Low 35 Whelen Velocity?

[saalfelder]

Last year I built a 35 whelen and had only enough time before season to work up a couple loads for it.

I'm using the 225 gr pt and 225 gr bt over 56.5 gr RL15 Remington cases and Fed 210M primers. Both shoot about .8" at 100 yards. bullets are seated to a COAL 3.3 and 3.35".

This year I finally got around to chronographing them and was surprised that both loads were running about 2475 fps. Remington 200gr factory loads chronographed about 2650 fps.

I see most 35 Whelen shooters are getting 2600 fps or so with 225 gr bullets. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a powder that's a lot better than RL15?

 

[Desert Fox]

Chime in here http://ironknees.proboards56.com/index.cgi for info on Wheelen. They'll fix you up on your Wheelen issue.

 

[yeayow]

what length is your barrel? Quick load predicts slightly over whar your getting for a 20 in barrel and abot 75 fps over with a 22 in. barrelwith a part. loaded to 3.300" o.a.l. with 56.5 grains of reloader 15

 

[saalfelder]

I should have included barrel length. My barrel is 23" long.

Temp was about 45 degrees F. But the 200 gr factory ammo was close to published velocity.

I'm thinking a different powder may be in order. Possible suitable powders I have on hand at the moment are W748, IMR4895 and AA2520.

Head diameter on the fired cases measured .468 vs. .467 with factory ammo.

Where do I find the Quick Load program? It sounds interesting.

 

[yeayow]

this is the U.S. distributor http://www.neconos.com/ and a different powder may work better

 

[saalfelder]

Thanks! A bit pricey at $150 but it's definately on my "wish list"

 

[JARoot]

225 gr NBT's with 56 grains of 4064 and a CCI BR-2 in my 35 Whelen AI get me 2460 fps

59 grains of 4350 gives me 2340 fps...

 

[BFaucett]

Last year I built a 35 whelen and had only enough time before season to work up a couple loads for it.

I'm using the 225 gr pt and 225 gr bt over 56.5 gr RL15 Remington cases and Fed 210M primers. Both shoot about .8" at 100 yards. bullets are seated to a COAL 3.3 and 3.35".

This year I finally got around to chronographing them and was surprised that both loads were running about 2475 fps. Remington 200gr factory loads chronographed about 2650 fps.

I see most 35 Whelen shooters are getting 2600 fps or so with 225 gr bullets. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a powder that's a lot better than RL15?

That does seem slow. I have no idea why. Just for comparison and reference, here's my results with the 225 gr Nosler Bal Tip using 56.5 grs of RL-15.


Date: 1/20/2002
Cartridge: .35 Whelen
Firearm: Ruger M77 MkII
Barrel Length: 22"
Bullet: 225 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
Powder: 56.5 gr of RL-15
Case Make: W-W (.30-06 brass)
Primer: WLR
C.O.L.: 3.34"

Chrono Summary (10 shots)
Average Velocity: 2,608 fps
AverageEnergy: 3,399 ft lbs
High Velocity: 2,622 fps
Low Velocity: 2,599 fps
Extreme Spread: 23 fps
Standard Deviation: 6 fps

I've had excellent results with RL-15 in my .35 Whelen and 9.3x62. FWIW: The only thing I can suggest is that maybe you got a slow lot of RL-15 powder. Buy another pound of RL-15 from a different lot, chronograph your loads, and see how they compare between powder lots. It couldn't hurt to compare them and it won't be very expensive to try it.

-Bob F.

 

[saalfelder]

My suspicion is that I either got a slow lot of RL15 or perhaps the manufacturer changed the burn rate a bit.

Before I try another lot of the same I might try a load with my AA2520 that I have on hand. I've had pretty good success with it in other calibers.

But I can't complain about the group size and even at that velocity it should still knock the heck out of a Whitetail.

 

[Alaska]

35 Whelen in 7600 Pump
IMR 4320 @ 56.0
250 Speer Spitzer
Fed 210 Match Primer
FC or WW cases
3.33 COL"
2535 FPS Very Accurate in Rem 7600



www.35cal.com


Sounds like you are underloading the 35 Whel........check this website!

Waiting for a Rem 7600 Pump Carbine in 35 Whelen to come out!
I have found IMR 4320 to a excellent powder in the 35 Whel and 338-06. Reloader 15 is also a good powder!

 

[FOTIS]

I used 60gr of RL 15 with the 225's. Right at 2700 fps.

 

[Guest]

Like POP-60grains of RL 15 with 225 BT=2740 with 24" tube. 57.5=2600fps. The 57.5 load shoots bugholes, so that is what I use. The 60 grain load averages just over 1" Stoney

 

[Eagleye]

Like the last two posters, 60.0 grains of RL 15 behind the 225 Partition or the 225 Ballistic tip gives 2740 or so in my 24" M700CDL Another similar load is 60 grains of Vihtavuori N540, which graphs within 15 fps of the RL 15 load. I use 58.5 grains RL 15 behind the 250 grain bullet for right around 2610 fps. These are not absolute max loads in my rifle, but they shoot very well, and hit like the hammer of Thor. I shot a nice muley and a Moose this fall with this rifle and the 225 Partition, and they were bang-flops. Longest shot was 168 yards. Regards, Eagleye.

 

[RogueRiver]

it shoots great in my whelen

 

[FOTIS]

I hate to say I told you so.... :mrgreen: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Just kiddin'

try it, up the charge and you will see.

 

[Jeff Olsen]

225 gr NBT's with 56 grains of 4064 and a CCI BR-2 in my 35 Whelen AI get me 2460 fps

59 grains of 4350 gives me 2340 fps...

That does seem slow...

I get 2500 fps from a 20" barrel with 225 Partitions in my .358 Win. Without getting up and looking I think that's with IMR 4895. I can't wait to try the new 225 AccuBond when it comes out, though it may be too long for my magazine, and too tough for those speeds.

I get 2610 fps with 200-gn Hornady's from the the same rifle. That's using an over-book load of RL7. Way over book. Kept adding powder, velocity kept going up, primers stayed round, brass lasts forever... what the heck. Works for me. I won't put my load out in public other than to say, if you are loading for .358 Win, try some RL7 and if all is going well at max, uhhhhh.... load more of the stuff!

-jeff

 

[JARoot]

Like POP-60grains of RL 15 with 225 BT=2740 with 24" tube. 57.5=2600fps. The 57.5 load shoots bugholes, so that is what I use. The 60 grain load averages just over 1" Stoney

FWIW

shot this same load this weekend from the 35 Whelen AI... with CCI BR-2 COL of 3.500 (puts me .015 off the rifling). 24" (OAL so 22" of rifling roughly) Douglas XX Tube... Chronoed right at 2550 @ 15 ft from the muzzle... shot .375 C/L to C/L, 5 rounds @ 100.

58.5 grains shot almost as well cept i shanked one, velocity was just into the 2600 range... 59.5 grains gave me a bit of a headache but was averaging 2650ish maybe a bit more...

for what i am doing that 57.5 grain load works fine and i can enjoy shooting it.... SD was right at 6.6, best of the 4 loads i tried... (56.5 - 59.5 per 1 grain step - same primer, same bullet same OAL).

now if i had only know the 225 BT's were goin bye bye i would have stocked up.... bummer...

Hi Ho Hi Ho off to deer camp we go

 

[Jeff Olsen]

now if i had only know the 225 BT's were goin bye bye i would have stocked up.... bummer...

Oh really? So it's just going to be the 225 AccuBond? Hmmm. I guess that is OK; I never got hooked on the BT anyway. Was the 225 BT a good deer bullet?

-jeff