Is this a dumb idea?

[big_matt_duq]

I am thinking that I "need" a new bear rifle. May also be thrown in the mix for moose and elk. I have pretty much settled on 35 whelen or 358 norma. Really leaning towards the norma. I like the idea of a thumper but also having the ability to stretch out to 400-600 if needed. I want this rifle to be light but how crazy would a 7lb 358 norma be? I do NOT want a muzzle brake. I was thinking 8-8.5lbs ready to hunt. I am not really recoil shy but not sure is a 225 barnes going 2900+ or a 250 at 2800ish really something that should come out of a lightweight.

Second question is what is the lightest contour barrel a 35 should be done in?

Build idea is 700 bdl long action, stocky's carbon stock(leaning towards m50) bedded, 24-26 inch barrel, talley lightweights, unsure on scope (have an older monarch 3-12 laying in safe)

 

[tbrice23]

I went with a Douglass #5 contour with 1/2" more shank on my 358 Grant. This contour seems to be perfect for a 9.9 lb (scoped) 25" barreled rifle and still have an appropriate pipe wall thickness.

My little short fat case pushes 180 ttsx to about 3000 fps.
The Norma could probably meet your criteria.

 

[memtb]

big matt dug, If you're not recoil sensitive, I say " Go for it"!!! I'm a big fan of the high horsepower .35's. Although, I tend to lean toward the .358 STW or the 350 Griffin and Howe. I'm shooting a.375 AI, weighing in at just under 9 lbs. ( scoped,loaded,and slung )! I'm running 250TTSX's at 3130 fps. 20 to 30 rounds from the bench in one day is plenty! I 'm shooting as good at the end of the day as when starting out. But, going back to the bench the next day, my groups "suck"!!! memtb

 

[toddc]

IDK if its dumb or not but it is INSANE. I don't want anything to do with that kinda HP out of a 10lb rifle with a brake much less 7lb WITHOUT. Heck if you are that tough I don't think most bears would wanna mess with you anyway.
I don't like recoil. Used to and then I discovered brakes and weight and 338s.

Some of the stuff I see guys sighting in to deer hunt with makes me cringe. Sporter weight 7 mags and 300 WM make me glad I shoot heavy stuff. Of course I hunt out of a truck so......

 

[big_matt_duq]

Well I have my dta srs with 260, 6.5 saum, and 338 lapua barrels for long range work. 300 win mag zytel stocked ruger that's just over 9 lbs with a brake. 257 wby vanguard sub moa that weighs about the same. 8lb 7wsm custom with a brake and a 16.5 inch 308 that sits at 10 lbs. The 308 is about to go into a light stock and loose the chasis. I think a light medium bore is the only hole in my safe needing filled.

I have been only deer hunting with the 308 the last 2 years since I got my suppressor. Brakes are just too **** loud. I want something that will be carried much more than shot and that where this idea came from. The most I could see wanting this rifle to weigh ready to hunt is about 9lbs.
I have shot my share of 3.5 inch 12 ga loads and 3 inch slugs not to mention 150gr muzzle loader charges. The only rifle I have shot that I think this might compare to is my dads stock sps 300 rum with hot 190 hand loads.

I was chasing bears this year in the mountains trying to get back in shape for elk huning. They shot one over 750lbs pretty close by this year. I think it's time for a real bear gun.

 

[toddc]

Well I have my dta srs with 260, 6.5 saum, and 338 lapua barrels for long range work. 300 win mag zytel stocked ruger that's just over 9 lbs with a brake. 257 wby vanguard sub moa that weighs about the same. 8lb 7wsm custom with a brake and a 16.5 inch 308 that sits at 10 lbs. The 308 is about to go into a light stock and loose the chasis. I think a light medium bore is the only hole in my safe needing filled.

I have been only deer hunting with the 308 the last 2 years since I got my suppressor. Brakes are just too **** loud. I want something that will be carried much more than shot and that where this idea came from. The most I could see wanting this rifle to weigh ready to hunt is about 9lbs.
I have shot my share of 3.5 inch 12 ga loads and 3 inch slugs not to mention 150gr muzzle loader charges. The only rifle I have shot that I think this might compare to is my dads stock sps 300 rum with hot 190 hand loads.

I was chasing bears this year in the mountains trying to get back in shape for elk huning. They shot one over 750lbs pretty close by this year. I think it's time for a real bear gun.

My uncle had a 8lb 338-378 without a brake. He couldn't get it to shoot. Kept wanting me to shoot it. Called me a *****. Nope just smarter than my uncle.
Of course I hunt out of a truck lol so you guys that have to build carry weight rigs are another kind of critter. WAYYYYYY tougher than me.

 

[HARPERC]

I like all the .35's. The magnums are too much for me, built light, and unbraked.

If it's not long range the Whelen lends itself to a lighter package, and does well on bears.

The closest I can come up with. Is get the Norma, cut it short, and suppress it.

 

[toddc]

I have been toying with the idea of a 358 build for ELR built on a RUM or Lapua case. I can get a solid 317gr with a reported .964 BC. A RUM or Lapua AI'ed should be able to push it at 2850+. It won't weigh 7lbs for darn sure but the 358 could start to make a ton of sense for ELR with some good bullets. Efficiency should kill the Edge or 338 LM and it would be fun to be different at the next 2 mile shoot.

 

[HARPERC]

I had a .358 AI, never got to its potential with existing bullets. We had 2 actually, I envy the young guys the good options.

Get the correct twist, big cases, work with Hammer to get a real bullet, and go slay whatever your inclination might be.

 

[WildRose]

Give the .375 Ruger a look. Even with 300gr bullets it's recoil is bearable and it's more than enough for the biggest bears.

With the 300gr DGX in a factory load you have over 3600lbs and almost 2700fps at the muzzle from a 24" barrel. With the 250gr GMX you're running at 2850fps or thereabouts. There's also a wide selection of .375 bullets for you to choose from if you prefer to reload.

I liked shooting it before I put a brake on it and after I did so it quickly became one of my absolute favorite guns to shoot.

One of these days I want to build one in a 28" barrel to see how close to 3000fps we can get with the 270gr class of bullets to play with at long range.

 

[STI]

I like all the .35's. The magnums are too much for me, built light, and unbraked.

If it's not long range the Whelen lends itself to a lighter package, and does well on bears.

The closest I can come up with. Is get the Norma, cut it short, and suppress it.

I've just had a .375WSM built. 16 Inch barrel with a removable brake and a suppressor.
Only given it a run with 200gn Seirra Pro Hunters but working out OK at around
3050fps. OK to shoot bare and suppressed and real soft with the brake but LOUD did I say LOUD.
I will never see anything bigger than a red deer or possibly a wapiti (elk) as we have nothing bigger here

 

[codyadams]

My dad has a 35 Whelen AI that I built a stock for, it has a 25" heavy Douglas barrel, not sure on the contour but its pretty heavy. Hunt ready weight is about 12 lbs. Shooting the 225 sierra bullets at 2850, recoil is very manageable. It does have a nice recoil pad on it though, and I'm not very recoil shy, when working up loads in my buddies Sporter A-bolt 300 win mag shooting 212 grain ELD-X bullets at 2950, I told him it had "decent recoil, but not too bad". After this hunting season, I don't know if he still calls me a friend ha ha.

 

[big_matt_duq]

Anything over 10 lbs is out. If I'm carrying that much weight, it's going to be my DTA. I think it is somewhere around 14lbs. I am leaning towards 8-8.5 lb ready to hunt 358 norma. Sure I don't expect working up loads to be a picnic but after that it will only see a few Rounds here and there. This is a pure hunting rifle. Mostly carried and rarely shot. I stay sharp with other rifles the rest of the year. I'm thinking I could always load the norma down to whelen levels if needed. I'm gonna start looking for a donor action I think. Also might be time to call my gunsmith and pick his brain

 

[375fan]

Give the .375 Ruger a look. Even with 300gr bullets it's recoil is bearable and it's more than enough for the biggest bears.

With the 300gr DGX in a factory load you have over 3600lbs and almost 2700fps at the muzzle from a 24" barrel. With the 250gr GMX you're running at 2850fps or thereabouts. There's also a wide selection of .375 bullets for you to choose from if you prefer to reload.

I liked shooting it before I put a brake on it and after I did so it quickly became one of my absolute favorite guns to shoot.

One of these days I want to build one in a 28" barrel to see how close to 3000fps we can get with the 270gr class of bullets to play with at long range.

I'll second looking at the 375R, I had the Alaskan model for awhile. Recoil wasn't bad at all, and it was accurate.

Wildrose, I was getting 270TSX to 2800fps out of mine, yes max load, think it had 20" barrel, with 28in bet you could get some of the better bc 270's past 3000.