Those of you with a .35 Whelen.....

[clownbear69]

Do you fireform your brass from .30-06 or do you just buy your .35 Whelen brass?

By next year I will be starting a .35 Whelen project and want to start buying some of the smaller stuff now

[felix]

Depends entirely upon the reamer used to chamber the barrel. Load a couple of cases you have with boolits you intend to use and make neck measurements of the loaded rounds. Tell the smithy to add 0.002 to that diameter when doing your barrel. ... felix

[clownbear69]

Depends entirely upon the reamer used to chamber the barrel. Load a couple of cases you have with boolits you intend to use and make neck measurements of the loaded rounds. Tell the smithy to add 0.002 to that diameter when doing your barrel. ... felix

why ad the .002 this is the first time I heard this?

[nicholst55]

Do you fireform your brass from .30-06 or do you just buy your .35 Whelen brass?

By next year I will be starting a .35 Whelen project and want to start buying some of the smaller stuff now

I do both. I use factory .35 Whelen when I can find it; I form it from either .270 Winchester or .280 Remington when I can't. Starting with .30-06 brass yields a finished case that is just a bit short, although people have been going this route for many, many years.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm not Felix but the .002 added is for the brass to expand and release the boolit. I would expect a smith to know that - might be my mistake.

[azrednek]

I do both. I use factory .35 Whelen when I can find it; I form it from either .270 Winchester or .280 Remington when I can't. Starting with .30-06 brass yields a finished case that is just a bit short, although people have been going this route for many, many years.

Exactly the same way I do it. When you see new 35 Whelen brass available jump on it immediately. It could be a year most likely longer before the manufacture gears up and makes more.

If you see fired 35 Whelen brass for sale do make sure the seller is not selling re-formed brass. Lesson I learned the hard way back in the days brass was sold on Ebay.

[felix]

Not your mistake, Wayne! ... felix

[clownbear69]

I do both. I use factory .35 Whelen when I can find it; I form it from either .270 Winchester or .280 Remington when I can't. Starting with .30-06 brass yields a finished case that is just a bit short, although people have been going this route for many, many years.

Interesting I would think that the .30-06 would've been better....

[felix]

The diameter of the case neck is important all over when it cannot expand releasing the projectile. The length of case neck is not important unless too long as to cause a tight neck at the mouth. Short necks with conservative loads will never have to be trimmed. Long necks with hot loads have to be monitored after each round. Accuracy is almost never impacted by having necks too short or variable in length. Accuracy variation might occur using slower powder in larger cases with variable neck lengths. Using normal powder, or those on the faster side for the case/projectile, the neck will be fully opened during ignition. ... felix

[clownbear69]

interesting...any other tips?

[felix]

Yes, a "factory" gun off the shelf is a **** shoot. If you really want a 35 caliber gun, contact Goodsteel on the board. ... felix