Who else likes the .35 Whelen?

Adam Helmer · #1 10-06-2005, 03:58 PM

A few months ago I got a Remington 700 Classic .35 Whelen that was new in the box since it was obtained in 1988. I have loaded up 200 and 225 grain bullets for my rifle and now plan on testing 250 grain handloads. Now that I am used to the recoil, I plan on scoping my rifle for the upcomong PA deer season.

I was about to have a 98 Mauser rebarreled to .35 W when I saw the ad for the Remington. I have only tested IMR4895 so far. Any suggestions for other powders and 225 or 250 grain bullets?

Adam

Rocky Raab · #2 10-06-2005, 09:15 PM

Never owned one, but I did work up loads for a friend who had the identical rifle. I simply read Ken Waters' "Pet Loads" article and used his best load. It used IMR 4064 as I recall.

I was able to shoot a five-shot group at 100 yards of under an inch WITH THE FACTORY IRON SIGHTS!

Don't ask me to duplicate that performance - the stars and planets must've been aligned just right that day.

Today, I'd probably start with Varget. It has about the identical burn rate but is temp insensitive and very consistent. That 225-gr bullet is about all you'll ever need.

BILLY D. · #3 10-06-2005, 09:54 PM

another whelen fan, i use 59.5 grs rl-15, fed 210 primer, 225 nosler bt's. velocity is in the 2700 fps range, groups .75- 1".

it is a 1903 a3, douglas barrel and a weaver k6 scope.

i just love it. it's one of my very favorite rifles. it's never failed me.

this load was one recommended by finn aagaard. you can start at 57 grs and work up to 60grs if you want but i found i passed the break ovrr point and achieved no further velocity after 59.5grs. personally i would start low and work my way up because your rilfle may perform differently than mine.

good shooting.

Hawkeye6 · #4 10-06-2005, 10:08 PM

I don't have one, but its on my someday list. I like Whelen and envy him living when he did. I think building up a rifle based on this cartidge would be my tribute to him.

Besides, how many people out there have a .35 caliber class rifle? It would be kind of unique.

Rocky Raab · #5 10-06-2005, 10:20 PM

As much as I admire old Townsend, if I were going to have a .35-cal rifle today, it'd probably be (no surprise here for those who know me) a 358 Win.

I just LOVE that 308 case and anything made from it.

I'd likely stoke it with 200-gr bullets, but the 225s would be my second choice. I suspect that I'd shoot a lot more of what I call my "punkin buster" load, though. It's a 158-gr JHP pistol bullet over about 21.0 of 4198. A complete hoot to shoot. In the Whelen, I'd bump that to about 23.0 grains.

PJgunner · #6 10-07-2005, 05:10 PM

Let's see, trhe question was, "Who likes the .35 Whelen?" ME! ME! ME! ME! ME!

Powders that work well in the Whelen are H-335, W-748 IMR and H-4895, IMR-4064, IMR-4320, and RL-15 just to name a few.
I currently have three rifles chambered to the Whelen, a Ruger 77RS, Remington 700 Classic and a custom rifle built on an Oberndorf Mauser.

I've been playing with H-335 lately, but all my loads are somewhat over any book maximim, so I won't pass them on. My apologies, but I don't want to be responsible for you blowing up your gun.

Now, with all that said, I do have a few gripes concerning the Ruger and Remington. Considering that Whelen and Howe designed the cartridge to shoot bullets of 250, 275 and 300 grains, why in bloody blue blazes did Remington and Ruger go with a 1 in 16" twist? The cartridge was designed for heavy game like moose, elk and the great bears. Elmer Keith at one time said that if he was restricted to one rifle for all North American hunting, it would be the .35 Whelen, and we all know of his penchant for using heavy for caliber bullets. YOu might get away with a 275 gr. bullet in a 1 in 16" barrel, but I doubt it.
My custom mauser came from an estate sale. The rifle fit me like it was made for me and the price was very reasonable, so I bought it. It has a 1 in 14" twist barrel. It is also the most accurate of the three, although the Ruger will place three 200 gr. and three 250 gr. factory loads all into a 1.25" group. I have a very nice FN Mauser action made in belgium that will be the basis of my next Whelen. This one will have the proper 1 in 12" twist barrel.

Rocky.So you like the .358 do you? Me too. I have five of them. At first, I could find one to save my life, then in a six month period, bang bang, bang, bang, bang, five in the safe. Two Ruger 77s, a first model Browning BLR, a Savage 99, and a Kodiak Mauser. The Browning and Savage all have the proper 1 in 12" twist while the Rugers and the Kodiak have that silly 1 in 16" twist.

The Kodiak is an interesting rifle. Shortly after the passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968, this outfit bought up a big bunch of the military Mausers and rebarreled them and stocked them with a rather ugly maple stock. I have only seen thre of these rifle. One was a .243 that I owned for a while. I gave to a friends son for his first deer hunt. That rifle was very accurate. The next one was chambered to the .308 Norma Magnum. it didn't come with a recoil pad and it hurt to shoot that one. Again, very accurate, if you could keep from flinching. I never saw another one until at a gun show a while back. Remembering how accurate the other two were I bought it, but this one still has the military trigger in it and I never could shoot a military two stage trigger worth a darn.
Timney's just up the road from me and I'll get around to ordering some triggers from them for some other rifle I have as well.

I have no desire for a .358 Norma mag. nor does the .35 Remington float my boat. I just sold the one I had about six months ago. Glad to be rid of it.

Now, if I could only draw an elk tag so I can use my Whelens.

Paul B.

Adam Helmer · #7 10-07-2005, 05:42 PM

Guys,

Many thanks for the replies.

Rocky,
I worked up some loads using 158 grain Jacketed .357 pistol bullets and 2400 to fire form my .30-06 brass and to get the feel of the rifle. I like the .35 Whelen and it is my "big gun."

Adam

Evan03 · #8 10-08-2005, 12:07 AM

rocky i didnt know the 358 was the 308 case but they way you said in that first line it clicked instently.

even before i read further

you love the case and i despise it, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

i think the 35whelen is neat round but i dont see anyuse for it here in idaho.

Hawkeye6 · #9 10-08-2005, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rocky Raab
As much as I admire old Townsend, if I were going to have a .35-cal rifle today, it'd probably be (no surprise here for those who know me) a 358 Win.

I just LOVE that 308 case and anything made from it.

I'd likely stoke it with 200-gr bullets, but the 225s would be my second choice. I suspect that I'd shoot a lot more of what I call my "punkin buster" load, though. It's a 158-gr JHP pistol bullet over about 21.0 of 4198. A complete hoot to shoot. In the Whelen, I'd bump that to about 23.0 grains.

Rocky:

The .358 Winchester sounds good to, being based on the .308.

I guess one of the things that struck me about the .35 Whelen is that its based on the verable .30'06.

Both cartridges lend themselves to working up pistol bullet loads as "punkin busters" (as you put it -- nice turn of phrase!).

Speaking of "plinking" loads -- I've got a pretty nice one for a .308 using (IIRC at 0400!) a 110 gr half-jacketed bullet. The neat thing aobut it is that it zeros in pretty much spot-on at ~50 yards with the same scope settings as my regular hunting loads zero'd for 200. Makes that .308 just a bit more flexible for small game.

Hawkeye

Evan03 · #10 10-08-2005, 10:41 AM

tinstaful?(TANSTAFL)

PJgunner · #11 10-09-2005, 05:58 PM

Evan said, "i think the 35whelen is neat round but i dont see anyuse for it here in idaho."

Smack a big bull elk or grizzly in the right place and you'll see the use.

I lucked out at the gun show yesterday and came home with 200 Speer 250 gr. Grand Slams for $30. The seals heven't even been broken on the boxes.

Paul B.

M.T. Pockets · #12 10-10-2005, 04:54 PM

I've never fired one but hope to own one someday, with a 2x7 Vari-X III. I think it would be a great elk rifle in the timber. I think it would be a great moose round too and I'd like to have one for a canoe Moose hunt I'm planning in Ontario.

I'm thinking 250 grain Nosler partitions.

I think this round has class.

Rocky Raab · #13 10-10-2005, 05:44 PM

That's funny, Hawkeye. I've been writing about and recommending that very plinking load for years and years.

I call mine the "Universal 30" because it works in any .30-cal cartridge of .30-30 case capacity or larger. All use the Speer 100-gr half-jacket Plinker or the identical Hornady and Unique powder.

In .30-30 - 10.0 gr Unique

In 300 Savage/308 - 10.0 to 12.0 gr

In .30-06/300 Win Mag, etc 12.0

hofts · #14 10-10-2005, 08:28 PM

i have a remington custom ks in 35 whelen. i really like the gun. i only wish it were stainless. i have not gotten around to working up any dead accurate loads with it yet, however, the darn thing shoots any store bought loads from 200gr -250 grain in a 1 inch moa circle. ...........and i am not that great of a shot! \\\

ps. the ole scope likes to tap the eyeglasses once in a while with the 250 gr partitions......love it.