Savage 111 New Project Rifle Turning into 35 Whelen

[JD338]

Hawk,
Don't worry about the 1:14 barrel twist, it will stabilize the 250 gr bullets just fine. My 700 Classic 35 Whelen has a 1:16 twist and does just fine with 200, 225 and 250 gr bullets.

JD338

Will the 1 in 14 stabilize a 275gr, and up to a 285gr bullet? Or even up to the 310gr?


Hawk

I would suspect that a 1:14 would handle the heavier bullet weights but I can't confirm. With a 250 gr PT at 2600 fps, it's a penetrating power house. Do you really need more bullet weight?

JD338

 

[Joec7651]

No muzzle brakes. X caliber bolt-on barrel

+1 here, you won’t be disappointed. I love that your going with the Whelen as I’m kicking around the idea myself. Just my personal opinion, please give it no more thought than that, I HATE the way a muzzle break looks on a hunting rifle, and you brush leaves, grass, and tree bark out of your face. Btw, don’t lay it across the hood of your truck and shoot it with a muzzle break. Speaking for a friend. LOL.

I guess I’m old enough that when I started shooting and hunting there weren’t any muzzle brakes, so I don’t really know what it’s like to use one.
I’m guessing you “friend” has burn or scorch marks on their truck hood?!? LOL

Hawk

Actually it cracked “his” windshield. LOL :lol:

 

[PJGunner]

When I had a muzzle brake put on my .338 Win. Mag., the gunsmith warned me to not shoot the gun off the hood of a car or truck, at least nut unless you want to replace windshields.

FWIW, the 338-06 is a ballistic clone of the old .318 Westley-Richards. The .35 Whelen is really a clone of the .350 Rigby Magnum. The .318 was also called the .318 Rimless Nitro Express and pushed a 250 gr. bullet to 2,400 FPS. The .350 Rigby Magnum pushed a 225 gr. bullet to 2,600 FPS. I easily reach 2,710 FPS in my Mauser Whelen with 24" barrel and 2,600 FPS is easy in the Ruger 77 and Remington 700 with their 22" barrels. Note that the British ammo was loading down due to those cartridges were meant for use in places like Africa and Indian. Powder was most likely cordite which was extremely
temperature sensitive.
Paul B.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

Hawk,
Don't worry about the 1:14 barrel twist, it will stabilize the 250 gr bullets just fine. My 700 Classic 35 Whelen has a 1:16 twist and does just fine with 200, 225 and 250 gr bullets.

JD338

Will the 1 in 14 stabilize a 275gr, and up to a 285gr bullet? Or even up to the 310gr?


Hawk

I would suspect that a 1:14 would handle the heavier bullet weights but I can't confirm. With a 250 gr PT at 2600 fps, it's a penetrating power house. Do you really need more bullet weight?

JD338

No, I suppose I won’t need any more penetration than the 250 gr PT.
I know PT’s bore through like nothing else.
So, I guess you’re right.


Hawk


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[HAWKEYESATX]

No muzzle brakes. X caliber bolt-on barrel

+1 here, you won’t be disappointed. I love that your going with the Whelen as I’m kicking around the idea myself. Just my personal opinion, please give it no more thought than that, I HATE the way a muzzle break looks on a hunting rifle, and you brush leaves, grass, and tree bark out of your face. Btw, don’t lay it across the hood of your truck and shoot it with a muzzle break. Speaking for a friend. LOL.

I guess I’m old enough that when I started shooting and hunting there weren’t any muzzle brakes, so I don’t really know what it’s like to use one.
I’m guessing you “friend” has burn or scorch marks on their truck hood?!? LOL

Hawk

Actually it cracked “his” windshield. LOL :lol:

Oooo!
Well, yes that will do it!
LOL

Hawk


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[HAWKEYESATX]

When I had a muzzle brake put on my .338 Win. Mag., the gunsmith warned me to not shoot the gun off the hood of a car or truck, at least nut unless you want to replace windshields.

FWIW, the 338-06 is a ballistic clone of the old .318 Westley-Richards. The .35 Whelen is really a clone of the .350 Rigby Magnum. The .318 was also called the .318 Rimless Nitro Express and pushed a 250 gr. bullet to 2,400 FPS. The .350 Rigby Magnum pushed a 225 gr. bullet to 2,600 FPS. I easily reach 2,710 FPS in my Mauser Whelen with 24" barrel and 2,600 FPS is easy in the Ruger 77 and Remington 700 with their 22" barrels. Note that the British ammo was loading down due to those cartridges were meant for use in places like Africa and Indian. Powder was most likely cordite which was extremely
temperature sensitive.
Paul B.

You’re quite correct. That old cordite stuff was extremely temp sensitive! [emoji51]

That’s really good velocities for the 250gr bullets!

Ain’t gonna stop the 250gr PT’s at those velocities. Even on the biggest brutes North America has.
I’m betting it would be really good against most of anything in Africa too.


Hawk


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[HAWKEYESATX]

I have to tell everyone!

I ordered my stainless steel 24 inch magnum contour 1 in 14 inch 35 Whelen barrel today!!

I should be getting the barrel just before my birthday!!


Hawk

 

[DrMike]

Excellent acquisition. Congratulations.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

Excellent acquisition. Congratulations.

Thank you very much DrMike!
I really appreciate it, especially coming from you.
You have been a mountain of help along the way!


Hawk

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[mjcmichigan]

Hawk keep us posted. I think my 3006 savage 111 will eventually become a 35 Whelan…


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[HAWKEYESATX]

Hawk keep us posted. I think my 3006 savage 111 will eventually become a 35 Whelan…


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Oh I certainly will keep you posted!

Savage rifles are awesome! Especially when you can change their barrels out and make have a different caliber than the original one bought.


Hawk

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

Will a 35 Whelen headspace gauge work on a 9.3x62? I noticed the 9.3x62 has the same 17 degree, 30 minute shoulder as the .30-06, and the 35 Whelen.


Hawk


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[SJB358]

Different shoulder placement between the two.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

Different shoulder placement between the two.

Ok, that’s what I was thinking.

Thanks you for replying.


Hawk

 

[345 kv]

Midway has a Forster headspace gauge for 35 Whelen on sale

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

Midway has a Forster headspace gauge for 35 Whelen on sale

Yes, I saw that and purchased it.

Thank you for the info.


Hawk

 

[KinleyWater]

Hawk - congrats on the project, I'm sure you'll be satisfied.

re: the velocities I've seen mentioned: I had an email exchange with a rep from Sierra about the 225 GK, and he was convinced that 2750 was a good velocity out of my 22 inch 700 Classic. I've never tried, so I do not know.

I will say that I cannot imagine a situation in the US, and certainly not in the coterminous 48, that would require a heavier bullet than 225 or 250, though I do lust after the notion of a 310 grain bullet in mine.

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

Hawk - congrats on the project, I'm sure you'll be satisfied.

re: the velocities I've seen mentioned: I had an email exchange with a rep from Sierra about the 225 GK, and he was convinced that 2750 was a good velocity out of my 22 inch 700 Classic. I've never tried, so I do not know.

I will say that I cannot imagine a situation in the US, and certainly not in the coterminous 48, that would require a heavier bullet than 225 or 250, though I do lust after the notion of a 310 grain bullet in mine.

Ah yes!

So you know about the 35 Whelen as well.
That’s respectable velocity with a 225gr GK.
I believe you’re right, there’s nothing on this continent that can withstand a 35 Whelen.
I know of a guy on another forum that has gotten velocities of the 225gr GK and AB up to 2850fps.
Also, his speeds with the 250’s are around 2700 fps. Those are whoppers, no doubt. He has a muzzle brake, of course, and a really good decelerator butt pad.
I don’t think I’ll be pushing it that much, I think.
But then again!!! [emoji2957][emoji38][emoji16]


Hawk

 

[KinleyWater]

I have a real fondness for the Whelen. One of my personal favorite loads is the 180grain Speer HotCor loaded a couple of grains below max with RL-15. I get about 2700 or so, very modest recoil, and very good accuracy.

 

[lhsako]

Howdy all!


I finally got around to trading for a Savage 111 in .270 Win, but she’s not going to stay in that caliber. As you might have noticed above, I’m going to switch her barrel out for either an ER Shaw 24 inch, 1 in 14 inch twist, stainless barrel kit on Midway USA website, or get a Shilen barrel in the same 35 Whelen.

As some on here have known, I’ve been bit by the 35 Whelen bug, yet again, and am now going to cure that bite by making this rifle into a long awaited 35 Whelen.

Do any of you think I should have the barrel threaded, and put a muzzle brake on, or do you think the rifle will be heavy enough as is?

Anything else I should do, if anyone else can think of something?


Hawk

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No on the brake. Have you looked at Brux or bartlien barrels?