Bob Nelson convinced me - 35 Whelen

[Forrest Halley]

A very wise man once said.....the 35 Whelen is merely a lengthened and slightly necked up 243 Win.

@TOBY458
Mate I don't think he was that wise. I think they were having delusional thoughts of grandeur and at spending time on the wacky backy and sippin whiskey.
Bob

It seems Toby went on a fishing expedition and it only took three minutes to land a whopper! Haha!

 

[crs]

It is good to see the boys having so much fun with their toys!

 

[jduckhunter]

I have to really stop reading this stuff. I found myself talking to my gunsmith the other evening about starting a Whelen project. I have no idea what I would use it for but it just seemed like a good idea at the time. I guess it would fill in the gap between my 338 WM and my 375 Ruger, at least that's what I've convinced myself of. It's kind of like a necessity, yeah that's what it is a necessity.

 

[gbflyer]

The powders I have on hand:
H4350
H335
IMR 4064
IMR 7828
RL-22
RL-26
IMR 4198
and several pistol powders

I think one of those above would work at first.
Then I will get CFE223.

Does Varget work well?


Hawk

There are some Varget loads and H335. Here is an old article with some H335 #’s.

http://www.35cal.com/35whelen.htm

 

[HuntingGold]

I just learned I drew an elk tag for this November. I'm looking forward to completing this project and carrying it afield soon.

 

[leslie hetrick]

if you take me along, i,ll let you use your choice of my three 35 whelens, a ruger #1, a 700 remington CDL or a custom 98 mauser van patton. pretty please.

 

[HuntingGold]

It's just a run of the mill Oregon hunt with about 10% success rate. Generally speaking, one takes the first legal bull and is happy to have had the chance. It'll be a hunt with my father and cousin, that's the best part.
I actually drew the tag last year and had to stay home due to Covid. I had it and then had to take care of my wife after she came home after 5 days in the hospital. Needless to say I was shocked to see I had drawn the tag again and will get another chance to go.
Here is a pic of the country and my last bull. My beloved .270 claimed another bull. I took a pic of that tree and found that bull in a little canyon directly behind it about 20 minutes after the photo.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I just learned I drew an elk tag for this November. I'm looking forward to completing this project and carrying it afield soon.

@hunting Gold
I nice 225 grain accubonds or Woodleigh PPSP and off you go.
Sight in 3 inches high and have fun out to 350 yards. At 300 yards hold the top of a 6 inch gong and small it every time.
Bob

 

[Tbitty]

All this talk about the great 35 Whelen and what should I come across at this weekend's gun show.. a nice 700 Classic that doesn't look like it has seen much use.

After a little negotiating, I've joined the @Bob Nelson 35Whelen ranks. As a long time fan of the 25-06 and 30-06, I figured a good "35-06" adds a nice touch. Going to have to find me some components and dies to try a few of the loads referenced in this thread.

 

[Ray B]

@HuntingGold - That looks similar to the country and the attitude of the area I hunted when growing up- Starkey and Beulah units. Nice to see they still have some elk there.

As for the 35 Whelen and being a necked out 243, I'd say it is better described as a less powered necked down 404 J.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@HuntingGold - That looks similar to the country and the attitude of the area I hunted when growing up- Starkey and Beulah units. Nice to see they still have some elk there.

As for the 35 Whelen and being a necked out 243, I'd say it is better described as a less powered necked down 404 J.

@Ray B
At least someone has some insight into the Whelan it is a very underrated cartridge. Loaded properly it gives the 338 wimp mag a run for its money.
The words 35 Whelen should NEVER be used anywhere the useless 243 is mentioned. The 243 never was or will be a hunting cartridge in my book. Might be fine for squirrels at a pinch but that's it's upper limit.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

All this talk about the great 35 Whelen and what should I come across at this weekend's gun show.. a nice 700 Classic that doesn't look like it has seen much use.

After a little negotiating, I've joined the @Bob Nelson 35Whelen ranks. As a long time fan of the 25-06 and 30-06, I figured a good "35-06" adds a nice touch. Going to have to find me some components and dies to try a few of the loads referenced in this thread.

@Tbitty
Welcome to the fold of intelligence mate owning both a 25 ought six and a Whelen is the pinnacle of hunting reason for HUNTING all game in all state of the USA and all plains game.
A 25 pushing a 120 grain AFRAME at over 3,000 fps will h as ndle 90% the rest is covers by the Whelen with a 225 or 250 grain at 2,700 to 2900fps.
Bob
You are truly a wise man. If you can't get the Remington try for the Ruger.
Bob.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

All this talk about the great 35 Whelen and what should I come across at this weekend's gun show.. a nice 700 Classic that doesn't look like it has seen much use.

After a little negotiating, I've joined the @Bob Nelson 35Whelen ranks. As a long time fan of the 25-06 and 30-06, I figured a good "35-06" adds a nice touch. Going to have to find me some components and dies to try a few of the loads referenced in this thread.

@Tbitty We are now starting a Whelen revolution by the looks of the numbers joining the fold.
We still need to get A CoElkHunter, @CBH and the cream would be if @BeeMaa would get a Whelen barrel for his Blaser R8 to join the elite heights of reasoning.
Bob

 

[HuntingGold]

We need to rename it to the 35 Nelson or the 35 Bob

 

[HuntingGold]

I like to give me rifles names. My .270 is EmmyLou. My .260 is Katie. My 280 AI is Lori Darlin.

Originally I was going to name the .35 Whelen, "Colonel" but may just name it "Bob."

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

We need to rename it to the 35 Nelson or the 35 Bob

@hunting Gold
Or the 35 O'Connor because I like the Whelen as much as Jack O'Connor liked the 270..
Jack would roll over in his grave if we did as he liked the smaller bores.
Old Elmer Kieth would be happy tho.
Actually the 35 Whelen suits it just fine. It can be loaded to decent speeds, shoots flat enough for ranges out to 350 yards and packs a big enough punch out to as far as is sensible to shoot game. It won't knock your hat off or rattle your fillings when you pull the trigger either. What more do you need.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I like to give me rifles names. My .270 is EmmyLou. My .260 is Katie. My 280 AI is Lori Darlin.

Originally I was going to name the .35 Whelen, "Colonel" but may just name it "Bob."

@hunting Gold
As much as I am flattered there are far better names. You can't name a rifle after an ugly old bastard like me plus someone may mistake it for the o the great cartridge the 257 Roberts that is often called the 257 Bob.
Bob

 

[hawkeyesatx]

@Tbitty
Welcome to the fold of intelligence mate owning both a 25 ought six and a Whelen is the pinnacle of hunting reason for HUNTING all game in all state of the USA and all plains game.
A 25 pushing a 120 grain AFRAME at over 3,000 fps will h as ndle 90% the rest is covers by the Whelen with a 225 or 250 grain at 2,700 to 2900fps.
Bob
You are truly a wise man. If you can't get the Remington try for the Ruger.
Bob.

I can tell you, that I’m not a big fan of the .25-06. I had one bad deer hunting adventure with one I owned a little over 30 years ago. My shot placement was perfect, but the bullet failed, and in turn wounded the poor deer. Someone else had to go back into the area, and using a .270, got it.
That’s why I hunt with a 6.5x55, a 7x57, a .30-06, or in the near future a .35 Whelen.
Those of us who know, the .358 cal rifles, are outstanding game getters! The .35 Whelen deserves every accolade it gets. It’s a classic cartridge that hits way harder than it’s paper ballistics.
It’s eager to please.
The velocities it gets is amazing, to say the least!
Plus, it’ll whop the big critters here in North America with authority.
It’s not the flattest shooting, but within practical hunting distances, it’s plenty flat enough.
Now, if you use a premium bullet, like the Barnes 200 gr TTSX, or the Nosler 225 gr Accubond, traveling along at 2800-2900 fps,
you’re going to be golden on what you aim at, and put those pills in the vital areas.
It wouldn’t surprise me that after you pull the trigger, and readjust, and rack another round in the chamber, that you see a dust cloud rising up from where the animal you shot flopped down, dead before it hit the ground.
Now, what’s not to like about that?



Hawk

 

[WAB]

I like to give me rifles names. My .270 is EmmyLou. My .260 is Katie. My 280 AI is Lori Darlin.

Originally I was going to name the .35 Whelen, "Colonel" but may just name it "Bob."

LOL, I do the same with special rifles. My .375 became ‘thumper’ after flattening a couple of bear, and my 7x57 became bliksem after 7 consecutive one shot kills in Zim.

 

[Lee M]

I have to really stop reading this stuff. I found myself talking to my gunsmith the other evening about starting a Whelen project. I have no idea what I would use it for but it just seemed like a good idea at the time. I guess it would fill in the gap between my 338 WM and my 375 Ruger, at least that's what I've convinced myself of. It's kind of like a necessity, yeah that's what it is a necessity.

I’m probably going to get Bob riled up with this comment but if you hand load the 338 WM as aggressively as he does the 35 Whelen with 225 or 250 grain bullets the 338 WM will be ballistically superior. It’s simply a matter of powder capacity and the 338 case holds more. Comparing factory loads of a 338 WM to hot 35 Whelen loads is just not an apples to apples comparison. The whelen is a good caliber but it’s just a necked up 30.06. It seems to have taken on mystical characteristics in this and a few other threads on AH. If you want something to fill a gap between the 338 WM and 375 Ruger you’ll need something bigger than a 35 Whelen. But if you are looking for a new, effective caliber with less recoil than a 338 WM by all means get one. We all could use a new gun/caliber in the gun safe.