Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .35 Whelen AI

Built this quite awhile ago. Shooting it Saturday reminded me why I like it so much. Easiest gun I've ever loaded for. Shoots most anything good
even though it's throated long as hell. Dave at IT&D recontoured the barrel from a #6 to a remington mag sporter. Local guy cerakoted it, different local guy bedded it.
Old ass 700 action that was a .30-06, then a 6.5-06AI before it became a 35W-AI.
Shilen barrel chopped at 20", tuned Walker trigger, McMillan Classic, talleys, Leupold 1.5-5x30mm with an illuminared #4 and metric adjustments.

I like your style.

I like the McM stock. I cut my A&B Midway barrel to 22" and always regretted I didn't stay at 23" or 24". Thanks for making me feel better about going short(er).

Mine likes 225 SGKs over Re-12 or -15. Crazy accurate. Heavy gun, though, with Zastava MkX action.

Love my Whelen jack I went 12” standard sporter @ 22. The action is a old 700 adl I got on trade, has the 2 peep site screws on the receiver. Good packin’ iron...
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Nice, guys! I like 'em!

You still using 225 sgk's? I have 100 more 250gr interlok's but got a box of Sierra's to work up a load with.
One thing I've noticed, at least with my rifle, the big 35's recoil is more of a shove than a jolt. I put 30rds through it quick, and it's not uncomfortable.
My .376 Steyr bruises the piss out of me with less bullet weight and same or less speed.

I really like my J.E.S. rebore that started out in life as a 30-06 24" Barrel. I had the 1-12" twist cut into mine so I could shoot heavy for caliber bullets if I wanted to.
The dang thing loves 200gr AB with CFE223 powder under them. The 225gr PT isn't a slouch in it either with CFE223.

Peterbuilt,

IMO, Jessie's work is PEERLESS & REASONABLE in both price & "turnaround time". = My circa 1969/.30-06 Model 760 that he rebored to 9.3x62mm is PERFECTION on game out to beyond 200M IF I do my part.
(I use 285 grain JHP by Prvi Partizan for all my hunting with it.)

Btw, as I don't see open sights well at 71YO, I mounted an "old-school" 2.5X LEOPOLD scope on the 760.

yours, tex

J.E.S. does good work and the turn around is good also . I did have to send mine back because he cambered it for round nose bullets and I wanted to shoot spitzer style bullets in it.
Sometimes mine thinks it's a sniper rifle since I got the barrel smoothed out and broke in. Next one I get done I'm going to get him to lap the barrel before he cuts the rifling and maybe I'll have less problems with copper fouling when breaking the barrel in.
Funny the inside of the barrel would look like a copper mine but still shot excellent groups.

I smoothed my 375 AI out a bunch when I first got it. Every 5 rounds I hit it with JBs and did that for 30 rounds, used the last 6 rounds to cure the DBC and it’s not quite a Krieger but man does it shoot. It’s probably my least expensive P64 and it shoots as good as any of them and looks excellent with the original barrel.

I had Randall Redman rebore a pre'64 M/70 to .35 Whelen more than 25 yrs. ago, it too shoots everything very well. It especially likes IMR 4064 and 225 gr. Sierra Game Kings, a close second is IMR 3031 with Hornady 200 gr. Interlok RN's.

I am on the lookout for a donor to be rebarreled as a 35W. Does the AI version give you much over the standard Whelen?

Not in velocity. Mine was already chambered and dies came with it so stuck with it.
Anybody need a Reamer I have one you can borrow.

The AI version looks neat in comparison with the regular .35 Whelen and brass doesn't stretch or stretches very little. As I recall, muzzle velocity increase with the AI was slight, only around 75 -80 fps and I think it took about three more powder to get that.

Not yet, got a couple hunert rounds of federal fusion off a member here, shoot great. Ol man tried em out on blacktail a couple days ago....

Love my Whelens. Bought a Ruger Model 77 in 2015 when they made a run of 150 for Grise. 24" barrel with 1:12 twist. Great rifle. 225 grain Barnes over IMR-4064 is a great shooter.

Velocity in the Ackley version depends on what level of pressure you want to push it. I try to keep mine around 62kpsi and can out perform the standard by 100fps but velocity isn't everything with the Ackley version since there are other benefits to be considered.
I have ran mine as high as Quick load predicted 64kpsi with no pressure signs and 338wm velocities.
The Ackley doesn't show pressure like other cartridges but when it does you are way over max so use good strong cases when you load for max.
Other benefit is low bolt thrust since the casing sides have very little or no taper along with no stretch so there is only need to trim it once. If you anneal your cases after each firing they seem to last forever. There is also a different feel or lower felt recoil or at least mine does compared to the Rem 700 classic I owned before I had this one made. If the chamber is reamed right you can shoot standard 35 Whelen factory or reloads threw it with easy fire forming.
My fire form loads are almost as accurate as my AI loads and don't feel handicapped should I run out of ammo and have to use factory.
Mine is a joy to shoot and the accuracy for a 35cal cartridge is great. With a good bullet like a accubond or similar you have a true 400yd game killer.