changing 30-06 over to 35 whelen???

gregc

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hey, i have a couple of 30-06 (model 70 and m77) that i/m thinking of switching over to a 35 whelen. is all i need to do is get a replacement barrel and have a gunsmith spin it on and check it out? any more complicated than doing that?? is there a gunsmith that you would recomend to do this changeover. thanks in advance.
 
You cannot go wrong with the 35 Whelen. Don’t listen to the guys that say the 338-06 is better. Both guns are 400 yard max rifles so why not throw a larger diameter heavy bullet. I’ve had both and kept the 35 as it proved to put game down faster.
Buy a barrel and get it chambered. I have a reamer if you need. 1 in 12 twist works great. Get a 3 or 4 contour barrel and cut it to 22”. Using Tac powder you will be able to get close or hit 2800 fps with 225gr bullets.
 
A 35 can be built easily on any action as long as the bolt face and action length fits the 30-06 family of cartridges. Just choose a smith, the brand of barrel, and the barrel's characteristics.

I bought a Rem700 SPS stainless in 270 as the price was right, but specifically to build a 35. I sent it to KS Arms for one of their barrels, 12" twist, custom contour, and finished at 22".
 
I did not say the .338-06 was better. Nothing wrong with a .35 Whelen... but the .338-06 shoots flatter and retains more energy at all distances. It is a superior performance. Just stating facts.
You 100% have no idea what your talking about. For just one example:

Nosler’s manual #6 shows up to 2690 fps from a 24″ barrel for the 338-06 210gr Partition/3374 ft-lbs. For the 225gr in .358″, they show a high of 2805 fps/3930 ft-lbs in a 24″, .35 Whelen test barrel.

Sorry but with 225s the 35W outperforms the 338 odd six. Load both wirh 250s and the spread gets even bigger.

So really the 338-06 doesn't really outperform the 35W at all. Better BCs? Who cares. Neither is a 500 yd chambering.
 
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The fact the .338-06 slightly outperforms the .35 Whelen has been a fact shortly after the .338-06 came out.

The 338-06 cartridge generally has more energy than the 35 Whelen. This is due to the higher sectional density and bullet weight of the 338-06, which allows for greater energy retention and penetration compared to the 35 Whelen. While the 35 Whelen is advantageous for factory loads and brass availability, the 338-06 is often preferred for its performance in terms of energy and bullet weight.
 
210 TTSX. ~400 yards quartering hard away. Hit him towards the front of his left hip and recovered the bullet under the skin at the front of the right shoulder. He went 110 feet and dropped.
 

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The fact the .338-06 slightly outperforms the .35 Whelen has been a fact shortly after the .338-06 came out.

The 338-06 cartridge generally has more energy than the 35 Whelen. This is due to the higher sectional density and bullet weight of the 338-06, which allows for greater energy retention and penetration compared to the 35 Whelen. While the 35 Whelen is advantageous for factory loads and brass availability, the 338-06 is often preferred for its performance in terms of energy and bullet weight.
Huh? 338 06 bullet weight is higher? SD is the only aspect 338 06 beats 35W at and so what? Whelen shoots bigger bullets better than the 06 and hits with a lot more energy.

Please post your 06 comparatives to the 35W using 225 and 250 gr bullets. Or you could post all of the higher energy stats with same bullet size as 35W.

Maybe the most important stat is where the 2 chamberings sit today. The A Square is basically extinct. The Whelen just keeps chugging along.
 
well gents that's all fine and good i will shoot the 30-06 with 180 -200 gr and out do both the cartridges you speak of i drive a 200 gr bullet at 2800 fps out of a 24" bbl that out performs the cartridge you speak of
but really practically out to 400 yds they are all the same
2800 fps is common with 225gr in Whelen while the energy using 200gr and up bullets is quite seriously beyond the 06.

I dont think most commenting on the Whelen know much about it at all. As you say 400 yds yada yada is mostly true due to the fact that the vast majority of hunters aren't killing big game at those ranges on a regular basis but the 30-06 will likely outperform both cartridges being discussed here at that yardage for obvious reasons.

Gents we're discussing the same brass here. Not many different ways to slice it.
 
210 TTSX. ~400 yards quartering hard away. Hit him towards the front of his left hip and recovered the bullet under the skin at the front of the right shoulder. He went 110 feet and dropped.
What does that prove? I've done it with 7rm with 150ttsx 160 partitions and 175ABs and a 30 version 06 shooting 180s. Hell, there'll be guys doing it with 22-250s in AB this fall probably. Doesn't make the 338-06 some sort of magical chambering. If it did there'd be a lot more of them in use out there.
 
Forget the Nosler manual and look the the Hornady and Speer data. For whatever reason Nosler shows velocities up to 200 fps slower than the other 2. I have had both the .35 and 338 versions in the past and now have kept the 338-06.
Yes... and the data shows the .338-06 retains more energy and with a flatter trajectory than the .35 Whelen.
 
I have killed Whitetails, Elk, Mulies, and BlackBears with 6mmRem, 243Win, 270Win, 270WSM, 7-08, 7RM, 30-06, 300WM, 35Whelen, and 375H&H, and under 600 metres, not one of those animals would have known the difference between my 6mm with 100 grain softpoints, the 300WM with 190s, or the 35 with 250s. They all dropped dead. All those technical specs mean nothing if a guy knows his load and where to place the bullet so for the OP, build the rifle you want.

I love my 35 with 225s and 250s. The 12" twist keeps my bullet stable for longer shots.
 
Get a 9.3x62 barrel on there and call it a day!
I have 4 30-06, one 8mm06 and 2 9.3x62 and to be honest I think the 30-06 is better all around gun, that said I love my 9.3x62’s they put game down in a hurry and the recoil ain’t so bad, easy to reload for… 35 Whelen is just a tad slower and a tad smaller bullet!
 
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