RiverRider
Handloader
- Dec 9, 2008
- 1,436
- 71
It looks like this will be an easy caliber to work with, based on my first experience with it.
Looking over the data, I have noticed that the gains in velocity are not so great as the powder charges are increased. I suppose this is due to the relatively large bore. It leads me to believe that velocity variations will be relatively small also.
Everywhere I looked---including here on these boards, guys were recommending Re15. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it locally. I was at Cabela's one afternoon looking for components and they had no Re15 either. Wanting to hear my new rifle go "boom," I looked in a Nosler manual they had laying on the counter. I forget which edition it is, but it shows .35 whelen loads that are waaaaaay more potent than some other data I've seen. That manual showed Varget as yielding 2800 fps with 225-grain Accubonds, so I bought a pound of it.
With Varget and the 225-grain AccuBond, I got the following results:
57.5 gr. / Varget 2650 fps
58.5 gr. / Varget 2729 fps
59.5 gr. / Varget 2768 fps TOO HOT!
The 59.5-grain charge caused slightly sticky bolt lift, so I am regarding the 58.5-grain charge as being maximum for my rifle. This is fine, as the compressed charge is making it difficult to maintain a set OAL. I think 2700 fps with a 225-grain bullet is awesome anyway! What will I not be able to absolutely hammer with that load, short of Cape Buffalo???
I was expecting the rifle to be somewhat punishing off sandbags, so I brought along a puss-pad that I bought years ago as a futile attempt to get along with a 700 Mountain Rifle I had back in the old days. I sure don't miss that brutal, hateful, miserable, vicious, demon-possessed hunk of steel and walnut...but I digress. The Whelen's recoil was actually on the mild side. My .280 speaks back at higher volume than the Whelen does. The recoil shield was never even thought of after the first shot.
In the meantime, my buddy at work gave me a quarter pound of Re15 to play with. I'll shoot some of that just to see what happens. It may be a better powder, but even if it's not I think I will be quite satisfied with Varget.
I think I'm going to enjoy this rifle!
Looking over the data, I have noticed that the gains in velocity are not so great as the powder charges are increased. I suppose this is due to the relatively large bore. It leads me to believe that velocity variations will be relatively small also.
Everywhere I looked---including here on these boards, guys were recommending Re15. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it locally. I was at Cabela's one afternoon looking for components and they had no Re15 either. Wanting to hear my new rifle go "boom," I looked in a Nosler manual they had laying on the counter. I forget which edition it is, but it shows .35 whelen loads that are waaaaaay more potent than some other data I've seen. That manual showed Varget as yielding 2800 fps with 225-grain Accubonds, so I bought a pound of it.
With Varget and the 225-grain AccuBond, I got the following results:
57.5 gr. / Varget 2650 fps
58.5 gr. / Varget 2729 fps
59.5 gr. / Varget 2768 fps TOO HOT!
The 59.5-grain charge caused slightly sticky bolt lift, so I am regarding the 58.5-grain charge as being maximum for my rifle. This is fine, as the compressed charge is making it difficult to maintain a set OAL. I think 2700 fps with a 225-grain bullet is awesome anyway! What will I not be able to absolutely hammer with that load, short of Cape Buffalo???
I was expecting the rifle to be somewhat punishing off sandbags, so I brought along a puss-pad that I bought years ago as a futile attempt to get along with a 700 Mountain Rifle I had back in the old days. I sure don't miss that brutal, hateful, miserable, vicious, demon-possessed hunk of steel and walnut...but I digress. The Whelen's recoil was actually on the mild side. My .280 speaks back at higher volume than the Whelen does. The recoil shield was never even thought of after the first shot.
In the meantime, my buddy at work gave me a quarter pound of Re15 to play with. I'll shoot some of that just to see what happens. It may be a better powder, but even if it's not I think I will be quite satisfied with Varget.
I think I'm going to enjoy this rifle!
