Any Whelen fans out there?

[Reggie]

I'm currently working up some elk loads for my 35 whelen project and getting great accuracy with RL-15 and 250gr speers. Just wondered if anybody else here is a fan and what their go to loads are.

 

[JG358]

I have one in the works. Planning to run 250 Partitions backed with RL-15 or Varget.

 

[Reggie]

I have some varget I may try out later. Im getting 1/2" groups with max book load of 55gr of RL-15 @ 2320 fps with no signs of pressure. Id like to get over 2400 if I can. I believe I was pushing 2440 with IMR 4350 but accuracy was poor so I scrapped that load.

 

[Clarktar]

I have plans to build one... well I wont build it.... but I do have plans for one!

 

[450]

I have one built on a 98 Mauser action but I have yet to try and work up a load for it. Honestly, I have had it for quiet a few years and never used it. I am a big 35 cal fan.

 

[duckslayer56]

I recently just bought a model 70 in 270, sent it off to the gunsmith to have a krieger barrel put on and chambered in 35 whelen, adding a McMillan Edge stock, as well as a set of sights put on. I'm debating on getting it nitrite coated, I think in the brackish swamps of AK when I'm out hunting moose that nitrite coating would be pretty handy. When I get it back I'll have either a leupold 2x7x33 or a 3x9x40 with some Leupold QR rings waiting for it. Can't wait!

 

[Fireguy]

I love it. Have been using the factory Nosler ammo with a 225 grain Accubond. Great accuracy and downright amazing (and deadly) on game. Take a look at this ballistics chart, it compares a 180 grain Accubond out of a 30-06 to a 225 grain Accubond from a 35 Whelen. The 35 Whelen is not just a "brush gun" and can easily stretch its legs to 400 yards.

 

[luke moffat]

Thats not exactly apples to apples given you can get a 30-06 180 grainer to 2900+ or better with a 24" barrel which would flatten out the trajectory quite a bit.

I can get my 338-06 to shoot 225 Accubonds at 2700 fps with my 21" barrel. I would think you could get more speed with the more surface area on the .358 225 bullet and a longer barrel too.

 

[Yellowknife]

Thats not exactly apples to apples given you can get a 30-06 180 grainer to 2900+ or better with a 24" barrel which would flatten out the trajectory quite a bit.

I can get my 338-06 to shoot 225 Accubonds at 2700 fps with my 21" barrel. I would think you could get more speed with the more surface area on the .358 225 bullet and a longer barrel too.

Not exactly apples to apples to compare a super hot handload to a factory load either. That's just one powder, and even RL-17 won't do that with all rifles or all bullets.

 

[luke moffat]

True my point was he was selling both the Whelen and the 30-06 short in that graph.

 

[GKPrice]

True my point was he was selling both the Whelen and the 30-06 short in that graph.

Luke, I get your point - I was so undecided on which '06 to get that I ended up with an 84L and a Tikka superlight - I've been struggling to get anything heavier than 150's to shoot in the Tikka so maybe it would make a good Whelen ? I haven't really worked with the Kimber yet but a lot of others have so I have faith that it would shoot 180's - would a 22" tube handicap a 35 Whelen that badly ? Luke's 21" 338/06 seems to not be too stifled with the shorter tube, maybe I should just go that route ....

 

[luke moffat]

Doesn't seem to be struggling with a 21" barrel and I would bet the whelen would be even more efficient. I do need to see what my 250 Swift A-frame is doing with RL-17. 17 likely isn't the best powder choice for that heavy of bullet in the 338-06 but its what I have on hand the most and it shoots it at 1-1.5" which is more than enough for me at the ranges I will be hunting brown bear.

 

[Fireguy]

True my point was he was selling both the Whelen and the 30-06 short in that graph.

I just wanted to give people a general idea of what it is capable of compared to the tried and true 30-06 180 grain load. Most people automatically assume it is a short range "dark timber" round which just isn't true, especially with modern bullets. If you look around the internet you will see that the 35 Whelen is starting to really come back in popularity.