Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 35 Whelen

I like the Ackley 40deg design on either the Whelan or 338/06. Feed just as well, never stretch, load mild load hot. I didn't "need it", I just enjoyed the whole nostalgia/messing with it thing, ha. My last factory Whelan was Mod 750 Carbine, It shot wonderfully so, just had wood so beautiful I never took it to the mountains, ha. sold it. My last Mod 700 classic ( that I used for 20ys as a WAI) got converted/rebarreled tot he 358 Norma Mag. Stomper of a round! Had to sell it. Now, my "one rifle" has morphed into "2", a Kimber 8400 300WSM and a new Kimber Hunter .270, ha. Go for it pard! enjoy yourself!

I concur with that question. I am biased as I have a 9.3x62 but not a 35 Whalen. Love the 9.3.

I built a 35 whelen last year. I bought a used SS rem 700 action and ordered a SS remage barrel from mcgowen. Dropped it in a McMillan stock and added a timney trigger. I put a vortex lh razor 1.5-8x32 on it. I load 225gn partitions using rl15. I put it together all by myself and it didn't blow up in my face. I am quite happy with it. I considered building a 350 rem mag but even reloading, they are pricey to shoot.

I know a half dozen guys that shoot the .35 Whelen and 225 grain Accubond's at well over 2,700 fps and they have amassed a pretty impressive stack of moose and caribou gut piles over the last several years. Most are one shot kills and that includes caribou at close to 500 yards. One of them is a real shooter and the local range has a iron ram at 800 yards. He has a video on his phone of him and his tricked out Rem. 700 with a Lilja barrel calling and hitting the nose on that ram with his .35 Whelen.

So in the hands of a real shooter with the right bullet the .35 Whelen is suitable for big bear up close and antlered veggie crunchers at 500 or more yards.

At my age I am not going to give up my custom Mod. 70 in .338 Win. I have used for 25 years, but if I was starting over I would probably have a light weight .35 Whelen or 338-06 made up.