I drug out my 35 Whelen. The chamber is made to SAAMI specs. The throat is designed for the bullet to jump 0.4". That really limits accuracy potential. You can not seat it out that far. How stupid is that?

Another example. I looked into building a 38-55 a while back. Per SAAMI I found a groove diameter bullet will not work because the chamber is to narrow in the throat to seat such a cartridge. It is designed so the bullets rattle down the bore! That is even more ridiculous. In the black powder era they did not know better, now we do, so change it.

I prefer my stuff to be properly designed and to function correctly. Modern throats are well understood. Yet, many of the SAAMI spec chambers are a hot mess. A rifle chambered to there drawings may never shoot accurately because the chamber design is all wrong.

What is the reason they continue to spec out such garbage?

It leaves me in a pickle. IF I set my Whelen barrel back, and rechamber it with a custom reamer, using a correct throat, pressure with factory ammo my run high. So, I can not sell the rifle, it would be a trap for someone.

Yes, I know, just shoot it and see. Well maybe. IT is still wrong and that bothers me.

The 35 whelen has a free bore of .25 inches, then the tapered throat starts. The 38-55 is made for the old groove size of .379 or .380; we use .375 barrels now.
I you want a reamer to meet your needs you need to buy a custom one. That is what I do. SAAMI specs are not legally binding on any maker; they are free to do what they want.

Just to expand on Toms comment. You will find that the manufacturers and reamer makers seldom, if ever stick to SAMMI throat lengths and angles. If they did, hand loaders would never have to putz with bullet seating.

Thanks guys, I'm just blowing off some steam. My particular chamber will not allow a 200 gr Hornady to be seated in neck enough and still kiss the rifling. It is about 0.025" For me the is no way to get the bullet in the same zip code as the rifling origin.

Yes the parallel section is shorter but the end of the case mouth to the end of the leed is 0.406. That is way to much for modern ideas.
http://saami.org/specification...AAMI_CFR.pdf#page=13

page 127

The parallel section is o.257" but that is only part of the total leed.

Whine, whine , whine I guess I am being too picky. In the future, I will cast the chamber before I accept a barrel. I will carefully measure reamers before I use them.

Two hundred grain is too light for use in the 35 Whelen. My opinion.
How much neck seating do you have?
I know the chamber specs on that one by heart and I have the reamer; I do a lot of 35 calibers; mostly 350 Rem Mags, I like them.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I have the reamer; I do a lot of 35 calibers; mostly 350 Rem Mags, I like them.

Obviously, you have never fired 3 shots out of a Remington 600 Mohawk in 350 Rem mag in rapid succession. Or you wouldn't like them!

I have. It leaves you battered, bruised, concussed, shell shocked and babbling and frothing at the mouth like a drunken monkey !

I've done that and it's like trying to get a Bobcat in a Full Nelson. I've felt better after a two week drunk! I don't like 350 Rem magnums!

I typed that poorly. The engagement of the bullet in the neck is about 0.025" when the bullet just touches the rifling.

I'm unsure how much a heavier bullet would help. IT would have to have a much shorter ogive.

There is nothing to be done, it is just frustrating.

EXCUSE ME!!! I love to fire my 350 Rem Mags; I have three, The standard 700, and Win 70, do not kick at all. I have not finished the Model 7 (with 600 barrel and stock type) yet. I can't wait to do what you suggest is so much fun. I made a laminated walnut/beech stock blank. Why? I wanted to.
Had the 700 at the range last Friday.
Remember what Elmer said; I like my rifles to kill at both ends.
But the 350 is not a hard kicker.
As for the Whelen, sounds like you have already solved the problem; if you can touch rifling with .25 seat depth, I don't see the issue.

Tom:
I realize everyone perceives recoil diffrently.
This .358U/M I had built we've discussed. Certainly jars me plenty.

Just the starting loads: 90gr 7828, 250gr, 15 shot avg: 2884fps. The gun weighs 15lbs too and has a big pad, two mercury capsules in it.
I had it chambered long to shoot 300gr if n when.
I knew it was going to kick, that's why I had it made heavy. Only thing left is a brake and I won't do that because of the blast.

With a fresh shoulder surgery the 16th, I doubt I'll shoot it this summer again. Buddy Jack says he'll be out and he loves recoil. I'll get him to shoot the rest of the test loads thru a chronograph. I never expected to have shoulders replaced.

George

Right, sure. But the 350 Rem Mag is a mini mag and only uses 50 or so grains of powder and has the same ballistics as a Whelen. . Not in the same category as real mags.
Rod is talking about the little 600 carbine, which only weights 6 pounds and does have some recoil.
The rifle that kicked me the most was the 338 RUM; the recoil velocity and energy is ferocious and the rifles I had only weighed 8.5 pounds. I think I dislocated my shoulder testing them, so I put brakes on them. I think the bigger bores have a slower recoil. I know they do. And yes, the 358 version would do the same.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Rod is talking about the little 600 carbine, which only weights 6 pounds and does have some recoil.

5.5 pounds actually and I think they made the 350 Rem mag an ounce lighter than that so it would fawking kick harder. I've been in more pleasant motorcycle accidents ! ! ! ! !

I can't wait....

Then they made the ribs out of plastic to keep the weight down so the ribs wouldn't blow off. They still blew off!

Yes, mine has the plastic rib. Two of the studs are gone but a quick arc weld bead will take care of them.