I'd like to have a stainless .35 Whelen but of course they are not a factory option anywhere that I know of. Never having built a custom gun I'd like some advise from those in the know.

Use will be primarily a meat hunting gun for all types of Alaskan game, primarily moose and caribou but possibly sheep and it will be used for meat hunting in bear country. This will be a working gun not a wall hanger. Looking for light and handy, rugged, powerful, accurate. I'm thinking stainless action and 20" to 22" stainless barrel, composite stock, good adjustable trigger. Maybe backup iron sights to a leupold 2x7 scope. I'd like to see MOA groups and 71/2lbs +/-.

Any suggestions for action, barrel, stock, triggers, bedding, or general advise?

Is there a factory gun I'm overlooking?

I'd just buy a CZ550 in 9.3x62 if they were stainless. I prefer the non magnum rounds otherwise I would go with a factory .338 mag.

What do you figure a decent gun like this would cost?

Thanks.

40

[ 11-23-2003, 03:15: Message edited by: 40Mile ]

40Mile, a 35 whelen would be a great idea! Stainless actions? The Charles Daly MIGHT be a good pick, though I have not seen one in person yet so I can only say might. You could do a stainless barrel with a blued action on the CZ. When I lived in AK I was literaly 35 feet from high tide, my guns only rusted when I let them, and if you looked at the locals that was generaly the case. Many of my guns where/are blued.

Buy a new or used gun in stainless-synthetic in the brand you prefer with a barrel of appropreate diameter for the .35 bore. Caliber doesn't matter except that the feed rails should be made for '06 diameter cases and lenglth of action and barrel channel of synthetic stock. Then have a gunsmith rebarrel to .35 whelen with stainless barrel. Most synthetic factory stocks are very hard and may be a problem for reamming out to install thicker barrel or maybe not. Look for some '06 rifles with heavior barrels.

40 mile: As you may already know, the .338WM is perhaps the most popular cartridge in Alaska, somewhere around the .30-06, and the .300WM. Besides, there is .338 ammo in any of the local stores in town, while you will have to reload for your .35 Whelen, or use the anemic Remington factory ammo which is rare in town.

Also, if you want 2800 fps with a 250-grain bullet for the .338, you could buy the expensive Federal HE ammo, at about $42.00 per box at Sentry Hardware. I was lucky to find some at $32.00 per box at the now out of business K-Mart a few years ago. If you reload, you can always push a 250-grainer out of the .338 somewhere around 2,700 fps, something I don't recommend, but attainable with my own .338.
-----
All that said, if you still want to build a stainless .35 Whelen, all you have to do is to buy a stainless Ruger in .30-06, then rebore it to .35 Whelen. You can also rebore the same rifle to .338-06, and get similar ballistics (both use the same case).

Both the .35 Whelen or the .338-06 are not more than slightly more powerful .30-06's. But you can use a plain "old" .30-06 rifle with a 220-grain bullet, and this bullet will out penetrate most .338-06 or .35 Whelen, at least in accordance to tests performed by Finn Aagaard.

Lets say that you can buy a used stainless rifle for perhaps $300.00. If you rebore it for around $100, then it would come up to $400.00, plus new dies. A new barrel and the other work needed would cost a little more, somewhere around $300.00, plus $300.00 paid for the rifle, plus dies.

The way I see it, if I wanted a stainless rifle in .338-06, I would buy a Weatherby Ultra Lightweight .338-06 A-Square. This rifle weights around 6 pounds without the scope and ammo in the magazine.

What about buying a used Ruger SS MK II 77 in .270 with either a laminate or synthetic stock and having it rebored to .35 Whelen. The used rifle should be available for around $350 and the rebarreling won't cost an arm and a leg...

Hmmm! I may look into a SS .270 in a Ruger#1 as a platform for a .338-06, now that I am thinking about it.

1B

I would rebarrel a Ruger Stainless Laminate. Sean

I'd get myself an '06 I liked, then set it up as a switch-barrel in 35 Whelen.
Stainless doesn't do it for me, but if I was really worried about it, I'd go painted over blued, maybe Robar's or some such.
Those silly looking Rugers with the weird plastic stock might do the trick if they fit you.
Certainly a "working gun" if anything!
And I'd seriously consider some of the improved 35's, like the Ackley, or 358 Hawk.
They'll get you another 100 fps on a good day, with a 250g bullet.
I'd also go with a 24" bbl.
A few Q's: what else do you have in your battery?
What against the magnums?

Build it on a Win Model 70 Classic Stainless Steel action.

Go to Lecacysports.com and look up under products the Mauser X actions they have. Obtain one through dealer/FFL. Call E.R. Shaw and have them do a stainless fluted barrel in 35 Whelen and fit it to the action for you. while this is in the works. Order a Boyds Laminate stock with the option for weight reduction included. When both parts arrive fit barreled action into pre inletted stock and go shooting. Whole cost about $1000

[ 11-24-2003, 01:11: Message edited by: Dave In LB ]

or, you could buy a nice light model 7 stainless in the short mag, flop the barrel and rebarrel to 350 mag. they are to be had used for $500 at the most. identical velocities to the whelen. better round for the shorter barrel you requested. mine is a hammer on game....
or you could get the new model 7 in 350 mag if stainless wasn't an absolute must and save yourself alot of cash. maybe a robar finish in matte for your weather....
woofer

A Rem is a poor substitute for a Model 70 or a Mauser.

I am moving to NW Washington and am having a similar gun built, and am additionally challenged by left handedness.

Making a 375 Hawk/Scovill. Like things a bit more "odd". Trolling for a lefty 700 action. Many, many parts to upgrade to, or leave it stock. You'll find the most aftermarket stocks for this action and some McMillans are instock on Internet prices waiting to be shipped tomorrow.

A 22" stainless/chromoly barrel will wear NEGC sights. Will have either Talley or Leupold QD bases/rings. Lastly a Leupold 2.5-8X VariX-III.

I'd like a stainless action as well, but will get some type of Teflon coating over the entire deal.

Already have a .350 Remington in a 22" tefloned Savage. Like new projects and more wildcats.

If you want a functional and aesthetically appealing option, buy one of the "Ghost" rifle kits from Rod at Acrabond laminates, and find a smith to bolt it together, John Ricks or Dennis Olsen both come to mind. You will be into it for a little more than some of the other options suggested, but you will have a true custom rifle.

How about a Thompson Center Encore? Get yourself a stainless action and then go to Bulberry or Virgin Valley and order a stainless barrel of whatever length you like. You have quite a few stock choices available too. I believe you can even designate the rate of twist you desire(say 1 in 12). I'm a big fan of the Whelen myself and have been considering a stainless 24" barrel to add to my collection!

40 mile
Winchester 70 SS action
Lilja # 5 barrel at 21 inches
NECG sights
McMillian stock
Talley,s
Leupold 1.75 x 6
This makes a fine rifle.........Doing one just like this now but in a 9.3 x 62....
Charlie

I am with Charlie, sort of.
I would do a lighter barrel 23" to 24"
and a 4x Burris

DON'T LISTEN TO THE NEAH' SAYERS built a 35Whelen but use a 1x10" twist barrel. This will work with a heavy slow cast bullet load as well as a full power 250premium at 2600fps.

The Whelen is so way cool.

ED

40 Mile
Great choice.....I would go with a 10 twist also.
I have a Ruger #1 with a 10 twist Doug Barrel, I shoot 250 Gr Partitions, 270 gr North Fork's (wounerful bullet) and I have a NEI Mold for a 300 gr FNGC bullet, water quenched........

Those 300 gr cast bullets are harder than than Hilary Clinton's heart!!

SS is the way to go in Alaska but, a little trick I learned before I went to Newfoundland Moose Hunting, I waxed the stock, receiver and barrel with CARNUBA car wax....... the rain beaded up like it was on a new Cadillac.

If I lived where you do I would also consider a 9.3X62 mm or a .358 NM. I also have a .358NM with a 12 twist doug but have not developed any loads with it as yet

Happy Thanksgiving to all

George

I had a meatmaster 7600 with the factory 1x16" barrel that did okay with hornady RN 250s but didn't like any of the light cast loads that I really wanted to use as well.
I had a 721 in 35 whelen imp with a 1x14" mcgowan that was okay with light weight cast bullets but not the 250 or so.
I have built a 35hawk with a 1x10" barrel that will shoot any and all bullets a 270 TB or a 310gr NEI or a 148gr wadcutter at 1100fps.

ED

I'ld steal my son's M77II in SS/lam. & put on a 23",SS PAcNor #2 or #3 fluted bbl. It already wears a Leup. VXIII 2.5x8, no irons.
For you, I would look around for a used Ruger SS/Lam. to rebarrel. I would think:
rifle = $375
scope = $250 & up
barrel = $300
Although I would prefer another .338-06.

[ 11-28-2003, 22:48: Message edited by: fredj338 ]

40mile:
Just my opinion but being from Ak., I think I have a good idea of how you hunt. Although I know it's not the "in thing", I always want an optional set of open sights on a hunting rifle. When I go hunting, it's often for a couple of weeks at a time and we don't have any communications or access to town. Therefore, we must have equipment we can absolutely rely on. If something happens to my scope, at least the rest of the trip isn't ruined. I suspect, from your displayed name, that you're located in the bush and therefore not near a town. Should something happen to your scope, in essence, you're screwed.

Also, while not an expert on the .35 Whelan, a gunsmith friend here in town speaks highly of the .35 Whelan Imp. saying it handles heavier bullets better than the standard. I can't attest to that but you might want to consider that as well. Hope this helps some. Bear in Fairbanks

[ 11-28-2003, 23:40: Message edited by: Bear in Fairbanks ]

Just a thought, why not use one of the new high tech protective coatings on the 9.3x62 CZ550 FS? I love my .35 Whelen too, so I'd be happy with either. The stainless steel barrel and full custom rifle would be a lot more expensive than a protective coating. I had the .35 Whelen 700 Remington classic many years before the 9.3x62 fell into my hands. The bigger caliber does better things up close, and comes in a .300+ section density flavor, the 286 grain Barnes X or Nosler Partitions come to mind. Pick the solution you like, but the bigger bore comes as a factory round in a good action from CZ.
A third choice, one I've never seen, Ruger did make a .35 Whelan in a plastic stock. It was / is ugly but gets the job done. Lots of Tung oil will make your conventional stock pretty weather proof and cleaning it every day is a possible option (lol).