35 remington

[cobblefield]

I'm moving up from Indiana in month or so. Since I already own a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington, I was wondering if this rifle would be adequate protection from bear or moose?

Thanks for your help.

[thunder chicken1]

35 remington

It should be ok within 100 yds and using the right bullets. I would suggest buffalo bores 220 gr. jfn at 2200 fps and 2364 ft. pds. or conley precision cartridges 220 gr. speer fn at 1980 fps. Of course it's always nice to have an excuse to buy another gun.

[BrownBear]

If you shoot it well, you should have little to worry about. I'd rather have a well placed shot with a 35 Remington than a bum shot from any belted shoulder bruiser. No it's not a powerhouse, but for a cool shot it's fine. I've used the round a lot for game, both in rifles (336 and an elderly Remington 141) and handguns (Contender), and respect it greatly.

But then again, if you're looking for an excuse to buy another gun you've come to the right place!

[mauserboy]

.35 Rem

The .35 Remington is a fine cartridge for what it was intended, short range woods shooting on deer, blackbear and moose. A lot of New England blackbear and moose have been taken with it. But, since you use the word protection in your posting, I would have to say there are better cartridge for that purpose, such as .300 Win Mag, .338 Win Mag, 45-70 at close range. The .35 Rem hits plenty hard at its intended range, but for stopping power on big bear, I'd consider another, IMHO

[Brian Richardson]

adequate protection from bear or moose?

Quite simply the real answer is unfavorably NO!

Reading into adequate protection... in this power range you're about as restricted and light on what would characterize an appropriate Alaska stopper. Nobody in their right thinking should rationalize it as satisfactory safeguard from bear or moose.

As you will find - Alaska is not Indiana nor is it akin to New England! I would unquestionably purchase sensible protection.

It won't matter much feeding it fancy bullets and loadings - we are still talking a pea shooter by overall assessment to a bona fide Alaskan stopper rifle for protection (note - different from general hunting situations but potentially happening while on the hunt)

One poster put it --- "I'd rather have a well placed shot with a 35 Remington than a bum shot from any belted shoulder bruiser." While part of this may be accurate (yes - try to keep recoil tolerable), it does not identify with the true reality being that a stopper-type magnum rifle will afford superior protection (if you can hit a pie plate or so at 20 yards), provide the often necessary deeper bone-smashing penetration, as well as added shot placement opportunities at less than ideal angles under spur-of-the-moment circumstances --- so it becomes far more adequate.

Brian Richardson
http://www.northernrim.com

[grizz106]

I think the biggest worry you have with any rifle is your placement of shot at any given time. The 35 Remington is abit more powerful than the venerable .30-30 that is used quite abit in the back woods of Alaska-apart from public opinion. I too am of the same mind that I would rather have the .35 if I was that good and I mean good with than some caliber I am vaguely familiar with.
I carry heavy hitting rifles personally an believe that my days of tracking are about over-don't quite remember when I had to do just that. I really enjoy my .30-30AI using 170grn. Partitions or 180grn hardcast for example but it is not the do all rifle, can be if that is all I have.
Whatever you choose to shoot you must make the commitment to FINISH what you started out to do. That is the most ethical trait of a resposible hunter, is to succeed.
Any doubts trade that or sell it and buy a .30-06 and stick to some 200grn. Swifts or Partitions or NorthForks or .....you get the picture. The 06 is by far the No.1 caliber for many years before all the big cannons that are now everywhere here in Alaska. It is an ideal caliber for everything and bullets are everywhere you go when you hunt...Pt. Barrow, Bethel, Fairbanks, Manley Hot Springs, Circle, Kodiak, St.Petersburg etc.....
In the end the only thing that counts is your shot placement, don't count on the whole magazine to do the job but the first. This present day we are endowed with a variety of good bullet makes that you can get over the counter and if you are rambunctious enough then get into reloading and give your rifle an attitude adjustment.
Wish you well and good shooting.

[calndux]

Brain...Come on...

I hunt with a 35 Rem in a XP100, you know I have several large bores in rifles and pistols. I know the 35 Rem is deadly on moose and black bear. I would not want it for protection against a big brownie though, but better than a sharp stick. If I had my choice I would rather have my 475 Linebaugh, 376, 375, 45-70, or large caliber if a big brown charges, but if all I got is the 35 Rem, then he gets it if I have to give it.

I have never shot the 220 grain. I need to try them. I have only used 150 and 200.

[reuben_j_cogburn]

excuse to bring it with!

But what you ARE saying is that the .35 Rem is a viable round! Which means that instaed of bringing my Marlin along out of centiment I can bring it along and use it!!!...... woohoo!!!!!!

[cobblefield]

35 Remington

This has all been a great help. I suspected that a larger caliber, say a 45-70, maybe in order. However, I thought I would get some good opinions on this as well. I agree, I would not use this rifle out of sentiment as mentioned earlier. The most important sentiment to me is my survival. Perhaps a trade is in the cards. How about military calibers such as 8mm or 7.62x54r? Would they be of benefit or do they fall in same general category as 35 Remington?

[BrownBear]

Discussions about the adequacy of the 35 Rem and 358 Win are fun! Not many people have criticism of the 358, but consider the 35 pretty puny. I own both and have shot quite a bit of game with them. It's an interesting comparison because they shoot the same bullet at different velocities.

In a nutshell, the 358 Win at 100 yards is the same gun as the 35 Rem at the muzzle. The 35 Rem at 50 yards is the 358 Win at 150 yards. No favoritism, no doping the stats, that's just what's going on.

If the 358 Win is an adequate 150 yard moose gun, the 35 Rem is an adequate 50 yard moose gun. We have to draw our own conclusions about adequacy at less than 50 yards for bear protection, but I'd much rather stand beside you with your familiar 35 Rem than with a new mag you didn't know and shoot as well.

[Sav .250]

Adequate Protection

Protection to me means insurance from impending danger. I don`t live in the great state of Alaska so i have no experience on large bears and the like
but after reading and seeing hunting shows on the subject you can bet i
wouldn`t put myself in harms way with a weapon of any kind that would not do the job.
If what ever i have leaves me thinking, " i hope this will work" i`m already thinking, feet don`t fail me now.
I have a Marlin .35 but that`s not what i would call..........protection. IMO

[Paul H]

Interesting question, I'm a 35 fan and the 35 rem has been one of the chamberings I haven't had a chance to try yet, though if the right gun showed up I'd have to get one.

The interesting angle on the bear defense question is how does it compare in power to the handgun rounds that are commonly chosen for bear defense. It's hard to compare the lighter faster rifle rounds to the slower heavier handgun rounds, but I'd have to think the 35 rem with good bullets would be at least as effective as a 44mag, if not likely more effective. So in that vein, I'd have to say it's not nearly as useless as some might contend. But the real question is, what is the best bullet to use, and do you handload? I'd think a 220 gr @ 2200 or a 250 gr @ 2000 fps would do the trick. I'd imagine if you took a 225 gr partition and turned it into a flatoint of 215-220 gr, it would be about perfection.

That said, my comfort level for a 35 cal bear gun starts at 250 gr @ 2400, and goes up from there.

[whateveri8]

Cobblefield,

Here's what to tell the Mrs.

The 35 Remington will due for deer, but YOU NEED the following: ( not in any particular order)

1. 338 Win Mag to hunt everything in Alaska
2. 375 H&H Mag just because you can hunt things with it up Here
3. 458 Win Mag or 458 Lott because Polar Bears might attack and you need stopping power
4. 30-06 because EVERYBODY has one and they are the Number 1 selling caliber
5. 308 because you can get mil-surp bullets cheap and you can compare it to your 30-06
6. AR-15 To be too cool for school at the range
7. 7mm Remington mag for Dall Sheep and Mountain Goats
8. 300 win mag for elk and everything else
9. 35 Whelen for hunting bears and everything else

10 12ga slug gun for protection against marauding beastly creatures
11 44 mag for protection
13 anything S&W on the X frame to battle the kushtaka
14 45-70 because I don't know a round any more fun to shoot
15 22lr after all, bullets are cheap
16 243 Winchester because you can hunt most everything
17 any handgun because you can concealed carry it here!
18 more handguns because you need a backup

That list will get you started for just getting you up Here.
__________________________________________________ _______________

Guys? what did I miss on the list of must have Alaska calibers?

[Paul H]

That's a good starting point.

One I've been wanting to build is a featherweight 25X284 for blacktail hunting, 6#'s and change, and 120's @ 3300 make for a flat shooting light recoiling gun. A 223 bolt gun for cheap long range practice.

[cobblefield]

To whateveri8

Here is a sampling of what I have now...
1) S&W 500 4 inch barrel
2) Dan Wesson 44 mag with 4", 6" and 8" barrels
3) Glock 20 - 10mm
4) Mossberg 590 tactical 12 guage
5) Mossberg 500 with 18.5" and 24" barrels
6) Winchester Super X2 12 guage tactical semi auto
7) Bushmaster AR15 ak shorty
8) M1 Garand, and P-17
9) Marlin 35 Remington
10) Assorted milsurps in 7.62x54r, .303, 8mm, 7.5 swiss, etc.
11) Assorted S&W's in .357 mag

I'm thinking I might have it covered with some room for new purchases.

What do yhou guys think?