thanks i found a picture after my post and could see it was beltless, i want a new rem 700 cdl and cant make up my mind between 3oo win mag,(belted) 300 ultra mag, or 35 whelen
Totally different purposes for the calibers you mentioned. 300 Win or 300 RUM more long range. Will kill anything in N. America. 35 Whelen a little more specialized and a great mid-range caliber. I have taken game with the Whelen out to 350 yards. It that is what your expected max range .... go with the Whelen. You do not need to make it expensive. My Whelen is based on a 1903 Springfield Action, Douglas barrel and Fagen stock --- reliable, simple, and deadly.
If you want the high velocity stuff for longer ranges, consider the .338-06 or one of the 338 magnums (338 Win or 338 RUM). I prefer the 338 RUM.
BOTTOM LINE: For heavy game, I prefer large calibers with heavy, well constructed bullets.
I used the Whelen on two days of hunting whitetail but didn't get a shot. It is a hoot to fire on the range and at reactive targets. I use some of Mike Gibson's resetting targets and you knock it down, hear a clang, and it comes back up. Hedge balls and other things are cool too. It should be a good elk, bear, and pig stopper if you want it for bigger things. load it with 15 gr Red Dot under a 148 Gr HBWC for rabbit or squirrel. A 158 gr hp pistol bullet for varmint calling. Load it with a 280 gr Swift "A-Frame" for large bear. Most versatile to me. Good luck on what ever you decide. Packrattusnongratus
quote:Originally posted by mike61: thanks i found a picture after my post and could see it was beltless, i want a new rem 700 cdl and cant make up my mind between 3oo win mag,(belted) 300 ultra mag, or 35 whelen
How about getting a .35 Whelen, then having a gunsmith ream it out to a belted magnum?
This of course is the .358 Norma Magnum! I have one in a Rem 700, and it is a stomper right up there with my .375 H&H Magnum.
jpb
Posts: 1006 | Location: northern Sweden | Registered: 22 May 2002
I've shot a 35 Whelen for many years and prefer it to anything else I've hunted with for ranges under 300 yards. For long range shooting on pronghorn or high plains mule deer I love my 270. My Ruger MK1, tang safety has served me very well. With good bullets penetration is outstanding with 3 to 6 feet not uncommon on elk sized or larger game. In Africa I shot through most of the larger antelope with the exception of those instances where I broke a shoulder on quartering away shots. It will break large bones and plow through guts if need be. I made a Texas heart shot on a cow elk that exited the brisket! It works great on whitetail and doesn't blow the crap out of the meat!
My favorite load is 59 grains of Reloader 15 in Rem. cases with Fed primers with 250 grain Nosler Partitions. I've also had good luck with 250 grain Speers and Hornadys. Velosity is about 2500 fps. For Africa next time I will try 300 grain Hawks or Woodleighs. My PH thought that with Woodleigh solids it would be fine for buffalo, basically it's the same as a 9.3 X 62 which is used for buffalo. The 300 would drop velosity but probably increase penetration.
Posts: 763 | Location: Montana | Registered: 28 November 2004
The Whelen, along with the .257 Roberts, are among the true greats of American ballistic design. Why anyone would want a belt on a cartridge that has a good shoulder beats Hell out of me. All they do is use up magazine space. If you have a .257-6.5 x something and a Whelen, you have North America and all of Africa outside of buff and pachyderms covered. Hell, you can shoot the whole world from up close and personal to "a fer piece out yonder". Great cartridge with a fine, long history (speaks the schoolteacher in me). Get one.
Sarge
Holland's .375: One Planet, One Rifle . . . for one hundred years!
Posts: 2690 | Location: Lakewood, CA. USA | Registered: 07 January 2001
Congrats on ordering your .35 Whelen! I think you made a very good choice. We Americans tend to be caught up in the velocity race and too often overlook the medium velocity medium bores such as the .35 Whelen and the 9.3x62 Mauser (.366" diameter bullet).
You might enjoy this article from African Hunter magazine:
The Federal factory load with 225 grain TBBC is a great load. It chronos 2625 fps from my rifle and is consistently sub MOA with 3 shot groups. I have only recovered one bullet in over 15 animals shot with this load and that was a sharp angling shot on a greater kudu at just over 220 yards. The other thing, I have never had to shoot any animal a second time. That includes eland and moose.
I have ordered a box of 225 gr. Partitions from Nosler, but have not received them yet. They should be just as good if not a little better for the longer ranges, as they are loaded a little hotter. If they shoot as well, that may become my new load.
For practice and deer hunting, I use 225 gr. Sierra BT with 58 grains of RL 15 for 2600 fps.
Posts: 214 | Location: Nebraska | Registered: 23 December 2003
For close range deer hunting I like the sierra 200 RN or 200 gr Rem RN @ 2300 fps. For open hardwoods with the occasional meadow I like the 200 Rem PSPCL @ 2450. Both are nice mild loads that flatten deer and blackbear.
I have had better accuracy with the old Rem 250 grain load than with the 200 grain factory loads. The 250s are getting hard to find, I am not sure that they are even produced. I have used both the RN and PSP versions.
Posts: 214 | Location: Nebraska | Registered: 23 December 2003
You won't be disappointed in your choice. I built a 35 whelen on a VZ24 action..just because I was tired of hard hit hogs wandering off into the S Texas brush.
In December I got to try out my new Whelen..and the hogs were even more impressed than I was..3 big hogs..3 shots..none of the hogs took another step... I love my Whelen...
Zeeriverrat What load was used and where was each one hit? I have these 275 grainers calling me. I can hear them as I try to go to sleep at night. Packy
Packrattus..the load I am using is 54gr of IMR4064, in Rem. brass, Fed Mag primer, and a 250gr Hornady spitzer. That load runs at 2477fps out of my rifle and is very accurate.
First hog was shot on the left side of the head below the ear, bullet made a nasty exit wound on the off side.
Second hog was shot head on, hit it in the throat, the bullet went thru the neck and sheared off the processes on the left side of the spine and came out the back above the shoulders. In spite of the damage done..very little meat was ruined..lost one side of a loin roast..and some sausage meat up on the neck.
Third hog was shot just behind the left front shoulder as it quartered to me. Bullet entered just behind and above the elbow joint, and exited about 4 inches behind the last rib on the off side. When the bullet exited it pulled part of the guts out with it...that hog was knocked off its feet..and was done! No ruined meat..but it was a mess inside.
The shots were from 60 to 75yds. I am really pleased with my Whelen.
Some High Velocity loads for rem 150gr psp in the 35 whelen that I like are 57 grains of reloader #7 at about 3250fps or 66grains of Imr 3031 at 3200fps or 62gr of AA2230 at 3000-3100fps up to 66grains at 3100-3200fps I found two of these recipies on the web and the third was from a question I sent to AA. Or The devastating 250 Gr lyman cast 45Gr of IMR 4198 at 2800fps and 4350ft.lbs
