Hello from the USA!

[The35Whelen]

Hello everyone!

Thank you for letting me join your fantastic website! I stumbled across it looking for .318 Westley Richards reloading data, and I appreciate the members that shared that info in prior threads!

I'm an avid deer and bear hunter living near Nashville, Tennessee. I travel numerous times a year to hunt in multiple states across the US and have my first African safari happening in a month. I hope to one day hunt deer in the UK.

I'm a medium bore rifle afficionado, with my favorite caliber being the .35 Whelen. I currently own medium bore rifles chambered in:

1. 375 H&H
2. 375 Nitro Express Rimless
3. 358 Norma Mag
4. 358 Winchester
5. 357 Magnum
6. 351 Winchester Self Loading
7. 350 Legend
8. 35 Winchester
9. 35 Gibbs
10. 35 Remington
11. 35 Whelen
12. 318 Westley Richards
13. 8mm Mauser (.318 bore)

 

[Stevie/P]

Hi and welcome

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Hi and welcome ref the 8mm Mauser (.318 bore) you have I have found that if you use a standard 8x57 (.323) die without the caliber decap button fitted then the neck comes out just right for .318 bullets.

 

[bullet chucker]

Welcome to the site.

BC.

 

[paul o']

Welcome to the SD enjoy the ride .

 

[T.eddie]

Welcome from Essex UK

 

[The35Whelen]

Hi and welcome ref the 8mm Mauser (.318 bore) you have I have found that if you use a standard 8x57 (.323) die without the caliber decap button fitted then the neck comes out just right for .318 bullets.

Thanks for the tip! I just purchased the .318 so I haven't started loading for it yet. Any recommendations on bullet selection?

 

[bowji john]

35 Whelen - the twin sister of the 9.3 x 62

A cracker of a caliber

Welcome

j

 

[RescueMe0007]

Welcome to the site, you have a slightly different definition of a medium bore rifle than I, doesn't stop me salivating when reading the list of your firearms.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Thanks for the tip! I just purchased the .318 so I haven't started loading for it yet. Any recommendations on bullet selection?

.318s are even hard to find in its birthplace (Germany) take whatever is on offer or take a Volvo truck wheel bolt "same 7/8x14 thread costs $6ish and get it machined into a very long conical hole reducing from .323 to .318 then standard jacketed .323s can be squeezed down the 5 thou, I have had this done to a wheel bolt..

 

[The35Whelen]

Welcome to the site, you have a slightly different definition of a medium bore rifle than I, doesn't stop me salivating when reading the list of your firearms.

Thank you for the welcome! I consider medium bore as calibers between .311 and .375, however I know it's sometimes classified differently by others. What do you consider medium bore?

 

[bowji john]

Thank you for the welcome! I consider medium bore as calibers between .311 and .375, however I know it's sometimes classified differently by others. What do you consider medium bore?

Under the 4 s'

So much as you do

j

Actually - on reflection - large perhaps starts with the 5 s' upward

i still consider my 404 Jeff a medium

 

[RescueMe0007]

Thank you for the welcome! I consider medium bore as calibers between .311 and .375, however I know it's sometimes classified differently by others. What do you consider medium bore?

Well given that in my jurisdiction the Gardaí (Police), would have a collective heart attack if I looked for a licence for virtually any of the chamberings (maybe not the 8mm Mauser) on your list, that pretty much sets the standard. Anything above .300 win mag is considered a cannon! From .30 calibre to .22 centrefires would be classed as medium calibre firearms. Of course we do not have Moose/Elk, or Bears of any description. Our largest quarry would be red deer (approximating in size to your whitetail). It is notionally possible to get a larger chambering but that requires giving up a DNA sample and one's first born child!

 

[375win]

Welcome to the forum. You’re missing the .356 Winchester and the 350 Rem mag. The 8x60mm in an interwar Mauser is also a nice middle calibre. Forgot the 8mm Magnum, always one I wanted, and the .325 WSM, Browning did their BLR in that calibre. Lee Speed in an 8x50 would also make a nice addition to your list. And while we are at it, what about a .303? And how about the 9x57, a great calibre for a German combination or cape gun….Plenty to add…If you were to hunt in the UK, I would take the 318 Westley Richards. Where are you off to in Africa? Enjoy the forum and hopefully see you in the old country soon.

 

[The35Whelen]

Thanks for the warm welcome and inspiration! I've actually just added a 9.3x74r and .348 Win to the collection. I'll have to keep an eye out for the others. Collecting is such a fun hobby, especially when you actually shoot them!

I've eyed those .325 WSM BLRs quite a few times. I actually have a BLR81 in .35 Whelen that I hunt with all the time. I had the trigger pull reduced to 3.5lbs, and it's an absolute riot to shoot. The rifle's accounted for quite a few whitetail bucks and black bears.

My wife, 7-year-old son, and I are all heading to north Limpopo, SA for 10 days. The wife and I are hunting a mixed bag of ten plains game animals, while our son plays junior journalist and photographer. We're very excited to go!

I'll definitely bring the .318 Westley Richards when I come to the UK. I'm waiting to hear back on the rifle's provenance from Watson Bros. in London, as they manufactured it sometimes in the early 20th century. Once I have that information, I'll share it and pictures in a separate post.