My Latest Purchase 35 Whelen

[ChrisG]

Hi Rob,

You did a good job getting a nice even coat on there. You can get a set of Dem-Bart checkering tools to touch up the checkering afterward, as checkering usually doesn't have a "finish" applied to it. Just a sealer to darken the wood. All you need is the checkering tool that looks like an obtuse "V" and follow the lines. It will really touch up the appearance and add a lot of class to the rifle. It's very easy and I have done a bunch of stocks from touch ups to full checkering jobs. Once you get the hang of it you will start checkering EVERYTHING! Just follow the existing lines to sharpen the diamonds and it will be gorgeous. Enjoy the rifle! It will be a great Elk/Moose gun!

 

[Rule 303]

Just back from the range and accuracy looks promising, but 55s of IMR 4895 only nets 2276Fps with the 250g bullets so this week I,ll loads some rounds with RL15 and Win 748 and give it another go, also I finally contacted Remington and my rifle was just a run of the mill 35Whelen built in September of 1989 so much for a rare one off so I guess I'll stop giving it Celebrity status in my Gun closet

The powders I have found to work best in my Whelen are AR2208 (Varget, IMR4046), AR2206H (H4895, IMR4064) but the best by far is Bench Mark 8208 (IMR8208). 8208 should get a 250grain pill moving around the 2500 foot mark with 54 to 55 grains.

Nice work on the stock.

 

[Rob404]

The powders I have found to work best in my Whelen are AR2208 (Varget, IMR4046), AR2206H (H4895, IMR4064) but the best by far is Bench Mark 8208 (IMR8208). 8208 should get a 250grain pill moving around the 2500 foot mark with 54 to 55 grains.

Nice work on the stock.

Thanks, I'm giving some ReLoader 15 a go tomorrow

 

[Rob404]

Thanks, I'm giving some ReLoader 15 a go tomorrow

The change to Reloader 15 has upped the FPS to 2411fps I could load max and pick up a little more but I'm good with the result. I also tried some 225gr bullets with both Reloader 15 and Win 748 and the fps was almost identical at a touch over 2500fps, the thing that was different was the feel, the 225s seem damn near pleasant compared to the 250s so I suppose it will depend on what the groups look like.Win 748 seems to be a little more accurate than RL15 in my other rifles so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

 

[Shawn.54]

With the 225 ab my Whelen loves Reloader 15 it also likes them seated way long after shooting them I have never changed it in 20 years.

 

[abenson229]

Congrats and welcome to the club. I bought the Model 700 Classic when Remington legitimized the .35 Whelen in 1987 and have been using it ever since. Such an underrated cartridge, I don't understand why it isn't more popular.

 

[Shawn.54]

Congrats and welcome to the club. I bought the Model 700 Classic when Remington legitimized the .35 Whelen in 1987 and have been using it ever since. Such an underrated cartridge, I don't understand why it isn't more popular.

I have the same rifle and love it too the reason it did not take off was Remington down loaded it so much if you look up their original ammo it was only slightly better than the 35 Rem. I think they were afraid of all the wild cat guns on the market. If you reload it's great I think since other makers are making them now as well as ammo it should be better for non reloaders.

 

[Longwalker]

I shot a Rem 700 .35 Whelen for many years as my primary "big" game rifle. A couple dozen elk and a few moose and a mountain caribou would agree that it is an efficient killer. I replaced the BDL stock on mine with a Classic stock, and it remained like that for most of its career. Replaced it with a Sako AV Classic, and then more recently with a Verney-Carron 9.3x62. I love the medium bores! Good luck with yours, I'm sure it will serve well.

 

[Rule 303]

I have the same rifle and love it too the reason it did not take off was Remington down loaded it so much if you look up their original ammo it was only slightly better than the 35 Rem. I think they were afraid of all the wild cat guns on the market. If you reload it's great I think since other makers are making them now as well as ammo it should be better for non reloaders.

Remington have a bad habit of stuffing up their offerings by under loading, or wrong projectile weight, wrong twist rate etc. Cost them a lot in failures that could of been profitable.

 

[Rob404]

Remington have a bad habit of stuffing up their offerings by under loading, or wrong projectile weight, wrong twist rate etc. Cost them a lot in failures that could of been profitable.

True, which makes some used Remingtons Bargins for us re-loaders, proving you can turn a Sows ear into a Silk Purse

 

[Rule 303]

True, which makes some used Remingtons Bargins for us re-loaders, proving you can turn a Sows ear into a Silk Purse

True in normal times. However, since Obummer and the Hilderbeast started their reign, most items that are not common 5.56 or 7.62x51 have become impossible to get on this side of the Pacific due to the massive buying up of anything firearm related on your side of the Pacific.

 

[Rob404]

True in normal times. However, since Obummer and the Hilderbeast started their reign, most items that are not common 5.56 or 7.62x51 have become impossible to get on this side of the Pacific due to the massive buying up of anything firearm related on your side of the Pacific.

The only thing I saw a real shortage on was Powder and 22 Ammunition (lots or Hoarders here) It was always pretty EZ to buy 5.56 and 7.62, I do remember after the Sandi Hook shootings anything AR related was in short supply for quite a while. I think with the Donald being the Prez supply will finally keep with the demand, I find some powders still being tough to get though

 

[lwaters]

Same for 30-06 under loaded with factory ammo. Not much of a trick to get over 2800fps with good 180 gr. handloads. In a 24 in. barrel which is about as good as a 300 win

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I've been thinking about this cartridge for quite a few Months,,I don't Know what draws me to these not so common Calibers Maybe I just want something someone else doesn't have or perhaps there are some kind of caliber or a Ballistic gap but the caliber intrigues me,it's a step up from my other wildcat 338-06 and less than my 375HH so It will fill a niche,also the parent cartridge is an 06 that needs to be open up to accept the 35 cal. Anyway after quite a few searches with no results except buying new I decided maybe the typical Savage Barrel swap was the only way to go until I spotted a Ruger in 35 Whelen at a Cabelas in Colorado, but I was a day late and the Ruger was Sold, however the guy in the Gun library said the customer swapped in an old Remington also in 35 Whelen so after looking at a few Pics of the Remington I managed to work out a deal and Bought the Remington. It needs the stock re-finished but thats a project I can do over the cold Minnesota winter, heres a Picture of the old guy which serial# shows built in 1982 I believeView attachment 159596

Nice rifle in fantastic calbre. Congrats Rob.
Witold

 

[James Cook]

just bought the 35 whelen remington commemorative model. what a great looking and shooting gun - moa groups at 100 yards using barnes 180 gr ttsx

 

[gizmo]

just bought the 35 whelen remington commemorative model. what a great looking and shooting gun - moa groups at 100 yards

So cool bro. I gotsta get me one o them!

 

[Rule 303]

That is a great looking rifle. My 700 in 35 Whelen- a rifle I never should of sold, shoot most projectiles to the same point of impact and 1" or under, except Barnes. They where like a shot gun spread and center of the pattern was at least 6 inches from where every thing else landed. Never got to try the TSX.

Now go and put it to good use.

 

[Steve Steyr]

Great looking rifle and truly great caliber. Congrats to you and your wise choice.

I know what Rule 303 means by Barnes bullets. My Remington 700 Classic shot several bullets (Sierra, Hornady, Nosler, Swift) and loads @1". In contrast, Barnes X bullets "patterned" at 2 1/2" to 3" if I was lucky. And I had to spend a lot of time scrubbing the thick copper coating out of the bore. That was quite a few years ago and I have never bought another Barnes bullet. I plan on using Nosler Partitions or Swift A-Frames if I need the best hunting bullet.

 

[James Cook]

Great looking rifle and truly great caliber. Congrats to you and your wise choice.

I know what Rule 303 means by Barnes bullets. My Remington 700 Classic shot several bullets (Sierra, Hornady, Nosler, Swift) and loads @1". In contrast, Barnes X bullets "patterned" at 2 1/2" to 3" if I was lucky. And I had to spend a lot of time scrubbing the thick copper coating out of the bore. That was quite a few years ago and I have never bought another Barnes bullet. I plan on using Nosler Partitions or Swift A-Frames if I need the best hunting bullet.

Thx!

Yeah that's a good pattern only for a shotgun with buckshot at about 10-20 yards. The rounds you mentioned are all quality rounds - I'm partial to the Hornady brand and use the SP version of Hornady in several guns. Just couldn't find it in the grain I wanted for the Barnes. But, the couple of Barnes rounds I use in guns, they've done well. 300 Win Mag in Barnes is a tack driver. I think like most loads, technology and refinement have improved performance over the years.

 

[Rick Cox]

Nice! I bought one a while back in a Nosler. Took it to Namibia and took everything up to and including Eland. The Barnes TSX did the job but none of the kills were immediate even though all were hit well with the exception of the kudu. I think I will try a bullet that expands faster. Either a Partition or maybe A Frame. Any comments appreciated....
Love the gun and the caliber. Used to have a .358 and the Whelen is just more of a good thing.