These two elderly cartridges are the current (2016) medium bore offerings in the two most popular lever action rifles in history, the Marlin Model 336 and Winchester Model 94. Of the two cartridges, the .38-55 is the oldest, being a survivor of the black powder cartridge era that successfully made the transition to smokeless powder. Only a handful of 19th Century rifle cartridges can make that claim.

The .35 Remington was introduced in 1906 as the largest of the Remington rimless line of cartridges for Remington's pump and autoloading rifles, which were competing with Winchester's lever action rifles in the marketplace. Marlin adopted the .35 Rem. for their lever action rifle and it has been in the line ever since.

.35 Remington

As mentioned in the introduction, the .35 Remington was the largest of the .25, .30, .32 and .35 Remington rimless cartridges of the early 20th Century. It is the only survivor, the others (and the rifles for which they were designed) having long been obsolete.

The .35 Remington is built on a unique rimless case with a .460 inch diameter rim, which is bigger than the other Remington rimless cartridges, but smaller than the .30-06 and other "standard" .473 inch rim diameter cartridges. Consequently, .35 Remington brass cannot be formed from any other case of which I am aware. The correct bullet diameter is .358 inch, the same as other .35 caliber rifle cartridges.

.35 Remington ammunition is offered by all of the "Big 4" US ammo manufacturers (Federal, Hornady, Remington and Winchester). The traditional factory load, as offered by Federal, Remington and Winchester, uses a 200 grain jacketed round nose bullet suitable for tubular magazine use at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2020 fps. Hornady offers a 200 grain FTX spitzer bullet with a soft plastic tip in their LeverEvolution ammo line at a MV of 2225 fps. All of these loads are within the SAAMI specified MAP of 35,000 CUP and can be duplicated by reloaders.

Specialty ammo manufacturer Buffalo Bore, located in Idaho (USA), offers a Heavy .35 Remington load using a 220 grain jacketed flat nose (JFN) bullet at a MV of 2200 fps. This is probably an over-pressure (+P) load, although I cannot find any specific pressure information from Buffalo Bore. It is advertised as safe for use in modern .35 Remington firearms, specifically including the Marlin 336.

The .35 Remington has been offered in a variety of autoloading, pump, bolt and lever action rifles from Remington, Savage, Marlin and even Winchester (a rare Model 70 chambering). However, its enduring home has been the Marlin 336 lever action and this is the only production rifle offered in the caliber as I write these words. In this platform it has been a successful woods cartridge for generations.

The .35 Rem. is a proven deer and black bear cartridge. Many old timers consider it a better short range elk cartridge than the .30-30 or .32 Win. Spec. With Buffalo Bore Heavy loads, the .35 Rem. has been used successfully on moose.

.38-55 Winchester

The .38-55 was introduced in 1884 for the Ballard single shot rifle and its renown as an accurate match cartridge spread. This spurred its adoption in hunting rifles of both single shot and lever action persuasion.

It uses a rimmed, straight wall case with plenty of body tape for easy extraction. The current SAAMI MAP for the .38-55 is 30,000 CUP. The basic .38-55 case design proved to be excellent and Winchester later necked it down to form the .25-35, .30-30 and .32 Winchester Special, probably the most successful line of civilian rifle cartridges ever sold.

The original .38-55 bullet diameter was .379-.381 inch. Today, it is typically loaded with .375-.377 inch diameter bullets and I am told that current Winchester Model 94 barrels have a .377 inch groove diameter.

Jacketed, lead core .375 bullets will normally expand under pressure to engage .377 inch barrel rifling and bullets as large as .380 inch will normally slug-down in .377 inch barrels without creating harmful pressures. Barnes offers Original jacketed flat point (JFP) bullets in both .375 and .377 inch diameter.

The typical .38-55 black powder load (55 grains) launched a 255 grain lead bullet at a MV of 1320 fps. This became the default velocity for early smokeless powder loads and Olin/Winchester's sole current factory load uses a 255 grain Power Point flat-nose bullet at the same velocity in deference to surviving vintage rifles. Of the American "Big 4" ammo companies, only Winchester still offers .38-55 factory loads.

However, once smokeless powder had replaced black powder in cartridge firearms, a "high velocity" .38-55 load was introduced that launched a 255 grain bullet at a MV of 1590 fps. Later, a "high power" load fired the same weight bullet at 1700 fps.

Such loads got the .38-55 up off of its knees and made it an effective short range elk and moose cartridge. These more powerful loads were intended for use in modern rifles designed for smokeless powder and should not be fired in black powder arms.

Reloaders with Model 94 rifles in good condition can duplicate high power .38-55 loads using bullets weighing from 200-255 grains without exceeding the SAAMI MAP. The Hodgdon and Lyman reloading handbooks are a good source of data. The Hodgdon 2016 Annual Manual shows, for example, that a 255 grain Barnes Original Jacketed Flat Point bullet can achieve a MV of 1830 fps at 28,200 CUP using H322 powder.

Some of the specialty ammo manufacturers offer high power .38-55 loads today, intended for use ONLY in modern .38-55 rifles. Buffalo Bore, for example, offers a Heavy .38-55 (+P) cartridge loaded to 38,000 CUP. They claim this load is safe for use in all .38-55 and .375 Winchester chambered firearms made with modern metallurgy for smokeless powder. (The .30-30, normally offered in the same rifles as the .38-55, has a SAAMI MAP of 38,500 CUP.) It launches a 255 grain JFN, bonded core bullet at a MV of 1950 fps. This is potent medicine and it has proven reliable on Alaskan moose and grizzly bears.

In 1978 the .38-55 case was considerably beefed-up and shortened 0.065 inch to create the .375 Winchester. While .375 Winchester cartridges will feed, chamber and fire in a .38-55 rifle, this should never be done, as the .375 is loaded to 52,000 CUP. However, .38-55 cartridges, including the Buffalo Bore Heavy Load, will safely work in all .375 Winchester rifles.

The .38-55 has appeared in various rifles during its long life, but its most common home is the Model 1894 Winchester. It has been offered in the Model 94 off and on throughout its long production life and the current Model 94, made for Winchester by long time partner Miroku, is offered in .38-55. The .38-55 has made a modest comeback in popularity in recent years and some modern shooters are beginning to appreciate this mild mannered woods cartridge.

The Comparison

We will use two factory loads for each caliber in this comparison. The first will be the standard Winchester Super-X factory load and the second will be the Buffalo Bore Heavy load.

In .35 Remington, the Winchester Super-X factory load fires a 200 grain Power Point RN bullet (BC .195) at a MV of 2020 fps. The Buffalo Bore Heavy factory load launches a 220 grain JFN bullet (BC .316) at 2200 fps.

In .38-55 Winchester, the Winchester Super-X factory load fires a 255 grain Power Point FN bullet (BC .290) at a MV of 1320 fps. The Buffalo Bore Heavy factory load launches a 255 grain JFN bullet (BC .290) at 1950 fps.

We will compare these loads in velocity, energy, trajectory, sectional density, bullet cross-sectional area and recoil. At the end of the comparison I will add a few concluding remarks.

Velocity

Higher velocity flattens trajectory. It is also a major component of kinetic energy and increases killing power. Here are the claimed velocities in feet-per-second (fps) for our comparison loads at the muzzle, 100, 200 and 300 yards.

• .35 Rem, 200 gr. Win. Pwr. Pt. RN: 2020 fps MV, 1646 fps at 100 yds, 1335 fps at 200 yds, 1114 fps at 300 yds.
• .35 Rem, 220 gr. B.B. Heavy JFN: 2200 fps MV, 1952 fps at 100 yds, 1723 fps at 200 yds, 1516 fps at 300 yds.
• .38-55, 255 gr. Win. Pwr. Pt. FN: 1320 fps MV, 1190 fps at 100 yds, 1091 fps at 200 yds, 1018 fps at 300 yds.
• .38-55, 255 gr. B.B. Heavy JFN: 1950 fps MV, 1698 fps at 100 yds, 1477 fps at 200 yds, 1290 fps at 300 yds.

The .35 Remington, with its smaller bullet diameter and higher pressure limit, wins the velocity comparison with both standard factory loads and heavy loads.

Energy

Kinetic energy is essentially a function of mass and the square of velocity and it is expressed in foot-pounds (ft. lb.). Energy powers bullet expansion and penetration and it is an important factor in killing power. It is probably the most common and quantifiable method of comparing the power of rifle cartridges. Here are the energy figures at the muzzle, 100, 200 and 300 yards.

• .35 Rem, 200 gr. RN at 2020 fps MV: 1812 ft. lb. ME, 1203 ft. lb. at 100 yds, 791 ft. lb. at 200 yds, 551 ft. lb. at 300 yds.
• .35 Rem, 220 gr. JFN at 2200 fps MV: 2364 ft. lb. ME, 1862 ft. lb. at 100 yds, 1450 ft. lb. at 200 yds, 1122 ft. lb. at 300 yds.
• .38-55, 255 gr. FN at 1320 fps MV: 987 ft. lb. ME, 802 ft. lb. at 100 yds, 674 ft. lb. at 200 yds, 587 ft. lb. at 300 yds.
• .38-55, 255 gr. JFN at 1950 fps MV: 2153 ft. lb. ME, 1633 ft. lb. at 100 yds, 1235 ft. lb. at 200 yds, 942 ft. lb. at 300 yds.

The .35 Remington generally delivers more energy on target than the .38-55. With Buffalo Bore heavy loads the difference is 211 ft. lb. at the muzzle and 180 ft. lb. at 300 yards.

With standard Winchester Super-X loads the difference is a thunderous 825 ft. lb. at the muzzle, but decreases as the range increases. At 100 yards the disparity has been approximately cut in half (401 ft. lb.) and at 300 yards the .38-55 has actually pulled ahead of the .35 Rem. by 36 ft. lb. The reason for this is that bullet velocity decreases as range increases, but bullet weight stays the same.

Trajectory

Bullet placement is, by far, the most important factor in killing power and the flatter a bullet shoots the easier it is to hit with as the range increases. The following trajectory figures for our comparison loads assume a line of sight 1.5 inches over the centerline of the barrel's bore. This would be typical for a riflescope mounted low over the barrel. Since these are woods cartridges typically used at relatively short range, we will assume a 100 yard zero for all loads. Trajectory in inches at the muzzle, 50 yards, 100 yards and 200 yards.

• .35 Rem, 200 gr. RN at 2020 fps MV: -1.5" at muzzle, +0.9" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yds, -12.1" at 200 yds.
• .35 Rem, 220 gr. JFN at 2200 fps MV: -1.5" at muzzle, +0.64" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yds, -8.42" at 200 yds.
• .38-55, 255 gr. FN at 1320 fps MV: -1.5" at muzzle, +2.3" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yds, -23.7" at 200 yds.
• .38-55, 255 gr. JFN at 1950 fps MV: -1.5" at muzzle, +0.57" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yds, -10.7" at 200 yds.

The .35 Rem. has a flatter trajectory when comparing Super-X loads and also when comparing Heavy loads. However, the only dramatic difference is with the low velocity Super-X .38-55 load. It is about a 125 yard cartridge for big game hunting. The other loads are about 150 yard cartridges with a 100 yard zero.

Sectional Density

The sectional density (SD) of bullets is calculated by dividing a bullet's weight (in pounds) by the square of its diameter (in inches). Note that the shape, material or ballistic coefficient of the bullet has no bearing on SD; only weight and diameter matter.

The bullet diameter for the .35 Rem. is .358 inches. The bullet diameter for the .38-55 is .377 inches.

Sectional density is important because, given bullets of identical design at identical velocity, the bullet with the greatest SD will penetrate the deepest. It is imperative that a hunting bullet reach an animal's vitals to effect a quick kill.

A crude example would be that a long and slender shape (like a needle) penetrates better than a short and fat shape, such as a round ball, given identical weight and velocity. The deeper the wound channel (of any given diameter) in a game animal, the more tissue is destroyed and the greater the killing power. Here are the SD numbers for our selected bullet weights.

• .35 Rem, 200 grain (.358"): SD .223
• .35 Rem, 220 grain (.358"): SD .245
• .38-55, 255 grain (.377"): SD .256

The 255 grain .38-55 bullet has the best SD of our three bullets and, other factors being equal, should provide the deepest penetration. For medium bore calibers, a SD of .200 or better is adequate for hunting Class 2 game, so all three of these bullets should be fine for deer and black bear. 220 grain .358 bullets and 255 grain .38-55 bullets are regarded as sufficient for Class 3 game (elk and moose), assuming adequate bullet construction.

Cross-Sectional Area

Bullet cross-sectional area is important because the wider the wound cavity (of any given depth), the more tissue is destroyed and the greater the killing power. Bullet cross-sectional area is independent of bullet weight. (For example, a 200 grain .35 caliber bullet is the same diameter as a 220 grain .35 caliber bullet.) Here are the bullet cross-sectional areas, in square inches, for our two calibers.

• .35 Remington (.358"): 0.1007 sq. in.
• .38-55 Win. (.377"): 0.1116 sq. in.

A .377" diameter .38-55 bullet will always punch a larger hole in the target, given the same percentage of bullet expansion, than a .358" diameter .35 Remington bullet.

Recoil

Bullet placement is the most important factor in achieving a quick kill and everyone shoots better with a gun that kicks less. This has been consistently and repeatedly demonstrated beyond all shadow of doubt.

Get almost any reasonably appropriate bullet into the vitals and you are in business. Power will not make up for bad bullet placement and flinching (due to anticipating recoil and muzzle blast) is the single biggest cause of poor bullet placement.

Heavy recoil has been the commercial downfall of most medium bore cartridges in the North American market. Shooters simply find them unpleasant to shoot. Here are the approximate recoil energy (in foot-pounds) and recoil velocity (in feet-per-second) figures for our factory loads in 7.5 pound rifles.

• .35 Rem, 200 gr. at 2020 fps MV: 13.2 ft. lb.; 10.6 fps
• .35 Rem, 220 gr. at 2200 fps MV: 17.5 ft. lb.; 12.3 fps
• .38-55, 255 gr. at 1320 fps MV: 7.8 ft. lb.; 8.2 fps
• .38-55, 255 gr. at 1950 fps MV: 17.4 ft. lb.; 12.2 fps

The Buffalo Bore Heavy loads generate essentially the same recoil in these two calibers. The .35 Rem. Super-X factory load kicks markedly less than the Buffalo Bore Heavy factory loads and it has all the power needed for hunting Class 2 game animals out to 200 yards.

However, the .38-55 Super-X load delivers 40% less recoil energy to the shooter than the .35 Rem. Super-X load. It is easily the softest shooting of our comparison loads. Anyone who is recoil sensitive and wants a medium bore rifle for short range hunting should get a .38-55.

Conclusion

History shows that both the .35 Remington and .38-55 Winchester are adequate Class 2 game cartridges at woods ranges (generally 100 yards or less) with standard factory loads, such as Winchester Super-X. At distances beyond 100 yards, the .35 Remington has a definite advantage over the .38-55, due to its flatter trajectory and higher energy.

With Buffalo Bore Heavy ammo both cartridges have proven capable of humanely harvesting Class 3 game out to at least 200 yards, provided you can get the bullet into the vitals. For hunting potentially dangerous game, such as grizzly bear, the .38-55's 255 grain bullet has the advantage in both SD and cross-sectional area. It should create more tissue destruction and thus killing power, making the .38-55 the better choice.

.35 Remington factory loads are available from all four of the major US ammo manufacturers, while the .38-55 is available only from Winchester, so you are more likely to find .35 Remington ammo on your local dealer's shelves. If you are ordering ammo online, this is much less important and specialty manufacturers like Buffalo Bore generally have most items in stock and ready to ship.

In terms of rifle availability, the .30-30 is the most common caliber in both Marlin 336 and Winchester 94 rifles. If you want a Model 336 in .35 Remington or a Model 94 in .38-55 Winchester, your local dealer will probably have to order it for you. This should not be a problem.

This has been an interesting comparison of two moderate power, medium bore cartridges. Both tend to be overlooked by many modern hunters, which is unfortunate. With appropriate loads they are effective Class 2 and Class 3 game cartridges at typical woods ranges and even with the heaviest loads they kick much less than the medium bore magnums. This is something to keep in mind the next time you are looking for a medium bore woods rifle.