Your 3 favorite hunting cartridges of all time

[Tbitty]

.243 Win, .280 AI, .35 Whelen

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen doesn't know whether to like or hate this post

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

.243 Win, .280 AI, .35 Whelen

@roklok
As meatloaf once said 2 out of 3 ain't bad.
No if you get rid of that horrible little 243 and replace it with a 25-06 or a 257 Roberts then you'll have the ideal triple.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Not "Blasshemi"...It's spelled B-L-A-S-E-R.

...and it's not blasphemous at all.

@BeeMaa
The correct spelling for the R8 is
BARBIE GUN. Plastic fantastic
One day you will get it right.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I would.t know where to finish but my favorite caliber is the 250-3000 for light stuff up to elk..9,3x62, 30-06, these days, 404 Jefferys for buffalo and DG should cover it.

@RayAtkinson
As usual a man of taste.
A 25, a metric Whelen and a 404.
Pure class all the way.
Bob

 

[BeeMaa]

@BeeMaa
The correct spelling for the R8 is
BARBIE GUN. Plastic fantastic
One day you will get it right.
Bob

Ahhhh Bob. Its alright. I have no problems with my Blaser.

The real question is your insecurities with such an awesome rifle.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ahhhh Bob. Its alright. I have no problems with my Blaser.

The real question is your insecurities with such an awesome rifle.

@BeeMaa
I have no insecurity over the Barbie rifle. Nice idea, pretty good engineering but to many $$$$ for me to pay for a plastic fantastic.
Dang my Whelen only cost me $1,100aud about $690US. That saving gives me a lot of shooting for the extra a Barbie gun would cost me. Up side the Whelen is probably more accurate to go with it and fits me well. The Barbie gun is just uncomfortable to me. Quick to use yes but I don't need quick, one shot is enough for me, don't need fast follow-up shots.
Bob

 

[Flewis]

@BeeMaa
I have no insecurity over the Barbie rifle. Nice idea, pretty good engineering but to many $$$$ for me to pay for a plastic fantastic.
Dang my Whelen only cost me $1,100aud about $690US. That saving gives me a lot of shooting for the extra a Barbie gun would cost me. Up side the Whelen is probably more accurate to go with it and fits me well. The Barbie gun is just uncomfortable to me. Quick to use yes but I don't need quick, one shot is enough for me, don't need fast follow-up shots.
Bob

I don’t think the words Bob and insecure belong in the same sentence. Keep them boys honest Bob.

 

[mikesheree]

Bigger critters
7x65R (Blaser K95)
9.3x74R (Blaser K95)
.416 Rigby ( Ruger#1)

Smaller critters
.22 WMR (cheap bolt rifle)
.22 Hornet (Blaser BD14)
.243 win (Blaser K95)

 

[Maximumsmoke]

@RayAtkinson
As usual a man of taste.
A 25, a metric Whelen and a 404.
Pure class all the way.
Bob

Bob -- Is the .35 Whelen recognized as capable and legal for the same game (dangerous game) in Africa as the metric Whelen (9.3x62)? I've always been a .35 Whelen fan. I have two: a really nice tuned-up accurized Rem 700 which - barrel set back a thread and re-chambered, etc, and an '03-A3 I just got back from Jesse Ocumpaugh (JES Reboring) who re-bored, rifled (4-groove), and chambered it to .35 Whelen. That Springfield was a nice, modestly sporterized 2-groove barrelled .30-'06 when I bought it, and now I'll customize it in the G&H fashion. If the Springfield works out well, and it should, I'll sell the Rem 700. My 700 is a beautiful gun that performs great, but I llike traditional stuff and CRF. I'd like not to have to get a 9.3x62 for Africa, not that I'm against the cartridge, but if the .35 Whelen will do the trick, I needn't go further. Thanks for any info/experience you can provide.

 

[375Ruger416]

Bob -- Is the .35 Whelen recognized as capable and legal for the same game (dangerous game) in Africa as the metric Whelen (9.3x62)? I've always been a .35 Whelen fan. I have two: a really nice tuned-up accurized Rem 700 which - barrel set back a thread and re-chambered, etc, and an '03-A3 I just got back from Jesse Ocumpaugh (JES Reboring) who re-bored, rifled (4-groove), and chambered it to .35 Whelen. That Springfield was a nice, modestly sporterized 2-groove barrelled .30-'06 when I bought it, and now I'll customize it in the G&H fashion. If the Springfield works out well, and it should, I'll sell the Rem 700. My 700 is a beautiful gun that performs great, but I llike traditional stuff and CRF. I'd like not to have to get a 9.3x62 for Africa, not that I'm against the cartridge, but if the .35 Whelen will do the trick, I needn't go further. Thanks for any info/experience you can provide.

Minimum Calibers for Buffalo | Sports Afield

sportsafield.com

Updated caliber and FPE regulations for hunting African countries.

Things have changed in some countries that have now gotten rid of FPE requirements and some have even dropped the diameter requirements for dangerous game of the past. Interesting stuff here. List of caliber requirement by country. I did not verify all of them but did look into several and they...

www.thehighroad.org

Enough Gun | Sports Afield

sportsafield.com

Haven’t been able to find a definitive answer listing all countries on one page. Seems 9.3 is the most common legal minimum, some countries also have a minimum energy requirement, and some have no minimum.

Seems you would be limited to Mozambique and other countries with no legal minimum caliber. Namibia has a minimum caliber of 7 mm but also minimum energy requirements of 5400 J for dangerous game. Seems you could use your Whalen if you pick the right country. Confirm with your outfitter and destination country of course.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob -- Is the .35 Whelen recognized as capable and legal for the same game (dangerous game) in Africa as the metric Whelen (9.3x62)? I've always been a .35 Whelen fan. I have two: a really nice tuned-up accurized Rem 700 which - barrel set back a thread and re-chambered, etc, and an '03-A3 I just got back from Jesse Ocumpaugh (JES Reboring) who re-bored, rifled (4-groove), and chambered it to .35 Whelen. That Springfield was a nice, modestly sporterized 2-groove barrelled .30-'06 when I bought it, and now I'll customize it in the G&H fashion. If the Springfield works out well, and it should, I'll sell the Rem 700. My 700 is a beautiful gun that performs great, but I llike traditional stuff and CRF. I'd like not to have to get a 9.3x62 for Africa, not that I'm against the cartridge, but if the .35 Whelen will do the trick, I needn't go further. Thanks for any info/experience you can provide.

@Maximumsmoke
Unfortunately the 35 Whelen isn't legal for DG in Africa. It may be fine in one or 2 countries but generally NO.
This is unfortunate as it will do all the 9.3x62 will when loaded to its potential.
Will it handle DG? In my book it will do what the 9.3x62 but there are better cartridges around like the 375H&H .
Loaded properly with 280gn AFrames or 310gn RNSP or solid Woodleigh at 2,400fps I personally wouldn't have a problem with it on buffalo but elephant would be pushing it in my book. Will it kill a elephant, yes but again there's better calibers.
My PH said he would allow it to be used on Cape buffalo after seeing its performce. I had it loaded to its full potential tho.
My personal advice is if you could find a country that would allow its use on buffalo go for it but load it properly. For game bigger than that get a bigger gun.
The Whelen is a very capable big game cartridges but it does have its limitations.
Bob

 

[dogcat1]

12ga Remington 870
Winchester Model 70 in .280 Rem
Winchester Model 63 in .22lr or Win 9422m in .22WMR

 

[NYHunter444]

Damn, that's a tough one to answer.
I have a heck of a collection in over 45 different chamberings.
I've successfully harvested deer with a handful.
I love the 250 Savage - it's capabilities are underrated and it's versatile enough for predators and medium game at reasonable distances. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on black bear either.
For large / dangerous game, I imagine I would run with the 338RUM - Also super versatile and is capable of game at distances I cannot even see.
Then I suppose for a fair in-between, the 35 Whelen - Not overkill on deer even up close, but effective on everything to moderate distances.
I do have a 450 Marlin which I would not hesitate to use on dangerous game at closer distances.

 

[PAUL_MAUSER]

My 3 are as follows.
.30-06 which does the majority of the heavy lifting.
.300 Weatherby Mag for when they get bigger and farther out.
.340 Weatherby Mag for when they are even bigger or depending on where I end up.

 

[NVSwift]

308 Norma Mag
8mm Remington Mag
9,3x62

Not necessarily in that order.

 

[RLP]

Here are mine...
.22 LR
12 Gauge
30-06

RP

 

[KTEX]

Hard to pick just 3 these days but before I turned 16 it would have been the following because it was all I had (not counting the shotguns). All passed down from my grandpa:
22LR
300 Savage
30/30 win

 

[secretazure]

7x57
8x57
45-70

 

[BeeMaa]

7x57
8x57
45-70

I was waiting for 9x57...

 

[Inkgardener]

I was waiting for 9x57...

.356 Mauser?