35 Whelen

[wisconsinteacher]

With the strong possibility that a 35 Whelen will move to NW Wisconsin in the near future. What powder are you guys using other than RL15? My local stores do not have it on hand. I do have Varget and IMR 4064 on hand.

 

[DrMike]

Both Varget and IMR4064 will perform quite well in your Whelen. Both IMR4895 and IMR8208XBR are good powders in the Whelen. If you have access to Accurate powders, A2495 and A2520 give excellent service in this cartridge. W748 (H414), H335 and H380 are other powders that are very good in the Whelen. In the Alliant line, 10X can be a great powder to have.

 

[wvchevy3]

All of the above are good, as DR. Mike stated, Also don't over look IMR-4320 if available. My favorite was RL-15 for 250 grainers ,followed by IMR-4064 and IMR-4320. For 200 grainers it was hand down IMR-8208 XBR but Tac or H335 will do.Lee

 

[truck driver]

You just got all the powder info you need, now just get what is available to you. Varget or IMR 4064 will work with any bullet weight. Just some are better when You run a QL comparison.

 

[Elkman]

As well as the others mentioned, my does pretty good with H-3031

 

[gerry]

As you can see there are many powders that will work well in the 35 Whelen. Over the years I have had great loads with AA 2015, RL 15 and Varget in my old gun. My new Whelen loves IMR 8208 with 200 gr AB's which I have mentioned quite a few times, it also does well with the 225 gr AB, with 250 and 275 gr bullets Ramshot Big Game has been excellent in this gun.

 

[SJB358]

IMR 4064 is excellent in my rifle with 200's. Never ran anything other than RL15 with 225's and 250's.

 

[JD338]

I have had very good results with AA2015BR, IMR4064 and RL15
in the 35 Whelen.

JD338

 

[PJGunner]

Both Varget and IMR4064 will perform quite well in your Whelen. Both IMR4895 and IMR8208XBR are good powders in the Whelen. If you have access to Accurate powders, A2495 and A2520 give excellent service in this cartridge. W748 (H414), H335 and H380 are other powders that are very good in the Whelen. In the Alliant line, 10X can be a great powder to have.

Good advice here with one exception. (H414) is possibly way too slow. H414 and W760 are the same powder, not H414 and W748.
Paul B.

 

[truck driver]

That's a good catch PJ. The good Dr must have got his fingers crossed on the key board. :roll: :lol:

 

[DrMike]

Thank you, Paul, my bad.

 

[tjen]

I heard some thing about IMR8208 is very simular to H4895 like its the short cut version. I wonder if it will work any where H4895 does? I use H4895 in my 35rem and 358win. Have yet hand loaded my 35 Whelen but it would be nice to have one powder for all three. When I do load my whelen I think I will try the IMR8208 and then load some of the 358 & 35rem too see how it works for them.

 

[wvchevy3]

IMR 8208 XBR was my choice of powder in the 35 whelen using 200 gr bullets. it proved to be the most accurate and was the fastest.It is very clean burning .Lee

 

[preacher]

I've used AA2015br ( older type) and R15 for 250s with R15 my choice, even with the 310 Wo0dleigh (which is a great woods load on anything, no bloodshot meat!) in my 35 Whelen AI , but have always used H322 with the 200X and 200TTSX. I've used IMR 4895 for reduced loads, but it will crank them up also! I always used Varget and H414 in the 9.3x62 which is very similar to the old Whelen ( I just think the Whelen is better is all!) When you get that Whelen, and find some good loads for it, you will end up adding at least 15yrs to your Lifespan, its that good! ha

 

[truck driver]

I've used AA2015br ( older type) and R15 for 250s with R15 my choice, even with the 310 Wo0dleigh (which is a great woods load on anything, no bloodshot meat!) in my 35 Whelen AI , but have always used H322 with the 200X and 200TTSX. I've used IMR 4895 for reduced loads, but it will crank them up also! I always used Varget and H414 in the 9.3x62 which is very similar to the old Whelen ( I just think the Whelen is better is all!) When you get that Whelen, and find some good loads for it, you will end up adding at least 15yrs to your Lifespan, its that good! ha

What advantage do you feel that the AI version of the Whelen gives you? What rate of twist is the rifling in your barrel to stabilize the 310 Woodleigh?

 

[preacher]

Hello truck driver; I have a 22" 700 Classic, reamed to the Ackley Imp version. I surprisingly get a big velocity gain, which helps as my rifle has the Remington 1 in 16" twist. If ever had a Whelen built I would choose at least a 1 in 14 just to make sure. But speed is a slow twists friend! ha This rifle has to be a "fast" barrel too, plus Remington put a long throat in this thing. I seat the longer bullets way out, but I seat the 200's "one caliber deep" and they get a good running start! I get a solid 2400fps with that 310 Woodleigh and 2950fps with the Barnes 200 TTSX ( I get 2970 with the older 200X) The older Barnes 250X works at 2600 and the Nosler 250 goes a bit over 2700fps! Go figure!? I can push all these loads faster even, but I'm getting phenomenal accuracy, I'm not maxed out pressure wise and my brass lasts forever (one really big advantage of the Improved, I still use some brass from '95!)
Now, I never had headspace problems with any standard Whelen factory loads, but I sure don't now that its an Ackley. I did have headspace problems with three different 9.3x62s ( A CZ 550Fs, a Ruger African and one Mod 70 custom) with some factory loads. I am super anal retentive about reliability,ha. I think the Ackley is a worthwhile venture but I admit it is a personal favorite...and absolutely not "needed" with todays modern powders and components, especially if you have a 24" barrel or longer and the headspace is set up properly. For guys who like 20" carbines and still want 2600 with a 250, the Ackley will get them there or so close its scary, ha. I'm tall and 22" feels like a carbine to me. I had a muzzlebrake put on my Whelen back in 2000 ( now I'm back to a nice feeling 24" length!)after I had a neck fusion but it wasn't brutal before that. I have read of guys who use the 7600 pump in the Whelen and say its a kicker, I don't know. Do you have a Whelen now or planning to? If so, what rifle do you have? I like Limbsaver and Decelerator recoil pads, seems to be all one needs with a Whelen. I will add this, up to 250yds or so, I could not tell any difference on game between my Whelen AI and the 300WM, 338WM, 340W and 375 H&H! I love them all, used them all for years but now I have no magnums! I hope this helps. Jim

 

[truck driver]

Hi Jim. I have the same rifle as you that I got from Wvchevy3 here on the forum. Everything I've read about the AI 35 Whelen has been mostly negative except for a conversation I've had with J E customs over on the Long range forum and he explained the intent behind the AI was to improve feeding and longevity of brass life. Though in some cases it also increases case capacity and velocity. I'm not looking to hot rod the Whelen but I am interested in longer case life since I have lost some brass to case mouth -neck cracking and annealed all of the Remington brass I have to try and save it.
I don't think I would rechamber the Remington but might consider a rebore on a M70 donor I have and chamber it for the AI.

 

[preacher]

That makes sense, I knew it was a gamble with my 22" getting any extra gas. I started out loading for it in standard and I could get about 2450 or so with that Barnes 250X ( this was in '95) I had read an article by the late Gary Sitton years before about a 20" carbine he wanted as an elk rifle. He picked the Whelen AI to reach his target of 2600/250 for a max PBR goal he had. It was an interesting read, and I liked the looks of the Whelen AI. Prior to this I had played/hunted with two Ackleys, the .257 Roberts (my first) and a .280 Remington. I knew from them both that brass life was phenomenal. I also discovered I could run right with the 25-06 with my .257s 24" barrel and long action. The 280 Remington AI was a bust as 1. All I had to use then was the nickel plated brass that cracked/flaked at the neck/shoulder sometimes and 2. I only gained 50fps in that 22" barrel, ha. I then had an opportunity to hunt plains game in South Africa (96) I figured (rightly so too) that the AI would run with the 9.3x62 and I wanted something "special" and nostalgic kinda, the rest is history. I can get faster than 2600 with the 250X but groups began to spread. I fireformed 100 cases with the Speer 220fn seated out into the lands over a warm load of whatever usable powder I had on hand. I didn't lose one case. No trimming was needed ( I can't ever remember trimming any at all even now!) Of course, a properly headspaced AI has a "crush" fit for standard cases, so the case length actually shortens when fireformed. So, for me, it scratched my itch. BTW, I later had my first 9.3x62 made up on a Mod 70 Fwt Classic. It shot just fine, but was not as versatile as the Whelen on mule deer/elk. I gave it to my former Youth Minister who uses it on elk up in Idaho now with the 286 Nosler. Good luck to you, and since you have a Mod 700 Classic in 35 Whelen, 'enjoy those extra 15yrs! ha