2012 Alaska Hunt

[DrMike]

According to my calculations, launching the 225 AB at 2695, it will arrive at 350 yards packing 1999 fpe. That's close enough to a ton of kinetic energy for most people.

 

[JD338]

You will have to check with Zeiss to see if they offer a dial or BDC turret. I have Leupold scopes and have sent a few back to get M1 dials. Cost is about $150 for Elevation and Windage dials and turn around is less than 2 weeks, with shipping.

There are some after market dials out there such as Kenton Industries.
http://www.kentonindustries.com/ttcCalc/index.cfm/

Maybe this will be a way to give it a try.

JD338

 

[Oldtrader3]

I would think that you could have Zeiss mount the Rapid 600 or 800 reticle setup in any of their premium scopes for a reasonable charge? Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[35 Whelen]

JD338 ;
Check this photo out and see if you think I was a 338 sorta guy years ago................ all the guides in Alaska used to do this and I saw every sorta caliber you can imagine and then we ended them with our initials................ it was a guide thing!

 

[Guy Miner]

Very cool old photo!

Like McSeal - I don't have any experience with the .35 Whelen/225 AccuBond combo, but... the .375/260 AccuBond at 2620 fps was terrific!

Very accurate, about a 9" drop at 300 yards from the 200 yard zero. I allowed for that hold, and the AccuBond did a very nice job on the bear out at 306 yards. No recovery of the bullet, just the bear. From the damage inflicted, it appeared that the bullet expanded rapidly, yet punched through. With only one AccuBond kill on my score card, I'm very impressed.

Good luck with the 225 Accubonds!

 

[SJB358]

I would run the 225 AB for your scenario Earle. Load it up to 2700 or so. Jim and MC mentioned the CDS and ballistic drop reticles. Those would give you solid aiming points out a long way. Heck, for elk, I run a 250 yard zero with the 250's and would have felt very confident smacking an elk out to 350 with it. Heck, with that line of thinking, I would just run the 250 PTs or Speers and have a better BC with more energy all around.

 

[DrMike]

Great photo, Earl. Man, I'm wondering what your call would have been had you been toting a 35 Whelen at the time?

 

[mcseal2]

mcseal,
That is excellent advise and I hadnt even thought about the turret at all but its an interesting alternate! How much moola is it to have one made up as I have not traveled on that road before??
I really only ever use this rifle here in Maine on Moose and wounded Bear so it doesnt get a huge amount of use compared to the 06 or 270 does. I have the Rapid Z on the 270 so can do it that way for a long shot here in a bog or clearcut .
This turret is an interesting way of doing this as I am guessing that even at 350 if you ranged it and dailed in the turret you would still arrive there with a ton of energy ????? Does that sound right??
e

just got done watching the game and checked back.

JD338 answered most of the question, I too have sent Leupolds back to the maker to have the CDS installed, and I just bought a 4-12VXR with the CDS before deer season. I put it on my 264 and really like it for big game. The lighted reticle helps when a whitetail steps out at last light, and the thicker crosshair is easy to pick up. I think it's a little to heavy for smaller critters but good for deer. I just opened a new Cabelas Shooting catelog that shows the VX2 series now is available with CDS also. You could get into a 2x7 or 3x9 CDS scope now for $350. If you have a Ziess I think Kenton Industries will build you turrets to fit them also, they do for many of the more common brands. They are easy to find on the web, and I've read lots of reviews bragging on them. I plan to try one for the 6.5x20 Leupold on my 6mm if I can find a good 90gr AccuBond load this summer. The ones I've seen are a little taller and bulkier than the CDS though.

I'd be real careful picking a ballistic reticle for your rifle, most of them will be designed around higher velocities and/or ballistic coefficients. Get the actual inches of drop at each yardage from the scope maker and check it against your rifle before going that route.

I ran Leupold Varmint Hunter reticles for several years and still have several. They work, but you really have to be familiar with your trajectory and the range. I've been transitioning steadily over to the turrets since I got my first one. I like that once I range and dial I can just put the crosshairs on and concentrate on my shot. Before I was having to think more, say a coyote is at 379yds so I hold my 400yd crosshair on the bottom of his belly, stuff like that. When a critter gives you time to range and dial you can just put the crosshair right on the vitals and squeeze. At any range the less variables the better.

 

[35 Whelen]

Mike,
How about N35/06EB