Best 30 to 40 caliber rifle to use with cast boolits for big game

Boolit Mold Join DateApr 2013LocationPennsylvaniaPosts18

I will be buying a new rifle in the near future in 30 to 40 Caliber. My intent is to use 100% cast for said rifle. Opinions wanted on rifles that work very well with cast. I will be using this for mainly deer and Bear so I will need something with enough knock down power for the game mentioned. Please mention barrel lengths, twist rates etc... Looking forward to hearing from you guys as to what works. Thanks...

Nothing wrong with a 30-06, 30-30, 358 Winchester, 35 Whelen, 8mm Mauser, 38-55, 375 H&H

All of those can and will shoot cast just as well as jaxeted bullets.

I went with 375 H&H Mag ... Not that I plan in getting rid of rifle ... Glad I have it, but brass is pricey?

Brass availability is a resource that "wears out"!

The .358 has a good sized boolit, and brass is relatively available, or can be made from .308

Read this thread http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?175095-358-Winchester-Cast-Make-Sense

Do you have a action preference?

Shawn

John 3: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

"I am a man of peace, but if war comes to my door it will find me home."

Winston Churchill

My personal favorite if you're leaning towards a levergun is a Marlin 336 in 35 Rem. Rifles aren't very common and for new cases you're limited to Winchester unless you stumble across some Remingtons. Not a real issue, I just prefer the Remington case. I use the Ranch Dog 359-190 mould; out of production but quite possibly available from Lee or NOE. A better choice for a levergun may be the 375 Winchester or .38-55. I don't have any CB experience with either but I've hunted with the .375 in a Winchester Big Bore with j-words and it is a solid performer. Cases should be easier to find or make and there are some really good 38 caliber moulds in use around here. For a sentimental favorite I like my 94 in .32 Winchester Special loaded up with the RD 323-170. It's not a serious hunting rifle for me but it certainly could be.
For a bolt gun the 358 Winchester or 35 Whelen would be my choice for short and long actions, respectively. No hands on expereince with either but I've been studying on them a bit lately. Cases are no problem, the Winchester can be made from .308's and the Whelen from .30-06's, IIRC. I'm considering reboring a shot-out .30-06 to 35 Whelen, after a trip to JESS all I'll need is a set of dies.

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Some of my favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

Boolit Master Join DateJan 2006LocationMissouri OzarksPosts535

.405 Winchester. Easier on brass than the .375 H&H.

Best,
Mike

NRA Life Member
Remember Ira Hayes

Have a Marlin 375, C Sharps 38-55 & a 35 Whelen built on a 1909 argi action. If I had to pick one it would be the Whelen for anything I would want to hunt.

Gun control 1ST ROUND ON TARGET.

35 whelen 24" tube 1/14 twist 200gr cast boolit 2400fps will thump anything out to 200yds.

I like the 45-70 myself but in lever guns the 30-30 is good too. you can load a nice heavy boolit for big game and load down for fun and varmits.

if you're going bolt a 308 or 30-06 give a good choice of boolit weights.

for bear i think of my 45-70 as a 12ga. with brass shells

what I hand-load; 45 acp; 223 rem(5.56mm); 22-250 rem; 243 win; 30-30 win; 308 win; 45-70 gov.
on the list to start Loading; 9 mm; 270 win; 30-06 springfield; 222 rem

"You might be a gun nut if you load 45-70 on a progressive press" -HICKOK45<- was he talking about me!?!

---
Si vis pacem, para bellum

Boolit Mold Join DateMay 2009LocationOmaha NEPosts13

All catridges listed above are good choices but here is one of my top favorites: 38-55 WCF, 255 FN, 950 to 1,850 fps; Easy to cartridge to load and my rifles are not finicky about loads everything shoots well in them.
You can find NIB 30+ year old guns that are $500 less than the New Winchesters that are made in Japan. (Oliver F Winchester, Chief Crazy Horse, Legendary Frontiersmen, or Texas Sequential (this one is kind of rare))

I was horrified a few years ago shooting while my 38-55’s and 30-30’s in low light. I had trouble seeing my front sight and came up with an excuse for another rifle.

I made a wild cat based on the 300 WSM necked to .416 with a super long neck kind of looks like a 577-450 Martini; my goal was a cast only gun for dark timber big game. It is on a SS REM M SEVEN, 20" bbl, 1:18 Twist, 1-3X scope, HS ultralight stock; 315 gr - 1,300 to 2,300 fps & 400 gr 1,225 to 2,050 fps; I could go faster but it begins to hurt shooting off the bench once the 400's are above 1,700 fps.

Another favorite of mine is the 350 Rem Mag but I would probably recomend a 358 Win or 35 Whelen as you could have a 308 or 30/06 rebored for less than a new bbl.

My father-in-law has a Sako M85 in 338 Federal and the LEE 339-220 RN's shoot very well it it from Trailboss loads to full loads of 4064.

Good Luck!

Considering the times, my choice is a .30. A .30-30 will drive a 175 grain paper patched or very hard grease groove bullet to 2200 fps. If that is not enough whomp, a .30-06 will push a 220 bullet 2400+. Easy on powder and lead, plentiful brass and will kill anything that walks this half of the world.

i have a 30-06 that is my go to hunting rifle for big game , if i ever get another , without selling mine ill get a
.35 whelen , for (pigs and smaller ) medium game my sks with a 175 gr flat nose boolit @ 1700fps, and 30-06 cases can be resized/reloaded to shoot the .35 whelen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.35_Whelen

Boolit Mold Join DateApr 2013LocationPennsylvaniaPosts18

I am surprised no one is mentioning the 444 Marlin. Thought that would be a popular choice?

I am surprised no one is mentioning the 444 Marlin. Thought that would be a popular choice?Well ... it is a tad bigger than the .40 requested ...

The 32 Special is a necked up 30/30 ... for another option ...

Shawn

John 3: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

"I am a man of peace, but if war comes to my door it will find me home."

Winston Churchill

I think a 358 Win or 35 Whelen is about ideal. Good bullet weight, good diameter unexpanded, able to get good velocity. Makes for a very good 200 yard deer/bear gun with cast.

That said, I use a 45-70 and 375 H&H for my hunting needs these days. 45-70 is a hammer up close, the 375 just reaches out there easier due to higher intal velocity with reasonable recoil.

I would exclude the 32-20, 38x40 and the 7.62x39 and take on almost any other rifle cartridge.

[The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

Gotta love a question that basically has no wrong answers.

30-30, .308, 30-06, 7.65X53, 32SPCL, 8X57, 35REM, 358WIN, 35Whelen, 9X57....... etc, etc, etc........Just PICK ONE and go kill something.

"Happiness is a target rich environment"

Boolit Master Join DateNov 2006Posts933

I'll take a .356 Win. in a levergun #1, the .358 W. and 358 Whelen for boltguns, then a 38/55.....these are also the most cast bullet friendly of the small bores.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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