I have a very old custom that is marked .35 Apex. I can find no information on it at all... It appears to be a .35 Whelen A.I. with the shoulder moved fwd about .010". Or about halfway to a Brown/Whelen...
I have not chronographed it. But it seems to shoot well with 250 gr. bullets. Sights are receiver sights. And even with my 60 yr old eyes, I can hold 2.5" or so at the proverbial 100 yds.
I have a lot of old reloading manuals. But the velocities listed for the .35 AI and the Brown version are all so old as to be suspect. Back in the day; even the bullet manufacturers didn't have accurate pressure testing equipment.
After playing with 2; .35 Whelen Imp's; 3- .350 Mags; and at least 4 different .35 Whelens, I've come to the conclusion, that the gains are minimum. If you need more that the standard Whelen offers, it's best to just step up to the .358 Norma. The problem therin lies: Most .35 cal bullets are not meant for the velocities that the Norma produces.
And then that creates another instance: If one also owns a .375 H&H, then there is not much sense in building a .358 Norma... (Or vice/versa,for that matter...)
With the possible exception of the big bears of Ak, the standard .35 Whelen will handily take any game in N. America. (If you can shoot accurately... If you can't; no monster magnum is going to offer you anything at all...)
As we all know, each rifle is a law unto itself... One can expect apx 100 f.p.s. gain in an Improved case. (Give or take a bit) In the field, one would scarce notice the differece.
Or to put it another way, If you carry a std .35 Whelen, and Injun up another 20 yds closer, your impact velocity is likely about the same as a Imp case. IMHO, the modest gains are just not worth it.
That said, however; If it takes the Brown/Whelen to scratch your personal itch, than you'd best go for it... Or you'll never be happy any other way.
Go ahead and punch your rifle looney card if you must...
Just idle thoughts from a mostly idle mind...
GH
