35 Whelen and IMR 8208 XBR

[KeithInGeorgia]

Has anybody reloaded 35 Whelen using IMR 8208 XBR?

2011 Hodgdon maunal (and website) provide load data for Whelen using IMR 8208. Listed velocities are good: 225gr at 2618f/s and 250gr at 2515f/s.

I have not used 8208 but I have read that it is a great powder, i.e. cleaning burning, insensitive to temp, tight groups, meters good etc.

 

[JD338]

KeithInGeorgia

Welcome to the forum.
I have not tried 8208 XBR but RL 15 has produced some impressive velocity and accuracy in the Whelen. I am going to start load development with the 250 gr PT this spring.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Keith,

Welcome to the forum. The latest update for QuickLOAD has included IMR8208XBR. I'll likely focus on this powder more this spring and summer. I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work. However, as JD338 states, RL15 is an old favourite for a reason. Any medium rifle powders can work well in this cartridge, so there is no reason to expect that this newer powder will not work.

 

[SJB358]

I know I say this all the time but RL15 is the powder to make the 35 whelen into a poor mans 338wm. It can get nearly 2600 with 250s and over 2700 with 225s. Plus it is accurate and pressures are still relatively low. Tac may work well also but I haven't found a reason to try anything else. Scotty

 

[KeithInGeorgia]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I too have had great success with RL15, and IMR 4064. I will TOFTT and test 8208. I will post my results.

Seems that velocities are all over the place when you compare sources; Nolser, Barnes, Hornady manuals etc. For Hodgdon supplied reload data IMR 8208 is yielding some of their highest, published velocities.

The reviews for 8208 are to good to ignore. Jim Carmichael won a national championship with the stuff in 2009.

 

[Guest]

Keith,
I use the 8208 in my 223 and really like the results.
I bought it originally because of the Carmichael article and results. Pretty impressive when you read that the bench guys are replacing the old Thunderbird (?) powder they seemed to swear by for this stuff.
Reason I didn't reply earlier is I haven't loaded anything bigger with it yet.
Doesn't seem to be temperature sensitive at all and the accuracy was excellent.
Dewey

 

[GSSP]

I don't own nor have shot a 35 Whelen. I've owned and currently own the big brother to the 35 Whelen, the 9.3x62. I tried IMR 8208 with the 250 Accubonds and had excellent results, accuracy wise, with the combo.

But the velocity, compared to Varget, was not there.

Alan

 

[JD338]

GSSP

You are there, way to go!

JD338

 

[SJB358]

Wow, that is some nice shooting and a very powerful load at that! Scotty

 

[Elkman]

Anyone of those groups would do fine for game. I am currently loading 4064 in mine and eventually be moving to 3031 as time goes by. I don't shoot it much and have several #s of 4064. Again great shooting, thanks for sharing