OK Whelen fans....here's your chance to sound off.

[Anonymous]

OK Whelen fans...

Been staring at a Kimber Montana on the bench for about a week. It's an 8400 chambered in '06, probably twenty rounds down the tube and not a scratch on it...as much as I've used the '06 in the past, I just can't get my blood pressure up about it. It's so...."meh" :| <shrugs shoulders>.

I've got a .300WSM that I love and a .308 I love.... I just can't see an '06 getting much play time as it's ballistically smack dab in the middle of these two...and for giggles I've got a .270 to boot.

Thinking that I could spin that '06 tube off and spin another one on in .35 Whelen and have a weatherproof, feather weight power house. Could probably sell off the Kimber barrel to partially fund the project as well.

Gave some thought to aperture sights only but the Montana stock has such a high comb I don't think I could get behind them with resorting to 1" high pedestal mounts in the back and a front sight blade that looked like it belongs on an old Caddy.

Maybe a straight 4x or 1.5-5x Leupold... should be able to keep the whole thing under 7 lbs ready to go.

What length barrel does the Whelen need...going with the bigger bore, shorter barrel theory is a 20 or 21" too short? Any idea on twist rate? 200 and 225 seem to be the standard weights but the 250s really interest me.

What do you think? Am I missing anything?

 

[DrMike]

Sounds like a most gratifying plan. I like a twelve twist, though a fourteen twist is acceptable for the Whelen. A twenty-inch tube is sufficient, though I do prefer a twenty-two inch or longer tube. I can always screw on a thinner tube, as you don't really bang away with the Whelen (or at least, I don't). I haven't found a 3-9 scope to be too much for my Whelens. I've had 3-9X36 Zeiss Diavari and 3-9X42 Kahles, and it was not too much scope. However, if your eyes are reasonably decent, a 4X would work just fine for the cartridge.

 

[sask boy]

Great choice :wink: I have a 24" PacNor barrel on mine if you go 1-12 you would not have any problems with the 250gr. I personally went with the 1-14 as I don't plan on shooting anything heavier than a 225gr out of mine. The 1-14 is more than adequate for 250grs also.
I loaded 225gr. ABs last fall & they did a excellent job, I had a .75 or so MOA & speed of just over 2700fps.
Plan on doing some reassure on the 200gr. ABs in the coming month.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[tddeangelo]

Have you thought of having it rebored instead of rebarreled?

I'll be able to report on my JES rebore project here in a couple weeks. Rifle is likely done, as Jesse told me he'd be shipping it back "early this week" sometime. Hope to have it in a week or so. I had a Model 70 30-06 rebored to a Whelen.

 

[sask boy]

Sure looking forward to see how that project turns out!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Guy Miner]

That's an interesting option, re-boring the existing barrel... I've heard good things about JES.

Guy

 

[tddeangelo]

I have, too, so I went for it. $225 plus one-way shipping gets me a cut-rifled barrel, and reviews on the work done by Jesse are quite good. That price gets 3-groove rifling, $250 gets 4- or 5-groove.

I spoke with Jesse on the phone, and inquired about the groove count. He said he does 3-groove on all his own stuff, but offers 4- and 5- because some people insist on it.

I was pretty pleased with the couple of phone calls I had with him prior to sending him the rifle. I will wait to see and shoot the rifle before forming an opinion, obviously, but so far, things look to be headed in the proper direction.

 

[RiverRider]

I think if I went with a 20-inch barrel I might go with the faster twist. RPMs is the name of the game and if velocity is compromised with a shorter barrel, the higher rate of twist could be helpful with 250s and above.

 

[Anonymous]

I've got some friends who've had JES do a re-bore with excellent results.

I wonder with the Montana's thin contour if you could safely go .358? If so, that would make a light rifle even lighter....

 

[DrMike]

I would think that a conversation with JES would be informative at the least. I hadn't thought of reboring, but it does sound as if that would be the way to go. If so, I should think that a three groove barrel would be fine.

 

[tddeangelo]

Hodgeman,

A friend of mine has a Ruger out with JES now as well. It was a 338WM, and he rebored it to 358 Norma. There was enough metal to save the muzzlebrake that pre-existed on the rifle (i.e. it didn't get too thin under the threads for the brake).

Given the 338 bore and turned threads on the barrel and it was still thick enough to save the brake, I'd say you have a good chance on your Montana, BUT....I would suggest calling Jesse at JES and he'll talk it through with you.

My rifle is likely done, but he may have to test fire it yet, and it should be on it's way back to me here any day now. I have brass and components either in-hand or en-route and due in before the rifle. I intend to have some loads ready when the rifle is good to go and we'll see how it turned out. I'll definitely post a report.

 

[tddeangelo]

By the way, SPS has 250gr PT's now for a GOOD price. If you're serious about the Whelen, now's the time to get bullets. Midway also has Speer HotCor's (250's) for a good price as well. Both Midway and SPS also have Whelen brass.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Or you could make it a 338-06.

 

[JD338]

Great choice.
A VX-3 2.5-8x36mm would be an excellent scope for the 36 Whelen

JD338

 

[alaska100]

You should check with JES, they do a good job. We have a 22 inch barrel with a 12 twist and use 225 and 250 Swift A Frames using RL 15. This gun with this combination has become a gun for all game, as it has taken wolf up to Brown Bear. Scopes are pretty much whatever works best for you as there are several nice scopes in the market these days. We like the Swaro scopes, but there are some good scopes on the market now for less money. This gun has a 3-9-36 Z3. large field of view which we like. Overall, it is a nice scope and works well on this gun

 

[tddeangelo]

I have a 3-10x42 Z3 waiting to sit atop my Whelen when it gets here. I also think the larger FOV of a smaller power scope will be desirable on that rifle. Actually, I think the 3-9 range is about ideal, although a 2-7 works, too, if the objective and/or glass quality is sufficient to provide enough light.

I plan on taking my Whelen as my go-to rifle this year, unless it doesn't perform well at the range. It should do well, but I guess one never knows till the rifle is actually shot on paper.

I bet a Montana in 35W would be a pretty slick rig.

 

[AzDak42]

Thinking that I could spin that '06 tube off and spin another one on in .35 Whelen and have a weatherproof, feather weight power house.
..
should be able to keep the whole thing under 7 lbs ready to go.

After owning a very light weight Nosler 48 in 35 and having shot a few fairly heavy 700's and Model 70s in 35, I'd put serious thought into going lightweight.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Nosler Rifle, there is nothing I'd rather tote up and down mountains chasing elk. You never notice the recoil when it counts and it's a dream to carry.

But if you're going to spend more time fiddling at the bench than you are carrying in the field, the 35 is a shoulder thumper in a very light rifle.

 

[Anonymous]

But if you're going to spend more time fiddling at the bench than you are carrying in the field, the 35 is a shoulder thumper in a very light rifle.

I'd considered the recoil but ultimately don't think it will be an issue. I only shoot a gun off the bench once a year for administrative purposes or to mount a new scope....other than that it's all practice from field positions or actually hunting.

I carry one far more than shoot it.

 

[gerry]

A lightweight weatherproof 35 Whelen would be very useful where you live. My custom Rem 700 weighs 7.4 lbs all ready to go and is a dream to carry, I would imagine you could come in a bit lighter than that.

 

[longrangehunter]

I'm not sure the Kimber barrel would leave you with enough metal left afterwards? There're pretty thin to begin with. Besides you could sell that barrel, I did with my Kimber 300 WSM, and purchase a better barrel with the taper and twist of your choice.