Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Light whelen load?

So I've set up a Remington 7600 35 Whelen Carbine with a Williams WGRS for my tracking/still hunting in bad weather or when I know my shooting will be close quarters.


I wanna get some serious trigger time with the setup and get myself in tune with it.


I want a cheap bullet and a mild load... something I can shoot without much issue. Full power loads from the carbine aren't really fun lol.


I don't expect POI to be where my full horsepower loads are. I do need it to shoot straight so I can judge myself. Doesn't need to be sub moa surgical...but a consistent grouping load.


Any recommendations on load? Bullets/powder/charge?


I think with some range time, I can learn to become very deadly with the setup. Between the recoil and cost of Accubonds, Id like to find a different load for the range.

I’d be shooting pistol bullets over Trailboss in the manner you describe. I’d probably just use the 173gr Keith out of my mold or the Thompson designed gas check SWC if I was concerned it might lead.

For practice bullets the Speer flat noses 180 and 220 are pretty good. I had a couple of not so satisfactory results on feral hogs with the 220 so I won't hunt with them but they shot great. Seems like you could put together a pretty good and accurate load using one of the 4895's and not be too far off your sight in.

Here are my 35 Whelen plinking loads. All loads use a 158 gr jacketed pistol bullet and CCI-200 primers.

13.0 gr W-231 v= 1,527 fps 0.60" 5-shot grp @ 75 yds (Hornady XTP used) [best load I found]
14.0 gr Blue Dot v = 1,441 fps 1.05" 5-shot grp @ 50 yds (Speer JFP used)
15.0 gr Trail Boss v = 1,515 fps 1.35" 5-sht @ 50 yds (Speer JFP used
16.0 gr Trail Boss v = 1,560 fps no group data

From a 1:12 twist, 22" barrel. COAL = 2.825 - 2.835"

They will have different POI than full house loads. Can't remember if it's higher or lower. You should be on paper at 50 yds though.

One more thing - I used a .357 Mag seating stem screwed into the Whelen seating die (luckily both were RCBS and interchangable)

Thanx guys! Kinda "forgot" I can shoot pistol bullets from it. Never expected that sorta accuracy from them. That would be pretty fun....


I don't shoot peeps or ghost rings much. Regular irons in the flintlocks or scopes on rifles...so I want to get very familiar and comfortable with the setup before next season. Right now, I was seeing elevation changes. I'm guessing from cheek weld or something.



I will actually probably dial in with the plinking load till season gets near....would be beneficial to "snap shoot" Clay's and steel and such.

Cast bullets weighing from 200 - 225gr. over 15.0 gr. of Unique has always been my plinking/practice load in my Whelen. It is a mild load that is also very accurate.