.35 Rem. vs. 30-30

[DPris]

Found a couple hundred 150-grain .35 Rems on my front doorstep last week, they seem to be around.
Didn't even know Remington made 'em that light.

Shooting them & some 200s in a Remington Model 8 next week.
Denis

[steveNChunter]

I'd like to experiment with loading some .357 bullets for the .35

It's been done, but load data is a little harder to come by than standard .35 rem loads.

Some lighter loads pushing a 158-180 gr bullet slightly higher than .357 mag velocities would make a great low recoil hunting load for kids and women, not to mention a fun plinking load

[Salmoneye]

I'd like to experiment with loading some .357 bullets for the .35

It's been done, but load data is a little harder to come by than standard .35 rem loads.

Some lighter loads pushing a 158-180 gr bullet slightly higher than .357 mag velocities would make a great low recoil hunting load for kids and women, not to mention a fun plinking load

Hornady publishes data for it's 158gr and 180gr XTP bullets out of the .35 Rem (1600-1700fps starting to 2100-2200fps on the high side)...

I also use data from here:

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[steveNChunter]

Thanks for the info Salmoneye, do you hunt with those loads?

[Salmoneye]

Thanks for the info Salmoneye, do you hunt with those loads?

I have only hunted Rabbits and Coyotes with the reduced cast loads...

If you do load and hunt with a 'pistol' bullet, just remember that the construction of the bullet will play a roll in performance on target...

If I was loading a 158 XTP to 1800fps, I'd choose the Flat Point over the Hollow point...

The FP is constructed to take 1800fps, where the HP may open too soon with little penetration at that velocity...

Gas checked cast will also hold together well for hunting at 1800+fps...

[jad0110]

I doubt there is enough difference to matter between the two. Put it where it needs to go and either one should work equally well.

Since brass and bullets are easier to find the 30-30 would be my choice.

I agree. I've got nothing against .35 Rem, but .30-30 factory ammo and reloading components are easier to come by in my area, so I stick to .30-30.

I don't know why both calibers are not more popular today. The younger guys are really missing out thinking they need a super magnum to kill a whitetail. I don't know if they are hunters or just shooter.

Look at how fast this big moose is dumped by a 30-30.

Sometimes it's both (shooters and hunters). Call it caliber creep I guess. In my parts deer rarely get much over 150 lbs, and can/are easily and routinely taken with a appropriate .223 loads. That said, more and more hunters around will use nothing less than .300 Win Mag . Talk about tearing up perfectly good meat. If it continues this way, in 30 more years we'll be using .30-06 on squirrels, .375 H&H on white tail and .50 BMG on elk .

I've never been to Alaska, but know people from there. Up until maybe the last 30 years, I hear many of the natives were perfectly content with .30-30 for moose and bear. Maybe that's true, maybe not. Funny how it always comes back to shot placement.

I recall reading a story someplace (I wish I could remember when and where) of a hunting club that studied failures to put down deer and elk and discovered that over 90% of the failed (wounding only) shots were made with hard kicking magnum calibers, such as .300 Win Mag. The conclusion was that poor marksman were trying to make up for lack of skill by adding "horsepower".

Not knocking magnum calibers BTW. I just find it interesting.

[Mystro]

I couldn't agree more.......Coming from the magnum camp, for many years, I had to do a little reality check and had to ask my self why I have been using a 300 Win Mag for years when most all my deer shots were under 150 yards. The 300 Win Mag didn't kill any faster than a 30-06 I used before it. The ammo was more for the 300 and I shot it less because of that in the off season.

[DPris]

My 8 did not like the 150s, if anybody's interested.
Roughly 7-inch groups at 100 yards off a rest.
Did better with the old "classic" 200-grain .35 Rem loads.
Denis