GooseGestapo
Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2003
- Messages
- 6,154
RE: .35Rem effectiveness
Most credit the .35Rem with a 150yd effectiveness, but they are just parroting conventional wisdom.
If restricted to factory ammo, that would be a fairly accurate assessment, however, thats based on a 100yd sight in. If sighted in to be 2.5" high at 100yds, a 150yd zero results and a drop of around 5" at 200yds, making it easily a "point-blank" gun to 200yds.
Problem becomes range estimation.......... Is it 185yds or is it 250+ ??
I you reload, you can reclaim the old "express" loads of the '30's for the .35Rem.
The .35 is significantly down-loaded by most of the factories in deference to a lot of tired old autoloaders and pumps from the 1900-1930 era, and are probably unsafe even with the current factory loads of a 200gr bullet at ~1,900fps-2,000fps. When loaded to same pressure levels as most factory .30/30 ammo, it easily tops 2,200fps with 200gr bullets, and the BuffaloBore 220gr load is cataloged/chrono's at 2,200fps. These are very effective loads for any N.American game at under 200yds. (however I'd use my .338 for the Large Bears however).
I load my .35rem with either H4895, Imr3031, or BL-C2 over a Remington 200gr Cor-lokt Round Nose. I get 2,250 to 2,300fps and it is more effective on deer inside 150yds than the .30/06. I don't make this assessment lightly as I killed my first deer with an '06 in 1976. Over 500 to date now. About 40 with '06 and 50 with .35rem. The difference is a bigger hole. Both give excellent results, just a slight benefit to the .35. Easier tracking, usually no tracking!
Probably 98% of my deer have been shot at ranges under 200yds, so I've never felt "handicapped" with the .35.
For what its worth, either of them are "overkill" on deer anyhow. Most of the deer I've killed have been with .22 centerfires. And you know what? I've recovered fewer bullets from deer with them (a single Hornady 35gr. V-max from a .22Hornet: heart/lung shot, DRT too!) than I have with .30/06 or .35Rem.
So, the .35 will do!
Best thing about the .35's is the rifles they come in.
Same reason the .30/30 (.30wcf) is still with us today.
BTW; my second favorite "deer" gun is a .257Roberts. It has the trajectory of the .270 (with my handloads), and the punch of the .30/30, just spread out (extended) to over 300yds. (Dosen't exhibit as much "overkill" as the larger guns) All but one of the deer I've shot at over 200yds have been with the .257. (that one with the '06)
It'll do too!!!
However, since most of the deer I kill these days are "by-catch" from pig hunting, I now carry the "bigger guns" because the pigs can be a bit more difficult to put down. And, sometimes with the extra penetration, I get more than one with one shot!!! (Pigs run in herds of 5-25 in this area, ususally large family groups from a single sow).
The .35 is a "swamp-pig gun" " extrordinaire"!!! as shots are usually measured in feet, not yards, and the quick follow up shots and "fail-safe" reliability of the lever actions result in extra pork in the freezer.
Most credit the .35Rem with a 150yd effectiveness, but they are just parroting conventional wisdom.
If restricted to factory ammo, that would be a fairly accurate assessment, however, thats based on a 100yd sight in. If sighted in to be 2.5" high at 100yds, a 150yd zero results and a drop of around 5" at 200yds, making it easily a "point-blank" gun to 200yds.
Problem becomes range estimation.......... Is it 185yds or is it 250+ ??
I you reload, you can reclaim the old "express" loads of the '30's for the .35Rem.
The .35 is significantly down-loaded by most of the factories in deference to a lot of tired old autoloaders and pumps from the 1900-1930 era, and are probably unsafe even with the current factory loads of a 200gr bullet at ~1,900fps-2,000fps. When loaded to same pressure levels as most factory .30/30 ammo, it easily tops 2,200fps with 200gr bullets, and the BuffaloBore 220gr load is cataloged/chrono's at 2,200fps. These are very effective loads for any N.American game at under 200yds. (however I'd use my .338 for the Large Bears however).
I load my .35rem with either H4895, Imr3031, or BL-C2 over a Remington 200gr Cor-lokt Round Nose. I get 2,250 to 2,300fps and it is more effective on deer inside 150yds than the .30/06. I don't make this assessment lightly as I killed my first deer with an '06 in 1976. Over 500 to date now. About 40 with '06 and 50 with .35rem. The difference is a bigger hole. Both give excellent results, just a slight benefit to the .35. Easier tracking, usually no tracking!
Probably 98% of my deer have been shot at ranges under 200yds, so I've never felt "handicapped" with the .35.
For what its worth, either of them are "overkill" on deer anyhow. Most of the deer I've killed have been with .22 centerfires. And you know what? I've recovered fewer bullets from deer with them (a single Hornady 35gr. V-max from a .22Hornet: heart/lung shot, DRT too!) than I have with .30/06 or .35Rem.
So, the .35 will do!
Best thing about the .35's is the rifles they come in.
Same reason the .30/30 (.30wcf) is still with us today.
BTW; my second favorite "deer" gun is a .257Roberts. It has the trajectory of the .270 (with my handloads), and the punch of the .30/30, just spread out (extended) to over 300yds. (Dosen't exhibit as much "overkill" as the larger guns) All but one of the deer I've shot at over 200yds have been with the .257. (that one with the '06)
It'll do too!!!
However, since most of the deer I kill these days are "by-catch" from pig hunting, I now carry the "bigger guns" because the pigs can be a bit more difficult to put down. And, sometimes with the extra penetration, I get more than one with one shot!!! (Pigs run in herds of 5-25 in this area, ususally large family groups from a single sow).
The .35 is a "swamp-pig gun" " extrordinaire"!!! as shots are usually measured in feet, not yards, and the quick follow up shots and "fail-safe" reliability of the lever actions result in extra pork in the freezer.
