As chronicled elsewhere on this site, I built this No. 1 in SDH's custom stockmaking seminar a few years ago, for the specific purpose of close to moderate range elk hunting.

Since completing the build, for one reason or another I always seemed to have a different rifle in my hands when my chance at an elk presented itself. Not this year! Although she's not a mature bodied bull, I'm very pleased with the results of this caliber! "Modesty with muscle" indeed! I'm a huge fan of the 35 Whelen!

Great photo

load? distance?

I love seeing elk photos (and #1's!)

Nice! That's a beautiful rifle too. I think it's time to start a Customs Afield 2016 thread in the custom rifle section to show off some pics of the custom rifles we all use and enjoy.

Judging by that stock, you were a great student. Nice piece!

Great caliber, and its a great killer, kills out of proportion to its ballistics or so it seems...Shot one quit a bit, but eventually went to the .338 Win. for no other reason than I do have a tendency to try and use all calibers at least a little bit on game..Its part of the fun IMO..

wow! Elk, 35 Whelen, and a gorgeous No. 1.

A trifecta!!

Life is good...

Fantastic work on that stock!

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
Great photo

load? distance?

I love seeing elk photos (and #1's!)

Thanks Buglem! My rifle loves 55.0 grs of H4895 pushing a 250 gr Partition. I'm sighted a few inches high at 100 yards, which puts me down about 8" at 300, plenty flat for elk!

I took this cow as she stood quartering-to at about 220 yards. The bullet entered the chest just inside the near shoulder, she ran about 40 yards and went head-over-teakettle. Gotta love the Whelen!

And Biebs, thank you for the compliment but I can assure you, any success I had in creating this rifle has much more to do with Steve's patience as an instructor than any inherent skill on my part!

quote:

Originally posted by surefire7:
wow! Elk, 35 Whelen, and a gorgeous No. 1.

A trifecta!!

Life is good...

Well said..

Beautiful rifle! The .35 Whelen is certainly one of the best calibers for the job too.

Congratulations! On both the rifle and the elk. Cow elk is my favorite game meat. I live 90% on game meat due to my ticker. I already have one stint, don't need any more. I would post a picture of my cow elk for this years meat supply but photo bucket takes more computer savvy than I have. I could text it to someone if they want to see it or post it though. I took mine at 200 yds. (guessed) with my silenced 7 mag. Bang flop, high lung shot that also got into the bottom of the spine.

Three caribou so far to my 35 Whelen. All with 250 grain Partitions and 56 grains of IMR 4320. Great combination.

Spectacular rifle by the way.

Now that is a beautiful Ruger No1. The elk makes it even better. Congratulations.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Now that is a beautiful Ruger No1. The elk makes it even better. Congratulations.

Thanks for the compliments, guys. Getting skunked on elk (happens way more frequently than not) is a lot more palatable when I can pass the time admiring a nice rifle!

Beautiful rifle! i think the .35 Whelen and a 250 grain bullet were made for each other. Anymore photos of the rifle?

Nice rifle! Makes me want to do something with my #1 in 243 that doesn't shoot very good.

The Whelen works just ask my wife. She thought she needed something bigger than her 7 x 57 so at her request I built her a Whelen about six years ago and she carries it as her "big gun" for elk. So far she's freezer trained three bulls with it the last one, taken in 2015, was a 6 x 6, dead within 25 yards from a 250 Hornady.

Again nice rifle, I'm jealous.

I remember you showing this rifle when I joined ar. Love it! IMHO one of the best ruger no.1 stocks I have ever seen. Just needs a red recoil pad!

quote:

Originally posted by lefty315: Anymore photos of the rifle?

Oh if you insist...

That truly is a beauty.

And a man who knows how to mount a scope too! As low to the bore as possible.