35 Whelen or 300 Win??

[Doug Hamilton]

Wanted to get the groups thoughts. I am considering taking either my 35 Whelen or 300 Win mag to Namibia in August. I shoot both equally well. Both are Winchester Model 70s.

I would be using it on PG, to include zebra, roan, blue wildebeest, red heartabeast, etc….

I shoot factory loaded ammo. 200 grain TBBCs in the 300 Win and 225 grain TBBCs in the 35 Whelen. The 300 Win has a distance advantage for sure the 35 Whelen has a bit more authority/wallop for closer in shots. 300 Win ammo would certainly be easier to find over there if mine doesn’t show up.

I know there isn’t a wrong answer but I am going back and forth on which one to take and I need to decide pretty soon so I can get my paperwork in order and practice with the one I am taking. What say the AH collective braintrust?

I don't have a .35 Whelen so I'm not an expert .What I can say is that I took my .300 Win with 200 grain AccuBonds on my last safari. Everything died within two steps of where the bullet struck. One was a huge old waterbuck bull that turned and took a step before rolling into a dry river bed. The smallest was an impala ewe at about 300 yards that the property manager asked me to take for "camp meat." She was at about 300 yards and took no steps. I've also taken a moose, a black bear and two mule deer with the same rifle. If I go back to Africa there is no question that the .300 Win Mag is going with me.

 

[Just a dude in BC]

@Just a dude in BC
The 9.3X62 only edges out the Whelen because it's DG legal.
I don't edge it out in power the are pretty even.
The Whelen can be loaded with 275-280gn to equal the 9.3 or with a 310 soft or solid to 2,455fps to edge out the 9.3.
For all practical purposes they are identical in power and killing ability. It's just ones legal and the other only legal in some areas.
Bob

I know you love the 35w, but it does not edge out the 9.3 unless you apples to orange it in terms of barrel length and reloads vs factory. The 5-8% more case capacity, and the slightly wider bore help the 9.3 edge out the 35w when things like pressure and barrel length are the same. I just have a sneaking suspicion you run your 35w a little bit hot

Though I cant say to much, as one of my 9.3x74r (with a 22" pipe) runs 2550fps with 285's. It is a ruger no.1, so I can play with pressure, but it is hell on animals, my shoulder, and brass.

 

[CBH Australia]

Legal / Not legal, TKO, or sufficient energy, Really does it matter if it’s endorsed by Bob?

 

[Gilgalad]

due to the extreme differences in ballistic coefficient, the 300 Win mag is carrying about an additional 900 ftlbs energy at 300yds.

In real world though, I don't think there is an animal you would hunt with one that you would not hunt with the other.

Nothing at all wrong with the Whelen. Used to have one in a Rem 7600. Great shooter. I would look more at the 225gr range though for better down range performance....even though a 200gr Hornady spitzer will do everything you need it to.