35 whelen

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Farmer1

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Hey guys,
I am wondering if you can tell about your experience with the 35 whelen. I have recently become interested in this caliber after doing some reading. For those of you that have one, would you have another.
I'd like to hear from those of you that hunt with this caliber.

Rick
 
I've got one in a 7600, it's an excellent large game chambering. Stuff her full of Reloader 15 and top it with a 250g HotCor, and Bobs you Uncle. It treads hard on the heals of a 338 Win Mag inside of 250-300yds. Recoil is a step up from a 30-06, but that's the price you pay for more energy. It leaves big holes all the way thru on big animals. I don't notice the massive internal damage common to some high velocity rounds, but trust me if you do your part tracking won't be hard. It doesn't beat the 06 as an all rounder, but it does pick up where the 06 leaves on the big stuff. What else can I say it's not magic, it's just a neat cartidge.
 
Big bullets at moderate velocity is a proven recipe. With any decent bullet you should get nice expansion and penetration without too much bloodshot meat. Recoil isn't too bad either, and the trajectory is plenty practical for 300 yard shooting with practice.
 
I have owned one or two .35 Whelens for the past 15 years or so. Killed more than a dozen elk, a moose and a big mountian caribou with them, and a few deer. I like the cartridge a lot. For early season hunts with no tracking snow, it is very reassuring to reliably put a big hole right through both sides of a big critter. With good 250 grain bullets, the Whelen will do this nearly every time. I'm not convinced that it will kill elk or moose quicker than a .308 or 30-06, but it seems to offer a little edge when heavy bones are hit. Recoil is noticeably less than a .338, muzzle blast less too. I can shoot my Whelens more accurately in the field than the .338's that I have tried. I personally do not shoot at game over 300 yards away so the range of the cartridge is fully adequate for my needs. Rifles can be made with 22" barrels and so handle better than 24" magnum tubes. Reloads are cheap. I would consider the 9.3x62 to be its only practical equal.
 
I've got a 7600 I picked up about 4 years ago.......it shoots good. I have only used it for whitetail hunting and it works! I like all 35's and if you don't own you should :). I usually use my 35 Rem. for deer but the Whelen was beggin' to be shot.
 
I've got 2 35 Whelen's. One is a 7600 carbine for tight woods huntin' and the other is a Ruger hawkeye. They are both accurate guns in a awesome caliber. Just get one you won't regret it.:rockOn:
 
I've had a 7600 since 1988, I think. Whenever Remington came out with it anyway.
What I find is that although it hits hard, I seldom use it anymore. For most of my hunting I want a much flatter trajectory. For the shorter range, heavy bullet, general purpose, big animal work I've migrated to the .375. It will do everything the Whelen will do, plus have bullet weight, diameter and velocity advantage.
The .35 Whelen was the "poormans .375" back in the day. These days, the real .375 (OK,one of the real .375s) is easily available and a lot more gun.
 
My first and current Whelen is on a Rem. Mod. 30 action.
Originally purchased at a gun show in Saskatoon in the late '60s it then wore a well used barrel by John Buhmiller an American barrel-maker.
Now it has a stainless Bevan King barrel and shoots very well with nearly any weight of bullet tried.
A bit heavy at 9 1/2 lbs., it is a dependale stopper.
As other posters have mentioned, the 35 Whelen is no 375 but it still does the job...
 
Dogleg said:
But what's the job? If its to be a moderate range moose thumper then sure. The job of a .375 is to take a fair crack at doing everything, everywhere.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, should have been more specific.
As you stated a moderate range moose thumper.
I also have a couple 375s and I wasn't trying to criticise them....
 
I have a customized Remington 700 SPS (SS, Camo and DM topped with a holosight) with a 20" barrel and I got it specifically for deer hunting at short range in relatively heavy bush.

I use 250 gr bullets and just killed a whitetail deer with little meat damage and I don't have to worry about small branches getting in the way of a shot.

As far as recoil...... I could shoot this gun all day without any discomfort.


Duke1

PS. I have own other makes and models over the years but each one had something missing but this one has everything that I need for this specific kind of hunting. BTW I use either a 300 WM or 375 H&H for moose hunting to beyond 400 yd in clear cuts, around lakes, etc.
 
Yes, I have one, a Model 7600 (1989) that wears a VXII 1-4 Leupold in QD mounts with ultra low rings,that has accounted for half a dozen moose and several deer. I use a
250 Hornady RN loaded-up with RL-15 for moose and a 200 RN loaded down with H335 for deer. I would certainly look at another, maybe a 700CDL with a 2-7xon it..
With a 25-06 as well, I like not having to readjust for trim length !
 
I picked up the 700 CDL about 5 years ago after reading numerous articles and scrutinizing the ballistic tables. Initially I did not find it overly impressive, as it grouped like a shotgun until I junked the crappy walnut that Remington supplied. Dropped it into an H-S Pro and she started splitting holes out to 150m with factory 200gr Corelokts. She gets a bit wild beyond 200, but this is not a long range cartridge. A tighter twist in the factory barrel would benefit the heavy bullets.

First animal I took with it was a bull elk. Close range in the pines, but it anchored the animal on the spot. Not too much damage to the shoulder. I thought it was the expected amount of internal damage. A bit overkill for deer in the bush, but the rifle has a beautiful balance and carries well with the H-S stock.

Great close range moose and bear cartridge. My thought is that is a bit much for deer. Although it performed well on elk for me, I still prefer something a bit faster for elk in the open country or for reaching across a canyon or coulee.
 
I have had several over the years and use them on moose and elk--250 grain hornaday at 2550 fps or 225 Nosler partition at 2600. I also use a 250 grain cast bullet for deer hunting from time to time. Use it as it was designed to be used and you will have no complaints.
 
The longest shot I have made on a big game animal was made with a 35 Whelen. A 250 grain spire spoint at 2500 fps actually shoots just as flat as a 180 from a 308 so it's not bad. My shot was taken at a mule deer buck at about 450 yards (today I would pass on the shot. I've outgrown the need to prove anything). The hold was at the tip of the antlers and the hit was low in the chest. The deer ran about 50 yards then lay down. He got up when I approached but was easily finished. I really like the 35 Whelen. I can also shoot light loads with 357 bullets for practice, if I want. The cartridge does everything I want it to do.
I built the one I'm using in 1985 and it's one I wouldn't sell. Regards, Bill.
 
A friend of mine puts the 35 Whelan in the "if I could only have one gun" category. I have never owned nor shot one. From my personal experince I would have a .338 Win Mag but that is one man's opinion on the never subscribed to one gun theory . . . right next to Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, etc.
 
I like mine - mostly killed black bears in close with 250s at 2400. Never needed more than one shot yet - no tracking required yet either.

Also got a friend who killed a woods bison with his 35 Whelen using 250 partitions. He remarked he was impressed with it's performance. It went down with one shot and a second was used to keep it down.

A 35 Whelen properly loaded is up to almost all N. American big game challenges IMO.
 
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