308 vs 35 Whelen

smitty said:

I have a chance to buy a used gun (semi-auto) that is chambered in 35 Whelen. Before I found this gun, I had wanted to buy it in 308 to use for Deer, Moose and maybe Black bear hunting in New Brunswick. I have no experiance with the 35 Whelen and would appreciate any feed back on it. I guess I'm saying: which would you buy and why?

Thanks

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I am a huge proponent of the 308 Winchester. Having said that, the 35 Whelen is a classic and very effective cartridge. Shoots reasonably flat for any sane hunting distance, makes a big hole and hits hard. Ammo is a little more expensive and a little harder to find than comparable 308 ammo. If you like the look and feel of the particular gun you are considering, go for it. You cannot go wrong with the Whelen. Great cartridge for moose, bears, deer and just about anything else on four legs.

the 35's are suberb hunting cartridges, I have 358 Win, a 308 based 35. It is a shorter range cartridge than the Whelen. The Whelen will have a bit more noticable recoil than the 308 but will be tempered by the semi action. It is not something to fear but to consider depending on your comfort level. There are a superb websites out there for more info
http://35whelen.blogspot.com/
http://35cal.com/

Both are great cartridges. the 308 has a huge amount of available ammunition and can be easily purchased at places like Walmart and Canadian Tire.
The 35 Whelen however may be difficult to locate. If you hand load or buy several boxes at a time it shouldn't be an issue.

Personally I would go with the Whelen because it is a great performing cartridge and not everyone has one or for that matter has heard of it.

Thanks for the replys fellas. I'm thinkin Whelen it is.