Has anybody tried WC 846 or its commercial equivilent BL-C2 in 35 Whelen? My VZ-24 Whelen became shootable (but not "finished") today. I loaded up some 225 Sierras with wc846, IMR 4064, and RL-15, to be tried soon.

How about pistol bullets? Has anyone tried bluedot and 158 grain .357 bullets? Any suggested starting load? Is neck tension an issue with .001" undersized bullets?

Thanks

I shoot alot of RL-15 in my whelen, took ths load off the aliant web page ,works great !
...tj3006

BLC-2 is a an accurate powder in my Whelen. My load is 58.1g over a 250g Hornady RN, Rem. brass, and a Winchester large rifle primer. My velocity is @2560 with 3/4" groups free-hand. I've shot gophers to elk with this load and all were bang flops. Another powder that works well in my rifle is 56.6g of IMR 4064 and a 225g Nosler ballistic tip. For cast bullets I use 12g of bluedot and a 250g gc from Western Bullet Co.

I have had real good luck with 57.5gr. of IMR 4064 and 225gr. TSX bullets as well as Sierra's, sub moa accuracy with both loads. Not to mention great preformance on game.

Craven

Careful with that WC 846. My lot is on the fast end of H335, not BL-C(2) at all.

A thou should not make any difference in loading, but a better choice for plinkers than the 158 grain bullets might be the very inexpensive bulk Remington 180s designed for the .357 Max. I don't recall offhand which diameter they are, but they are a good bit tougher.

Thanks for the good suggestions. Those 180 rem hollow points look like a winner, and cheap!

My lot of wc846 is likely slow. Starting BL-C2 loads give me sooty cases, and primers don't flatten until well over BL-C2 listed max (at least in the cartridges I've tried.)

I'm almost out of the 2.5 lbs of 4064 I got for $20, and now it has become a habit in my 25-06. It looks like I pay full price now.

I'm excited to get this rifle shooting, but short days, work, and hollidays limit my time, for now. I should get it out Christmas Eve.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by WHELENIZER:
BLC-2 is a an accurate powder in my Whelen. My load is 58.1g over a 250g Hornady RN, Rem. brass, and a Winchester large rifle primer. My velocity is @2560 with 3/4" groups free-hand. I've shot gophers to elk with this load and all were bang flops. Another powder that works well in my rifle is 56.6g of IMR 4064 and a 225g Nosler ballistic tip. For cast bullets I use 12g of bluedot and a 250g gc from Western Bullet Co.

I've got to get some BLC-2 for my new Whelen. I just got a new 700 CDL and tried it out last weekend at the range. 57grs. IMR 4064, 225gr. Ballistic tips gave me 3/4in groups and 2550 fps. I just received some Hornady 250gr. RN's and some 225gr. Partitions. I'm stopping off after work tomorrow and getting some BLC-2 and some RL-15. I would like to use BLC-2 because it meters well thru a measure. Results to follow.

Don't over look IMR 4320..
AK

knowing 4320 was my 'go to' powder in the 338/06, I imagine it would do great with 250/whelen loads, 4064 might work well on 225's, purely my speculation.

I am with Leftoverdj my lot of wc846 is very fast too reduce it by at least 30% and work slowly up from there

RL15 or bust with the .35 Whelen

Now that's funny... My Whelen likes IMR 4895... shoots like a champ with 225 sierra bullets.

I just got back from the VZ-24's first range trip. With Sierra 225's, Remington 30-06 brass, at 50 yards, groups with RL 15, IMR 4064, and wc 846 were all around an inch. Reloader 15 was best, with all 4 shots touching.

With CCI magnum primers, 58 grains wc 846 was to light, with soot past the shoulder. 60 grains was in a normal pressure range. both loads gave blinding muzzle flash.

The rifle is a 1937 VZ-24, with an Adams and Bennet 35 Whelen barrel ($89) and Corelight stock (free!!!!) I bent the bolt handle last weekend, and cold blued everything. It doesn't look bad, but cold blue rusts too easily. When I can find a suitable stainless tank, Id like to parkerize the rifle.

I just started working up loads for my Whelen with a A&B barrel. I'm using 4064. But a crazy thing happened the other day. I went up in charge weight, but the chrony showed less vel. than I was getting with the lighter load. I know there is a point of deminishing returns. I'm going to try this again. I have not reached max. yet. My first loads with 4320 were not impressive. I think I need to up the charge. Anyway more testing ahead. I have not tried 846. I do love the 35 Whelen. I'm using 200gr. bullets. Have fun and a happy and safe holiday.

quote:

Originally posted by bja105:
both loads gave blinding muzzle flash.

Oh Yes! That's WCC846 all right.How about a big BaaaRRoooom? roger

I didn't notice any great difference in report, but I shoot with both earplugs and earmuffs. I figure seeing the muzzle flash means I'm not flinching, but this fireball is hard to miss!

After 25 shots through the Adams and Benett barrel, it has a bunch of copper visible from the muzzle. Im sure part of it is that 358 cal is easier to see down, but there is a bunch. I didn't do any special barrel breakin. I test fired 5 shots without sights last month, then cleaned to bare metal, and I'll clean it well before next weekend.

More excitement in the BJA105 household - the wife got me a 7mm Rem Mag barrel for my Savages!!!!!!!!!