Lets talk thump

[338 Ultra]

Well getting back to this thump thing I started, I have located a used Rem 700 CDL in 35 Whelen that is 5 years old and comes with a VX 1 3x9 x 40mm on it and it has only seen 40 or so rounds of factory Rem 250 grain corelocks through it. I will be having a look at it this weekend to see what kind of shape it is in and see if it shoots ok with the factory stuff before I part with any cash. I get my quarterly profit sharing cheque from work this coming Monday so I should have enough cash after all the final back to school stuff for the youngin's. If I do bring it home I am going to be asking a lot of loading questions of you 35 Whelen owners so please BEAR with me ( pun intended)

 

[JD338]

338 Ultra

Congratulations on the pending 35 Whelen.
Great cartridge with a lot of thump. Hand loading the 35 Whelen is a snap.
I load the 250 gr PT with 59.5 RL 15 in a R-P case and Federal GM210M primer. My 700 Classic has a 22" barrel and shoots this load sub MOA, MV 2581 fps, ES 8 SD 4.
It don't get much better than that. :wink:

JD338

 

[SJB358]

338 Ultra

Congratulations on the pending 35 Whelen.
Great cartridge with a lot of thump. Hand loading the 35 Whelen is a snap.
I load the 250 gr PT with 59.5 RL 15 in a R-P case and Federal GM210M primer. My 700 Classic has a 22" barrel and shoots this load sub MOA, MV 2581 fps, ES 8 SD 4.
It don't get much better than that. :wink:

JD338

I run just about the same load as Jim in my CDL 35 Whelen. RP cases, CCI250's, 60grs of RL15 and the 250gr PT or Speer Hot Cor. They run about 2650 or so out of my rifle and are super accurate for me. The Whelen is a big time favorite of mine, big time power and great bullets are really a premium combination. Having both a 338 and Whelen is pretty redundant, but they are a great power pair.

If you get a chance to get that CDL, get it. I bought mine in 2006 and as much as I don't like the newer Remington's, this rifle has shot everything really well. The only work done was a little trigger lightening. Scotty

 

[338 Ultra]

Thanks for the reply's guys. I guess that you both love your Whelens? Just looking at your numbers it should be so very close to the 338 WM that a hair would not fit between the two cartridges. RL-15 you say for powder well that is good cause I have lots of it.......my go to powder in 308 and it works pretty good in .223 too. Fingers crossed that this rifle is in good shape and shoots well enough with the factory ammo. Will keep you guys posted, the best part is my loving beautyfull wife said no problem if you like it get it. :mrgreen:

 

[JD338]

Your bride is a keeper, God bless her.

You are going to love the 35 Whelen. It is indeed on the heels of the 338 Win Mag.
RL 15 is your powder.

JD338

 

[onesonek]

Here's all the thump I will ever need.

Just for size reference, the .22 LR is included
otherwise, .45-70 with a 470 gr cast,,,can't imagine much walking away after taking a solid hit, even at a modest 1500 fps.
Then the .375 JDJ,,, while not a super powerhouse, it will do with the 265 gr. cast at 2300 fps.
I remember Ross Seyfried once stating when discussing the .375 H&H and its original loads,,,"if it can't be killed with a 270 gr. at 2300 fps, it don't need killing". Now who's going to quibble over 5 grs. :lol:
And then, the 9.3x74R with a 286 gr. NP, (note it is seated well out from the cannelure for my longer throat.) While the published data and ballistics aren't all that impressive, in my Encore with that long throat, it'll run a couple hundred fps over book, which puts relatively close to the modern loaded .375 H&H.

 

[BK]

I'd have to start wearing a safari jacket just so I could display those 9.3x74s in the shell loops!

 

[Guy Miner]

That 9.3x74 is one heck of a looooong cartridge. I like it.

Seriously considered buying one that I came upon when I was shopping for a medium bore Number One, but ended up with the .375 instead. Either way would have been fine.

 

[onesonek]

That 9.3x74 is one heck of a looooong cartridge. I like it.

Seriously considered buying one that I came upon when I was shopping for a medium bore Number One, but ended up with the .375 instead. Either way would have been fine.

And to BK also,,,,

It is a cool grand old round, no matter how one envisions it.
I had the Encore barrel built with Elk, Moose, and hopefully someday, Brown Bear.
Although later with it's cost, is unlikely unless I get an unepected windfall.

With ths longer throat, and in a rifle with a stronger action than what the round was designed, it is plenty capable. With a trajectory similar to the .308 Win. and energy close to that of .338 WM, with a mass and frontal difference when compared to the .375 H&H, that would be like comparing the .270 with a.284 bullet, it has a lot of potential.
With velocities of 2600 fps and 2450 respectively, the 250 gr. Nosler has a PBR of 260 yds. with a 7" target, and still at 300+ being on the hair. The 286 gr. with a 4" target, the PBR is beyond what most guides would allow on the big bear, at over 200 yds. And energy levels at that range is comparable to that of the 30-06 at the muzzle. Accuracy in this Douglas blank, is beyond my expectations as well. With both bullet weights shooting well below 1 moa, on an average day for me, it makes a very good "thumper" in my mind. The biggest disadvantage I have seen, is brass cost, but still not all that unrealistic.
The 9.3x74R in the #1, would be definately cool as well !
I had thought about on of those as well. I decided on the Encore, as I can carry one set up rig and a couple other barrels in a double case, for multi-specie hunts if needed. Just makes for a compact package all the way around.

 

[SJB358]

I love the Whelen 338Ultra! I second Jim's comments, RL15 is the go to powder. I would be really surprised if you didn't hit paydirt within your first set of loads. Mine has been ultra easy to work with. Scotty

 

[338 Ultra]

Your bride is a keeper, God bless her.

You are going to love the 35 Whelen. It is indeed on the heels of the 338 Win Mag.
RL 15 is your powder.

JD338

Yup you are right there a definate keeper. I got real lucky trust me on that I am a smiling man every day when I get home. She is also an excellent cook just like her mom. Fingers crossed this rifle shows signs of accuracy with the factory stuff, if it does it is coming home for some load work up. I am thinking if it puts 3 into 1-1/2" with factory it should be a keeper and I can improve from there with reloads. If everything goes to plan I will make this my Moose and Elk rifle when I am hunting in bushy areas where ranges are inside 200 yards. For longer shots I will stick with my 300WM and 200 grain Abonds or my Ultra with 225 Abonds. Both of those rounds have way more reach than I can use but it is nice to have some insurance when the chips are down.

 

[338 Ultra]

Well I am the proud owner of a 700 cdl in 35 Whelen. Took my .33 caliber rod with a .35 jag and a couple of 9mm brushes as I had a feeling the rifle might need a cleaning. I was right the bore was a bit dirty but the rest of the rifle was perfect with only 2 little dings on the bottom of the forend. Cleaned the barrel and proceded to fire a fouling group of 3 shots. This gave me about a 2 inch group a couple of inches low. Waited 20 mins fired another 3 shot group and netted about 1-1/4 inches. Repeated the same with a third group and got another group of about 1-1/4 inch with 2 bullets in the same hole. The factory trigger was a real factor in the size of those groups. It was stiff and felt like it had gravel in it, so my shooting was not as good as it should have been. With a better trigger I think the rifle would have done a bit better. So can you boy's guess where this rifle resides now? :mrgreen:

Grabbed some brass and some 225 AB's last week and twisted up some rounds with RL-15 over cci-200's. Headed down to the farm this past long weekend and gave them a try at 100 yards. Fired 2 fouling shots which were the last of the factory rem 250's. Then fired a 3 shot group with the AB's and I got the text book classic cloverleaf group which is a first time for me. So I have found my load on the first try which is crazy. I have no clue as too the muzzle speed but I can give up some fps for small groups. Next time down to the farm I will take the chrony and check how fast she is shooting. I have a picture of the first target when I was trying the rifle out which I am going to try to add to this post. No Camera this past weekend so I do not have a picture with the AB's but I will post one from the next shoot if me or the wife remembers the camera. Oh forgot to add I replaced the factory trigger with a Timney trigger last week which makes for a much smoother shooting rigg and was no doubt the largest factor in the group size. So...... so far so good I think I have a winner with a bit more testing just to see if she is consistant. And the price was right, rifle with a Leupold VX1 3x9 on 2 piece Leupold base's and rings.

Here is an attempt at posting a picture from the tech challenged.

 

[DrMike]

It looks like you are on your way. The Whelen is an excellent round. I didn't know that Scotty was selling his CDL, however!!! :shock: :lol:

 

[JD338]

338 Ultra

Looks like your Whelen is a shooter. Way to go on your first loads.
Give her a trigger job and you will be set to go.

JD338

 

[gerry]

338 Ultra,

Sounds like you are doing well so far, it seems those CDL's are accurate guns. The 225 gr AccuBond is my favorite bullet, it's hard to beat for an all around load. The next two Saturdays will see me doing some moose hunting so hopefully a bull can be taken with the AccuBond load. The mighty 375 Ruger will serve as back up this time, those are my two Thumpers.

 

[SJB358]

Man, Remington seems To have done well. That is a great shooter! Mine still has the factory trigger but adjusted up pretty nicely. I'm always taken back by how well this rifle shoots with just about any bullet I've put through it. I may have to give the 225 ABs a try. They seem to work pretty awesome in the Whelen. Glad you got the rifle. It's great to hear of Whelen shooters on here. Great cartridge that deserves far more respect than it gets. Scotty

 

[FOTIS]

I have a:
Marlin in 45-70 Cowboy
Rem 350 rem mag
Bees in.... 30-378, 378, 416 and 460.

I think that qualifies. :mrgreen:

 

[338 Ultra]

So shot a couple of groups this past weekend with the 225's over Rl-15 never had the chrony and forgot the targets at the farm in our rush to get back home. I do have a trustworty 1" load for 3 shots which I am more than happy with. Still have no clue on the speed but it should not matter too much right now with big game season drawing near. I just need to get a few off at 200 yards from my 2-1/2" high at 100 and then I will know what is up trajectory wise. Right now I am thinking it should be pretty close to my 180 load for 30-06 out to 300 yards or so which is more than enough for me. I am running only 57 grains of RL-15 which is the mid load in the nosler# 6. Just wishing I had a moose or elk tag this year to try her on something larger than a deer oh well I should have a moose tag next year and fingers crossed an elk tag too if not an elk tag the year after. I suspect that a big 5 point whitetail is going to be hammered out of my ground blind in a couple of weeks with that 225 ab while he is trying to find a date in the alfalfa field.

I think as of today it is the best 500 bucks I have ever spent period.

 

[JD338]

338 Ultra

Well done. Not sure where you are speed wise but 2.5" high at 100 yds should be close to zero at 200 yds and 8-9" low at 300 yds. Just about perfect for a 300 yd hammer on the big 5 pt.

Good luck on the hunt and post some pictures.

JD338

 

[338 Ultra]

I am guessing about 2600 and change for speed which should be good enough for anything I want to do with this cartridge. I will state though I find it kicks me harder than my 338 ultra does with 225's at over 3000 fps. The cdl is a bit lighter but not that much than my xcr so really it should not be as heavy on the butt end but it does give me some discomfort and I have some shoulder soreness the next day my ulrta does not do that to me so i can't quite figure it out. Not to matter though I do not hunt from a bench so recoil will be a non issue.