A Brace of Rugers

[DrMike]

I got back my 35 Whelen and my 6.5 Creedmoor this week. It is supposed to warm by next week, so my anticipation is that I should be able to get to the range and do some shooting.

The Whelen is a Hawkeye that received a 22 inch PacNor 12 twist barrel. It was previously pillar bedded. It is topped with a Kahles 3-9 X 42 scope. I will begin working up loads for this rifle shortly. Break-in should take place next week. I'll see what it does at that time.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is one of the earlier Hawkeye models with a 26 inch barrel. I pillar bedded it, lightened the trigger and put on a LimbSaver pad. It is topped with a 2-12 X 42 Leupold VX6 scope.

I have several bullets that will receive my focus for this rifle.

 

[joelkdouglas]

Those are pretty.

Why did you choose the 22-inch barrel for the Whelen? I only ask because I'm thinking about that .338-06 in a 22-inch barrel, but I haven't weighed the issue sufficiently.

Did you have to put them on either sides of the fireplace to remember which was which?

 

[DrMike]

Joel, the 22 inch tube was a miscommunication. I requested a 24 inch tube and a tech wrote down 22 inches. When we caught the matter, the barrel had already been cut. It won't make a great deal of difference, so I was okay with this. The 22 inch tube will work better in dark timber, and I'm not really certain that the 24 inch tube would balance any better. The rifles are pretty distinctive, so there isn't too much difficulty in telling them apart. The barrel on the 35 Whelen is obviously not identical to the slender tube on the Creedmoor. Also, the extra four inches is readily apparent. I just didn't want to carry them twice up and down my stairs from the basement.

 

[Guest]

Good grief, Mike. You've got some of the best looking Ruger wood stocks I've seen. Especially that Whelen. Very nice figure in the buttstock.

Good luck with the load development. I'd definitely prefer a 24" tube on the Whelen. Then again, I like 24" barrels on most things, and 26" barrels on my 'bees. Maybe it's just my bias?

 

[DrMike]

dubyam,

I was a bit taken aback when I first discovered the miscommunication; but, it wasn't worth pitching a fit over. The fellows have been very good to me over the years and I really have no serious complaints. The rifle came out beautifully finished. When I first got it from Ruger, the workmanship was very shoddy. I pointed out some rather serious cosmetic flaws on the rifle, and the distributor knocked a substantial amount off the rifle rather than take it back. I had a local stock maker redress the checkering, which was feathered quite badly. I free-floated the barrel and pillar bedded the action at that time. I had such great success with a Hawkeye chambered in .358 Win, that when I saw this one (one of only three apparently that made it into Canada), I immediately sold my Remington Classic (dumb, dumb, dumb) and ordered this one in. It has been a project, so I'll see what it does. I had the barrel and action on the Whelen Teflon coated, which I believe makes for a sharp looking rifle. The guys do a great job both with Teflon treatment and with powder coating.

 

[6mm Remington]

Very nice Mike, very nice! Makes me anticipate ordering up one of those Sporter .280 Remingtons in the "very near" future! I think you will enjoy both of them very much.
David

 

[DrMike]

David,

I've been shooting the Whelen for about two years. I just did some upgrading on it. I do like the cartridge.

 

[35 Whelen]

That looks like a pair that would take a full house to me Mike! Very nice, I am looking forward to hearing how that twist works for you . I bet you could shoot those darn 310 Woodleighs outta that Whelen now!
E :lol:

 

[DrMike]

I'm betting you are correct, Earl. I will be exploring some heavier bullets as finances permit. The Woodleighs, to say nothing of the Swifts, are a mite pricey by the time they make it this far north.

 

[FOTIS]

Nice sticks Doc

 

[OU812]

I do like the looks of the Hawkeye, nice looking bang sticks Mike.

Bill

 

[gerry]

Nice guns Mike, you realize that you could do a lot of hunting with those two rounds and not be left wanting. Looking forward to some range results when it warms up a bit

 

[JD338]

Mike,

Nice looking irons!
The 22" barreled 35 Whelen will be just fine, and quick pointing too. :wink:

JD338

 

[muleman]

Dr. Mike,
What bullets are you going to start with in the 6.5 Creedmor? What velocities are you expecting with that 26" tube?
I'll be looking for the load development on this one - considering a Creedmor myself. A .264 caliber is one of the holes in my safe and I just aquired a Rem 700 short action donor. Hope to see that you get little bitty groups out of the Creedmor!
The Whelen is really nice.... ought to make a super dark timber gun with 250gr bullets.

 

[cloverleaf]

NICE RUGERS! One suggestion.....take that sign about the gun owner and shoot a real group in it.... You can do better than that.....and it will be a lot more convincing.... CL

 

[Desert Fox]

Those are fine looking Rugers DrMike.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Those are beauties. Anxious to see how the 280gr A-Frames work in that 1in12 barrel. Can't envision anything stopping those.

 

[nvbroncrider]

What's the recoil pad and LOP on those rifles?

 

[DrMike]

What's the recoil pad and LOP on those rifles?

I put either a LimbSaver (which is on either of these rifles) or a Pachmayr Decelerator pad on each of my rifles. LOP is held at 13.5 inches.

Anxious to see how the 280gr A-Frames work in that 1in12 barrel.

I don't have any 280 grain bullets at the moment, but I should have them within a few weeks. In the interim, I'm focusing on 250 grain bullets.

What bullets are you going to start with in the 6.5 Creedmor? What velocities are you expecting with that 26" tube?

My first loads are being built around 120 grain GMXs, 130 grain Sciroccos and 140 grain A-Frames. I'm projecting velocities (respectively) of 3050 (with Superformance), 3000 (with RL17 and with VN560) and 2910 (with VN560). Later, I'll focus on 140 grain AB and 140 grain PT. I'm anticipating maximum velocities ranging from 2800 to 2850.

 

[Guy Miner]

Really nice rifles and scopes there Mike!

Thanks for showing them. I'm looking forward to your range reports!