accurate powders, 35 whelen

I use H380 and IMR 4895 for my .35 Whelen loads with 200 and 250 grain bullets. I think that H414 would be an excellent powder in this cartridge, but cannot find any data for it. You should check out the data at loadswap (look at the top of the page. all you have to do is click on it)

Regards
Gene

3031 and 4064 are very good powders for the 35 Whelen. Stick to the faster powders and you should be fine. That big case and the big hole in the barrel require fast powders. I get 2700 with a 200 grain Hornady, and over 2500 with a 250grain Speer.

I'm also in the middle of a .35 Whelen build on a Mauser '98 action. This is good info for me as well. Is there anyone using Nosler's 225gr Accubond or Partition bullets in this caliber? Loads?

You'll like the .35 Whelen (I have two, one pump and one mauser). Besides the powder already mentioned, you might try AA2520, AA4064, RL12 (if you can find it), RL15, and H4895. The "medium" burn powders, which I consider IMR4064 and IMR4895 to be, will give you the best pressure to velocity ratios in this '06 size case. I've had good luck with Sierra's 225SBT and 225Nosler Accubond for accuracy, but have not used them on anything larger than deer (yet!). The Accubond, Partition, or TSX in that weight should make a good "all-arounder". The 200gr Hornady and Cor-lokts are both good deer bullets and the Whelen has enough powder capacity to drive a 250gr bullet to 2500fps for the really "big stuff". I tend to think it is the 250grain bullets that make the Whelen's reputation as a "thumper" (it sure does a job on elk!).

Thanks for all the good info! This is going to be my black bear rifle from here on out. I'm having the gunsmith throat it for 225-250 gr bullets specifically.

I'm getting real excited about getting the build finished. When I do, I'll post pics.

A heavily compressed load of H4350 (61.5 grains) gets the job done in my 700BDL. 250's are going 2490 fps and accuracy is scary for a bullet that big. I tried 225 grainers at the start using IMR4064, but couldn't get them to group for beans, but there are those who do.

I've tried 200's but always went back to the 250's

RJ

Has anyone tried varget out on the whelen? What were the results?

Sounds like IMR4064 has the most votes so far in this thread and may be a good place to start.

You do want a slightly faster powder than you'd use in the 30-06, because of the expansion ratio. Powders in the 4895/4320/4064/Varget/RL-15 range are perfect.

I have never owned a 35 Whelen, but I did do load workups for one belonging to a friend. I went straight to Ken Waters for his take. Ken listed his most accurate load as 52.0 4064 under the 250 Speer spitzer, and after my first range session, I looked no further. It gave 2300 fps and put five holes into 1.5" at 100 yards with the factory IRON sights.

Gents,

Everything I have used has produced very encouraging results, my rifle is not especially particular. Stand outs are 4320, 4064, and RL15. They do impress me as a little slow, but lord have mercy, do they shoot!

The 250 grain bullet and this cartridge are the peas and carrots of light heavyweight class.

Best to you Sir.

Steve

You will likely not need to go any further than IMR 4064 or RL-15. I have two Whelens and they outshoot everything else I've got.

have fun
GF

Looks like I will be necking up brass as well since whelen brass is all out of stock at the places I've looked.

I've heard .280 brass gives best results with a little trim. Heard others, like 06 are short.

I have found that Hodgdon Benchmark provides excellent accuracy with good volume, behind bullet weights from 180 to 250 grains of weight.
Regards
Snow.

Guidedfishing said:

I have two Whelens and they outshoot everything else I've got.

have fun
GF

Click to expand...

Glad I'm not the only one.

When it was available, I managed to buy 10lbs of R12 from a shop selling out. It produces groups that would sound like a lie with 225gr Sierra's, and 250gr Hornady RN/SP's, from both my 7600 pump, and CDL. BL-C works quite well, H4895 is very good.

Sadly neither rifle shoots 225gr/250gr Noslers for beans. I'll live with it.

I have two really good loads for my Whelen. One is the 225gr TSX over 60gr's of RL15. Shoots at 2800FPS and the second load is the 250gr Speer Hot Cor over 59gr's of RL15. They both shoot into 1.25 pretty easily and are very powerful loads. Make sure you work up slowly. The 250gr Speer and RL15 shoots 2550FPS. I have taken elk, beer and deer with the TSX. I plan on using the 250gr Speer the next time out. RL15 and the 35 Whelen seem to be made for each other. I shoot a Remington M700 CDL. I get excellent speeds and great accuracy for a cartridge of this size and power. Scotty

TMan said:

When it was available, I managed to buy 10lbs of R12 from a shop selling out. It produces groups that would sound like a lie with 225gr Sierra's, and 250gr Hornady RN/SP's, from both my 7600 pump, and CDL.

Click to expand...

TMan, if I promise not to accuse you of lying, is there any chance you could give me some Re-12 charge data?? I've got some on the shelf I'd love to use for my 35 Whelen AI and 225 SGMKs.

fremont said:

TMan, if I promise not to accuse you of lying, is there any chance you could give me some Re-12 charge data?? I've got some on the shelf I'd love to use for my 35 Whelen AI and 225 SGMKs.

Click to expand...

OK,

I did not have the "hair" to load to the numbers listed in a Alliant brochure of many years ago, or in the Lyman Handloaders guide.

I found that 59.0gr of R12 to be pretty snappy in my 7600 and CDL with the Sierra. I didn't get the 2800fps numbers some guys see, but at 2690fps, I felt I was getting my money's worth. The 7600 averaged closer to 2625fps. Both rifles shot incredible groups with the load. No kidding, I wish my .243 shot as well.

My guess is that the extra capacity of the AI should be fine.

beretzs said:

I have two really good loads for my Whelen. One is the 225gr TSX over 60gr's of RL15. Shoots at 2800FPS and the second load is the 250gr Speer Hot Cor over 59gr's of RL15. They both shoot into 1.25 pretty easily and are very powerful loads. Make sure you work up slowly. The 250gr Speer and RL15 shoots 2550FPS. I have taken elk, beer and deer with the TSX. I plan on using the 250gr Speer the next time out. RL15 and the 35 Whelen seem to be made for each other. I shoot a Remington M700 CDL. I get excellent speeds and great accuracy for a cartridge of this size and power. Scotty

Click to expand...

Better watch out for that RL 15 Load. They have changed the max on their web site fro 59 to 54 grains because they outsourced this to the Swedes I believe and the newer batches of RL7 and RL 15 are much hotter than before. With 59g RL15 and a 250g bullet you are well over the 62,000 psi limit now.

Sorry for the bad news.

longriflewest said:

Hello,

I am in the process of getting a custom 35 whelen built on a remington 700 action. I'm pretty excited about the whole thing, it's my first custom gun (blue printed action, shilen match barrel, pillar / glass bedded stock).

Anyway, I am looking for some recommendations on a powder which have given others in the forum good, consistent accuracy results. What do forum members recommend? I plan to be pushing nosler partitions in 225 and 250 grains.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

For the 225 Sierra SPBT I am using 56.3g of IMR 4895 giving a chrono of 2558 fps.
COAL is 3.25" with a Remington brass 2.49"and Winchester LR primers. Accuracy just under 1 MOA.

For the 250 Speer SPFB I am using 59g of BLC2 at 2503 fps. COAL is 3.29, Norma brass cut to 2.482".

55.1g H4895 can do the same as the BLC2 if you have some of that instead.

Those are both book loads by the way. The 250 loads comes from the Hornady book and Hodgdon web site, and the 225 load comes from the Hodgdon site, yet with a longer COAL and a bit more powder as checked by Quickload.

PS This is with a Custom Mauser that has a 24" barrel.