35 Whelen and some range time

[Blammer]

Well life is very stressfull for me right now, so I decided to take some me time.

35° this morning and clear and sunny with no breeze and warming up to 70°

time to head to the range.

I had several boxes of miscellaneous 35 whelen loads I felt I just needed to shoot up so I'll have brass ready for some serious load development. I'm hoping to get an Elk tag this year, and then eventually an Elk. :)

I had about 6 of the 358009's loaded, about 7 of some NOE 358 180 bullets with a really big HP in them so they came in at 170gr's and some odd rcbs 35 200's in miscellaneous cases loaded.

I also had some ammo I loaded from a while ago when I discovered that the WQ WW's was THE ticket to getting this rifle to shoot well.

So, naturally I drug out the only 35 Whelen I have. A marlin XL7 that I had rebarreled with a Shilen 35 Whelen SS barrel with 14T.
It has some sort of Leupold scope on it, I don't remember exactly what one.

I also took out my new to me Rem Model 7 SS in 308 to get the scope zeroed and some trigger time with it. Sorry, this one won't be a CB gun. :)

After shooting up the miscellaneous ammo, after intermitten times to let the barrel cool some.

I grabbed the "control" batch of ammo.
Shot a few to see how it did and how my other loads would compare.

All shooting was done at 100yds.
each square is 1/2'' square


Control ammo
35 Whelen
RCBS 35-200 WQWW, gator check, .359 with a mixture of lube in the sizer.
51gr of IMR 4895
30-06 resized cases
Wolf LR primer
OAL 2.985

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/35Whelen/35W_35200rcbs_zps539c34b7.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/Targets/35Whelen/35W_35200rcbs_zps539c34b7.jpg.html)

Next I shot my "just loaded" ammo.
I let the projectiles set at least 2 weeks before I loaded them.

35 Whelen
RCBS 35-200 WQWW, gator check, .359 with a mixture of lube in the sizer.
51gr of IMR 4895
30-06 resized cases
Wolf LR primer
OAL 2.985

basically same as above just loaded recently.
The shot in the FAR right corner of the target was from the other target on that side, it's from just shooting up the miscellaneous ammo stated earlier

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/35Whelen/35W_200gr_zps08d258c6.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/Targets/35Whelen/35W_200gr_zps08d258c6.jpg.html)

Now the new stuff.

35 Whelen
NOE RCBS 35-200 HP (yep Hollow point) from my RG4 mould. :)
WQWW's,gator check, .359 with a mixture of lube in the sizer.
51gr of IMR 4895
30-06 resized cases
Wolf LR primer
(essentially the same as the above load just with the HP bullet)

I had NO expectations out of this and just wanted to see what would happen.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/35Whelen/35W_NOEHP_zps8c04d55f.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/Targets/35Whelen/35W_NOEHP_zps8c04d55f.jpg.html)

this is a 4 shot group, hole in bottom FAR left is from the target on that side.

I can say I'm very pleased!

I don't think the HP will go Elk hunting, but it will go Water Jug hunting! They seem to multiply in the spring!

[robroy]

That would work for me;-)

[selmerfan]

If you're ever interested in some RD 359-190-RF in your Whelen, let me know. I've got a 6 cavity that casts beautifully...nice shooting!

[sundog]

Way to go, Blammer!

Lately, I have taken a shine to SAECO #352. I know, I know..., anything short of the 3589 (358009 Imp by David Mos) is blasphemy. So I stray a little when playing with boolits. Thinkin' I may have to put a few [#352s] down range this weekend.

[Blammer]

thank selmer, I'll have to pass as I already have a few other moulds lent to me to give a go in the 35 Whelen.

Should get to casting some of them this week, I hope...

[Beagle333]

I have just got to get me a Whelen. That's the next one on my "Must Have" list. :cool:

[35 shooter]

Looks like the elk are in trouble. Are you using the 4895 with the 358009 too? I'm thinking of a noe or accuate moulds version of that boolit. Looks awesome on their websites.

[AKbushman49]

Blammer- Shouldn't the NOE 35 200 (RCBS) HP version be ~185gr? Just curious. If it's 200gr the FP then would be ~215gr. correct? Or is the HP a real small one? Just asking as I'm looking at the same mould. Good looking groups though. Still too cool for me to play outside (0 deg)
bushman

[Blammer]

Ok on the wt.

These are TWO different moulds.

The RCBS 35-200, checked lubed and ready to go with my alloy is 211gr.

The NOE 35-200 HP, is 204gr, checked lubed ready to go with the same alloy as that above.

UPDATE: I just cast some solids with the same alloy as above with the HP.
Unlubed unchecked, they wt 213gr.

The HP is a fairly short one, maybe 1/3 of the way into the nose. If measureing the nose from the crimp groove to the top.

[Blammer]

35 shooter, I am using 4895 with the 358009. It does a great job!

I found I have a SMALL window of accuracy with just AC ww's.

If I water drop them they perform much better over a larger range of velocity and accuracy is better and consistant.

[sthwestvictoria]

Looks like the elk are in trouble. Are you using the 4895 with the 358009 too? I'm thinking of a noe or accuate moulds version of that boolit. Looks awesome on their websites.

The Australia CBE also produces a 300grain .358
http://www.castbulletengineering.com.au/bullet-moulds/rifle/358-calibre/360-300gc-single-cavity
I don't have that 300grain one but I do have the 250grain:
http://www.castbulletengineering.com.au/bullet-moulds/rifle/358-calibre/358-250gc-single-cavity
and it is a sweetie. A brass mold with a heavy sprue plate. Fits Lee generic handles. Casts a lovely GC bullet.

[Blammer]

Just finished casting a few today, I updated my earlier post to include the wts.

I also cast up some bullets from a mould that was lent to me by Helice, it's an LBT 225gr GC FN, I'll try to get some pics of it up and may put it in the mix for testing.

[Shuz]

Way to go Blammer--looks like the elks are in trouble!

[35 shooter]

Ok thanks Blammer. I've been using h4895 with my 200 gr boolits too for about a year now and it worked great so it's good to know it works with the heavy weights too. Recently started using 4350 and that's working too but had to go to a fairly hard crimp to get it to burn right. Guess i need to at least try the water drop thing too. I've been heat treating my ww and that has worked pretty well.

BTW...Beagle333 i think you'll love the whelen if you get one.