35 Whelen Newbie

[sthwestvictoria]

I am just getting to know my 98 mauser, re-bored to 35 whelen, I have a few threads going on it with a chamber cast, another on 38/357 boolits and then the 250grain Cast Bullet Engineering mold from Jim here in Australia:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...cast-and-twist

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...he-cast-boolit

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...38-357-boolits

I am now just waiting on a chronograph to get an idea about velocity with my 39.5grains AR2206H (H4895) and 40.5grain loads, then I need to play with OAL to improve accuracy a bit. Best so far is 4" groups at 100metres, would be happier if I could get this to 2".

I have AR2208 (varget) on hand however am less confident using this for reduced loads, I wonder if it is getting to the slow end of the burn rate? I have read of RL7 being used for the lighter loads like the pistol loads, The Lee Modern Reloading has this for 158 jacketed.
Lyman 4th Ed gives data for 198grain and 3031 and for the 204grain boolits 3031 and RL7, nil varget data for those loads.

[nicholst55]

If you're buying brass and can find it, by all means buy factory .35 Whelen brass. Remington has relegated the Whelen to a 'seasonal' run item; there are a few other sources, but their brass is difficult to find. I use either .270 Winchester or .280 Remington brass to form Whelen brass, when I can find it.

[JesterGrin_1]

Midway will not have Remington 35 Whelen Brass till Sept. But they do have Hornady brass http://www.midwayusa.com/product/912...elen-box-of-50

[Charley]

I don't want to pay the price for "dedicated" .35 Whelen brass. .30/06 brass opens with no problems, case life is long, and it is visually different enough from .30/06 to not cause problems. As for bullets, the RCBS 200 grain FN will kill anything you run into in Texas. At least, it has for me, so far.

[357maximum]

Hornady dies will take RP 270 win brass into correct length 35Whelen in one pass using a touch of alc/lanolin case sizing spray. Mine is a 1/14 twist and I would have it no other way. I am using a 225 grain BRP design that sadly is no longer available made from a mix of 50%ww and 50% soft lead with a 5% additon of Railroad babbit. I have two loads one @ 2450 and another @2700, both loads will hover at the 1 inch mark all day long when I am up to the task. Both loads kill 175 pound whitetail stone dead. I use H414 and whatever mag primer is handy. IT CAN BE THAT SIMPLE

[TXGunNut]

Midway will not have Remington 35 Whelen Brass till Sept. But they do have Hornady brass http://www.midwayusa.com/product/912...elen-box-of-50

Yes, already have some in my cart. I've come to prefer the Hornady brass over RP. As soon as I figure out my expansion die situation I'll have Larry send me another care package. I have enough 30-06 brass to play with but much of it has been fired 3-4 times already and retired from hunting loads. I don't have an abundance of new or once-fired 30-06 and I still have a few 30-06's to feed. Maybe I need to see if Larry can spare me some Hornady 30-06 brass.

Hadn't thought about 4895, SWVictoria. May even have some. Need to keep that one in mind in case the faster powders don't work out. I too have resisted fillers but I haven't even explored load density in this cartridge yet.

[nanuk]

I read a great article written by someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew this Howe person....

the consensus on the origins of the whelen, is it was based on the 30-03 and not the 30-06. That is why it was kept at the same length as the 06.

if it was designed around the 06, it would have had a shorter max case length.

I bought a couple whelens, and when I dropped a 270 into them, they headspaced just fine, so I pulled the trigger. Out came a near formed 35Whelen, only needing a hint of trimming, and the neck ironed out.

I also bought some virging 280Rem brass in case my Whelens had a bit of a long chamber (which is not uncommon in the rifle model I bought) so I could bump the shoulder back a bit at a time, until it would just chamber, then fireform with COW.

[youngda9]

Not exactly sure yet lol. I was using the Speer 250Gr Hot Core in the .35 Whelen before and even on a 250LB or so Hog it was a bit much lol. At about 130 yards it went through both shoulders and sprayed blood about 8 feet out and 3 feet wide or so. The Hog never moved just flipped over.

So when I get it back I am going to try some of the Hornady 200GR FTX or the Hornady 200Gr SP Weld core I think they are called.

Since they are jacketed I will be using RL-15 for powder.

You can't kill em too much...sounds like a quick clean kill.

[stocker]

I have two 1/14 Whelens and they stabilize the 3589 just fine and I've shot them to 300 yards. I was under the impression the Ruger factory barrels were 1/16. Is that assumption incorrect?

[nanuk]

I have H&R Handis in 35W, they are 1/16

I don't know anyone having trouble with Jwords up to 300gr.

[JesterGrin_1]

Oh yes it was Quick. Not Clean but Quick lol. I do not think the Hog knew what hit him.

[TXGunNut]

It's amazing in this day and time that I seem to have too many powder choices for this project. I have 3031, Varget, RL7 and 4064 as likely suspects but also have plenty of H4350, and a bit of H4831SC, N135 and even some 2400. Wish I had some H335 or 4895 but one of the above should work. Haven't seen a load listed for LVR yet but can't rule it out. Only have the RD 359-190 boolit available, cast of 50/50 WW/Pb and heat treated. Velocity goal is 2200-2400 so may go a bit harder next time.
Barrel length is 22", twist is 1/14. Rifle's together and in the safe, 20 cases are sized and in the cleaner. Anyone have any pet loads to share? It's time to fill the Chargemaster and make some ammo but can't seem to make a decision on powder.
Suggestions?

[felix]

50 H335 grains will do 2400 chronoed with a Saeco 180. Recoil noticeable. Back off some using the 190, say 48, until you know the gun and yourself together. ... felix

[TXGunNut]

I wish I had some H335, have seen a few good loads for it. Would like some 4895 for when I find a mould for a heavier boolit as well.

[Nrut]

It'll be interesting to see if those RD 190 FN feed from your magazine..

They don't feed from my Rem. 600 in 35 Remington, Ruger 77 in .358 win, or custom Mauser in .35 Whelen..
They do feed from a Win. M70 CRF in .358..

[TXGunNut]

Hadn't thought of that, hope it does. I'll know in a few minutes, need to do a dummy to find starting COAL.
Great siggie, BTW. For a moment I thought you were a subject of the the USA.

[TXGunNut]

Works fine, Nrut. Glad Michael designed this boolit with a second crimp groove, puts me just off the lands.
Think I'll start off with a few 3031 loads, looks like it should be a 95-98% load density when I get to my velocity goal.

[Nrut]

That's great!
Glad to hear that that bullet feeds in your rifle..
WFN bullets are my favorite but I am finding they are a pain to feed from the mag. at an OAL that puts the bullet into the lands esp. on long throated rifles..
Win. CFR with their cone breach and of course single shots no problem..

[TXGunNut]

Sorry to hear they don't work in some of your rifles, all my bolt guns are long actions. I mostly play with leverguns these days and they like RD boolits just fine. I was just thinking a 600 or 788 would be an awesome little rifle in .358. Ruger 77 and late model Super Grade are my only CFR-type rifles, they're not getting rebored anytime soon. Push-feed was my main hang-up on this project but I can't recall ever having an issue with a round making a detour on the way to the chamber from the magazine in the field, only does it on the range if I work at it.

[JesterGrin_1]

I have to agree. a Remington MoHawk 600 re-bored to .358 Win would be a great hunting rifle. But I would not have the heart to do that to a 600 lol. It would have to be in Bad shape first lol.

I have an Old Remington MoHawk 600 without the vent rib in .243 Win. That has had maybe 60 rounds down the tube since it was new. A gift from my Father when I was a little Tike. Okay maybe not little but a Tike lol. And believe me I have looked at it more than a couple of times thinking of the .358 Win. But I can not do it.

That is why I had a .358 Win built on a Stevens 200 action. Sure it is not nearly as light as the 600 or even as elegant but it did not bother me to mod a Stevens lol.