35 whelen

[vikingpreacher]

I am thinking about purchasing a tc encore barrel in 35 whelen. From looking at the available bullet weights I have deemed this a cartridge suitable for anything in N.A.. What is your opinion of this cartridge?

[AKHunter]

Good round that is under appreciated. Suited for any NA game at reasonable ranges. A 250 partition at 300 yards still has 2110flbs leaving the muzzle at 2500fps, those are good numbers in my book particularly with a healthy diameter bullet.

I havent owned this caliber personaly but I have witnessed its' effectivesness and know a few people who are fond the caliber.

[338RemUltraMag]

the 35 remington is a personal favoite so it's big bro should be better. I havs always wanted one.....

[ArkansasHunter]

Get on the net and read all the wonderful storys about the 35 Whelen and I beleive you'll never regret buying the barrell.
Though I'm more interested in the .358 Win I've read much on both.
It's amazeing to me these caliber arnt anymore popular than what they are.
I've learned that the 358 is way much more than a brush gun as some here think it is.
The 35 caliber bullet is truely a magical bullet.
Go for it and I think you'll fall in love with it...A.H

[Phil Lozano]

This is from my forum. I wrote this when we were discussing a 338 Win. Mag., vs the 35 Whelen _

"
The 338 Winnie, is a better cartridge start to finish.

I do not own one, but have seen them used quite a bit. For the plains game here in Africa, there is really only one way to discribe it.

VERY EFFECTIVE !

From Masailand to the Selous, to Western Tanzania, it works, period !


That being said,

I do own a 35 Whelen and it works quite well also. The rifle I have is very accurate, with bullets touching at 100, no problem.

I say at 150 yds., it is as effective as the 338, but starts loosing it's steam after 200.

In September, I had clients that came and hired rifles. The 35 Whelen accounted for 26 of the animals and only 1 (an Impala) required more than 1 shot. A Hartebeest and a Reedbuck were taken with 1 shot each at more than 250 yards. I have used it here, clients have used it here and it has performed brilliantly.

It hits a ton, . . . . . . out of comparison to what you might think it would. I think it is much better than it's parent cartridge.

As I have said before, it has been used "out of it's class" and still performed, Lion and Buffalo have fallen to it.

I will say, either the 338 or the 35 Whelen should use 250 grain bullets and not anything lighter. Yes, I know, I have heard all the stories about the lighter bullets being just as effective and having the same energy and terminal performance as the 250's and they shoot flatter to boot.

My answer to that is;
I keep going back to the reloading info I read more than 25 years ago, it said " The 35 Whelen with 250 grain bullets, is a sure killer".

Well my friends, they didn't lie. It was true when they wrote it and it is and was true last September."

Best,
Phil
______________________________
Stay out of sight and down wind
Professional Hunter ~ Tanzania

[ArkansasHunter]

Thanks Phil...Which kicks the hardest the 338 or 35 Whelen ?

[.280Rem]

My father left me a 35 Whelen Improved built on an Interarms action. It was one of his faves. He took a nice Elk and a Zebra with it, among other critters. Those big fat bullets are impressive looking.

[Phil Lozano]

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

Thanks Phil...Which kicks the hardest the 338 or 35 Whelen ?

The 338 recoils harder.


The 35 Whelen has very light recoil for the size of the slug it throws. Personally, I think the recoil is quite light/reasonable.

As I said, I think the 35 Whelen is better than the parent case.

Even though I own 2, I have always thought the 30 '06 was quite overrated.

Best,
Phil
________________________________
Stay out of sight and down wind
Professional Hunter ~ Tanzania

[sbowers5]

I built a 35 whelen as my first project when i went to work as a apprentice gunsmith more years ago then i like to think about, and i still have it, and have used it on many different animals and the preformance has always been the same, the gun goes off, and the intended game is DRT period. Outstanding round. Just my opinion.
steve

[turner]

Originally Posted by vikingpreacher

I am thinking about purchasing a tc encore barrel in 35 whelen. From looking at the available bullet weights I have deemed this a cartridge suitable for anything in N.A.. What is your opinion of this cartridge?

The .35Whelen is the MOST underrated cartridge still chambered in any rifle today, period! It is head and shoulders above the parent(30/06) cartridge and far better for anything deer sized and above. There are not a lot of rounds for the .35 loaded by our big three companies today, but if you want one(I've had 3 .35s) how's these numbers to inpress you??: (Stars and Stripes Ammo):

200gr TSX @ 2874 FPS (3668 FPE)
225 TSX @ 2728 FPS (3718 FPE)
250gr @ 2489 (3439 FPE)

Throw those numbers into your Remington ballistics calculator and tell me what you think of this non-magnum round in a standard case. By the way, many prefer the more powerful .35W A.I. So you know the 338/06 is no slouch either. Have an extra '06 layin' around? Rebarrel it into one of these very fine medium bores and enjoy VERY near .338WM performance at a very reasonable price.

Originally Posted by vikingpreacher

I am thinking about purchasing a tc encore barrel in 35 whelen. From looking at the available bullet weights I have deemed this a cartridge suitable for anything in N.A.. What is your opinion of this cartridge?

I own an Encore with 2 barrels; a 25/06 and .35 Whelen and consider that package to be able to harvest any game animal on the N.A. continent, including buffalo and musk ox. When the wife says all other guns must go...this package will stay and suit all my hunting just fine. (both wear 2-7 scopes now)

[nathangdad]

Not only is the .35 Whelen a well proven cartridge it has a somewhat similar "cousin" cartridge in terms of the .338-06. You can get info on the .338-06 in wildcatting and handloading magazines.

I feel both cartridges were very shortchanged in the awareness arena of gun magazines.

Good luck and good shooting.

[rdale501]

Phil: I would like to hear what you think of the 358 win. I have read it packs the most punch for gr. of powder burned. I am thinking of one for a brush gun on elk. I like the idea of a short action.

[ArkansasHunter]

rdale501 there are some excellent reads on the internet by famous and non famous folks that live by the 358 Win. and 35 Whelen
It's also that guys favorite cartridge who owns Gun Blast .com.
Like I said in the above post, the 35 caliber bullets are magical.

[turner]

I own and shoot a .358BLR and find it a very handy and useful caliber/rifle combination. Ruger now chambers it's 77 Hawkeye in this caliber along with the new .338 Fed. The .358 is a proven caliber revered by most who have used it. I think the .338 Fed may benefit from modern advancements in powders and it does have an edge with bullet selection. The one thing I feel that could bring the .358 and .35Whelen into more popularity would be some LM type loadings that would encourage the "numbers" fans to try these excellent rounds. Of course, it's the old story of what comes first, the new hotter rounds or the popularity needed to GET the ammo companies to load them. A bolt action .358 using handloads as well as commercial loadings ( only one major manufacturer) would be a very useful tool for game as large as elk to 250-300yds. Some loads available from small companies include:

180gr FN @ 2715 FPS = 2946 FPE
200gr TSX @ 2680 FPS = 3189FPE
225gr Nosler Part @2525 FPS = 3185 FPE
250 gr Nosler Part @ 2415 FPS = 3237 FPE

That's not your Grandfather's Buick, sports fans!! Most of those are both pointed bullets capable of good trajectories (use .35Whelen info) and excellent performance on game a good deal larger than deer - sized.

[Phil Lozano]

Originally Posted by rdale501

Phil: I would like to hear what you think of the 358 win. I have read it packs the most punch for gr. of powder burned. I am thinking of one for a brush gun on elk. I like the idea of a short action.

Personally, I would say, if you want 358 Win. ballistics, down load the 35 Whelen.

Best,
Phil
__________________________________
Stay out of sight and down wind
Professional Hunter ! Tanzania

[turner]

Here's a serious round for the .35 whelen which might make it a good bear gun!

osCommerce

[vikingpreacher]

Originally Posted by turner

I own an Encore with 2 barrels; a 25/06 and .35 Whelen and consider that package to be able to harvest any game animal on the N.A. continent, including buffalo and musk ox. When the wife says all other guns must go...this package will stay and suit all my hunting just fine. (both wear 2-7 scopes now)

Now you can get a 416 barrel and handle anything on the earth.

[Pumpkinheaver]

When the tube on my remington 700 stainless is "shot out" it will be replaced with one chambered for .35 Whelen. It is a great cartridge.

[ArkansasHunter]

I would like to mention that the New Ruger Hawkeye Boltaction comes in 358 Win as well as Brownings BLR Leveraction turner mentioned and I noticed H&R-NEF dropped there singleshot 35 Whelen this year.
OPPS Remington I think chambers there semi-auto and pump action rifles in 35 Whelen too.

[vikingpreacher]

Remington makes them in Semi-auto and the 700, no longer the pump.