Yea though you walk into a closet with many guns, fear not their multitude! Fear not the .35 Whelen brother, for it will do all that the others will do on this good earth. Even if it is a bit heavy for varmints.

I'd take the .35 to Africa before I'd look at the .45-70 or 7-08, JMO.

I am questioning the need for keeping the .35Whelen in this mix of rifles that I use in North America with limited plans for Africa:

.223 - Rem 700
7mm-08 - Rem 788
300WinMag -Rem 700
35Whelen -Ruger 77MkII
.375H&H -Rem 700
45/70 - Marlin 1895

Everything is handloaded, so ammo and factory availability limitations are not an issue.

Thanks,

There may not be the need to keep it, but I would keep it anyway. But then I'm prejudiced. The .35 Whelen is one of my all time favorites.
Paul B.

The only one I see that I would replace is the 45-70, and I would replace it with a 458 lott.

DigitalDan,

Sounds like you've read a little KJV.

The only ones considered for Dark Continent use would be the 375,35,300 in that order.

I could however use the 375 with 260gr Ballistic Tips on stateside varmints in a pinch just to keep in practice with it.

Thanks,

No fleas on the .35 Whelen! Yeah, it's a little less gun than the 9.3x62 but the .35 Whelen would still make a great Plains Game rifle for the African bushveld. That's what I'm planning on using mine for if I ever get it back from the gunsmith! (It's being restocked in custom walnut and other work.) And the Whelen obviously has a proven track record in North America.

Yeah, with a .375 H&H in your battery, you really don't need< !--color--> a .35 Whelen. But this isn't about need< !--color-->! It's about what makes you< !--color--> happy! Hell, I've got a .338-06, a .340 Weatherby, a .35 Whelen and two .375 H&H's. I'm keeping all of 'em!!

Oh yeah, be sure to check out this article from African Hunter magazine:
The .35 Whelen in Zimbabwe

-Bob F.

NGA,

IMO,it depends ! If are planning on shooting all game at under 300 yards, you can get rid of the 7/08 and 300. The 35 Whelen will cover anything these cartridges will do out to 300 yards. If you plan on shooting over 300 yards then the 300 comes into play. I have hunted plains game with the 35 Whelen in Namibia and it was ideal. Taking it back to RSA this spring. Even if I had the super-duper zapper, I doubt I would take many shots over 300 yards. Its my own personal preferences and I know my shooting limitations.

If you really want to get crazy, the 223 and the 375 will cover nearly anything that you would ever want to hunt. But form a practical standpoint, and that what the 35 Whelen is to me practical, it fills the need of an all around rifle for anything to 300 yards, without the kick of the 375. It can be built on a standard weight rifle making light enough to carry long distances.

Sure, the 338/06 and the 9.3x62 fill the same niche, but I do like my 35 Whelen.

BigBullet

N GA Airdale:

If I got to keep just ONE out of your mix of rifles, it would be the .35 Whelen.

Rich Elliott

Me too on keeping the Whelen. I'm not that crazy about Remingtons.

Finn Aagard, NRA American Rifleman, 1986-1988, really got me interested in the .350RemMag and the .35Whelen. I have owned both, but settled on the Whelen for most efficient use with the 250gr bullets. Finn used his Whelen mostly in Alaska after having to move stateside.

I see the Whelen as one of the finest choices for all around North-American big game. It has plenty of range, my longest shot on whitetails was 242yds with a 225gr BalTip.

I see where the writer/article previously posted used his for lion even.

Interesting ....

Thanks,

NGA,

The 225 gr BTs are the most accurate in my Shilen barreled 1903 Springfield also. Testing bullets into wet newspaper, I did notice that the BT's do have a thicker jacket then the smaller caliber BT's. But for an all around bullet for larger stuff, I use a 225 grain Barnes X. I believe the 255 gr Nosler partition would be just as good, but the Barnes X shot more accurately in my rifle., The partition and X penetrated much better and held together better then the BT's. That being said, I would use the BT's on thin-skinned stuff up to 400 lbs, like caribou, mule deer, smaller plains game etc. The 250 Speer bullet could also be used in nearly any application the 35 Whelen would e considered. I believe Finn mentioned this bullet for all-around use in Alaska.

BigBullet

Ok Boys, here's my 35 Wheelen in action. 225gr Swift A Frames ( 58.5gr of RL-15 ). 320lb bear 19" skull. Juncture of shoulder/neck. He went down and never moved. I love this caliber. Anybody have any loads to share? jorge

I'd keep it. I'm in the same boat but my mix is a little different; M70 in .338-06.......CZ550 in 9.3x62.....M70 in .375 H&H. I truly have the middlebores covered too.

I always err on the side of KEEPING guns VS selling them.

FN in MT

I have been fooling around with the 35 Whelen since the early 1970's, and couldn't imagine not having one!

While all I have shot with it is elk, I will share a couple a couple of things I have learned. In my rifle, 4064 is the powder of choice, with a 250 grain bullet at 2600fps+ and a 225 grain at 2675.I recovered a 225 Ballistic Tip from an elk, and the recovered retained bullet weight was 206 grains. Another elk was shot with a 250 grain Speer Soft point, direct heart shot, no bone hit, and the recovered bullet weighed 53 grains. Which one you choose is, your choice, as they both did their job. I like the BT'S in my rifle.

Keep the Whelen!!!!!!!!!

Jerry

Never sell a Whelen. I repeat...NEVER SELL A WHELEN.

WN

Don't sell it you may regret it. Instead buy a .458 Lott !!

I am like you in that I have a cz 9.3x62 and a cz .375 H&H....I lovem both there not going anywhere

I'd keep the Whelen and throw away the rest.