35 Whelen build help

[35WhelenAI]

Awesome, hard to go wrong with a Rem 700. I you are going to cerakote anyway you might want to consider a stainless barrel if you are hunting in wet weather a lot. Lot's of good options on barrels just make sure it's at least a 1 in 14 twist or even better a 1 in 12 twist. Lot's of fun to shoot a 35 Whelen, I've used Trail Boss with 158 gr Speer 357 bullets and on the other end gone up to a 275 gr Woodleigh.

My 1-14" Shilen stabilizes the relatively long in length original Barnes 250X. Barnes discontinued that bullet because it would not stabilize in the typical 1-16" factory barrel.

1-12" opens up some interesting opportunity for longer bullets than that.

 

[christian1]

What barrel manufacturer do you guys recommend? I have looked at a bunch of manufacturers, but Pac-Nor and X-Caliber are ones that I lean toward. It might be because they have a website that is easily navigated and have given me the most info. Pac-Nor will do a fit and chamber for another $300. X-Caliber won't mount barrels to actions. I have never mounted an action to a barrel so I don't really know what I am doing in that area. Any input would be helpful.

chris

 

[9.1]

What barrel manufacturer do you guys recommend? I have looked at a bunch of manufacturers, but Pac-Nor and X-Caliber are ones that I lean toward. It might be because they have a website that is easily navigated and have given me the most info. Pac-Nor will do a fit and chamber for another $300. X-Caliber won't mount barrels to actions. I have never mounted an action to a barrel so I don't really know what I am doing in that area. Any input would be helpful.

chris

How much do you want to DIY? If you're getting a gunsmith involved down the road to put everything together, you could just have them put the barrel on the action. Having the barrel manufacturer install it seems like a good option if that's the only part you don't want to DIY. If you're planning to do barrel swaps down the road and you'll use the tools again, it might make sense to buy them now and learn. I didn't find it to be terribly difficult.

I've been happy with my McGowen barrel, but I feel like it would be tough to go wrong with any of the manufacturers that have been listed as long as they offer the options you want. Are you planning to go with a remage style barrel with a nut, or do you want a shouldered barrel? Have you decided on a recoil lug?

 

[christian1]

How much do you want to DIY? If you're getting a gunsmith involved down the road to put everything together, you could just have them put the barrel on the action. Having the barrel manufacturer install it seems like a good option if that's the only part you don't want to DIY. If you're planning to do barrel swaps down the road and you'll use the tools again, it might make sense to buy them now and learn. I didn't find it to be terribly difficult.

I've been happy with my McGowen barrel, but I feel like it would be tough to go wrong with any of the manufacturers that have been listed as long as they offer the options you want. Are you planning to go with a remage style barrel with a nut, or do you want a shouldered barrel? Have you decided on a recoil lug?

I am pretty sure I want to do barrel with a nut. I haven't looked into a recoil lug.

chris

 

[christian1]

And I go back and forth about a few things like
1. Fluting
2. Threading for a muzzle break
3. Stainless or ceracoted

Input about those things would be helpful.


chris

 

[Unckebob]

Why not buy an action like a Big Horn Origin action which can take prefits or Savage barrels?
- If you are on a budget, a Savage barrel will cost less that $300. (I checked, they are out there)
- Otherwise, get a prefit barrel (get the barrel nut version if you want to save weight) from someone like Northland Shooter Supply or Preferred Barrel Blanks. $500-1000 depending upon what extras you choose)
- Add a stock and trigger and you are good to go.

 

[Spoonbill]

And I go back and forth about a few things like
1. Fluting
2. Threading for a muzzle break
3. Stainless or ceracoted

Input about those things would be helpful.


chris

I wouldnt bother with fluting unless you like the look and have the room in your budget. Only rifle I had cerakoted turned into a nightmare but that was due to the person who cerakoted the gun. So get someone reputable to do it, and you shouldn’t have problems. Even if you get your gun cerakoted, a stainless barrel is still worth the extra money since the inside of the barrel wont have coating on it.
If you get it threaded, you can always get a supresssor down the road as well.

 

[9.1]

I wouldnt bother with fluting unless you like the look and have the room in your budget. Only rifle I had cerakoted turned into a nightmare but that was due to the person who cerakoted the gun. So get someone reputable to do it, and you shouldn’t have problems. Even if you get your gun cerakoted, a stainless barrel is still worth the extra money since the inside of the barrel wont have coating on it.
If you get it threaded, you can always get a supresssor down the road as well.

I agree with all of this.

@christian1 , what muzzle brake are you planning to install?

 

[christian1]

I agree with all of this.

@christian1 , what muzzle brake are you planning to install?

Currenty I am using a Ross brake on my Christensen 300 mag and have been very satisfied.

 

[tankgijohn72]

If $2k is your budget, you should have no problems. I built mine on a savage 110action. Probably have about 700 in the build. Used an er shaw barrel. 200 gr ttsx shoots sub moa all day. Also developed a 250 gr partition load at 2675 with cfe 223.

 

[christian1]

Here is what I have so far. I bought a Remington 700 Long Action and Red Hawk bottom metal. I am hoping to reuse this stock from my Christensen Mesa 300 WM. That had a Proof barrel so most any contour should be ok???? Leaning towards PacNor and have them fit and chamber so that it fits in the stock with no issues. Any thoughts?

chris

 

[9.1]

If $2k is your budget, you should have no problems. I built mine on a savage 110action. Probably have about 700 in the build. Used an er shaw barrel. 200 gr ttsx shoots sub moa all day. Also developed a 250 gr partition load at 2675 with cfe 223.

Just curious, how long is your barrel?

 

[35WhelenAI]

Liking how this is progressing, great work.

 

[gerry35]

Here is what I have so far. I bought a Remington 700 Long Action and Red Hawk bottom metal. I am hoping to reuse this stock from my Christensen Mesa 300 WM. That had a Proof barrel so most any contour should be ok???? Leaning towards PacNor and have them fit and chamber so that it fits in the stock with no issues. Any thoughts?

chris

Those are pretty good stocks, my friend has one on his Mesa and I like it. Any decent gunsmith will be able to bed the whole thing when you pick your barrel and go ahead with putting it together. You may have a bigger gap around the barrel depending on what you choose but that can be filled too by your gunsmith if you like. Pac Nor makes a good barrel and it makes sense to get them to do all the work for you.

 

[christian1]

Those are pretty good stocks, my friend has one on his Mesa and I like it. Any decent gunsmith will be able to bed the whole thing when you pick your barrel and go ahead with putting it together. You may have a bigger gap around the barrel depending on what you choose but that can be filled too by your gunsmith if you like. Pac Nor makes a good barrel and it makes sense to get them to do all the work for you.

I may or may not stay with that stock. Right now the stock and trigger are two things I don't absolutely need to spend money on to get the project off the ground so I plan to take a wait, use and see approach with both of them. The stock Remington trigger is not my favorite. It's gritty and hangs up a bit. It also has the small adustment screw right in front of your finger. I always seem to catch my finger on that screw. In the end, I can fix those two later if I decide I need to.

What are you guys running for dies and what are some of your favorite 200 and 220 grain loads? I have IMR powders.

chris

 

[Leaf Litter]

I bought Redding dies for my 35 AI because they were the only ones available, but I like them so far.

IMR 3031 has given me excellent velocities with the 200gr FTX bullets I've been using for initial load development (they're cheap). I'm developing loads for 180 TTSX, 254gr Hammer and 200gr Interlock SP next. IMR 8208 is supposed to be near the top of the pile for velocity in the Whelen, with 3031 shortly behind. I just haven't been able to find any 8208 yet so I can't speak from experience.

 

[gerry35]

I may or may not stay with that stock. Right now the stock and trigger are two things I don't absolutely need to spend money on to get the project off the ground so I plan to take a wait, use and see approach with both of them. The stock Remington trigger is not my favorite. It's gritty and hangs up a bit. It also has the small adustment screw right in front of your finger. I always seem to catch my finger on that screw. In the end, I can fix those two later if I decide I need to.

What are you guys running for dies and what are some of your favorite 200 and 220 grain loads? I have IMR powders.

chris

I would eventually consider upgrading the trigger, I put a Triggertech on my Rem 700 a couple of years and it's nice. The stock trigger did the job though however.

I have Redding dies and have also used RCBS, either are good. My favorite 200 gr loads are the 200 gr TTSX and 200 gr Accubond with IMR 8208. I run them at 2850 fps from a 24" barrel, could go higher but the accuracy was best at 57gr. Have used Varget for 200's too and it's good. For 225's I have probably used all of them and they all work well. The 225 gr Sierra and Accubond are the ones I use most. RL 15, Varget and IMR 8208 work well. Going to try CFE 223 with 225's and 250's to see how it does.

 

[tankgijohn72]

Just curious, how long is your barrel?

Pretty sure it's 24". With h4895 I get 2450-2500 with 250gr bullets. With cfe 223 bumps velocity up quite a bit. Now if I could only find some cheap 250 gr partitions...

 

[christian1]

Pretty sure it's 24". With h4895 I get 2450-2500 with 250gr bullets. With cfe 223 bumps velocity up quite a bit. Now if I could only find some cheap 250 gr partitions...

Or any partitions

 

[tankgijohn72]

Or any partitions

I found some a few weeks ago. $80/box. They are out there. Maybe I'm just dreaming of finding them at 40 per box. I hadn't seen 200 gr ttsx in 3 years and now you can get them from multiple vendors. Hoping partitions get manufactured in bulk soon!