Need .35 Whelen load for the RCBS 200grain FN

[richhodg66]

A fellow member here was gracious enough to cast some of these for me until I buy a mold for it. I would like to get an accurate hunting load in my Remington 700 in .35 Whelen. I have quite a few powders that ought to work; RL-15, IMR 4320, IMR 3031 and a few others.

Also, I have .358, .359 and .360 sizers for my Lyman 450, any recommendations on what to size them to is appreciated. Thanks.

[Dthunter]

Its a great caliber!
Still kicking
My
Butt for selling
Mine!

[Blammer]

I would make up a dummy round with .359 and .360 dia boolits and see what one chambers. If they both do use the .360 one.

This is assuming you don't slug the bore first.

Do you have any IMR4895? if so I'd try that first, I like it!

Otherwise I'd go with the IMR3031 first.

[Nobade]

I used to shoot a bunch of those in an old Ruger 77 (wish I still had that one too) loaded over IMR 4895 with a tuft of dacron for 1800 fps. If I loaded them to 2000 fps I had enough powder to not need the fluff.

[richhodg66]

I do have some IMR 4895 and have been finding out how hood it is in other things, so I'll give it a try.

My efforts thus far with this rifle have been focused on heavy bullets which the rifle doesn't seem to like. Hopefully this RCBS will be the ticket.

[Nobade]

Throat diameter and twist rate have a lot to do with it. SAAMI throat diameter is something like .362" - hard to find cast bullets that big.

Twist rates are also all over the place. From 1:12 to 1:16 in factory rifles, that will determine what bullets it likes as well.

These two factors as well as the velocity attainable are reasons the Whelen is a prime candidate for paper patching.

[leftiye]

From another thread - knowledgeable shooters there said you'll need at least a 1 in 14 twist for the heavier boolits.

[Shuz]

A fellow member here was gracious enough to cast some of these for me until I buy a mold for it. I would like to get an accurate hunting load in my Remington 700 in .35 Whelen. I have quite a few powders that ought to work; RL-15, IMR 4320, IMR 3031 and a few others.

Also, I have .358, .359 and .360 sizers for my Lyman 450, any recommendations on what to size them to is appreciated. Thanks.

I've been experimenting with Unique in my Rem 700 with a 1:16 twist. So far 17g and a Bhn 8 boolit sized to .360 has given me a 2.3" 5 shot gp at 100 yds.

[richhodg66]

I've been experimenting with Unique in my Rem 700 with a 1:16 twist. So far 17g and a Bhn 8 boolit sized to .360 has given me a 2.3" 5 shot gp at 100 yds.

Right now, I'd be pretty happy with 2.3" at 100 yards. Do you know about what velocity that load is giving you?

[Shuz]

Right now, I'd be pretty happy with 2.3" at 100 yards. Do you know about what velocity that load is giving you?

1665 fps, and I checked that it was a 7 shot group, not 5. I usually shoot 5 shot groups, but this one, for some reason, happened to contain 7 shots. Primer was CCI 200.

[leftiye]

The guy next to you was shooting your target.

[Shuz]

The guy next to you was shooting your target.

Kinda hard when it was at my home range with only one bench....and nobody else there!

I just missed the number of shot fired when I looked at my records.

[Larry Gibson]

While I am a great fan of 4895, especially under the RCBS 35-200-FN in the 35 Rem if I had a 16" twist 35 Whelen I do believe I'd use a slower burning powder for a high end hunting load. I'd cast the bullets soft out of WW+2% tin and then add lead at 50/50. I'd size them at 360 and make sure the GC is seated squarely on the GC shanks and bottomed. I lube them with a soft lube like Javelina. In well fire formed NS'd cases I'd load them over RL 19, AA4350, H4831SC or possibly RL22. If loading density is less than 85% Id use a 1/2 gr dacron filler.

With such soft cast bullets I'd bet very good hunting accuracy of 2 moa accuracy could be had at 2400+ fps, perhaps higher around 2500 fps. To maintain such accuracy with such softer cast bullets I'd clean the barrel between test groups of 7- 8 shots and certainly have a clean barrel or fouled one with 1 - 2 shots when hunting. If I'd not got the game in 5 shots then it isn't the rifle or load.........

I'd also bet that with that bullet cast of a harder yet malleable alloy of 18 - 20 BHN thand pushed with one of those powders very, very good accuracy could be had at 2500 - 2600 fps, perhaps even 2700 fps. Would take paying attention to detail when casting and loading though but it certainly wouldn't take a walk across rice paper to do it..........

Larry Gibson

[richhodg66]

Thanks for that advice. I'll have to get out there and get some test loads together, can't get to a range for at least a week.

Generally, my alloy for rifle bullets is WW with 2 ounces of 95/5 solder per ten pound pot. I lube with standard NRA formula. I'm not sure what these are cast from, but I think it's a little softer than that.

[Larry Gibson]

Thanks for that advice. I'll have to get out there and get some test loads together, can't get to a range for at least a week.

Generally, my alloy for rifle bullets is WW with 2 ounces of 95/5 solder per ten pound pot. I lube with standard NRA formula. I'm not sure what these are cast from, but I think it's a little softer than that.

That alloy and lube is a very good place to start. Develop some loads and see where you get. Once you find what it the rifle likes you can tweak the load or alloy to increase velcoity and maintain accuracy.

Larry Gibson