My first 35 Whelan was a Mod 700 Classic bought in '95, 2nd hand. I had been reading Gary Sitton articles on the Ackley Imp. He liked short barrels and wanted 2600/250gr out of a 20" Mauser, so went with the AI. I forget his load, but I liked Ackley rounds ( had one previous to this in 257 Roberts AI.) I sent the rifle off to Gary Stiles for the rechamber job, had a local man put a Decelerator pad on it, added a Leupold 1.5x5 on it. I fireformed 100 new Remington 35 Whelan cases (I liked Boddington's moose kill with the Mod 700 Whelan too, so brass was available.) I also wanted the headstamp as I was going to South Africa in '96. I used a warm load of 4895 with the Speer 220 jammed into the lands. I fired those 100rds doing hunting position practice out to 100yds, 20 a week. Followed with 50rds from a scoped Marlin .22 Magnum, every week. I still have brass!
Barnes had their first Load Manual out, and I just used their load data. I wanted the 250X and I ended with 53.5gr of the old BR2015, Remington primers. It clocked from 2550 to 2600, shot very accurate. This was the factory 1/16 twist too! I killed zebra, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, oryx, and kudu with it on that trip. Only caught 2 bullets, both lengthwise from the zebra and kudu.
Several years later, had another exact copy rifle , rechambered by local smith, had it cryoed, blueprinted, weatherproofed. Had a brake put on it ( after my left retina tore/repaired in early 2002) same scope. This time loaded the 200X over 58gr H322 (their book Max) scary accurate, clocked 2970fps. Took it in summer of 2002 to SA and made a 347yd heart/lung shot on a Black Wildebeest and a 250yd base of the neck shot on zebra. (
I had my left eye full of silicon oil to hold the retina in place so was a "blind in one eye" Preacher!) Both pass throughs. Wicked.
I later had my loads compared to QL and believed them to be "over 70K". Since I had my left eye healed and was still "legally blind in it, I retired the Wildcat. Yes, I could have loaded it down, but had other plans ( looney I tell you!) Before I retired it, I had loaded the 250PT to 2750 over R15 and a Fed 215 Mag primer. That's 358 Norma speed. It did show a "slightly flattened primer", and was QL guesstimate around 72-74K. Hot dog stuff! ha. I also loaded/used on a hog the 310 Woodleigh at 2415fps. Awesome round. Also in the 72K range.
I probably could have shot that rifle until I was 120, but I felt I was gambling needlessly with high pressure stuff.

Last edited by Jim_Knight; 08/05/21.