35 Whelen loads?

[tddeangelo]

Here's a pic of the rifle:

You may notice it's lacking a trigger guard and is not in the stock properly. That pic was taken right after I picked up a McMillan that had been bedded to a FWT rifle, so I was working down the bedding to accept my rifle. I have 1-piece bottom metal to go with it.

That rifle started life as a DBM model in 30-06, and in an injection molded stock. A few years ago, the accuracy fell off, and I pillar-bedded the rifle in it to good effect, but always wanted to change it to a standard magazine and put it in a good stock. I got a good price on the McMillan, bought the mag parts and bottom metal, and had the thing almost ready to bed to the stock. There's some minor sanding of one high spot yet, and then it's good to go.

Now it's with JES to be rebored to a 35 Whelen, and I'll finish the fitting/bedding when it returns to me. I've wanted a Model 70 Whelen for a while, and I got a great deal on a pre64 30-06 that was going to be the donor, but I like the old gun as a 30-06, so I'm leaving it as-is and reboring this one.

Should be a dang nice rig when it's all done, and hopefully will be a good shooter, too!

 

[DrMike]

Tom,

That will be a great rifle. I'm with you on the desirability of a Model 70 chambered in 35 Whelen; it will be great.

 

[tddeangelo]

Thanks! I'm excited for it!

At some point, I want to upgrade the optics, probably push that Conquest over to my 257 Roberts. But, no cash at the moment to the tune of "alpha glass", which is what I'd want, lol.

 

[DrMike]

At some point, I want to upgrade the optics, probably push that Conquest over to my 257 Roberts. But, no cash at the moment to the tune of "alpha glass", which is what I'd want, lol.

Fully understood.

 

[JD338]

Tom,

You are going to be amazed with the power of the 35 Whelen. It isn't all that far behind the 38 Win Mag. Accuracy can be amazing with the right rifle and loads, I sure hope you are able to find Utopia.

It makes for a hard hitting close quarter deer/bear rifle as well as a 400 yd elk rifle with the right scope.

Very nice rifle buddy.

JD338

 

[JD338]

Tom,

You are going to be amazed with the power of the 35 Whelen. It isn't all that far behind the 38 Win Mag. Accuracy can be amazing with the right rifle and loads, I sure hope you are able to find Utopia.

It makes for a hard hitting close quarter deer/bear rifle as well as a 400 yd elk rifle with the right scope.

Very nice rifle buddy.

JD338

 

[tddeangelo]

Thanks, Jim! I'm looking forward to it for sure. I have a deer hunt in SC scheduled this fall where I'll likely take the Whelen. The deer don't need a Whelen to kill'em, for sure, but there are hogs present as well, and I'd love to smack a piggy with one of those HotCor's!

 

[tddeangelo]

I was weak, and caved to a Cabela's Friends & Family invite and the seductive power of the Bargain Cave. I brought home a new pair of wings tonight....

 

[tddeangelo]

OK, I think I'm set. I got 50 new Hornady brass, 100ct of 250gr Speer HotCor's and just caught 200ct of 250gr PT's from SPS. Picked up a pound of IMR4320 yesterday, as well. Wondering if I should get another pound right off the bat....

Rifle should be back late next week or early the following. Hope to shoot it before too long!

 

[DrMike]

It is always good to have extra powder on hand. One can never tell when the next powder drought will occur.

 

[wildgene]

It is always good to have extra powder on hand. One can never tell when the next powder drought will occur.

...I'd pick up one or two, it's not like it's gonna go "bad"...

 

[tddeangelo]

Yep, think I will. Cabela's has it in stock, and I have a friends/family invite, so the pound I got yesterday was $24 out the door. May as well get another.

 

[tddeangelo]

Alright, I've got some 4064 on hand, and now 2 new 1-pounders of 4320. 300 bullets en route, brass and dies are here already. The rifle should be home again late this week or very early next week. I'm like a kid the week before Christmas!

 

[JD338]

Tom,

Don't over look RL15.

JD338

 

[Oldtrader3]

All you need now is to get the rifle back. It should be a shooter, Tom.

 

[sask boy]

I agree RL-15 is a great combination with the 35 Whelen. Starting this week I am going to start playing with the 200gr ABs.
Some load data would be much appreciated guys including OAL.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[tddeangelo]

Oh, if I could get RL15, I would, lol. 4320 has been pretty available through the drought. None of the Reloder powders have been easy to find at all.

When I can, I plan to get RL15.

 

[alaska100]

Tom, when you can try to get some RL-15 and try it. We use it with both 225 and 250 gr Swift A-Frame on both moose and brown bear and have never recovered a bullet.

 

[SJB358]

RL15 is THE powder in the Whelen as far as I am concerned. EXCELLENT accuracy and 338 Win Mag like speeds. The problem right now is finding it. I am sold on RL15, but recently was testing some 200 grain Hornady Spire Points with IMR4064, speeds were excellent in the 2850-2900 range and the accuracy was really good. I "think" 4320 will be really good with 225's and 250's. QL has them in just about the same pressure and speed range, so I really think it'll be a good fit. Varget is another that is excellent as well, but again, finding any of it right now is tough.

I can't say enough good about RL15 and the Whelen though. Mid 2700's with the 225's and low 2600's with the 250 Hot Cor and PT. Those two loads cover just about everything, and man, again, accuracy is MOA for me out to 600 yards. Thats with a plain old CDL with Minox 3x9 with the #4 reticle, so not exactly a long range set up, but it shoots.

Tom, I can't wait to see your results with that rifle. I would imagine you'll be in the high 2500's to low 2600's with 4320, and if accuracy is there, you should have a perfect moose and elk rifle, for any weather condition.

 

[tddeangelo]

I can't think of many animals I'd want to hunt that wouldn't get parked fairly quick by a 250gr PT going 2500-2600 at the muzzle. That's a lot of stomp.

A quick run on the Hornady ballistics calculator says the 250PT carries 2100ft/lbs to 300 yards, and about 1800ft/lbs to 400 yards, which is probably my limit, although it still has 1480ft/lbs at 500. That's with a MV of 2500.

That's going to get the attention of whatever critter is on the receiving end, for sure!