Varget in 350 Rem Mag?

[Rembo]

Anyone use it?.....or have a source of data?

 

[Whelen B]

I have not used it myself but -

I've found that usually powder/bullet combos that work well in the 35Whelen tend also to perform comparably well in the 350RemMag.

Hodgdon's on their website show data for the 35Whelen with Varget. I'm speculating it should work well in 350RemMag well too with comparable loads of powder. Some on this forum have commented that Varget and ReL15 are almost identical in use and performance in the 35Whelen. I'd use 35Whelen data as a baseline for working up loads. In the 35Whelen most show 55grs. Varget as max with 250s and 56grs. (or 57grs) Varget as max with 225s. Reduce and work up.

What gun you loading for? One of your special custom jobs maybe?

I've got several 350RemMags - a M600 and M660 - I hunt regularly. Luv em!

Hope you find a good load.

 

[Rembo]

thanks for the reply. I've considered trying Whelen data. One would think it to be useable in the 350...case capacities are very close. The two rounds use a lot of common powders. I just can't find data for Varget.

I'm loading for a rifle I built last year but haven't shot much.

It's a 22" King 14" twist tube, .630 at the muzzle on a stainless short 700 in a B&C stock....with 2.5-8X Leupold as pictured it's an ounce or two under 8 pounds...

 

[martinbns]

Most of the manuals seem to list a little bit quicker powders for the 350 mag compared to the Whelen, I think they look like they haven't done any load work on it for years, kind of like the 264 mag.

 

[Whelen B]

I'm loading for a rifle I built last year but haven't shot much.

Hey Rembo
That's a very nice looking and well balanced hunting arm! You seem quite a craftsmen.
Hope you get it shooting well with your chosen powder.

Most of the manuals seem to list a little bit quicker powders for the 350 mag compared to the Whelen, I think they look like they haven't done any load work on it for years,

First welcome martinbns to the 35cal fun as I inderstand you have recently acquired one!
Yes you may be right there on that assessment. I've noticed that too - suggesting for example ReL7 when ReL15 will give better results. Usually better performance is available with slower powders than sometimes suggested - along with suitable heavier bullets. I've documented safe consistent hunting loads for the 350RemMag at 2700fps with 250s with Rel15 fired from a friend's M673 with a 22" tube. However to do that powders that were proven velocity champs in the 35Whelen were necessary. Also of note, Remington and Ruger rifles factory chambered in 350RemMag I'm acquainted with had a bit of freebore with many bullets used - in the order of .300" often. I think this enabled the safe digestion of slightly more powder and better velocity. Accuracy was still good.

I've experimented loading for both the 35Whelen and the 350RemMag in various rifles for quite a while now. Great fun!

 

[Rembo]

Whelen B....any plans to work with Varget in the 350?..

"Hey Rembo
That's a very nice looking and well balanced hunting arm! You seem quite a craftsmen."...

"craftsman".....who?..me?...I'm just an old oilfield machinist with a propensity for doing things myself......and a cheap Chinese lathe in the garage..it's been working so far.....

last summer I had a factory Ruger M77 in 350...it was pretty fast...I recall some chrony readins over 2600 with a 250......IIRC it was about 62 grs of Rel15

 

[martinbns]

First welcome martinbns to the 35cal fun as I inderstand you have recently acquired one!

I didn't know there was a club until now, thanks.

I took a look at that site in your sig line and some of the Whelen loads look crazy hot, 65 gr of re15 with a 250 gr bullet, wow. The max loads I have been able to guesstimate to range from 56 to 59. I guess I will have to use my chronograph.

I bought the whelen to see how I liked the recoil levels instead of buying a 375 H&H right away, I expect I will end up there at some point. Do you think trying to get 2700 FPS from a 250 gr bullet is trying to make the calibre into something it's not?

 

[Whelen B]

I didn't know there was a club until now, thanks.

No club exactly- just a growing number that are coming to appreciate the capabilities of those 35 bore hunting cartridges.

I took a look at that site in your sig line and some of the Whelen loads look crazy hot, 65 gr of re15 with a 250 gr bullet, wow.

Yes they are because they are "experimental" loadings which I worked up and tested and recorded for others to review. They happened to digest in my gun safely - but they are not recommended loads for others (read my disclaimer). Those tables in large part are my "notes" not recommendations. I typically load closer to 60grs ReL15 behind a 250 in my hunting bolt guns. 59.5 grs is Alliant's recommended max load with 250s and I concur with that. But note - some custom guns won't even digest that load safely.

With a 22" tube I've made 2700MV with experimental loads - but only one or two powders will allow that because of their pressure curves. ReL15 is the one I've used most that will do that. Certain bullets seem able to be generally faster than others too. With 250HornadyRNs I can often net higher velocities I've found. But they also take a couple more grains of powder usually to do it (short bearing surface helps I think). A gun has to be able to seat out the bullet and have sufficient freebore to digest more powder safely too. With your CDL's 24" tube I think that somewhere around 2600MV to maybe 2630MV is a more reasonable goal for a reliable hunting load where functioning and safety is paramount - all things considered. It may be less though. Other good Whelen powders (IMR3031, IMR4064, AA2015 for example) just don't get your velocities much past 2450 or so without over straining the brass I've found - plenty fast for most hunting and are closer to classic 35 Whelen levels.
Yes I think 2700MV is a stretch for the 35 Whelen catridge in terms of a sound safe hunting load in most guns from my experience.

As always - your mileage may differ. Reduce and work up carefully - watching for signs of excess pressures as you go.

Hope this helps. BTW - usually after a post like this legalistic nanny types reply waving a finger and urging one and all that you "ought not" "never" exceed a published max. It really bugs some if you do - oh well - I'm just saying....

 

[martinbns]

Thanks,
I've gone over published maximums a few times with mixed results. I posted a while back that 35 Whelen data seemed all over the map. Hornady max re15 I think was 56 gr, Nosler 53, alliant 59 for a 250 gr bullet.

Martin