I picked up a Ruger 1AB 30/06 that is new in the box from a friend. My plan is to ship it to JES and have it rebored to 35 Whelen or 35 Whelen Ack Imp. Does anyone know if JES does a 35 Whelen Ack Imp chambering when he rebores? Please give me your thoughts on going 35 Whelen or 35 Whelen Ack Imp, since a 1AB has a 22" barrel. My son uses a Rem 7600 in 35 Whelen, which has a 22" barrel and he has taken a number of deer out to 300 yards without a problem. I have another 1AB in 7X57 that I really love to hunt with and carry, so think a 1AB in a Whelen will be a great hunting combo. I just wish I was younger so that I had more years to carry it.
Another Whelen Project
- Thread starter grry10
- Start date
JES will do either one you want. I'd suggest sending him a dummy though with a bullet seated out where you want it though. You can send him a plain old Whelen just for reference for that also.
I'd do an Ackley or regular. Whichever you have and can get dies for. I have a few of them and would ask him to go 1-10 on the twist. So far, I haven't seen any negative to extra RPM's for the big bullets, all I've done have shot really well.
A 22" #1 would be a handy dandy rifle though. My latest is 22", but in a bolt gun and I love it! It gets more than plenty enough speed as well.
I'd do an Ackley or regular. Whichever you have and can get dies for. I have a few of them and would ask him to go 1-10 on the twist. So far, I haven't seen any negative to extra RPM's for the big bullets, all I've done have shot really well.
A 22" #1 would be a handy dandy rifle though. My latest is 22", but in a bolt gun and I love it! It gets more than plenty enough speed as well.
HAWKEYESATX
Handloader
- Aug 15, 2016
- 1,805
- 63
From what I’ve read, JES will do an outstanding rebore/rechamber for almost any rifle.
Scotty, the above [emoji115] poster knows his stuff, along with other ones on here. They won’t steer you wrong.
I, myself, was thinking the same thing just a couple weeks ago.
I’m switching a barrel out on my Savage 111 to just regular 35 Whelen. For me, the 35 Whelen AI doesn’t really offer that much more velocity than the plain Jane 35 Whelen.
Now, on the other hand, I’m going to send off a rifle myself to JES to have them rebore/rechamber it 9.3x62 Mauser, a ballistic twin of the 35 Whelen, that is legal to use in some countries in Africa.
I’m going to do what Scotty suggested, 3 groove, 1 in 10 inch twist. Why? Just because it’s interesting to use HEAVY bullets and have them stabilized to use here in the states, and hopefully, someday, in Africa too.
Hawk
Scotty, the above [emoji115] poster knows his stuff, along with other ones on here. They won’t steer you wrong.
I, myself, was thinking the same thing just a couple weeks ago.
I’m switching a barrel out on my Savage 111 to just regular 35 Whelen. For me, the 35 Whelen AI doesn’t really offer that much more velocity than the plain Jane 35 Whelen.
Now, on the other hand, I’m going to send off a rifle myself to JES to have them rebore/rechamber it 9.3x62 Mauser, a ballistic twin of the 35 Whelen, that is legal to use in some countries in Africa.
I’m going to do what Scotty suggested, 3 groove, 1 in 10 inch twist. Why? Just because it’s interesting to use HEAVY bullets and have them stabilized to use here in the states, and hopefully, someday, in Africa too.
Hawk
HAWKEYESATX
Handloader
- Aug 15, 2016
- 1,805
- 63
+1gbflyer":245fmpae said:
He is so very correct on that one!
Hawk
KinleyWater
Handloader
- Jun 15, 2019
- 1,017
- 1,308
35 Whelen is an outstanding choice, so you can't really go wrong from that starting point.
I don't have an AI, but from everything I understand, it really just isn't worth it in this chambering. If velocity is the only question, I think the answer would be to get an off-the-shelf 338 WinMag, or the like. Plenty of velocity. But, if you want a 35, I suggest the standard; it will do all you ask of it, do it well, and do it every time.
*one note: I have read that the AI might (might) be better for headspace than the standard. Again, I do not have an AI, so I do not know. However, I have fired factory Hornady, Federal, and Remington out of my rifle, as well as hand loads with the following bullets using brass from all of the above: 180 Speer, 200 H. FTX, 200 H. Interlock, 225 Sierra GK, 250 Speer, 250 NP. From starting loads to max, I have had a grand total of 0 (zero) issues with any round headspacing. I've as many as 6 loads on some of my brass as well.
I don't have an AI, but from everything I understand, it really just isn't worth it in this chambering. If velocity is the only question, I think the answer would be to get an off-the-shelf 338 WinMag, or the like. Plenty of velocity. But, if you want a 35, I suggest the standard; it will do all you ask of it, do it well, and do it every time.
*one note: I have read that the AI might (might) be better for headspace than the standard. Again, I do not have an AI, so I do not know. However, I have fired factory Hornady, Federal, and Remington out of my rifle, as well as hand loads with the following bullets using brass from all of the above: 180 Speer, 200 H. FTX, 200 H. Interlock, 225 Sierra GK, 250 Speer, 250 NP. From starting loads to max, I have had a grand total of 0 (zero) issues with any round headspacing. I've as many as 6 loads on some of my brass as well.
