35 Whelen - Superformance Performance?

C

CowTowner

New member
I've finally finished building my 35 Whelen Mauser.
Now, after test firing some factory ammo, it seems to like the 2900 fps stuff.
Both the Barnes 180 gr TTSX (2900 fps) and the Hornady 200 gr (2920 fps) group awesomely well.
I have data from Barnes for 180 gr that will get me where I want to go. The issue is finding something even close to getting a 200 gr bullet moving @ 2900 fps.

Yes, the Hornady uses a 24 inch 16 twist test barrel. Mine is a 14 twist.
Barnes uses a 14 so I'm good there.

Anyone been able to safely load a 200 gr bullet to 2900 fps in a 35 Whelen?
 
No, not nearly 2900 fps with the .35 Whelen and 200 gr; and I don't even try for that with a 200 and the .350 Rem mag. Suggest backing off some. I use both calibers with Rem mdl 700s.
 
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~ 4 years ago I bought a 35 Whelen commercial Mauser that someone customized.
I took off the barrel and made it a 260.

~ 12 years ago I took my brother's 35 Whelen Argentine Mauser that someone customized to the range.
I shot .357" 158 gr JHP handgun bullets with 10 gr of pistol powder.
It shot clover leafs. Amazing what a wimp load can do.

I mostly shoot at mule deer over sage brush. Sometimes I shoot at Elk, antelope, and white tail. Trying to reach out there to 500 yards, the best cartridges so far have been 270 and 7mmRemMag. The 35 Whelen is more for closer ranges.
 
Gonna have to see if I can find some of that IMR 8208 locally. Tomorrow is shopping day. Might as well add a stop to the trip at the LGS.
 
If you are really serious about getting 2900 from the Whelen, I guess IMR 8208 would do the job. I'm all for keeping things down at a more conservative level, 2600+. The Lyman manual hardly shows anything even around 2700 with the 200, but does not include 8208 loadings.
 
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My pet load for the .35 Whelen is 60.4 gr. of Rl15 and the 225 gr. Barnes TSX. Velocity is 2710 FPS. I've killed elk with that load out to 350 yards. Accuracy runs at .50 to .75" depending on how well I'm shooting that day. It is above most book data and while it is fine in my custom rifle with 1 in 14" twist, the load is too hot for my Remington M700 Classic. I also have a Ruger M77 chambered to the Whelen but I have not tried that load in that rifle.
Paul B.
Saving the world one .35 Whelen at a time.
 
Paul:
Good for the .35s; keep 'em going. In addition to the Whelen in the Rem 700 Classic model, mine also include two .350 Rem Mags in mdl 700 BDL and Classic, along with the more diminutive .35 Remington for lever action. Actually the .350 mag does not quite measure up to what the Whelen can do at its best. It is a short belted cartridge of the same length as its cousin, the 6.5mm Rem mag.
 
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I have two .350 Rem mags. The short one can definitely not equal a Whelen. The 24" barreled .350 Rem mag. equals it or very slightly bests it. All my testing with the .350 was over 15 years ago. New breed of powders might change that. Who knows? I still shoot the Whelen, but the .350's are safe queens.
 
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