30-06 to 35 Whelen?

[centershot]

I've convinced myself that I don't want to go the 30XCB route, not that there's anything wrong with that. But, primarily, I'm a hunter, not a target shooter. I've done the smallbore and high-power rifle thing in years past but don't any more. But I really like shootin' critters, always have! So, for those of you who have done it, how complicated is it to re-bore and re-work the action of a Remington 700 30-06 to 35 Whelen? JES will re-bore it for something like $225, I just don't know about the action work. I don't think it's all that complicated, but I've been wrong before. A 308 to 358 Win conversion is worthy of consideration also.

[texasnative46]

centershot,

I see NOTHING wrong with either the .35 Whelen or the .358WCF, though my personal choice for JES doing my remodeling of my circa 1969 Remington 760 was 9.3x62mm Mauser.

Why nor find a Remington rifle that already in .35 Whelen, as there seems to be a considerable number of those in the LGS & gun shows for considerably less $$$$ than they cost new AND then you save 225.oo getting another rifle rebored/rechambered.

Btw, I was recently offered a "near new" Remington 7600 in .35 Whelen for 250.ooOTD at the July SAXET gun-show. - IF it's still for sale at the next show, it will be mine.
(The owner/vendor said that the .35 Whelen, "- - - - kicks too much for me. I shot just 4 times".)

As to what action changes need to be done for .35 Whelen or .358WCF, there aren't any required changes, as far as I know.

yours, tex

[waksupi]

I've convinced myself that I don't want to go the 30XCB route, not that there's anything wrong with that. But, primarily, I'm a hunter, not a target shooter. I've done the smallbore and high-power rifle thing in years past but don't any more. But I really like shootin' critters, always have! So, for those of you who have done it, how complicated is it to re-bore and re-work the action of a Remington 700 30-06 to 35 Whelen? JES will re-bore it for something like $225, I just don't know about the action work. I don't think it's all that complicated, but I've been wrong before. A 308 to 358 Win conversion is worthy of consideration also.

Go with the .358 Win, and you will have reached cast boolit Nirvana.

[wrench man]

For what you want ALL that is required is the bore dia. be increased, EVERYTHING else is the same, I rebarreled my Savage 110 from 270 Win to 35 Whelen and made no other changes, the rounds use the SAME head space and rim dia. is the same, IF!?? there is any?? issue it will be with feeding, but I wouldn't bet on it.

[murf205]

The Remingtons in 35 Whelen are 1-16" twist. If you shoot 250 gr boolits in it a 1-14" twist is a better option, especially if you want to shoot some heavier that that. JES can make the rebore in a 1-14" and I will bet that his barrel will be smoother than the factory Remington by a lot. I had him do a 338-06 Browning BAR from a 30-06 and it NEVER shot very well before the rebore but it does now. There is nothing wrong with the logic texasnative stated in #2 post but IF you already have an '06 Rem 700, Jes can fix you up.

[mart]

There is no action work to be done on a rebore to 35 Whelen. Shoot and enjoy. 4320 and RL15 are your friends.

[Echo]

This is 5 shots from my Whelen @ 25 yds - Lyman 358315 or RCBS 35-200, don't remember which, dang near identical, both @ 209 grs w/my alloy, and over 18.5 grs 2400.

[texasnative46]

To All,

ImVho, Jessie's work is FLAWLESS & he will do most anything within reason that you request.

It's a standing/inside joke among my friends here that I'm "President of The Jessie Fan Club".
Fwiw, the quality of a reboring/rechambering from .30-06 to .400 Brown-Whelen Improved is critical to ASSURE proper headspace, as that chambering is the LARGEST possible/safe ammo using the USGI M2 Ball ammo cases.
(Imo, Jessie will do it RIGHT. - I'll soon find out for sure, as I've got another Model 760 with a pitted barrel, caused by the PO firing corrosive ammo but not properly cleaning the rifle thereafter, which I bought for "peanuts".)

Fwiw, the .400 B-WI is a "ballistic twin" of the .404 Jeffery's, but handloads cost MUCH less than the 3-4.ooUSD per round that the Jeffery rounds now cost.
I can think of NO living creature that will NOT fall to 400 grains of GCCB/JSP/SOLID at 2000+ FPS, presuming a decent hit into the vitals.

Note 1: About 3+ years ago, I received an email from a professional guide out of AK, who said that one shot of 400 Grains of GCCB at about 1800FPS took down a huge/lightly wounded/ charging Grizzly at about 80 steps from where he was shot. = GYD right there. The boolit passed clear through the bear's chest at what the guide described as a 30 degree angle.
Given the reports out of Africa about the deadly reputation of the similar .404 Jeffery, I have no reason to disbelieve him.

Addenda: I use Lake City once-fired brass exclusively (that a local Garand match shooter gives me) for my 9.3x62mm handloads & (hopefully soon) for the .400BW-I, too.

And a final PERSONAL Note to Friends here: The 2018 trip to southern Africa is OFF, as my beloved Darla is STILL quite ill & (despite her protestations of, "Go. Go Go. I'll be fine.") I've rescheduled the hunt for Cape Buffalo for the Fall of 2019.
She was hospitalized again last week for therapy with large doses of IV Anti-Biotic & pain meds for her recurring abdominal infection/disabling pain.

yours, tex

[Bigslug]

Truing up a 700 and rebarreling it is perhaps the most common chore performed by the builders of target and sniper rifles. Doing it right is going to involve squaring the receiver face, recoil lug and bolt face to the bore, cutting the threads of the new barrel to tightly fit those of the receiver, and contouring the barrel using the bore as the center - not merely trusting the O.D. of the blank. All of that is likely to run you more than $225, but if you're trying to make it "be all it can be', it probably won't go much over the added cost of a new rifle.

I would be inclined NOT to drill out an existing 700 bore - if that's what you're asking. You're basically spending money to keep whatever thread fit and concentricity errors the factory put in when mass-producing the thing.

Whelan vs. .358 Win is a tough one. Generally, if going big, go big. The .30-06 necked up is a massively efficient platform, and the Whelan should be able to handle anything from woolly mammoths on down. The .358 in a short action package is probably the ultimate reasonable distance, medium game, cast bullet launcher.

Also worthy of note is the fact that the .308 and .30-06 are not inherently broken... Not much those two, unaltered, can't do or haven't done.

[Tripplebeards]

I think the rebore is the best bang for the buck. I was going to have it done and ended up buying a limited run 2018' Remington 7600 18.5" carbine. It was $619 from Grice's gunshop. I am still waiting for a stock bolt to install an original 2006' factory grey laminate stock set so I can shoot it. Should be ready mid week so I can sight it in. I picked up some hornady super performance 200 gr factory loads that have a Muzzel velocity around 2930 fps in a 24" barrel. I'm sure I'll be close to 2750-2800fps in my short barreled carbine. First box of center fire ammo I've bought besides Bulk 223 ammo since 2000'. Can't wait, can't wait!

By the time you spend the money on a rebarrel you probably can pick up a used or an original new in the box rifle for not much more after selling yours and putting money towards the upgrade. There's a lot on gunbroker. The rebored rifle will loose its value or you'll have to find the right buyer for it vs an old original will increase in value. It's kinda like customizing a car with a multi colored paint job, slamming it to the ground, and putting a set of 24" wheels and tires on it. Alot of money thrown at it and decreased the value in the process. First thing I think of when I see a customized rifle like that for sale is why was it done? Barrel shot out and rebored and if so that means the rifle has had a lot of use and the action is worn as well, the gun has a lot of miles on it, it's been abused,and I pass on buying it every time. Either way I'm sure you'll be happy with what ever route you go.

[Tripplebeards]

This is 5 shots from my Whelen @ 25 yds - Lyman 358315 or RCBS 35-200, don't remember which, dang near identical, both @ 209 grs w/my alloy, and over 18.5 grs 2400.

Now if that was at a 100 yards I'd be getting excited!

[texasnative46]

Tripplebeards,

Fyi, Jessie's re-formatting of my Model 760 to 9.3x62mm will do that pattern at 100M & then some, in the hands of "a great shot" like my "little" brother.
(At 71YO I don't shoot a rifle nearly as well as I did even 10-15 years ago. = Decreasing eyesight, cataracts & minor "shaking" mean that I'll never shoot another match. Nonetheless, I still do well enough to hunt the Texas brush-country, at least for now. - Unless you are shooting down a powerline right of way, generally the range to target is 50M or often much less.)

yours, tex

[Tripplebeards]

Sweet

[Shuz]

About 20 years ago I had a friend,who was a local gunsmith, re-barrel and true the action on my Rem 700 Classic in .25-06 to .35 Whelen. Best decision I ever made. It now has a 1:12 twist and easily stabilizes the Lyman 358009 280g boolit. All it cost me was an Ithaca model 37 shotgun in 16 gauge that he wanted since he had one as a youth. He then had a guy who wanted my .25-06 take-off bbl and sold it and gave me the money! I still find it hard to believe that I couldn't sell a Rem 700 Classic in .25-06 for a decent price back in '99, but I couldn't. I still have the .25-06 Rem 700 Mtn Rifle in stainless steel, that made the Classic surplus to my "needs".