Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Anybody Using TAC in the 35 Whelen?

People say that the 35 Whelen is like a great big 308, so TAC would make sense, even if only for lighter bullets.

Thanks,


Okie John

Col. Wbelen is rolling over in his grave at the thought of a Jap scope sitting atop his caliber....

TAC is a powder made by Ramshot. Are you thinking of Tasco?


Okie John

Huh?

In my Ruger 77 TAC gave good velocity and grouped 1.5" at best.
8208XBR cut group size in half with equal velocity.

I used 8208 with 200 TTSXs for 2900 and excellent accuracy, TAC is right there in the same rate. Can’t see it not working well.

Who the hell mentioned optics??

I tried TAC in my last .35 Whelen, a 700 with a 22" barrel. Ramshot doesn't list any data for it, so I used powder charges that seemed reasonable compared to other powders with a similar burn-rate. Came up with these, which showed zero signs of excessive pressure.

200-grain Hornady FTX/64.0 TAC--2956 fps
225-grain Nosler AccuBond/62.0 TAC--2803 fps

The brass was Remington and the primers Winchester LR.

Didn't shoot a vast number of groups, but the 225 load shot a little better than the 200.

I'm trying to picture something on this continent that couldn't be handled well with that 225NAB at 2,800. That bullet breathes some new life in the .35 stuff.

No kidding. Even at 100 fps slower, what's going to stand and walk away and survive?

I've always wanted to hunt the big bears up north, but doubt that I'll ever be able to do it. I think a well placed 225 AB at 2700 from the muzzle will put down a big Brown...but it may not be the best choice for a flatland tenderfoot such as myself. I'd have to abide by a guide's judgement on that.

Nosler shows a couple 225 loads getting 2,800 FPS. Do you know off hand what pressure they load the 35?

TAC...

When I first read the thread I thought he was talking about some Japanese junk rifle scope.

Sorry.

[/quote]

I tried TAC in my last .35 Whelen, a 700 with a 22" barrel. Ramshot doesn't list any data for it, so I used powder charges that seemed reasonable compared to other powders with a similar burn-rate. Came up with these, which showed zero signs of excessive pressure.

200-grain Hornady FTX/64.0 TAC--2956 fps
225-grain Nosler AccuBond/62.0 TAC--2803 fps

The brass was Remington and the primers Winchester LR.

Didn't shoot a vast number of groups, but the 225 load shot a little better than the 200.


[/quote]


MD - I'm assuming the 200gr FTX is the bullet designed for the 35 Remington? Wondering how it would hold up with the increased velocity, almost 1000fps more than the little 35 :-)

I had more experience with the Ackley version than the Standard, but "both" are almost cylinders, ha. I found the faster burning powders to be the most gee-wiz. Back then I used BR2015/250x and H322/200x. Later R15 but "with a magnum primer" under the 250NP . I did find TAC to be wonderful in the 338 Federal and 358 Win, but both of those are pretty cylindrical, not much shoulder.

Thanks for opining whilst not even knowing how to spell Whelen or what TAC is.

Really ties this thread together.



I've had good luck with TAC in the Whelens I have. Charges were quite similar to what JB reported. My 24" 1:12 likes it with just about any bullet; obviously favors heavier bullets, but does sub 1" with 200's. My 18" carbine 7600 1:16 is more selective, but it really likes 225 ttsx.

Since I started reading MD's loading data with TAC, I decided I needed 8 lb. I like the way it goes through the powder measure and I've found some TAC load combinations to be quite accurate in other rifles. My rifle didn't like some of the loads I've seen listed but...

I just shot 61 grains of TAC with 225 gr Nosler Ballistic tips - no problem. 9 1/2 primers, Nosler brass. I have some sierra 225's and some partition 225's I'll be trying TAC with those bullets.

I've noticed with TAC that the maximum grains doesn't get the best groups, while many loads with other powders seem to like near maximum loads for accuracy.

May I ask if you chrono’d these liads? Thx

I have not yet.

My rifle is a pre-64 Model 70 with an after market barrel of unknown manufacture, the barrel length is 21.5", the scope is a 2 1/2 power with post El Paso Weaver.
Using my Magnetospeed.
I shot one round with 225 grain Nosler Ballistic tip - 2744 fps.
I shot one round with 225 grain Sierra Boat tail - 2702 fps.

The load again is 61 grains of TAC with 225 gr bullets, 9 1/2 primers, Nosler brass.

I'll be playing around with TAC and 225 grain bullets to see what accuracy I can get. But the first 5 shot group was OK - certainly not a PD size group, but satisfactory for game deer and bigger - 1.7MOA. This is the first group I've shot off the bench at 100 meters with this rifle. I've put nearly 100 rounds off hand and off a stand up bench at 50 meters with it. So far, it killed a cotton tail and there was no blood trail. But it didn't leave any trail, just blood splatter...

I think I'll start about at 59 grains of TAC and work up 1/2 grain at a time. when I get the load with the tightest group, I'll shoot 5 rounds over the magnetospeed, to get statistics.

Sounds pretty promising to me. It’s almost harder to find a powder that doesn’t work with the Whelen. Kinda like a 308 with a medium sized bore.