35 Whelen?
- Thread starter Lrdchaos
- Start date
It's predominantly considered a hunting cartridge. I don't know the history, but I think it came about for hunting bigger game with heavy bullets (250-300 grains'ish). I have a Rem 700 in 35 Whelen. I have no idea if ammo for that is tough to find like other ammo these days.
I should add, even though I have one I haven't shot it in years. It's not a rifle I enjoy shooting.
I should add, even though I have one I haven't shot it in years. It's not a rifle I enjoy shooting.
Last edited:
D
Deleted member 113831
Guest
From a modern action it will fire a 250 grain bullet at 2500+fps and have about the same trajectory as a 308 with 175's to at least 400 yards.
With 225 grainers at 2600+fps.
Due to the large bore to case capacity ratio, it uses the same powders as the 308 Win.
35 Whelen is generally considered the minimum fight stopping caliber for the big bears, so is truly suitable for any animal in N.America and all but elephant in Africa.
The 9.3x62mm is the minimum for Cape buffalo in Africa, and the 35 Whelen loaded to it's full potential is its ballistic twin.
With 225 grainers at 2600+fps.
Due to the large bore to case capacity ratio, it uses the same powders as the 308 Win.
35 Whelen is generally considered the minimum fight stopping caliber for the big bears, so is truly suitable for any animal in N.America and all but elephant in Africa.
The 9.3x62mm is the minimum for Cape buffalo in Africa, and the 35 Whelen loaded to it's full potential is its ballistic twin.
First, 35 Whelen rounds are impossible to find in these environs. Second, its one heck of a shooter and a killer. Our Shaw barreled Ruger 77 is as accurate as any rifle we own excepting the RPR. Brenda Lea’s CVA (for Primitive use in Louisiana) takes down critters like a sledge hammer. (Two deer harvested this year with this rifle). It is really versatile with rounds heavy enough to take down anything that walks in North America, it can also be downloaded with plinking rounds using .357 bullets And pretty much everything in between with BOOK Certified loads.
The Whelen was created during the early 1920’s when the only way to get a Big Bear rifle (.375 H&H) was to order a double square bridge Mauser action and having a custom rifle built. The action alone was outside the affordability of the average North American Hunter. With many affordable 1903 Springfield rifles for sale and .30-06 brass very readily available, somewhere between Col. Whelen and the gun makers Griffin and Howe, the round was developed. Controversy still exists as to who actually created the round. Not that it really matters.
With the advent of the affordable, long action Model 70 Winchester in the middle 1930’s, the big Whelen became somewhat irrelevant. Still it hung on. In the late 1980’s, Remington standardized the round and started chambering rifles for it. Unfortunately with a 1-16 twist. Now, many will report that with today’s bullets, this twist rate and the light bullets are all’s one needs for the Whelen. Still, bullets as heavy as 300 grains are available and a 1-14 twist is better for these bullets and a 1-12 twist will stabilize the light bullets and shoot the heavyweights just fine.
180 and 200 grain bullets designed for the .35 Remington are killers for smaller game such as Whitetail at reasonable distances. The heavier bullets such as the Nosler Accubonds work pretty good for heavy game. For my money, a bit too much for deer but I have taken two with the 225 Accubond. One went from stern to stem and really messed up too much meat (bad, BAD choice of shots on my part but I had not seen a decent deer in two years and the durn critter would not turn to give me the traditional shot. So, I tried to put one up the tailpipe and missed by an inch. Destroyed an entire side of that deer). 225 and 250 grain bullets work much better when the shots have to be stretched out a bit, but good, solid 180 grain and 200 grain mono bullets can provide good results, just the BC suffers with a wide short bullet.
Danged important. Be especially careful not to set the shoulder back. Not much of a shoulder to begin with and it is easy to set it back. Otherwise, as said it is a really versatile round. As mentioned, the improved round provides a more secure headspacing.
Now for a real block buster, while maintaining .30-06 action length and standard bolt face, check out the 400 Whelen. Elmer thought it was the round. Just make sure you get the improved round. Headspacing is a bitch.
The Whelen was created during the early 1920’s when the only way to get a Big Bear rifle (.375 H&H) was to order a double square bridge Mauser action and having a custom rifle built. The action alone was outside the affordability of the average North American Hunter. With many affordable 1903 Springfield rifles for sale and .30-06 brass very readily available, somewhere between Col. Whelen and the gun makers Griffin and Howe, the round was developed. Controversy still exists as to who actually created the round. Not that it really matters.
With the advent of the affordable, long action Model 70 Winchester in the middle 1930’s, the big Whelen became somewhat irrelevant. Still it hung on. In the late 1980’s, Remington standardized the round and started chambering rifles for it. Unfortunately with a 1-16 twist. Now, many will report that with today’s bullets, this twist rate and the light bullets are all’s one needs for the Whelen. Still, bullets as heavy as 300 grains are available and a 1-14 twist is better for these bullets and a 1-12 twist will stabilize the light bullets and shoot the heavyweights just fine.
180 and 200 grain bullets designed for the .35 Remington are killers for smaller game such as Whitetail at reasonable distances. The heavier bullets such as the Nosler Accubonds work pretty good for heavy game. For my money, a bit too much for deer but I have taken two with the 225 Accubond. One went from stern to stem and really messed up too much meat (bad, BAD choice of shots on my part but I had not seen a decent deer in two years and the durn critter would not turn to give me the traditional shot. So, I tried to put one up the tailpipe and missed by an inch. Destroyed an entire side of that deer). 225 and 250 grain bullets work much better when the shots have to be stretched out a bit, but good, solid 180 grain and 200 grain mono bullets can provide good results, just the BC suffers with a wide short bullet.
Danged important. Be especially careful not to set the shoulder back. Not much of a shoulder to begin with and it is easy to set it back. Otherwise, as said it is a really versatile round. As mentioned, the improved round provides a more secure headspacing.
Now for a real block buster, while maintaining .30-06 action length and standard bolt face, check out the 400 Whelen. Elmer thought it was the round. Just make sure you get the improved round. Headspacing is a bitch.
I've been looking for one in a remington pump action (i think 760) for quite some time. I have no idea what I will do with it. But I still want it any.
If your a hand loader, and don’t require a very long range shooter.....it may be one of the best cartridges around. A great all around ( deer, antelope, elk, moose, ect) cartridge with very tolerable recoil. There is a pretty good variety of bullets available including the use of .357 handgun bullets. Using the handgun bullets, either jacketed or cast, offers the shooter relative inexpensive, low velocity, low recoil ammunition for plinking and small game or varmint shooting! As mentioned, great in an AI conversion.....adding to it’s long range capabilities!
Another plus.....35 Whelen brass can easily be converted from 30-06 brass! memtb
Another plus.....35 Whelen brass can easily be converted from 30-06 brass! memtb
Recoil in the Whelen is pretty much dependent on the rifle being utilized. My Ruger 77 has a heavy barrel and is in a Houge Overmolded stock. With scope it weighs over ten pounds. The recoil is really more of a push than a snap. Honestly, I much prefer shooting either Whelen we own over Brenda’s Remington 700 in 243. (which is such a nice looking, well made, accurate little rifle that does not fit me and slaps like a mad Tom Cat).
So, I with a rile that weighs a bit and a handloads fitting the purpose needed, its a useful cartridge. However, I for one would never recommend this cartridge for use in a featherweight rifle.
So, I with a rile that weighs a bit and a handloads fitting the purpose needed, its a useful cartridge. However, I for one would never recommend this cartridge for use in a featherweight rifle.
If you reload, it’s an excellent, practical hunting cartridge. Great inside of 4-500 yards. You can make brass by simply necking up 30-06 and shooting it. Low recoil. Deep penetration. Huge wound channels. Kills extremely well. Only downside is lack of bullet selection. Just not a tremendous number of .358 options out there. If you don’t reload, it’s a bad option.
Last edited:
