Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Stainless 35 Whelen

I'd like to pick up a stainless 35 Whelen without having to get a 2nd mortgage. My options appear to be-
1. Get a 35 Whelen barrel for my TC Encore. Downside is that the Encore stock design is uncomfortable for me to shoot with 30-06 recoil, not to mention .35 Whelen recoil.
2. Second option is an ER Shaw stainless barrel kit for my .270 Stevens 200.
3. Third option is to send my .270 M700 ADL-SS to be rebored to .35 Whelen.

Yes, I know Ruger made some stainless M77 Hawkeyes, but I'd have to find one, and expect it would cost more any one of my 3 choices.

This would be for hunting black bear over bait. I've had good experience with a M700 classic .35 Whelen and 225 gr Accubonds on bears.

Any options I'm missing?

Rebore

I had a 24 inch Whelen stainless encore barrel in standard taper. It kicked pretty good but not anymore than the 26 inch 7 mag barrel I had. I sold the whelen and got a MGM 26 inch 358 Win barrel. It shoots really good but still has some jump to it. I don't think a mgm 26 inch whelen would kick any more than the 30-06 barrel does.

You may want to consider the 358 Win barrel for your encore. It's not but about 100 fps slower than the 35 whelen.

Load some 150-160 gr Partitions in one of the 270's. Bear will be just as dead, just as soon.

At bear camp last week, someone shot a bear with an '06 loaded with 180 gr core lokt. I shot a bear with the 225 Accubond. The size of the hole in the bear from the Whelen was a lot bigger than hole from the '06. My bear was easily recovered due to the ample blood trail, the '06 shot bear had no blood trail, and was not recovered until the next day.

The Whelen is potent bear medicine.

The Remington limited edition 700 CDL Stainless Fluted for this year is in Whelen, about a Grand. Remington sku # 84030.

If you're nostalgic, Lipsey's ran the K1A in Whelen too...pretty scarce though. I passed on one that I wish I had picked up.

Zapped a big bear once with my 6.5x55...he went about 10 yards...but I can identify with your 35 love.

JES rebored my Tikka T3 .270 WIN to 35 Whelen and did a great job for under $300.

Only thing I would change is the 35 Whelen label on the side, have him label in under the barrel and take it to a gun smith that can mill out the .270 marking then engrave it.

I'd send the M700 270 to IT&D and have him rebarrel it with a factiry contour SS barrel.

RH

If you want a bigger hole why don't you step up in caliber? Here is one that would be good for bear or anything you would ever want shoot.
https://www.cdnnsports.com/rugerr-m77r-hawkeyer-alaskan-375rug-muzzle-brake.html?___SID=U
I have a 375 Ruger Guide Gun and shoot Nolser 300gr. Accubond handload chronographed at 2590fps. out of a 20" barrel and get 1/2" 3-shot group at 100yds. Recoil is a push compared to a sharp jab.

I'll call IDT tomorrow and see what that would cost.

As for a .375, I find the Whelen a "just right" combination of power and recoil. The .375 Ruger would certainly be more money than my other options. Also, I already have dies, bullets, and brass for the Whelen.

I do have a Tikka .270, but it's too good a deer rifle to rerbore it.

As for the 700 CDL, I think it might be Remington's first stainless .35 Whelen. Nice, but it's more than I want to spend.

How about sending out the Classic for a ceracote coating and picking up a synthetic stock for it? Then you would have an all weather rifle. Ceracote is not that much and you can pick up synthetic stocks for the 700 pretty reasonable if you are not in a hurry.

I'm in the market for same thing.
My plan is to find a nice stainless rifle as a donor and re bore.
Right now I'm thinking of tc venture.
I love my tikkas, but it's an expensive donor and even though I am not recoil shy, not sure I want a lite rife shooting 225-250 pills.

I don't want to cerakote the classic, because it's already in a Boyd laminated stock and I have the original stock in storage. I consider it to be semi-collectible.

I think the TC Venture weathershield is plated, not stainless. The barrel is also thinner than a Remington. I know because I measured the barrel diameters.

I'll second the JES rebore. I had him rebore my Tikka 06 to 35 Whelen. I went with a 3 groove 1/14 twist. Price was $225.00 return shipped.

I haven't had time to work up loads so I used my Encore load in it this past season. Three 3 shot groups were all less than 3/4 inch. Made the scope adjustments and went hunting.

This, but I would not rule out the 375 Ruger suggestion either.But that's just me.

Sample size of two, and one using a mediocre cup-and-core bullet, the other a premium bullet; not to mention no mention of shot locations and distance.

Load a TTSX in that .270 and kill stuff.

I would go with #2. It is reversable.

Hate to barge in on a thread - my apologies to the OP.........

If anyone is interested, I'm about to put my Ruger SS Hawkeye in 35 wh up for sale. It has a 2.8-8x36 VX3 sitting on it. It likes H4895 and 250 gr Partitions. It has been shot just enough to find a load (~ 100 times). It would be far cheaper than buying a donor and re-boring - or about any other option. The SS Hawkeyes are a very nice rifle.

PM me if anyone is interested.

I'd do the rebore. The Shaw Savage kits are HEAVY taper, and w/ JES you can get the fast 12" twist for heavies.

The rebarrel will cost more, even thru ITD.

I'm leaning toward reboring the 700 ADL SS .270. I measured the barrel diameter at the muzzle of several stainless rifles in my rack, and the ADL is the largest. It's only .003" smaller than my 700 Classic Whelen. I might go only a little faster on the twist, (1-14) but I plan on sticking with the 225 Accubonds. I've taken 4 bears with them and like the way they work. I have some 250 gr partitions, but have never loaded any.

I didn't realize you had a classic. Why not hard chrome that classic instead?

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11181398/1

Check the pics in the thread above and see if you think it doesn't look different than SS.

Nice looking rifle, but I don't want to make any permanent changes to the classic.

I looked at jes web Site.
Can I get some info on the 3,4, or 5 groove differences and benefits.
If I plan on shooting 225 and 250.
My tc venture in 270 is 5 groove and it's a shooter.
I don't know enough about the rifling stuff.
Thanks

I think his 3 groove costs a little less and you'll be just fine with a 3 groove.

12 or 14 twist.

Gee, the 06 was loaded with schiet bullets.

I talked to Jess at JES and he thinks I'd be happy with 3-groove and a 1-14 twist. I don't plan on shooting bullets heavier than 225 gr and I'm pleased with how the Accubonds have worked on 4 bears so far.

Yes the 3 groove is 25$ cheaper than 4 or 5 groove.
What is the advantage or dis advantage of more groove or less groves?
Or are bigger bore less groove?

Get a 3 groove

My M700 ADL SS .270 is shipping today JES. Going 3-groove, 1-14 twist.

Mine has a twist of 1-9.5. I would never go slower than 1-12, never ever.
Mine is one of the most accurate BG rifle I have ever owned.
The 14 and 16 are holdovers from black powder days and the 35 Remington.

My semi-custom Whelen is 5 groove, 12" twist. I can't fathom why 14 or 16 twist. My 12" twist shoots .357 pistol bullets just fine.

My 700 Classic is 1-16 and shoots just fine with 225 gr bullets. I'm not interested in heavier bullets. If I ever want to go 250, the 1-16 will work. So will 1-14.

I like to think everything in my safe is expendable. And I know I'm not the only one - one needn't look further than the classifieds for the "I said I'd never sell this but...."

What makes my socks go up and down might not be the same for the next guy. When faced with a situation that could perhaps make it more desirable to someone down the road and it's of no consequence to performance while in my possession, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I'm oftentimes a little too pragmatic.

I've killed a bunch of sheit with a 1-16" twist Whelen and 250gr Partitions.

bwinters has a Ruger for sale in the classifieds thats priced right

Just spoke to JES and he will be turning my stainless tikka 06 I'm in process of getting into a 35.
He recommends 3 grove 1-14. But will do what ever I want.
Having hard time finding out differences in pros and cons on groove #s.
I plan on shooing mostly 225 or 250s.
I like the idea of 5 groove 1-12 vs 3, 1-14.

When in doubt, go against the recommendations of the guy doing the work...

There is a nice m70 stainless classic JES rebore to 35 whelen in the classifieds. I have been trying not to buy it for awhile.

Thanks for the info steelhead, exactly the info I want. Thanks bud.
Wrangler, thats a nice one.
I really like my tikka.

I already told you what I would do and so did the guy doing it. Apparently you are one that needs 100 people telling you that everything is OK.

LUCK

I'm going 12 twist on mine. Love a Whelen...

ok I saw that, and I am asking WHY are you telling me that. I am trying to get educated.
you picking up what I'm putting down?

Just ordered my snout this evening from hart, #3 12" twist finished @22"... 700 action, mcmillan hunter adl, don't think I'll be disappointed....

Good Move. Really happy with my barrels from Hart. And LUV my Whelen too.

NB

Got my stainless Whelen rifle back from JES and sighted it in today. Got 3-shot 100 yd groups around an inch and a quarter with windy conditions. I'll be shooting it some more when I get a better day.

It's already good enough for the baited bears of New Brunswick.

Good deal and good luck!

Excellent news! Love to see some pictures when you have time.

That will work just fine here in NB.

I have a SS Lilja 35cal 1:12" coming this week for my 700. Will be a 35Whelen, but most locals here don't hunt bear. Moose and deer hopefully for this rifle.

Ahem.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/55940/Ruger+HAWKEYE+35+WHL+*LTD*17117

Saw that Bud's listing, but there's something wonky with the UPC and model numbers, says wood in the description too. The Hawkeye SS Whelen is Ruger Model Number 17119, I think...
I have one and foolishly toyed with selling.

Might be worth a call if someone is seriously interested.