35 Whelen project is done ✅ well almost....

[Mekaniks]

My 35 Whelen on Pre-64 Win action is finished and got to come home today. I am pretty excited and couldn’t be happier. Cant wait to get to the range!

It all started when I bought a pre-64 Winchester barreled action in .270 off gunbroker. It was pretty well used with no stock. I took it to Steve at Alaska Custom Firearms in Anchorage http://new.alaskacustomfirearms.com/about.html and I explained to him what I wanted and we worked up a plan. He ordered a 22” Douglas XX stainless barrel and would coat all the steel parts in flat black Nitride. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitride. Nitride is expensive compared to the spray on finishes but is much more corrosion resistant and doesn’t scratch or flake off.
Then I went in search of a stock. I had planned to try and find a composite/Kevlar stock. Instead I found a maple wood stock that I really liked from the guys at pre-64 win.com https://pre64win.com/. It has a palm rest on right side and good wood grain but no checking or sling studs. So I bought it, and sent it directly to Sherry Abraham at Custom Checkering http://www.checkering.com/
Then I bought a set of QD scope rings from Alaska Arms https://alaskaarmsllc.com/. I drove up to Big Lake, Alaska, picked them up and took direct them to Steve at Ak Custom.
Then I went in search of a scope....after lots of research and a couple of scope purchases that will go on other rifles.... I finally bought a new Swarovski Z3 3-10 x 42 from Amazon Prime for $100.00 less than I could get it at Cabelas. And I took that to Steve as well.
Steve called me and talked about sights and sling studs. We settled on a good adjustable rear site, and banded front site with a hood and a banded front sling stud with a traditional screw in sling stud in the rear stock.
Then the wait started... patiently.... waiting....
Yesterday Steve called me and said it was done! Everything assembled and he took it the range and test fired.So far I can’t be happier. Everything has turned out great. I just need to make some time to get on the loading bench and start working up some loads

 

[huntinlabs]

Looks nice!!! You going to take it out for moose this year?

 

[Mekaniks]

Looks nice!!! You going to take it out for moose this year?

If I get a good load for it I will. But not real keen on the wood stock spending a week on the four wheeler hunting in the rain. I have another rifle that is better suited for that environment.
I really built this one with Africa (and other far away places) in mind.

 

[huntinlabs]

If I get a good load for it I will. But not real keen on the wood stock spending a week on the four wheeler hunting in the rain. I have another rifle that is better suited for that environment.
I really built this one with Africa (and other far away places) in mind.

Makes sense. I am headed out this weekend to get my camp spot ready again (making the meat poles cutting fire wood etc.)

 

[Shootist43]

What a gorgeous rifle. I own two 35 Whelens. One was an unfired Remington 700 that I found at Cabela's and the other I had a Gun Smith make from an old 03 A3 that I had laying around. To date the Remington has been fed Factory ammo with 225 Gr. Accubonds the 03 A3 has been using my reloads. consisting of a healthy dose of IMR 4064 and 225 Gr. Barnes TSX bullets. Barnes claims 2800 FPS for the load I'm using but I haven't run it over my chronograph. BTW my Sporter wears a Boyd's Laminated stock. It was built to be a working rifle and has been out in the weather and to Africa twice.

 

[Rob404]

Welcome to the 35 Whelen club

 

[Bullthrower338]

Fine looking rifle my friend

 

[Pheroze]

Awesome rifle. And, I love the story behind it - sourcing the material is half the fun

That 35 cal confuses me. Great caliber and I like both the 35 Whelen and the Norma mag version. I keep looking at them both. Very confusing but cool caliber. Have fun. Oh, and the stock is meant to be used, dont deprive it a moose hunt!!!

 

[Mekaniks]

One thing that I for got to mention is the front site hood.... I don’t really like a hood on the front site and think they get in way more than they are useful.... But I know some folks like them. So if you look at the picture of the front site, you will see a little silver button. Push the button and the hood slides right off. To reinstall it it just slides back in the groove and the button locks it into place. Steve installed this style for me so I can easily remove it when I want...Genius

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My 35 Whelen on Pre-64 Win action is finished and got to come home today. I am pretty excited and couldn’t be happier. Cant wait to get to the range!

It all started when I bought a pre-64 Winchester barreled action in .270 off gunbroker. It was pretty well used with no stock. I took it to Steve at Alaska Custom Firearms in Anchorage http://new.alaskacustomfirearms.com/about.html and I explained to him what I wanted and we worked up a plan. He ordered a 22” Douglas XX stainless barrel and would coat all the steel parts in flat black Nitride. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitride. Nitride is expensive compared to the spray on finishes but is much more corrosion resistant and doesn’t scratch or flake off.
Then I went in search of a stock. I had planned to try and find a composite/Kevlar stock. Instead I found a maple wood stock that I really liked from the guys at pre-64 win.com https://pre64win.com/. It has a palm rest on right side and good wood grain but no checking or sling studs. So I bought it, and sent it directly to Sherry Abraham at Custom Checkering http://www.checkering.com/
Then I bought a set of QD scope rings from Alaska Arms https://alaskaarmsllc.com/. I drove up to Big Lake, Alaska, picked them up and took direct them to Steve at Ak Custom.
Then I went in search of a scope....after lots of research and a couple of scope purchases that will go on other rifles.... I finally bought a new Swarovski Z3 3-10 x 42 from Amazon Prime for $100.00 less than I could get it at Cabelas. And I took that to Steve as well.
Steve called me and talked about sights and sling studs. We settled on a good adjustable rear site, and banded front site with a hood and a banded front sling stud with a traditional screw in sling stud in the rear stock.
Then the wait started... patiently.... waiting....
Yesterday Steve called me and said it was done! Everything assembled and he took it the range and test fired.So far I can’t be happier. Everything has turned out great. I just need to make some time to get on the loading bench and start working up some loads

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Mekaniks
I know this is an older post but I thought you might like some good loads for the Whelen.
Check out the the Speer reloading site. They list the 250gn Speer hotcore for 2700fps using cfe223.
Nosler lists the 225 accubonds at 2,800 fps with 60.5grains of Varget.
I chronoed these loads in my rifle and they proved to be safe and accurate.
Another load is the 225gn woodleigh with cfe223 for 2,950fps chronoed in my rifle start with 60 grains and work up to a max of 65 grains.
These loads put the good ol Whelen into the real world.
My rifle is a Stevens 200 rebarreled to 35 Whelen with a 25 inch stainless barrel 1in 12 twist
Cheers mate Bob
My Whelen

 

[Mekaniks]

Mekaniks
I know this is an older post but I thought you might like some good loads for the Whelen.
Check out the the Speer reloading site. They list the 250gn Speer hotcore for 2700fps using cfe223.
Nosler lists the 225 accubonds at 2,800 fps with 60.5grains of Varget.
I chronoed these loads in my rifle and they proved to be safe and accurate.
Another load is the 225gn woodleigh with cfe223 for 2,950fps chronoed in my rifle start with 60 grains and work up to a max of 65 grains.
These loads put the good ol Whelen into the real world.
My rifle is a Stevens 200 rebarreled to 35 Whelen with a 25 inch stainless barrel 1in 12 twist
Cheers mate Bob
My Whelen

View attachment 329689

Thanks Bob. I appreciate it.
I started working up some loads shooting 250g A Frames over Varget but I couldn't get very good groups. 3-4 inches was about my best. So I picked up some 225g Partitions and Reloader 15 to start down that road. Then I ended up leaving for Antarctica last February for 9 months.... Now that I am back I need to pick up where I left off and get it dialed in.

 

[Rule 303]

Mekaniks the cfe223 seems to be the powder for the Whelen. However if using Hodgdon powders varget is way to slow. H4895 or IMR8208XBR are the powders for the Whelen. So far I have only gone to book loads with the 8208 and after speaking with Bob Nelson I will be working these loads up a bit.

No reason not to use this rifle for Moose or Bear in Alaskan weather. Just do not oil the stock, wax it. Wax all surfaces with a good timber wax, even if you have oiled it, still wax it. I have found this has stopped any movement in my timber stocks plus water runs off it and dirt does not seem to stick to it. Just a thought.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Mekaniks the cfe223 seems to be the powder for the Whelen. However if using Hodgdon powders varget is way to slow. H4895 or IMR8208XBR are the powders for the Whelen. So far I have only gone to book loads with the 8208 and after speaking with Bob Nelson I will be working these loads up a bit.

No reason not to use this rifle for Moose or Bear in Alaskan weather. Just do not oil the stock, wax it. Wax all surfaces with a good timber wax, even if you have oiled it, still wax it. I have found this has stopped any movement in my timber stocks plus water runs off it and dirt does not seem to stick to it. Just a thought.

Mekaniks the cfe223 seems to be the powder for the Whelen. However if using Hodgdon powders varget is way to slow. H4895 or IMR8208XBR are the powders for the Whelen. So far I have only gone to book loads with the 8208 and after speaking with Bob Nelson I will be working these loads up a bit.

No reason not to use this rifle for Moose or Bear in Alaskan weather. Just do not oil the stock, wax it. Wax all surfaces with a good timber wax, even if you have oiled it, still wax it. I have found this has stopped any movement in my timber stocks plus water runs off it and dirt does not seem to stick to it. Just a thought.

Rule 303
I don't know about Varget being to slow for the Whelen nosler lists a max of 60.5 grains with the 225gn accubonds. This gives 2850 fps out of my rifle

225grain accubond retrieved from a Kudu shot front on at around 120yards. Bullet located in the ham. Penetrating over 5 and a half feet

 

[Rule 303]

Bob, I am working off book loads for the Whelen, I have not yet developed past book max velocities as published here in Aust. I have found in both my Whelens, 2208 (Varget) to be 100 to 150fps slower then AR2206H (H4895) and this slower than the BM8208 (IMR8208XBR) This is why I say that Varget is too slow for the Whelen. I suspect this difference in my velocities between 2208 and 2206H as published is the barrel.

Think I am going to have to get a Nosler reloading manual.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Mekaniks the cfe223 seems to be the powder for the Whelen. However if using Hodgdon powders varget is way to slow. H4895 or IMR8208XBR are the powders for the Whelen. So far I have only gone to book loads with the 8208 and after speaking with Bob Nelson I will be working these loads up a bit.

No reason not to use this rifle for Moose or Bear in Alaskan weather. Just do not oil the stock, wax it. Wax all surfaces with a good timber wax, even if you have oiled it, still wax it. I have found this has stopped any movement in my timber stocks plus water runs off it and dirt does not seem to stick to it. Just a thought.

Rule 303
I use Gilly's wax and polishes Gun Polish $17 OZ on line. I use it on all my timber and steel guns, great stuff.

I use this rifle in all weather conditions, rain beads and rolls off, dust just wipes off. I wax it after every use takes less than 5 minutes.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, I am working off book loads for the Whelen, I have not yet developed past book max velocities as published here in Aust. I have found in both my Whelens, 2208 (Varget) to be 100 to 150fps slower then AR2206H (H4895) and this slower than the BM8208 (IMR8208XBR) This is why I say that Varget is too slow for the Whelen. I suspect this difference in my velocities between 2208 and 2206H as published is the barrel.

Think I am going to have to get a Nosler reloading manual.

Rule 303
Don't worry about a nosler manuals just go to the nosler reloading site. Being in OZ I use 2208. Try and get your cfe223 from rebel gunworks or Cleaver in Brisbane. Try the Speer reloading site as well,I use load from a disc by Wayne blackells.
Alliant used to list 59 grains of reloader 15 for 2,500fps with a 250 grain bullet but for some reason they dropped the charge to only get 2,300fps.
John Barsness states he has used the old 59 grain load in all his 35s and never had a problem. He can't understand why it was changed.
Cfe223 gives me 2,950 fps with the Woodleigh 225grain PPSP chronoed. This works out to 4,300fpe muzzle energy.
Sighted in 2inches high at 100 yards it zeros at 215 yards and is under 7 inches low at 300 with just over 2,450 for.
At 400 yards it's 25 inches low and has 2,000fpe.
Those figures turn the Whelen from a short range brush gun into something that will give the 338win mag a horrible shake up without rattling your teeth or knocking you out from under your hat. And all this can be done SAFELY.
If you want you can private message me for more information. Cheers Mekaniks and Rule 303
Bob Nelson

 

[Rule 303]

Bob Gilly Stephensons is what I use too. Never thought of a Whelen as short range cartridge. Use to hit the 500 mt plates at little river with my first one every shot, using an Aimpoint. Always considered it a 300mt cartridge.

I stopped developing loads for my Whelen when I made up a 35Sambar (WSM).

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob Gilly Stephensons is what I use too. Never thought of a Whelen as short range cartridge. Use to hit the 500 mt plates at little river with my first one every shot, using an Aimpoint. Always considered it a 300mt cartridge.

I stopped developing loads for my Whelen when I made up a 35Sambar (WSM).

Rule 303
A lot of people regard the Whelen as a short to medium range weapon.
The 35 Sambar is more of a good thing. It a short action 358 norma mag. I think but could be wrong but Briel Jackson had a lot to do with its development. I remember reading about it in Australian Guns and Game a few years back.
Glad you like the Gilleys it's great stuff.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Rick Cox]

Mekaniks
I know this is an older post but I thought you might like some good loads for the Whelen.
Check out the the Speer reloading site. They list the 250gn Speer hotcore for 2700fps using cfe223.
Nosler lists the 225 accubonds at 2,800 fps with 60.5grains of Varget.
I chronoed these loads in my rifle and they proved to be safe and accurate.
Another load is the 225gn woodleigh with cfe223 for 2,950fps chronoed in my rifle start with 60 grains and work up to a max of 65 grains.
These loads put the good ol Whelen into the real world.
My rifle is a Stevens 200 rebarreled to 35 Whelen with a 25 inch stainless barrel 1in 12 twist
Cheers mate Bob
My Whelen

View attachment 329689

Thanks for the load info. I've been using the Nosler load with 225 gr. Accubonds and 225 gr. Barnes TSX with no issues. Good accuracy, kills things...

 

[Rick Cox]

Rule 303
A lot of people regard the Whelen as a short to medium range weapon.
The 35 Sambar is more of a good thing. It a short action 358 norma mag. I think but could be wrong but Briel Jackson had a lot to do with its development. I remember reading about it in Australian Guns and Game a few years back.
Glad you like the Gilleys it's great stuff.
Cheers mate Bob

That 35 Sanbar really has my interest. Wish I had one.