I've found my "all around" hunting load in .35 Whelen! *PICS of my rifle ADDED*

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Jeff/1911

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I've found my "all around" hunting load in .35 Whelen! *PICS of my rifle ADDED*

I added some pics of my Whelen...see posting #22 below :)

I've been working up loads for my Remington 700 Classic in .35 Whelen and Leupold 2-7x33 scope combo, using RL15 and the Speer 250 grain Spitzer...a bullet I recall some of you folks talking favorably about for the 35 Calibers for "all around big game" use.

I am toying with the idea of trying the 225 grain Nosler Partition too - but I may leave that for next year and use the Speer bullet this year to get some "field" research done with it. ;)

Using the Speer 250; I worked my way up to 59.5 grains of RL15 with an OAL equal to that of the Remington 250 grain factory load, and here is how it shoots at 100 yards. The top target was shot with a load of 59.0 grains and the bottom one at 59.5 grains. The final POI I dialed it in for was about 3" high at 100 yards.

Next I shot the rifle with these loads at 200 yards, and got 2 shots to land within an inch of each other and about 1" to 1 1/2" high. :) Two shots; because I was running out of samples of each load by then. :redface:

Anyway, here are the 100 yard targets with the squares measuring two inches each. I was quite pleased...

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good shooting....3" high at 100 and still 1-1/2" high at 200....and if you try 300 I bet it'll be about 9" to 10" low.....and some people say a Whelen is a short range cartridge...ha...:)..another rifle I should have kept...:-(
 
Rembo said:
good shooting....3" high at 100 and still 1-1/2" high at 200....and if you try 300 I bet it'll be about 9" to 10" low.....and some people say a Whelen is a short range cartridge...ha...:)..another rifle I should have kept...:-(
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Rick, I thought you might say that when you saw these targets! :D

I agree about the 200 yard drop...it was a lot less than I thought it would be. Next time out, I'll shoot it at 300 yards.
 
The 250 gr Speer spitzers and Re15 is always an accurate combo in my 700 BDL 35 Whelen as well. I had mine made into an AI for something to do and it is still a great combo.
 
Good stuff with the Whelen.:rockOn:
My CDL shoots the 225 TSX just under 1/2 inch at 100 yards exactly 2 inches high over bullseye. The 250 Hornady's shot into 5/8ths of an inch and they were 2&3/4 inches high over bullseye.
I was using 53.5 grains of IMR 4895 and Federal LR primers, it seems the Whelen likes a varied diet of bullets and powders. Reloader 15 is on my future list of powders to try.
 
Both Speers 250gr (HC and GS) were very accurate in my Whelen at under MOA. I settled on the 225 TSX after some penetration/expansion/retention testing. Not that the Speers wouldn't work.
 
That's good shooting with a great cartridge.

If my experience with my Whelen(23" barrel) and 250 gr Hornadys with a similar load of RL15 is any basis, you should be getting 2600-2625 fps.

Actually, I just ran your numbers through my ballistics program, and assuming 2600 fps, I came up with 1.6" high at 200 yds and 6.7" low at 300.:)
 
Mauser98 said:
That's good shooting with a great cartridge.

If my experience with my Whelen(23" barrel) and 250 gr Hornadys with a similar load of RL15 is any basis, you should be getting 2600-2625 fps.

Actually, I just ran your numbers through my ballistics program, and assuming 2600 fps, I came up with 1.6" high at 200 yds and 6.7" low at 300.:)
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Thanks Mauser...I'll post here again with my 300 yard targets, to see how close that is. :) That will be very interesting indeed!

Thanks to all of you for your comments and praise! :D
 
59.0 grs of RL15 under a 250gr pill is well known as "the load" for the 35 Whelen. This just seems to be the optimum combination for that powder - accurate, max MV, and under max pressure. No need to look further.
 
Andy said:
59.0 grs of RL15 under a 250gr pill is well known as "the load" for the 35 Whelen. This just seems to be the optimum combination for that powder - accurate, max MV, and under max pressure. No need to look further.
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Good to know Andy, Thanks. ;) I guess the only thing I'm wondering is whether I should be considering the Nosler Partition, or other premium bullet over the Speer SP.
 
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Good shooting Jeff! I just started playing with my 700 CDL in .35 W.I'm using 56 gr of RL 15 with the 225 gr Nosler Accubond.I'm sighted in 2" high at 100 yds and my average group size is 2" for 3 shots.I'm sure the gun could shoot tighter.I just need more trigger time with it. Cheers Bac4
 
Killed a small "bar" with a 250 Speer Hot core this week with a 350RemMag - the short action ballistic twin to the 35 whelen. The MV was around 2440 and I shot it at about 12 yards. So the bullet was carrying most of that velocity on impact. There was an exit about 1 1/2" and the bear just ran about 8yds before piling up. I like that bullet.

That's a classic load for that Classic 700 you have there and it should serve you well for all big game hunting.
 
Whelen B said:
Killed a small "bar" with a 250 Speer Hot core this week with a 350RemMag - the short action ballistic twin to the 35 whelen. The MV was around 2440 and I shot it at about 12 yards. So the bullet was carrying most of that velocity on impact. There was an exit about 1 1/2" and the bear just ran about 8yds before piling up. I like that bullet.

That's a classic load for that Classic 700 you have there and it should serve you well for all big game hunting.
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Thanks Whelen B...I will stick with it then! ;) That sounds like great bullet performance you had!
 
BAC4 said:
Good shooting Jeff! I just started playing with my 700 CDL in .35 W.I'm using 56 gr of RL 15 with the 225 gr Nosler Accubond.I'm sighted in 2" high at 100 yds and my average group size is 2" for 3 shots.I'm sure the gun could shoot tighter.I just need more trigger time with it. Cheers Bac4
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Bac4,

THe 700 CDL was the rifle I was going to buy before I ended up with this one I have...have fun with it.

Jeff.
 
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