7mm Gibbs to 35 Whelen

It may take a while--but Quality Cartridge makes very good good obscure brass, I used them for my 7mm STW but I had to wait a few months (and made some from 375 H&H in the meantime). Worth the wait though. Like the STW, I would expect the gibbs in 284 to be a bore roaster--but don't know based on experience. I do love the 35 whelen.
 
I used to have a 35 Whelen. It shot well, it had a good,practical 300 yd plus hunting trajectory,and I loved the feeling of "flinging a chunk" . I shot 250 gr bullets.
I won't trash the Whelen.

But it came from the time if relatively unsophisticated bullets. If you needed dependable penetration,big bore,heavy,and reasonable velocity made sense.

With today's bullets, a 2900 fps 160 gr 7mm bullet of proper construction will do what needs to be done.(In North America). It will kill elk just fine.

Both cartridges can serve well as an example of a "Rifleman's Rifle". They are equally cool.

If you are buying it as a "Pretty Stock" .......I'd respect it as an example of the Gunsmith Art. I'd leave it a 7mm Gibbs. (Thats me. You do you)

By the time you buy that rifle,the bbl custom contour bbl blank,pay your smith to fit and chamber it, then to get the blue to match the whole rifle may need a reblue.. You are spending enough money to buy another rifle.

I suggest "Let it be what it is"
 
jackstrawIII said:
This is quite true, but I’ve just never been crazy about the 7mm cartridges. No real reason, they just don’t tickle my fancy.

Anyone with experience with the 7mm Gibbs? Maybe this will win me over?
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It's basically another way of building a 280AI.
280 A.I. pretty much impresses everyone.
 
It's basically another way of building a 280AI.
280 A.I. pretty much impresses everyone.
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I was under the impression that it had a cavernous case like the bigger gibbs. As long as you can seat modern 284 bullets long and it really is similar to the 280 AI--yeah, I'd keep it.
 
I was under the impression that it had a cavernous case like the bigger gibbs. As long as you can seat modern 284 bullets long and it really is similar to the 280 AI--yeah, I'd keep it.
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On paper, the cartridge is a good idea, but there are problems. The first problem is brass availability, which is zero. Fireforming is something I've done a bit, but I didn't have spectacular results and my confidence level is not high.

The other problem is that, being a wildcat, there's no real "standard" chamber. So even if I ordered some dies, there's no way to be sure that they would match my chamber. I guess I could have a chamber cast done and custom dies made, but at that point why not just rebarrel it?
 
Midway has Redding 7mm Gibbs dies in stock. The fact that a major manufacturer makes them indicates to me that chambers are not all over the map. And you can always neck size. I think you can load and shoot your rifle with confidence for a relatively small investment.

Then again, if what you really want is a 35 Whelen, make it so. "It's only money." No wrong choices here.
 
You do whatever makes you happy!! Seems like you asked for our opinions.
I'm not trying to control anyone. There is no arguement to win.

35 Whelen was a wildcat for what? a Half Century? before Remington made it a factory cartridge. Unless you have a line on 35 Whelen factory brass, good luck finding it.
Yes,you can neck up 30-06 bass. "In the beginning.." But yeah ,thats a lot like forming brass. Some folks just shove 30-06 brass into their 35 Whelen sizing die. I tried that. My standards are not low enough to consider the results acceptable. Buy your 35 Whelen dies and try it. See what you think.

Now,If Redding or RCBS make a rigid expander mandrel,that will likely work.

I got good brass by blowing the neck out with Cream of Wheat over Bullseye.

P.I,T,A, but it worked. I'd guess necking 30-06 down to 7mm would leave a trace of shoulder for fireforming. Then same P.I.T.A. COW/Bullseye process to blow the shoulder forward. Or maybe forget the COW/Bullseye and just load fireform ammo ala Ackley Improving. Wildcatting can be exciting!! Its so fun when your face is intact!

Remember you are buying a pretty stock. Odds are its not going to spend a week rough camping chasing elk. Maybe get a Ruger American for that.
load a few dummy rounds wth a hole drilled in the case. Shiny ones!! Get. them out for show and tell. Have a chunk of shearling sheepskin with a little RIG worked in. Give that rifle some love! Pass it and the dummy rounds to a friend. Talk about days gone by. Put the rifle away and pour a dribble of Hennessy or McCallans in some glass. ENJOY !! Now get out your original 35 Newton!! (or .256)

These days,who takes a beautiful walnut stock anywhere you need 35 Whelen to hunt with? And these days, the perfectly normal "excellent groups" from a decades ago "straight shooter" (like 1 1/2 MOA) are still good...but not impressive.

I've never seen this rifle and I dont know you. What do I know? It seems like a marvelous safe queen. What real difference does the cartridge make?

A 30-06 would be practical. 7 mm Gibbs or 35 Whelen.... either are just quirky enough.

Reboring? I'll suggest plan on not setting the barrel back unless you want to glass bed it. You'll lose the line to line fit. Then overlay chamber drawings. I doubt the Whelen will clean the Gibbs chamber. Just a guess. Maybe a Brown-Whelen? (Maybe)

Then realize the process of rifling and lapping a bore typically leaves about 1 and 1/2 inch of imperfect bore at the muzzle end. Its a process thing. Expect to lose some barrel length.

But you do it your way.
 
It's basically another way of building a 280AI.
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Not exactly, these are two different solutions for the same end in sight. You want to increase case volume, you can do it either by moving the shoulder forward or blowing the shoulder out. Pretty much everyone decided to follow Ackley's idea of blowing the shoulder out rather than pushing it forward.

You will have to rebarrel. But don't worry, people do this all the time. You get someone to copy the profile of the existing barrel. It will be really close if you pick the right smith. You might not even need the barrel channel reworked. If you decide to keep it and reload for it, you can buy un-necked 30-06 brass from Hawke.

A new set of 7mm Gibbs dies will cost about $400 and take 2-3 months to get. I would rebarrel it. But it's your call, decide what you want and get that baby rebarreled.
 
A Pac-Nor barrel is $315 + $35 to copy your contour + $300 to chamber and fit to gun.

Others will, too, but I don't see price lists.
 
Seems like you asked for our opinions.
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HiBC, I did ask and really appreciate them! This has been a great thread that has helped me a lot. I agree that 30-06 would be the most practical cartridge, and if I end up rebarrelling, that's probably what I'd go with. I've tinkered enough to know that wildcats aren't my thing.

Scorch, I wish this thing was 280AI... that would be awesome! So close...

Jim, the barrel on there now is McGowan. If I rebarrel, I would probably have them replace it, since they can do the exact same contour guaranteed. All these places seem to charge around $600-$650 for a complete job.

Then I just have to choose the cartridge, 30-06, 280AI, 35 Whelen, lots of good choices.
 
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Reminds me of a story by Ed Harris.
He bought a .318 Westley Richards with barrel eroded by Axite with the idea of rebarreling to .375. But when he got the barrel off, he found it was a small ring '98. So he settled for a .35 Whelen.

In your place, I would be lazy and go with a standard factory round. Maybe just a plain .280.
 
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