Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber 35 Whelen? Yes it is listed.

So Jeff, you're saying a no.1 contour that goes .560 at the muzzle will work well for a 35 Whelen?

Or are you recommending opening the barrel channel (tearing into the mono-coupe stock construction and rebuilding it) to inlet for a heavier contour?

257heaven,

Whats BS about it ? I had issues and if you go back a bunch of people here on the thread had similar issues with Kimber. It was my opinion and you are entitled to yours, but mine is based on experience like I said. Thats the problem with this board ! If you have an opinion or an experience there is always one azzhole that wants to jump in and say it wasn't true. I read a bunch of different forums and this forum gets bad press because of people like yourself. Yeah , this board is looked at like the communist board of forums. I laugh sometimes at the know it alls.

Here are some specs from the Kimber Catalog. The Classic Select 35 Whelen has a muzzle diameter of .64" as compared to .56" for all other cartridges from .223 to .338WM. So does that make it a #2 or #3 contour? Someone here can answer that. For a 24" barrel the Whelen is listed at 6# 2oz., similar to the 30-06/280AI/270Win.. The WSM's go to 6# 10oz with a 24" barrel. The 7mmRemMag, 300WM and 338WM weigh in at 7# 4oz, all with 26" barrels.

So the bottom line is that the Whelen weighs as much as a 30-06 - 6# 2oz. realizing that some variation will occur with wood densities.

So what would the recoil be in comparison between a 180gr. 30-06 (2750fps) and a 225gr in the Whelen (2500fps)? I'll go calculate it.

Ok back again. Using 7#'s as my rifle weight, the 30-06 load is 23.7 ft/lbs and the Whelen is 27.7 ft/lbs.. Just for comparison, a 150gr at 2800fps in a 270Win./7# rifle is 18.8 ft/lbs..
So fwiw, we knew it would be more, but that much noticeable?
Yeah, probably. But too much? Only you can decide. I can only surmise that the recoil of these larger bores is more of a big push than a sharper jab of the 300 style magnums.

It also comes down to if you can accept a wood stocked rifle with the conditions you hunt in. Again only you can decide.

I believe that most folks find that 2700 ft/sec with .225 gr bullets is standard fair with their Whelens.

My current Whelen with mounts and scope weights 7lbs -14ozs. Frankly, I really don�t enjoy extended range sessions with this rifle , so I am pretty sure this new Kimber would not be a great deal of fun for me either. CP.

Chris, the Kimber soaks up recoil in a remarkable way... at least for my build.

Its geometry is the key... I find I can shoot lighter rifles chambered for the same round more enjoyably with the Kimber stock than, say, a McMillan Featherweight or Hunter's Edge stocked M70 (both have more drop in the comb).

Personally I'd be all over a Montana 35 Whelen... would come in over 7lb's "all-up" weight.

For me, 250's at 2,600 - 2,650 is what the Whelen is all about.

Good Morning Brad.
I totally agree that stock geometry, fill and recoil pad can check an enormous amount of felt recoil. And-you have to be in the top quartile of Kimber shooters on the Fire, so I believe you.

From what I am reading here on the Fire, I also believe that Kimber has made some significant strides in QC with the introduction of the 84L. So much so, that I am now ready to try a Kimber in an 84L 06 Montana this year. CP.

Someone will assuredly have one "pretty soon" and we will hear all about it.

Any buddy heard/seen any of these yet? I wanna call Kimber and ask whats up with them!

Been a while since I had a Whelen, perhaps it's time. I have good luck with the few Kimbers I have owned.

That is definitely one way to look at it. And, that's exactly what I did with a .308 Kimber Classic that wouldn't shoot. A $500 Broughton 5C cured that problem and now I have a great rifle that I use a lot, a real keeper.

DF

Screw the .35 Whelen! What Kimber needs to kick out is a 1/8" Montana .22-250!

Good things are coming from Kimber (rifles) in the next few years. I'm fortunate to have some recent inside info that I won't detail and can assure you guys that they've taken steps (and will continue to) to significantly improve their rifle line. Small things in 2013, but more and more thereafter is the plan.

Lemme just say that, if things go as desired, I'll own a whooooole bunch of sweet-shooting Kimber rifles in highly interesting calibers by the end of the first Romney/Ryan term in 2016.

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

With the newer available bullets, I'd take the .338-06 any day and every day.

Still not sure I'd play Kimber Roulette with either, though.

And, if Kimber is promising to deliver them by 2016, we'll have to wait until, say, 2018 to actually see them.

Now, about the Whelen?

Waders

Just wanted to comment on the great camo job! I have painted a few that I thought turned out nice but yours is more like ART!

Would pop a nut if they did a 350 mag on the Montana....

W

9.3

LOL..... Whatever they do, I hope they do them on Montana's. I know they are set on a barrel channel size, but if they find a light contour that would work for several different 338/358 type calibers they could produce them with only a single change to the stock.

I'd love to see a .358 Win on the 84M and a Whelen on the 84L. I think a 350 mag would have to go on the 8400(?).

......with a 20" barrel.

You aren't the only one to suggest such a critter.