converting 30-06 brass to 35 Whelen

[Maineboy]

I understand that this a pretty simple process. Since I have plenty of '06 brass I'd like to do it with some of my surplus. Does the process just involve running the brass over the expander in the sizing die? Should I run it over an 8mm expander first?

[carpetman]

Maineboy----Prior to 1988 when Remington adopted the then wildcat .35 Whelen,making cases from 30-06 was the only option. I always heard it was a one pass deal. Now that I think about it,it seems sorta odd that Remington didn't attach their name as Winchester did when it adopted the .270(Win) and Remington did when they adopted the 25-06(Rem). I have no experience with the round,but one thing that does make sense to me is that those wanting more than 30-06 do get a bigger bullet as opposed to a .300 mag just getting more velocity when the 30-06 will shoot through most North American animals. Why is more velocity needed at the expense of about half again as much powder?

[Maineboy]

Maineboy----Prior to 1988 when Remington adopted the then wildcat .35 Whelen,making cases from 30-06 was the only option. I always heard it was a one pass deal. Now that I think about it,it seems sorta odd that Remington didn't attach their name as Winchester did when it adopted the .270(Win) and Remington did when they adopted the 25-06(Rem).

Maybe 35 Whelen-Remington won't fit on the case head?

[bruce drake]

Name recognition! People knew the reputation of the 35 Whelen because it had been around as a wildcat for so long. Remington would have just confused the issue by bringing out a 35-06 UMC casing.

Bruce

[Wayne Smith]

Maineboy

It can be a one stage, but you would be better going over an 8mm expander first. Also be sure to anneal your necks first. I've not done the .35, but have done 8mm many times. Annealing makes it almost easy.

Sometime next month I hope to be necking 9.5x47R brass up to 10.5x47R and will do it in one step on new or annealed brass. I'm not anticipating any problems.

Try it each way and let us know how it works for you!

[stocker]

Take your sizer die apart and examine the expander button. If it has a long taper you can do it in one pass with a well lubricated inside case neck. If your expander button is untapered you may be able to do it but it would probably prefereable to initially use a 8mm or 338 button. The object is not to set back the shoulder/neck junction of the case.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Maineboy, the short answer is, yes you can form .35 whelen cases from .30/06 in one pass, if your sizing die has a tapered expander like those in RCBS and Redding dies. Now for the rest of the story.
"Trim to" case lengths: .270 Winchester 2.530"
.30/06 2.484"
.35 Whelen 2.484"
As a case is expanded the length gets shorter, for this reason I prefer to form cases from .270 Winchester, which makes a .35 Whelen case close to factory length. Expanding cases this much I used a .30/06 expander as an intermediate step. After forming, I was partial full-length resizing cases. After ten firings I began having misfires, a case gauge showed that my moderate cast loads were gradually shortening from head to shoulder. Next I got a true neck sizing die, which has eliminated the case shortening problem. The lot of 100 cases formed from Rem. .270 cases that I am currently using for cast loads has dwindled to 45 cases because of neck cracks over 15 firings. I believe the next lot of cases will be annealed before forming, as expanding case necks from .277" to .358" is asking a lot. For serious full-power hunting loads I use factory cases. HTH.

[StarMetal]

Carpetman,

The original .270 Winchester cartridge dates from Winchester's introduction of it in 1925 for the Model 54 bolt-action rifle. The unique caliber (.277 inch actual) was "purposely invented," as it's said, to avoid being similar to anything already existing in Europe or Britain at the time. Cartridge authority Jack Barnes thinks Winchester engineers might have been influenced by a contemporary Chinese .277 cartridge, but I think that's stretching it.

Winchester actually invented it thus the name. We know how the 35 Whelen come along and it sure wasn't invented by Remington.

Joe

[sundog]

Maineboy, every single piece of 35 Whelen brass I have started life as LCNM '06. One pass thru the die with a lubed neck, and voila. Yes, they did shorten a tad, but thats no problem for that big honkin' 358009 Improved Mos boolit. sundog

[carpetman]

Starmetal---Very interesting the Winchester folks invented a wildcat but didn't place their name on it for years.

[lovedogs]

Years ago I had a custom .35 Whelen Improved built on a Mauser '98 action, a GREAT McGowan bbl., and a nice Herter's stock. It was simple to size up from .30-06 in one pass, and since mine was the Improved version, I fireformed. It worked great. No problems. A great cartridge. With conventional jacketed bullets of 200 gr. it's awesome on deer-sized game. For elk the Speer 250 gr. SP was perfect. New super bullets aren't needed unless you're after something really huge and nasty.

[waksupi]

Brass will stretch quite a bit. I've made fun cartridges from .38 Special cases, and expand them up to .45 cal. Put a 560 gr. Postell bullet in them, and you then have a .45-38 Polish Short Magnum.

[stocker]

That must be for the Polish front loading floating chamber model Pistol I take it?

[omgb]

I've never made 35 Whelen cases from 30-06 BUT, I have made 358Win cases from 308 and 7.65 nATO cases. I annealed the necks and did it in one pass. Simple as pie.

[waksupi]

That must be for the Polish front loading floating chamber model Pistol I take it?

Actually, I had posted on the original Shooters board about this particular prototype weapon. It has a peculiar offset magazine on the left side, that is fed by an arm that reaches over the top of the action, snatching the fired cartridge from the chamber, and replacing it with one from the magazine. The breech functions much like a Trapdoor Springfield. All of this occurs very quickly, making it very difficult to master a followup shot. double taps are out of the question, unless the target is dead, laughing too hard, or is just totally amazed at all the Rube Goldstien wonderment occuring. Holsters are made from the headskins of baby elephants.

[Scrounger]

Actually, I had posted on the original Shooters board about this particular prototype weapon. It has a peculiar offset magazine on the left side, that is fed by an arm that reaches over the top of the action, snatching the fired cartridge from the chamber, and replacing it with one from the magazine. The breech functions much like a Trapdoor Springfield. All of this occurs very quickly, making it very difficult to master a followup shot. double taps are out of the question, unless the target is dead, laughing too hard, or is just totally amazed at all the Rube Goldstien wonderment occuring. Holsters are made from the headskins of baby elephants.

Goldberg

[waksupi]

Goldberg

Naw, that's Goldstiens smarter cousin.