35 Whelen 62k psi QL Data

[FOTIS]

Guys, don't take offense to this, but if you can load a 270 Win or 22-250 to 64-65K PSI then a Whelen won't know the difference either. Pressure is pressure.

Now, saying that I don't think we gain a ton getting that last 3-5K PSI out of a load unless that is where it shoots. I shot the same cases for YEARS and years shooting a 250 Speer or Partition at 2640FPS with RL15 from a 24" rifle and I never lost a primer pocket or had a bad case problem. I am sure you can see from the data I was probably into the 62-64K range.

I just don't think SB6.5 is a great powder for the Whelen unless you're getting into heavier bullets. Now, CFE223 or LVR seems to work really well, as will RL17, but you gotta be slow dropping that amount of powder in an 06 sized case.

Correct

 

[IRUAK88]

I

I fully understand, and I’m not taking it as an argument. I believe you.
I’m just trying to figure out if, 1) that the guy I know is full of bull hockey, 2) if it’s feasible to even try to get up to 62k-64k psi area.
Thank you for letting me know about the case head separation issues. That helps in my decision.

Hawk

The only case head separations I've had in my 35 Whelen was from shooting undersized cases... I converted a few with a slight cam over, given this was before I had my gun finished.. It was all for case H20 Capacity testing.. I loaded them hot with some Hornady 180gr XTP's and some cheapo ball powder and blew them in half sending those pistol bullets out at 3,100fps!

This is a quick general response to anyone wondering about whether or not it's possible to load a 35 Whelen up to 62-65kPSI.. "You can't shoot the shoots Pauly"

The first thing you need to do is get your hands on as much Reloder 17 as possible! It's not easy to find and it ain't gonna be cheap. Then get yourself a large bin, wipe it down with dryer sheets, and grab a rubber spatula.. Hell light up a cigar while you're at it
+4lbs more.. I currently have something like 47lb.. The MP590 is from American Reloading (It's RL17 or so they told me haha)

Next you're going to want to get a cast of your chamber.. http://www.texas-mac.com/Chamber_Casts_and_Impact_Impression.html I went with Ebay and Cerro-Safe.. Take lots of measurments and notes..

CERO-SAFE Chamber Cast from NEW UN-FIRED X-Caliber 1:12" 31" Cryo-Treated SS Barrel

Case Rim to Body Base: FC/WIN/RP ALL .130" NOSLER .150"
Outter Neck Diameter: .3895-.390"
Outter Body Diameter Below Junction: .445
Outter Body Diameter Base: .469-.470"
Base to Neck Tip: 2.340"-2.345"*
Base to Rifling:2.640"
Legth of Neck Lead: .045"
LEAD DIAMETER: .3585-.3605
Length of Lead: .295-.305"
Groove Diameter: .3575/.358
Bore Diameter: .349-.350

BASE + BASE TO NECK =

2.470"- 2.502", - .005" = 2.497" NEVER EXCEED!

I chose .270WIN brass for a few reasons.. One of them is that 30-06 ends up Ten thousandths short.. Where as .270 ends up just right to 10 thou longer.. I'll then fire form and "grow" my cases to my MAX CASE LENGTH BASED OFF OF MY CHAMBER CAST of 2.497" Never to exceed, due to possibility of "Fire Crimping" the bullet.

If you seen what I mentioned on Guys 375 H&H post.. About how the way to go is with Hornady 270WIN brass. Use NOE Expander Plugs in a Lee Universal Expander die. I do a .277-.311-.341-.358 (Actual Whelen Die) I've got Lee, Lyman, RCBS, and Hornady.. Certain ones are better for certain things..
Hornady Fresh Convert
73.9,72.9,73.1,73.5,73.6,73.5,73.7,73.6,73.7,73.7,73.5,73.6
HI 73.9 LO 72.9 ES 1gr SD .27gr AVG 73.52gr (SD .19gr/73.58gr W/O Low)

After 1st 35 Whelen Firing with Plug W/O Sizing
76.11,75.6,74.8,75.33,75.8,75.3,75.25,74.3,75.36,75.6
HI 76.11gr LO 74.8gr ES 1.31gr SD .50gr AVG 75.34gr W/O HI = 75.26gr SD .45gr

After I get them to their proper length (fired once or twice) with the Flash hole deburred.. They all settle right around 74gr H2O capacity.


If you're looking for Hornady .270Win AR has some.. https://americanreloading.com/270-winchester/2548-270-win-hornady-primed-brass-100ct.html $59.99/100 Primed and shipped.. Not a bad deal considering you'd be lucky to find All Hornady "once fired" for $45/100 shipped.. Still not as lucky as I got right around the time I discovered Hornady was the way to go.. I got 2k "Scrap .270WIN Primed Brass" from them for $255.98! It was a gamble and I thought "any that aren't Hornady, I'll steal the LRP's and sell the Good New brass.." They're all Hornady.. Here's 995 of 1k sorted and deprimed ready to convert.


Every gun and chamber is going to be different.. But from all of my testing it's RL17, Converted Hornady .270Win, and HBN Coated Bullets and Barrel..
Well ok and maybe you need to make a "Hunter Biden looking device" to get that amount of RL17 under those bullets haha



Load some and see what happens

A 250gr bullet going 3,001fps is 5,000ft lbs of Energy.. 50rds it's like a backhoe took a scoop out of the hillside.

Obligatory Bench pic..

One last note, don't believe everything you read on the interwebs.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

Holy Cow!!
Look at the size of that row!!
Are you really getting 3001fps out of the 250grs?!?
That’s outstanding!
I just want to up the psi a little. But now I know it can be loaded much higher.

Hawk

 

[IRUAK88]

I read and watched a lot about the 35 Whelen back in 2020. I also became very familiar with QuickLoad and how to really use it to predict what something "might" be capable of.. After seeing some of the numbers I could get with a properly loaded 35 I decided to take the plunge and see what was possible.. With this now 100yr old cartridge, standardized by Remington the year I was born (1988), and my first shots taken coincidentally on what would have been Townshend Whelen's 145th Birthday (March 6th).

There are a few caveats to my achievable velocities and unbelievable pressures I must be running..
-31" Barrel (More Burn Time/More Friction)
-1:12" Twist (Less Friction)
-Cryogenically treated (Less Friction)
-Reloder 17, Various Lots all Blended together for consistency (and a lot of it, 100 -110% case fill) (The only thing better would be a 300gr over RL26)
-Maximum case length for my chamber 2.497" (Case Capacity)
-Minimum Secure Bullet seating depths (.248") (Case Capacity)
-Maximum case capacity I could find (Still need to test a Norma and a few others..)
-Shoulder bumping .003" (Case Capacity)
-Case Annealing (Less Friction/More Consistent Bullet Release)
-Hexagonal Boron Nitride https://lowerfriction.com/hexagonal-boron-nitride-powder-0-5-micron/ (Less Friction)

I still have a lot left to test.. Such as Large Rifle Magnums and some insane Cutting Edge bullets I have.. https://cuttingedgebullets.com/358-275gr-single-feed-rifle-maximus-50ct

I estimate the Cutting Edge's to have a BC of .691 G1, Berger and QuickTarget both say I shouldn't have a problem stabilizing them in the 1:12"

Nosler 250gr AccuBond 9.3mm(.366" sized to .358") Maybe .504 (starts as .494), CuttingEdge 275gr Maximus Maybe .691, Berger 7mm 195gr EOL .755

I also have 1,700+ Barnes 200gr TTSX's..

Happy and Safe Reloading!

p.s. The New "RemArms" is releasing a 700 in 35 Whelen this Fall/Winter!

 

[JD338]

You are getting better than 338 Win Mag performance making for some serious HP.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

I read and watched a lot about the 35 Whelen back in 2020. I also became very familiar with QuickLoad and how to really use it to predict what something "might" be capable of.. After seeing some of the numbers I could get with a properly loaded 35 I decided to take the plunge and see what was possible.. With this now 100yr old cartridge, standardized by Remington the year I was born (1988), and my first shots taken coincidentally on what would have been Townshend Whelen's 145th Birthday (March 6th).

There are a few caveats to my achievable velocities and unbelievable pressures I must be running..
-31" Barrel (More Burn Time/More Friction)
-1:12" Twist (Less Friction)
-Cryogenically treated (Less Friction)
-Reloder 17, Various Lots all Blended together for consistency (and a lot of it, 100 -110% case fill) (The only thing better would be a 300gr over RL26)
-Maximum case length for my chamber 2.497" (Case Capacity)
-Minimum Secure Bullet seating depths (.248") (Case Capacity)
-Maximum case capacity I could find (Still need to test a Norma and a few others..)
-Shoulder bumping .003" (Case Capacity)
-Case Annealing (Less Friction/More Consistent Bullet Release)
-Hexagonal Boron Nitride https://lowerfriction.com/hexagonal-boron-nitride-powder-0-5-micron/ (Less Friction)

I still have a lot left to test.. Such as Large Rifle Magnums and some insane Cutting Edge bullets I have.. https://cuttingedgebullets.com/358-275gr-single-feed-rifle-maximus-50ct

I estimate the Cutting Edge's to have a BC of .691 G1, Berger and QuickTarget both say I shouldn't have a problem stabilizing them in the 1:12"
View attachment 17284
Nosler 250gr AccuBond 9.3mm(.366" sized to .358") Maybe .504 (starts as .494), CuttingEdge 275gr Maximus Maybe .691, Berger 7mm 195gr EOL .755

I also have 1,700+ Barnes 200gr TTSX's..
View attachment 17283
Happy and Safe Reloading!

p.s. The New "RemArms" is releasing a 700 in 35 Whelen this Fall/Winter!

That is incredible stuff. I kinda thought I was Whelen crazy, you you sir have it going on!

Man, I would do criminal things to have that man 200 TTSX's. I developed some great loads for them and haven't seen a trace of them for sale in a couple of years!

Great stuff though, thank you for posting all of that. Love the Whelen myself.

 

[truck driver]

I read and watched a lot about the 35 Whelen back in 2020. I also became very familiar with QuickLoad and how to really use it to predict what something "might" be capable of.. After seeing some of the numbers I could get with a properly loaded 35 I decided to take the plunge and see what was possible.. With this now 100yr old cartridge, standardized by Remington the year I was born (1988), and my first shots taken coincidentally on what would have been Townshend Whelen's 145th Birthday (March 6th).

There are a few caveats to my achievable velocities and unbelievable pressures I must be running..
-31" Barrel (More Burn Time/More Friction)
-1:12" Twist (Less Friction)
-Cryogenically treated (Less Friction)
-Reloder 17, Various Lots all Blended together for consistency (and a lot of it, 100 -110% case fill) (The only thing better would be a 300gr over RL26)
-Maximum case length for my chamber 2.497" (Case Capacity)
-Minimum Secure Bullet seating depths (.248") (Case Capacity)
-Maximum case capacity I could find (Still need to test a Norma and a few others..)
-Shoulder bumping .003" (Case Capacity)
-Case Annealing (Less Friction/More Consistent Bullet Release)
-Hexagonal Boron Nitride https://lowerfriction.com/hexagonal-boron-nitride-powder-0-5-micron/ (Less Friction)

I still have a lot left to test.. Such as Large Rifle Magnums and some insane Cutting Edge bullets I have.. https://cuttingedgebullets.com/358-275gr-single-feed-rifle-maximus-50ct

I estimate the Cutting Edge's to have a BC of .691 G1, Berger and QuickTarget both say I shouldn't have a problem stabilizing them in the 1:12"
View attachment 17284
Nosler 250gr AccuBond 9.3mm(.366" sized to .358") Maybe .504 (starts as .494), CuttingEdge 275gr Maximus Maybe .691, Berger 7mm 195gr EOL .755

I also have 1,700+ Barnes 200gr TTSX's..
View attachment 17283
Happy and Safe Reloading!

p.s. The New "RemArms" is releasing a 700 in 35 Whelen this Fall/Winter!

Got to love it when someone takes the time and does it right.
My Buddy Dewey was one who could wring the most out of Quick load if you gave him the info he needed to tweak the soft ware and made my 35 Whelen Ackley Improved sing.
338 Win performance out of a standard Whelen and 375 H&H out of the Ackley version.

 

[Double Dropper]

The 35 definitely performs....but that quick load data hmmmm I load my Whelen, RP brass, Fed 210GM primers and 225 grain Accubonds @ 67 grains of CFE 223. I do not have flat primers! I get it, it's not the only indicator but that is interesting for sure. BTW 67 grains is a common load from others using this powder as well as the max with a 220 grain load in the Speer manual. Time for a chronograph.