Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 35 Whelen with modern powder and bullets...?

Still need to run 64.0 gr CFE-223 + 250 NPT over the chrono.

With 64 grain, the 250 Interlock and a 28" barrel on my Highwall I chronographed 2745 FPS

JWP Any pressure data to go with the 64 grain load? Thanks

Anyone running hammer bullets? It is readily available and seems like the 220 hammer hunter would be a great choice, I don't think I can stabilize the 254, just to long.

I used the Speer data to work up my load

Ever notice how the “top” loads vary so much on the 35 Whelen?
Two places I first look have top loads six grains apart and with the same velocity.
I’m thinking that I’ll probably look at 350 Rem Mag loads and work with those figures. Besides I have a long relationship with the 350.

They vary for a number of reasons:

1 - some haven't done fresh testing using improved powders.

2 - they continue to publish old data that satisfies traditional thinking.

3 - it costs a lot of dollars to produce an entirely new manual. Hornady still publishes data that goes all the way back to the 1980's! If anyone should bring loading data for the .35 Whelen up to date, it should have been Hornady with their constant introduction of "new" cartridges as well as ancient!

4 - as some here have said, the .35 Whelen will get the job done on most things (especially deer) at 2400 fps from a 250gr at most actual hunting ranges, being satisfied with that and willingly blind to the fact that 200 - 300 fps more from a 250gr makes it easily the equivalent of a .338 Win Mag with less powder, weight and recoil!

See my recent blogs on the issue of the benefits of expansion ratio.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

I have a couple boxes of 220's I should try out.. I can't find my 200 TTSX's anywhere, so it might be a good opportunity to run them.

JWP: The Speer loading data has no pressure data shown for the 250 grain bullet in 35 Whelen. I assume your answer is no?

Most load data doesn't list pressure data, so what is your point?

After nine loadings on the same case no loose primer pockets

Bobmn,
It sounds like you are implying that Speer may have either failed to pressure test their most recently developed data (for which there is no excuse given the proliferation of much improved pressure testing equipment these days), or knowingly published data that exceed SAAMI specs.
I have done extensive testing of the Speer 35 Whelen PP-2000-MR data, documented on another site, and concur with jwp475 - the data are legit, pressure is a non-issue, and cases last forever.
I will grant you that I have not had my loads in my rifle pressure-tested. So you can "assume my answer is 'no'" too. But I do trust recently developed data published by legitimate American firms in this lawsuit-riddled era.
I noticed here and on another site that a lot of folks miss or gloss over the fact that the numbers jwp475 have posted are for a 28" barrel. That does get the speeds up to some pretty impressive numbers. But my 23" rifle comes in right at Speer's numbers. They are legit and safe.

Respectfully,
Rex

I’m writing about identical powder and bullet, granted different barrel.
But the extra 5 grains of powder with one and both seem to be listed as maximum - with the same velocity. Further they are two trusted sources.

Very well summarized! Thanks
Rex

Spot on, and very well stated

I’m writing about two trusted sources with their top loads 5 grains apart. Same velocity. Same powder. Same bullet.

Different powder lots? Different brass than tested? A lot of Lapua 30-06 brass I have locked the bolt with a 3 gr (5%) charge reduction of a trouble free warm not max load wth PPU brass. All other components the exact same.

Here’s my first try with the 220 Hammers and PP2000. I settled back on 68 grains but so far it isn’t too bad. Recoil gets pretty lively though.

That load looks like real hammer LOL

Looks pretty solid, I think I will get a couple boxes and give it a shot. I cannot find the 200ttsx anywhere.

It makes me nuts, since I have a great load with the 200 TTSX at 2900 I would be completely happy with using. I am sure once I get the Hammers sorted out the TTSX's will be available everywhere.