Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 35 whelen assistance

Looking to get my first 35 whelen soon. I have come to the acceptance that I'll likely have to reload any big bore rifle. I am not new to reloading, but I am new to fire forming. I have a bunch of 30-06 brass around. Been watching some videos and the seems to be 2 schools of thought; one use the cream of wheat method, or load a modest load in the 06 and shoot as normal. This on this? Should I even be going the 06 forming route or just get whelen brass to start?

Looking at my reloading books the 35 whelen is limited in data, easily fixed with this forum, but I saw a box of Hornady moving a 200gr at 2910, but I can't see anyone matching those results. I was hoping to load up some FTX, does anyone has experience with that bullet?

just neck up the 06 brass with your sizing die , load and shoot......... the elliptical expanders in Hornaday dies work well for necking , and you can get tapered expanders for other brands

for data check the Speer site , lots of loads , and with some of the newer powders

I would just get new 35 Whelen brass myself but if you do want to neck up 30-06 brass you'll need to anneal them first if they have been fired. New brass should just neck up easily with a bit of lube or Imperial dry neck lube. Ditto on the new Speer data, Nosler shows some excellent speeds too for 200's. No experience with the FTX bullet but I would be concerned about them coming apart at 2900 fps. Maybe someone who has actually loaded that bullet could chime in and give their experience with them. I like the Barnes and Nosler Accubond 200's myself and shoot them at 2840 fps with IMR 8208.

I have never had any trouble resizing 06 brass, seemed a very easy route. That being said I have a 5 gal. bucket full of 1x fired military brass & the cheap in me won't consider
another way:-)
My rifles have always liked any 250 gr. bullet and IMR 8208

So no need to fire form them to the chamber prior to sighting in or going hunting?

I've made quite a bit this very way. Buying factory brass is better in my estimation but the military 06 brass, or commercial, works fine. I'd anneal it either before resizing or after the first firing. I wouldn't be afraid to resize them and use them for sighting in or hunting. For me 250 grain bullets and 4320 is a hard combo to beat.

Nope. That's what I did until I got a supply of properly marked brass.
Paul B.

I never worried about it either
Just shoot!

I have run .30-06 brass thru my .35 Whelen FL die to make .35 Whelen brass for years, no need to fire form to your rifle's chamber. Load them up and shoot them, as for lack of data every manufacturer that offers .35 caliber bullets has data for the Whelen. Lyman handbook is an excellent source as is Ken Water's Pet Loads, I shoot 200 and 225 gr. bullets in my Whelen and the powderss I find most useful are IMR 3031 and IMR 4064 this after nearly 35 yrs. of experience with this fine classic cartridge.

My Whelen has never seen a case headstamped 35 Whelen. Initially I only had a set of 358 Winchester RCBS dies to neck up 30-06 cases and it worked just fine. I found military cases a bit tough to work with and liked federal cases better.

since 35 whelen brass is available I'd just get some and forgoe the fireforming from other brass.

I found when resizing my 30-06 to 35 whelen it came out a bit short. Not short enough to not work but shorter.

I only resized when whelen brass was not available.

30/06 brass is relatively cheap, Whelen brass is not. I've necked up 30/06 brass without any issues in a single step using a tapered sizing button from both Redding and RCBS. I also use Whelen head stamped brass, but I will not pay more for it.

And the problem with .30-06 to .35 Whelen brass being short is? Answer, there is no problem been using it for years just trim the cases to a uniform length so what if it is not the same length as factory Whelen brass.

Yep I run 06 brass too... 200's in a whelen is dumb, 225's minimum, preferably 250's....

When you've had shoulder surgery and are looking for an accurate/effective whitetail load 200gr. bullets work for me. I also shoot 225's but see no need for 250's for whitetail at ranges of 100yds. and less, this from nearly 40 yrs. experience with the Whelen.

I like the Hornady elliptical expander button dies. I've even necked up new and fired 30-06 brass in my Redding FL Ackley Improved dies with no issues, then fireformed them in my Ackley chamber. Never annealed either. I am not convinced that 40-60 rds (or a bag of 50) new 35 Whelen brass ever hurt anyone financially. Personal Principles against paying for it is not the same as "its too expensive", ha. Maybe some of you tight-wads (oops, I meant spend thrifts) actually do shoot hundreds of rounds a month/year with your Whelens, I don't know. But I still have some new Remington 35 Whelen brass from the 100 pieces I bought "back in 1996"! ha I fireformed all 100 of them for the Ackley and reloaded them through the years. Never wore one out either. So, while I did "play around" with some necked up 30-06 Norma cases I had ( for a Mod 750 Whelen) I always hunted with new Remington brass. I don't particularly like Hornady brass, but can't say I had any real problems other than primer pockets opening up fast, it always worked in other calibers. So, I take the Liberty to call out the tight-Wads and claim the Right as I too am a Scots-Irishman by blood/heritage. And I have been known to squeeze a penny and stretch a dollar bill...on what matters to "me". Principle. ha Have a ball dude, and enjoy your Whelen!

I use the necked up .30-06 brass for cast bullet loads and have bought Remington .35 Whelen brass (mostly once fired) for my jacketed bullet hunting loads.

Try a 300 Savage shooting 150's at a mild 2600 fps.

If I was worried about shoulder damage/recoil there’s a hellava buncha cartridges I’d be lookin at for deer....

Why would you forgo a perfectly good Whelen, light bullet loads are as accurate as any and harvest whitetails just as well as 250gr. thumpers. While I respect your opinion it just makes no sense to me. My 200gr. deer loads are running 2500-2550 fps., 3 shot cloverleaf groups at 100 yds. are not uncommon and the bullet I recovered from last season's whitetail was perfectly mushroomed and retained 66% of its original weight.