Reloading for .35 Remington and .300 Savage

[gfanikf]

I have a two new C&R firearms incoming. One is a 1941 Remington Model 81 in .300 Savage and the other is a ~1950s Remington Gamemaster Pump 760 in 35 Remington. The 760 is a freebie from a in-law and being left handed I can't complain and the Model 81 was a screaming deal I couldn't pass up (plus early semi-auto rifles are fun in their own right).

Now biggest irony is that in my part of PA I can't hunt with centerfire rifles and for all of PA any semi-auto rifles. These are for range toy use (retro FBI and Police Carbine Collection) so I don't need to take into account ethical hunting issues.

I was wondering what are the bullet diameter dimensions (Savage is .30 Caliber IIRC) and types are appropriate for plinking and what loads are good for the type of actions and their strength. I have my load books at a different location so I would have check them first (my only problem is they don't take age into account). I just have a gift card and a Cabelas coupon (the latter expires tonight that I want to use. I have some N140 Powder I use for my 223s and Varget sitting around so if I can uses them than so much the better.

 

[Salmoneye]

The .35 Rem should be a .358 groove diameter...

I have a Marlin in .35 Rem and load everything from .360" round balls and a 'few' grains of fast 'pistol' powder, to 200gr Remington Core-Lokt bullets with stout loads of 3031...

One of the great things about the .35 Rem is that it will 'usually' shoot 'pistol' bullets fairly well...

I have successfully used .357" jacketed, and .358"-.359" cast...

The 760 not being a tubular magazine can utilize spire point bullets...

Lots of data out there due to the age of this cartridge...

Here is a page I use for light plinking with cast:

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

 

[GooseGestapo]

I had a 760 in .35Rem.
It was a great rifle, but not for hunting in dense cover from stands. If I wasn't careful, the forend would rattle and spook deer. I had it happen twice.

The rifle was uncanny accurate. With an "over the listed max" load of H322 and a Sierra 200gr RN, it would shoot 3-shot clover-leafs at 100yds.
Another favorite load was with a compressed load of H4895 under the Hornady 180gr SSP (single shot pistol) bullet. This would break 2,450fps and dropped deer DRT even from lung shots. Never recovered a fired bullet from deer either.


WV, Maryland, NY, and VA allow hunting with a rifle. A friend hunts on WV/PA border. He sets his stands up in WV, but tags the deer shot on the PA side with correct tags. Just dosen't "cross the line" with the rifle in tow.

I like my .35 Marlin so much, I bought a friends .358win BLR-81 from his widow after he passed away.
The .358 likes the 200gr Hornady Spt. I had these left over from when I had the 760. It too, liked them over a compressed load of H4895, which ironically is also the best powder from the .358. Just the .358 uses ~7.0gr more and gets another 200-300fps.

I think you'll enjoy both guns.

BTW; the correct bullet diameters for the .300Savage is .308". It'll like the Hornady 150gr PtSpts or most any other 150gr Spts. Sierra's are ususally the most accurate. Also, don't overlook the 125 and 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tips.

 

[savanahsdad]

I have two 35rem's both Rem mod 141's one from 1937 and one from 1947. since I tired lever evolution's with the soft red tip , I have not used anything else , I got 2 boxes of factory stuff when it first cam out, then a year or so later when they came out with the bullets only for hand loaders I stocked up, both guns went from 2.25MOA to 1.25 MOA

 

[gibble888]

I have a 35 rem 760 and yes very very accurate and thats with factory rem ammo...curious to what area in pa doesnt allow centerfire for future reference as i am from lancaster co.

 

[gfanikf]

I have a 35 rem 760 and yes very very accurate and thats with factory rem ammo...curious to what area in pa doesnt allow centerfire for future reference as i am from lancaster co.

The Special Regulations Areas.
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/1337632/page54_special_regulations_areas_pdf

Special Regulations Areas include: In western Pennsylvania, all of Allegheny County. In southeastern Pennsylvania, all of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and also includes Ridley Creek and Tyler state parks. The following regulations apply to Special Regulations Areas.

 

[superbee922]

I have a Remington Model 81 in 300 Savage - made in 1949, I believe. For plinking I cast bullets from the Lee C309-180-R mould and use moderate charges of AA2520 or IMR3031 (from the 2nd edition Lee Manual). These rounds operate the action and are accurate enough for enjoyable plinking.

 

[mbopp]

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and my old Lyman #45 manual have loads for cast bullets in the 35 Rem.
I shoot 158gr cast pistol bullets in my 357 Herrett Contender for practice. The cases are flared with a medium Lyman 35 cal "M" die for loading them.

 

[788Ham]

One thing to remember before you start reloading for either of these rifles: All brass has to be "Full Length Resized" , since both have the type of actions they do. If being shot in a bolt action, neck sizing would be acceptable, but since one is a semi, this has to be done, pump action, the same applies.