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Thread: Promising results with Caste Boolits in 35 Whelen

  1. #1
    Boolit Man
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    Promising results with Caste Boolits in 35 Whelen

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    I shot this 4 shot group at 100 yds, off the bench today. It took quite some time, and I still need to prove repeatability, but I am feeling pretty satisfied. Have not chronographed the load yet, so I am guessing when I say it should be around 2000 fps, or slightly more. The boolit is a Mihec 359220 FP with GC, Lyman #2 alloy, sized to .358 using Lee sizer, and NRA Alox lube. Powder is IMR 4064, 47.8 grs, with Federal 210M primers, and crimped using Lee factory crimp die.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master s mac's Avatar
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    I just bought a Handi Rifle chambered in 35 Whelen, with promising results. What is you rifle?

  3. #3
    Boolit Man
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    S Mac, I have a Rem 700 Classic... not that I am a big Remington fan, but this gun is a sweet one. And I have discovered the 35 Whelen is one of those cartridges that will perform very well with either caste or jacketed boolits. I predict you will have more fun to come with your Handi Rifle!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master 35 shooter's Avatar
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    Nice. Hope it repeats for you....sure looks like it should.

  5. #5
    Boolit Man
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    I hope to know soon... weather and work are not allowing much time at the range lately.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Looks like you're off to a great start. If you have any 4350 powder it may be worth a look.
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  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Try shooting 1 or 2 shots at a steel plate or into the berm before shooting your paper to get rid of that cold bore flier.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master wrench man's Avatar
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    I'm all but done swapping the barrel on my Savage 110 270Win over to 35 Whelen, have to relieve the barrel channel and I can shoot it!, this is certainly something to keep in mind!
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  9. #9
    Boolit Man
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    Mica, that flyer was actually the 2nd shot of the 4 shot string.... I have loaded the next 5 with a slightly harder crimp. I hope that does the trick.

    Wrenchman, I do believe you will find the 35 Whelen to be a versatile option in your gun rack. The people who developed this cartridge seemed to have versatility, as well as practicality, in mind when they came up with this one. If it was intentional or by accident, that doesn't matter... they nailed it. It wasn't until I started messing with caste boolits a little over a year ago that I fully appreciated this.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have 2 whelens. One is a Mauser that has a slightly off spec chamber. The bolt will close, snugly, on a no-go gauge. I can live with that, but I have to pull the usual tricks to load for it and not over work the brass. The other is a Savage that was originally a 270. I bought a Shaw barrel kit from someone here and re-barreled it. It is a cast shooting fool. The RCBS 200 grain clone from NOE works great, the 220 grainer I am just getting ready to start playing with. I haven't done anything with the Mauser except shoot them dang full length gas checks through it. The Whelen is one of those calibers that just seems to be made for cast.

  11. #11
    Boolit Man
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    I reduced the load listed in the OP by .1gr, and had 2 flyers, and 3 cutting each other at 100 yds. The group was right around 2" with the flyers included. I must assume I went the wrong way on the load, and will now try 47.9 grs next time out. I chronied the load, and 5 shots averaged around 2150 fps.... just about where I want it, maybe a tad faster. I may play around with a slightly hotter primer, such as a Win WLR, and see what happens. Leading in the bbl is just a light trace on one of the lands.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master sthwestvictoria's Avatar
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    Nice work indeed. The 35 whelen is a very versatile cartridge, running from 158 to 300grain projectiles in cast or jacketed, easy to access brass and increasing amounts of load data, both jacketed and cast.
    ars longa, vita brevis

  13. #13
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    I'm thinking your pushing 2200 fps or so.

  14. #14
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blammer View Post
    I'm thinking your pushing 2200 fps or so.
    I expect 47.9 grs to be close enough to 2200 fps for hunting purposes!! If the group tightens up with this load, I can stop load development for this bullet, and if it performs well on groundhogs this summer, I will consider this a good deer load and bask in the shine of success!!!

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy KMac's Avatar
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    Watching this thread with much interest. I would really love it if you kept it updated with any new info that you get from further testing.
    I bought a Savage 116 in 30-06 2 years ago with the intention of re-barreling it to 35 Whelen. Traded for a ER Shaw 35 Whelen barrel from a member here last year.
    Before the barrel got here I found a good deal on a Hogue Overmolded stock in ghillie green from the Savage Shooters forum and purchased it.
    When the barrel arrived it was a SS 35 Whelen barrel with a heavy magnum profile and it would not fit in the stock. So I put the stock on the 30-06 since I could not stand the tupperware stock until I figured out what I wanted to do. Ended up taking it hunting in South Texas this deer season and killed a 19 point whitetail that scored 173 B&C. So for a minute I considered just leaving it as a 30-06 and selling the 35 Whelen barrel. But the bug has hit again and I am now looking for a stock that will fit the 35 Whelen barrel.
    I have a RCBS 35-200 mold and a Lyman 3589 mold that I picked up for when I get it together. So any data that you can provide will help keep me going to get this finished.
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  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Varminter66--FWIW--When I drive any cast boolits over 2000 fps, I heat treat them to at least Bhn 22.
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

  17. #17
    Boolit Man
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    KMac,
    I believe you will find much enjoyment with that 35 Whelen barrel... do it... come to the dark side!! If you need a good stock for the Whelen barrel, consider the Boyd laminated stocks, as they can be channeled to fit the barrel, unlike the Hogue stocks.

    As soon as I am able to get to the range, I will post the results.

    Shuz,
    I have found the Lyman #2 alloy, air cooled to work very well when sized properly to the bore. The Lyman Alox lube (NRA Formula) has been performing very well with all cartridges using caste boolit loads.
    The only time I had leading problems with the Whelen, was when I was using IMR 3031 as listed in the #49 Lyman Manual. That powder was just too hot, and I believe I was getting gas cutting. Leading was evident on about 1/3 of the bore, and non-existent on the other 2/3ds. When I switched to IMR 4064, the leading disappeared immediately, and accuracy improved significantly.
    I also considered trying IMR 4895 for this Whelen load, but when I Chronied the 4064 load, and found velocity was about where I wanted it, I shelved that idea.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    AA4064 is what I've used for years in my 1:12 twist Douglass bbl'd .35 Whelen. 48g and a Lyman 358009 has done very well on both moose and elk.
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

  19. #19
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shuz View Post
    AA4064 is what I've used for years in my 1:12 twist Douglass bbl'd .35 Whelen. 48g and a Lyman 358009 has done very well on both moose and elk.
    I wish I could find one of those 358009 molds. I almost bought a Lyman 358318 on E-Bay, but got out bid with a few seconds to go. It seems to old boolit mold patterns that worked well in the Whelen have been shelved, and casters who still have the old molds aren't done with them yet!!

    I think my gun has a 1:16 twist, which may be too slow for the 358009 length... but the round nose design is preferable for my use.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check