35 Whelen and 250gr Bullets

[DrMike]

I haven't read every post yet, but I would seat that 250 deeper. You have a definite pattern or 2 and 1 going on and seating deeper may pull that round in RL338. I'll bet a dollar if you move .010" deeper and further if you have to and keep shooting you'll find happiness buddy. I'd bet one of Dr. Mike's dollars

You're pretty generous with my dollars, Scotty! I suspect you're correct in your assessment, however.

 

[RL338]

Thank you all for more input. Last year I did work with the seating depth with RL17 , throat seems kinda long on this rifle. The RL12&17 shot way better than the W748. I have more than enough 225gr BTs for this rifle to last me. Maybe one day I’ll try Tac , BL-C2 , N140 , and IMR3031.

This seems to be were the lands start. I don’t have LNL case for this rifle besides it being a break action the extractor is in the way. I just size a case slightly to hold the bullet and close the action and this is what I get.

225gr Nosler BT are it favorite , I can live with this combo.

 

[SJB358]

You're pretty generous with my dollars, Scotty! I suspect you're correct in your assessment, however.

Man, it's only a Canadian dollar Mike. I figured you were okay with it

Thank you all for more input. Last year I did work with the seating depth with RL17 , throat seems kinda long on this rifle. The RL12&17 shot way better than the W748. I have more than enough 225gr BTs for this rifle to last me. Maybe one day I’ll try Tac , BL-C2 , N140 , and IMR3031.
View attachment 20576
This seems to be were the lands start. I don’t have LNL case for this rifle besides it being a break action the extractor is in the way. I just size a case slightly to hold the bullet and close the action and this is what I get.
View attachment 20579View attachment 20580View attachment 20581
225gr Nosler BT are it favorite , I can live with this combo.

I wouldn't worry about measuring to the lands myself, I'd just subtract .010" from your current load RL. That 225 does shoot great though.

 

[DrMike]

Man, it's only a Canadian dollar Mike. I figured you were okay with it

Okay, you got me there. That's worth what, twenty-five cents on the US dollar? With the dynamic duo of Biden/Trudeau we should be totally broke here in the great white north by next year.

 

[RL338]

I ain’t worried we got Bidenomics

 

[DrMike]

I ain’t worried we got Bidenomics

Yup! I see how rich 'Mericans are becoming as Ol' Joe invites the world in.

 

[Guy Miner]

Yeah...

 

[RL338]

*Update time*
With some help from JD suppling me some 250gr Speers , mission accomplished.


Also experimented with partial neck sizing with a Lee Collet Die.

 

[KinleyWater]

Damn fine load.

 

[JD338]

Yeah buddy, that's awesome accuracy.
Nice work on the bench and behind the wheel.

JD338

 

[NMachine]

Nice shooting. I love me some 250 Speers in a Whelen. I find they shoot more consistent than most of the premium bullets and perform every bit as well on game.

 

[DrMike]

Oh, yeah, that'll do. Fine workmanship at the reloading bench and superb riflery.

 

[gerry]

That looks really good. What load did you end up with in the end?

 

[RL338]

That looks really good. What load did you end up with in the end?

Took Speer’s data of 3.340” and backed 2grs off the Hornady load I was trying. W748 at 55grs is what I used with CCI 250s.

 

[salmonchaser]

That is an outstanding load. Well done.

 

[Bonz]

RL338, what was your velocity at 55 grs W748?

Very late to the party here... Alliant 2000-MR if available, is pushing the 250 Speer to 2630 fps in my 25" 35 AI with barely measurable case head expansion (.0001"-.0002"). Speer data shows it pushing the 250 Speer to over 2700 fps in a standard Whelen.

Other than recoil gets into to very noticeable range with 250's and I shoot a 200 TTSX from my gun at 2940 fps with IMR4064 or 3030 fps with Power Pro Varmint, that Speer 250 would be on the list for bullets in my AI for hunting.

 

[RL338]

From post #10 on first page.

I’ve pulled the plug on the 250s. The 225gr BTs shoot well and I’m focused on the 180gr TTSX for next season.

 

[JD338]

Those 180 TTSX will be a 35 cal laser beam.

JD338

 

[preacher]

Interesting to note; back in '96 I used 53.5gr of XMR br2015 behind the original Barnes 250x in my 35 WAI fir 2550-2600. ( under 3/4") That 2500-2600 speed seems to be a sweet spot on many Whelans (or AI) with a 250. It shoots surprisingly flat too! ( Thanks for reminding me it was an XMR powder!)

 

[gerry]

@preacher I also used a lot of XMR 2015 in the 35 Whelen with the 225 gr Ballistic Tip for 2700 fps. I think I was around 53 gr too. It is a good powder, a bunch of critters fell to that load. Well worth the try if you have some of that powder.