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Old December 27, 2012, 08:26 AM   #1
Magnum Wheel Man
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35 Whelen... any lovers out there ???

didn't get much response to my previous post about 3 different calibers, so thought I'd ask about each seperate...

just picked up an unfired 70's - 80's Remington 700 in 35 Whelen to add to my bolt action library... it currently wears iron sights... as my eyes are getting old, I was looking at mounting a Burris 2-7 scope on it... looking to find some loads that take advantage of the bore difference over the '06 ( bullets over 220 grains ) thinking this would make a nice black bear rifle...

you guys got any bullet / powder combos you'd like to share ???
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Old December 27, 2012, 10:09 AM   #2
solocam72
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I don't know enough about the cartridge itself to speak of but have friends that have them and really like em, one of the guys I'm talking about had what was called a .35 brown whelen, he and I would get together and shoot quite often years ago, I can remember a summer we shot a lot together and he would bring something new about everytime we went out, this one day in particular he had the .35 brown whelen with him and I remember it being a really nice rifle (don't remember what it even was now?) Anyway it was getting fairly hot that day and kinda sultry, made you sweat for no reason, he handed me the whelen and wanted to see what kind of group I could shoot with it at 100 yrds, I remember when I shouldered the rifle and put my cheek to the high gloss stock my face kinda stuck to it from light perspiration, when I touched that thing off it about ripped my cheek off!! The shot was about a half inch high and directly above the bull, my friend called the shot and said now just follow that one with the other 2, I looked around at him, smiled and told him that 1 was good for me for that day anyway! . I had another round with it on a better day later down the road and that rifle really shot good! I made a little clover leaf group with it. I'm almost sure the particular rifle I'm talking about was one he had custom built, he was a big fan of ackley improves and such. He passed away a few years ago, I have no idea what happened to all his stuff? He had so many odd ball wildcat cartridges that it would have taken a real gun nut to decipher all of it, he had at least 3 big safes completely full and very few were stock factory chamberings
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Old December 27, 2012, 11:11 AM   #3
chiefr
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The 35 Whelen is a great hunting cartridge. I can remember years ago, many people converted their old 06 with shot out bores to this caliber.
Remington made this a legit round and I considered a bolt gun in 35 Whelen around 10 years ago but could never find a rifle in this cal for sale anywhere I lived at the time.
The Whelen, never seemed to take off. In fact, practically every introduced 35 cal appears to have never gained favorability except perhaps the 35 Rem. Americans are obsessed with 30 cal.
Providing one reloads, ammo would never be a problem as there plenty of 06 cases around.
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Old December 27, 2012, 03:10 PM   #4
old roper
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I had Rem classic in 35 Whelen and had 1/16 twist and I had pretty good luck with R-15 with 225grAB load out of Nosler manual also IMR-4064.

I now shoot 35 WhelenAI use R-15 and I had it long throated for the 225grAB @ 3.500". I've shot few of the TSX 225gr and I may try some Hornady 250gr one of these days.

I had gunsmith use chamber reamers made Wilson neck and seater dies plus bushing. I'll say one thing drop and elk real fast.

I also have good supply of Rem 35 Whelen brass. I'm due to draw bear tag this coming and I got about 3 rifles I'd Iike to try plus bow and one of the rifles is the 35 WhelenAI.

Well good luck
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Old December 28, 2012, 09:36 PM   #5
nhcruffler
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I built a 35 Whelen on a 98 action to use as a moose & black bear rifle. I kinda like Hornadys 250 gr RN Interlock bullets on top of 59 gr of RL 15. The Hornadys are priced right for practice and hunting. Make sure you tighten down your scope mounts really good. NH
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Old December 28, 2012, 10:58 PM   #6
Clark
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I have a number of 35 Whelens, waiting for me to take the barrels off and re barrel the actions.

I do like to do one trick with them. 158 gr XTP .357" bullets and 10 gr of pistol powder. It makes clover leaf groups at 50 yards.

The 35W actually is an accurate fun range gun.

But where I hunt, I want 500+ yards of range, so the 35W is not practical for me.
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Old December 28, 2012, 11:55 PM   #7
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I went with the 338-06 for the bullet selection, but the Whelen is a terrific round with 225-250.
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Old December 30, 2012, 08:50 PM   #8
reynolds357
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I have a 700 BDL in it, but I am not a huge fan. It kicks as hard as my 375 H&H and more than my 338 Win mag. Maybe its just that particular rifle, but its felt recoil to me seems disproportionate to its delivered energy.
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Old December 30, 2012, 09:58 PM   #9
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I've got one that I built out of an 09 Argentine action, but haven't done a lot with. I kind of got sidetracked and never got around to developing a "final" load for it. I've loaded 250's and some stubby little 180's (IIRC). I actually got pretty great accuracy and velocity with the little stubby ones. I think they were designed for the .350 Rem mag, and I bought a bunch of them at a gun show.
It's a little too much gun for normal deer hunting, unless you load it down a little bit, but it's a really good caliber.
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Old December 30, 2012, 10:39 PM   #10
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The hunters in Mississippi are going crazy over it right now. That is because they changed the Primitive Weapons season law there a couple of years ago. During Primitive Weapons season (what most states call Muzzleloader season), in MS you are allowed to use any single-shot rifle of .35 caliber or higher. .35 Whelen Encore barrels suddenly became very popular.
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Old December 30, 2012, 10:41 PM   #11
reynolds357
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If they do that here in Ga, I will have to build a .35STA encore. (with a huge muzzle brake) I assume the Encore will stand up to it. Would have to research it a bit.
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Old January 1, 2013, 11:42 AM   #12
MW3840
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When you decide on a load, and if you are interested, I have 3 boxes of the following Nosler .358" that I was going to load in my recently departed friends various .35 cal. rifles. His widow is selling them as a lot for $115 shipped.

50 New Nosler .358" 225 gr. AccuBond bullets
40 Pulled Nosler .358" 225 gr. AccuBond bullets (pulled with inertia puller, foam earplug in base, no deformation)
50 New Nosler .358" 250 gr. Partition bullets
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Old January 1, 2013, 12:20 PM   #13
nhcruffler
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MW3840, check your PM
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