I just love the looks of the sharp shoulder/less taper to the case! I hunted a tad over 20 yrs with a 35 Whelan AI (amongst varied other calibers too) I used the original Barnes 250X (2550-2600) and the 200X (Secant Ogive, going 2970) ) on two Plains Game hunts in South Africa. Pure poison! I've used 338WM and 340Wby on PG and elk, used the Nosler 180AB in a 338 RUM on a big Aoudad in Texas. Elk with 375 H&H, traded a 375 Wby to a friend whose clients used it on eland, 270 TSX. I always set up my hunting loads on new, fireformed brass. Never had an issue. My loads (via SWAG from QuickLoad) ran around 72K, come to find out. Few people realize that alot of Weatherby factory ammo is loaded to 72-74K! However, I had an unrelated retina problem that left me with one good eye (thank God my shooting eye! ha) , so moved on to 64K loads in most rounds now, especially magnums. With the modern powders we have now, I would not mess with Ackley fireforming, just run an '06 case into the die, presto...338/06 (ala 338 A-Square) 35 Whelan same same. I enjoy shooting the bigger animals with bigger calibers SO MUCH! Too little $$$, too little time, ha
