Bought a 35 whelen a couple of months ago. I handload but finding brass has been a problem. I bought 2 boxes of Barnes 180 grain solid copper bullets. Pulled the bullets burned the powder and loaded some hornady 200 grain sp bullets. Used imr 4064 and Rl 15. Later bought some resized range brass at a gunshow in Longview Texas so I will have more for later. Was going to fireform some 30 06 myself but now won't have to. Anyway I was thinking this would be a really hard kicker but not so. Don't get me wrong it did kick but I guess I was ready and did my part. Any ideas for powder to use besides the two I mentioned. Any input is appreciated. I do like this gun, it is a Ruger Hawkeye made in 2008 and was evidently a closet queen.
Fired 35 whelen today
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stagpanther
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I think the whelen is a GREAT cartridge--best of the 30-06 family IMO. Congrats!
I found a great performing combo of 57.8 grs of H4895 behind a 225 gameking seated to 3.23. As always work your way up and verify load for your particular gun. I have the same rifle in a ruger special edition, one of my most prized rifles.
I found a great performing combo of 57.8 grs of H4895 behind a 225 gameking seated to 3.23. As always work your way up and verify load for your particular gun. I have the same rifle in a ruger special edition, one of my most prized rifles.
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With 180-200 gr bullets 35 Whelen recoils pretty much just like 30-06 with the same bullet weights. Maybe a touch more, but not bad. Where the cartridge starts coming into it's own is with 250 gr or heavier bullets though. With those recoil starts to become more of an issue.
I do like the Ruger Hawkeye's and 35 Whelen matches the rifle well I think. I had one of the SS All Weather Hawkeye's in 35 Whelen for a while.
I do like the Ruger Hawkeye's and 35 Whelen matches the rifle well I think. I had one of the SS All Weather Hawkeye's in 35 Whelen for a while.
Linker said:
Just a few questions, but why buy ammunition and pull the bullets just to reload? Why not shoot the ammo? .35 Whelen is also insanely easy to make from 06 brass, why not just go that route?
I had a couple of Whelen rifles at one time, but life happens and they were sold. I might get another, but I'm pretty content with my .338-06 that I still have. The Whelen is a good solid hunting cartridge for any North American game.
stagpanther
New member
I've shot quite a bit 35 whelen and 300 Weatherby mag. Although the 300 Weatherby will vastly outrun the whelen to true long range, the whelen isn't far off from the Weatherby out to about 300 to 400 yds in terms of trajectory and energy delivered. That's why I think it's vastly under appreciated for the quality, it is a bit of a kicker, but not as much as the 300 Weatherby.
I went with the 338-06 back in the 80s. No contest on bullet selection back then. I had my barrel long throated and push 200 Hornadys to 2810 in 22". Can't tell the difference in recoil from an '06. I've found IMR4320 works best. With more 35 choices today, either is great for game to 300 yards.
I like both the .338-06 and Whelen, and have been enamored with both cartridges since reading the introductions to each cartridge in my very first reloading manual. The Whelen has always had a following, and now that some southern states let .35 caliber cartridges be used for primitive rifle seasons it's had a resurgence. Also I've read it's now legal to use any .35 caliber cartridge for Iowa deer seasons, it should increase the popularity of the Whelen even more.
I just wish the .338-06 got a little more love, Weatherby, Cooper, and Nosler were the only three that I know of that ever chambered the .338-06 in their rifles. Weatherby and Nosler had factory ammunition. A-Square was in there as well since they SAAMI standardized the cartridge, but as far as I know everything was custom (rifles and ammunition).
I just wish the .338-06 got a little more love, Weatherby, Cooper, and Nosler were the only three that I know of that ever chambered the .338-06 in their rifles. Weatherby and Nosler had factory ammunition. A-Square was in there as well since they SAAMI standardized the cartridge, but as far as I know everything was custom (rifles and ammunition).
stagpanther
New member
I have a 338-06 but have found most of the bullets available are optimized to work best in either 338 fed or 338 lapua magnum, so I just prefer the whelen with 225 gr on up bullets which it can deliver very fast with huge kinetic energy to mid-range distance.
Thanks for the response guys. taylorce1, the reason I did that is I have loaded solid copper bullets before they leave a lot of copper in the barrel. It is very hard to get out. I have also read (I don't remember where since it was years ago) that many gun people advise against using solids. In Africa I could see it but I don't need it here.
Linker said:
When Barnes first made their mono metal bullets (copper) they did foul horribly. However, they've redesigned the bullet so that latter generation don't really foul worse than traditional copper jacketed bullets. Also these new bullets do expand and work like traditional hunting bullets, not like the hunting solids used in Africa sesigned for no expansion. Those 180 grain Barnes would have worked as well as the 200 grain SP bullets you reloaded into the case, if not better because you would of had an expanding bullet with nearly 100% weight retention.
You're not the first person that has voiced this opinion, and I simply disagree. While I agree some of the newer Extreme Long Range (ELR) bullets are better suited for magnum cartridges and probably shouldn't find their way into a. 338-06 for a lot of reasons. Hunting bullets IMO simply have a velocity window, and if you work within that window you'll be fine. So let's say you have a bullet that has reliable expansion with a window of 3000+ fps down to 1800 fps, as long as you have a MV that falls within that window of velocity you're okay when it comes to hunting game. Even bullets that are traditionally used in the .338 Win Mag will be fine in a .338-06 out to 400+ yards 99% of the time.stagpanther said:
stagpanther
New member
Well, they are so close there's probably not that much difference in ballistics--any particular pet load you have for the 338-06?
There's also the issue of bullet weight and how well it stabilizes in the twist, the whelen was designed from the outset as a heavy hauler, "poor man's big game dropper." But you're right, I'm probably splitting hairs, but I personally definitely prefer the whelen over the 338-06.
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My pet load for my 03A3 sporter .338-06 was a 200 grain Hornady SP, CCI 200, and RL-15 which produced 2900+ fps at the muzzle and was sub MOA in the 03A3 sporter I had. I hunted either with 210 Partitions at 2800 fps same powder and primer or a 225 grain Hornady IB at 2680 fps with CCI 250 primers and W760 powder. I'm within book with the Hornady loads, but over book with the Nosler. The Horandy SP and the Nosler 210 PT are very similar in dimensions with the Hornady measuring 1.212" and the Nosler 1.200" in length, so I tried pushing them a little harder and managed to do so. I wouldn't try it with other 200 gr offerings from Nosler.
My M70 is a little different I haven't loaded for that rifle yet. I bought some Nosler factory ammunition on close out and it shoots well enough I haven't started reloading for it. I tried shooting my pet loads out of my 03A3, but found they were hard to chamber so I decided to start with new brass in my M70. I found the Nosler ammo for $30 and bought 200 rounds, I got 100 rounds ea of 180 and 225 grain Accubond ammunition. This will last me several years as I haven't shot 20 rounds combined through that rifle yet.
Now I don't think by any stretch the .338-06 is superior to the .35 Whelen or vice-versa. Discussing them are like splitting a frogs hair, they are that close. IME the .338-06 handles longer bullets better as every rifle I've owned has/had a 1:10 twist barrel and my Whelens had 1:14 and 1:16 twist barrels. The Whelen let's you have a lot more bullet options when you figure in the variety of cast and pistol bullets you can shoot.
What I've found with both cartridges is they are on the upper end of my recoil threshold as I get older, but they have all weighed in the 7.5-8.5 lbs range. They can get pretty snorty from the bench during load development, more so as I increase bullet weight. So I don't actually enjoy shooting them on a regular basis, and the majority of what I hunt can be handled by much smaller cartridges. The PAST recoil pad definitely helps me more these days than ever before.
My M70 is a little different I haven't loaded for that rifle yet. I bought some Nosler factory ammunition on close out and it shoots well enough I haven't started reloading for it. I tried shooting my pet loads out of my 03A3, but found they were hard to chamber so I decided to start with new brass in my M70. I found the Nosler ammo for $30 and bought 200 rounds, I got 100 rounds ea of 180 and 225 grain Accubond ammunition. This will last me several years as I haven't shot 20 rounds combined through that rifle yet.
Now I don't think by any stretch the .338-06 is superior to the .35 Whelen or vice-versa. Discussing them are like splitting a frogs hair, they are that close. IME the .338-06 handles longer bullets better as every rifle I've owned has/had a 1:10 twist barrel and my Whelens had 1:14 and 1:16 twist barrels. The Whelen let's you have a lot more bullet options when you figure in the variety of cast and pistol bullets you can shoot.
What I've found with both cartridges is they are on the upper end of my recoil threshold as I get older, but they have all weighed in the 7.5-8.5 lbs range. They can get pretty snorty from the bench during load development, more so as I increase bullet weight. So I don't actually enjoy shooting them on a regular basis, and the majority of what I hunt can be handled by much smaller cartridges. The PAST recoil pad definitely helps me more these days than ever before.
stagpanther
New member
Nice.
