from shorter barrels. Does it headspace on the belt?

 The .358 Win. is a distant 3rd only because it doesn't trip my trigger as much    and the headspace issue of a rimless round like the Whelen still exists.

 I also have looked at the .358 JDJ as it is rimmed and I've read that is better in single shots and it's performance is between the Whelen/.350 Mag and the .358 Win and would probably give good performance from the longer barrel. Any thoughts on this?

 Another factor is cost of shooting and I think the .35 Whelen and .358 Win. are best as dies and brass are less expensive. Thats another reason I want a barrel long enough to use for pistol and rifle as because of a recent medical issue with my wife funds are a little lower than I'd like so cost IS a factor.

 I have also heard that the throats are longer in single shots so the .350 Mag can be loaded to longer OAL than in a bolt? True?

 A lot of questions I know, but any thoughts from experienced users of the above and folks with knowledge of the potential issues of each choice would be very appreciated...

Thanks!

[yooper77]

35 Whelen or 358 Winchester headspacing isn't a problem, it does headspace, just has a small shoulder.

Are you putting a scope on it, because you have a problem with eye relief then.

If you are going to scope it I would buy 2 separate barrels:
358 Winchester for the pistol barrel.
35 Whelen for the rifle barrel.

yooper77

[sonofafish]

I have to say 35 REM. is one of my favorites.Killed a lot of big hogs with it and it rolls them in there tracks.I have shot some deer here in  Florida with it. With the 180X or speer,150 rem. are hot out of it and work well.Have played with some .357 pretty cool and fun at the range. My daughter shoots it as well   and she is only ten years old.Had several over the year and loved all of them. Just wish I had a little more like the Whelen or the 350 something with at good thump. I was thinking of a 404 or a 300 rum necked down to a .35 wild cat.I think the 35 Rem. would be best in a pistol short barrel sit up.

[Chris Potts]

I am looking for a barrel similar to what you want.  I want a rim more for extraction than for headspacing.  But I guess that it might be a little better for that also.  That pretty much leaves the jdj and the 356 winchester.  It is just a rimmed version of the 358.  You can buy factory brass and use 358 dies.  Also you can load it to the same levels in the encore.

Chris

[BBF]

I vote for the .358 Win
It is noticeable more then the 35 Rem but less pushy then a 35 Whelen or 350 Rem Mag.
I had all of them at one time or the other.  I got more game with the 35 Rem then any of other combined but that had nothing to do with the cartridges.

BTW the 358,35Whelen and 350 Rem Mag can be down loaded with H-4895 to plinking levels  IE the 358 with a 200 gr bullet can be used with as little as 28.8 gr of H-4895.
 Last but not least. 358 and 35 Whelen can be re loaded using 308 and 30-06 brass respectively

[banjoman]

Why not a .338-06  or the AI version  or even the JDJ. It will have better ballistics with all but the heavier bullets for calliber. You may even want to check out the .338 Cooper express.  I think I remember reading he is getting 2800+ fps with 180 accubonds out of a 16.5" barrel. Just some food for thought.

[Lone Star]

IMO the "best" choice for an Encore rifle is the .358JDJ.  While headspace is not a problem on any of the cartridges listed given correct handloading techniques, extraction is.  The .350RM is out, too many issues reported on extraction - why risk it when you don't have to?  The Whelen and .358 have great performance, but extraction is simply not as positive as with a rimmed case (BTW always headspace on the shoulder, regardless of the rim type!).

The JDJ has a case capacity between the .358 and the Whelen, and loaded to the same pressure as those cartridges it would give outstanding results.  I hear a lot of handwringing about die and brass cost, but how many cases do you really need?    The "cost" of a missed or lost animal due to a jammed/tied-up action is far more than the few paltry dollars you saved by compromising due to falling for the "cheap brass syndrome".....



.

[Minnesota1]

My vote is for the 358 JDJ.  It's a great case and easy to make.  You just have to take 444 marlin brass and run it through the Full length sizer die and it makes your case.  You don't even have to fire form the brass-it's good to go!  It's easy and extremely accurate.  I've grouped my contender pistol with a T/C rechambered barrel by SSK into 5/8" 3 shot groups with 225 grain Nosler bullets.  I shot a mule deer last year that weighed around 300 lbs.  It was a big bruiser-1 shot and he was out.  I'm a big fan of the JDJ calibers.  Good luck.

[sonofafish]

That JDJ sounds real cool.Is there a web site for JDJ

[Graybeard]

www.sskindustries.com

[sonofafish]

Thank you, O great one

[Keith L]

Thank you, O great one

O great one?  Guess I will have to watch my manners!

[sonofafish]

you got it

[Ken ONeill]

I have a .356 Win. in an RPM XL. It is superb. The .358 JDJ would also be superb and offers a bit more oomph.

[jhalcott]

  I have a 358JDJ in a 14" contender. It is VERY accurate. It isn't a light recoiling round,AND it doesn't work very well with lighter bullets. 180's are about the lightest JDJ reccommends.The 30-30 case opened to .35  caliber is a fine round for deer at moderate ranges,slightly more potent than the 357 Herret. It can tolerate pistol weight bullets. Another great round that performs above it's appearance is the .357 MAX. Bullets up to 200 grains do great in that one ,and at muck longer range than you'd expect. If your child isn't recoil sensitive,the JDJ is a fine choice. As far as the scope goes, a 2nd scope(1 rifle,1 handgun) is easily swapped off when you put the rifle stock on OR taken off! I take a replacement scope when I go out of state to hunt , sighted in for the gun I plan on hunting with. Most times a resighting is only practice or a waste of ammo.