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.

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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.

Consider trying a magnum primer.

+1.

Magnum primers made a big difference for me with TAC in the 308.


Okie John

Better accuracy with Magnum primers? Not too interested in higher pressure.

The sierra grouped 1.28 MOA - remember 2 1/2 power post El Paso Weaver scope (This is my first group with the Sierras and second group shot at 100 meters)

Aren’t a darned thing wrong with that.

61.5gr TAC, 225 SGK, CCI mag primer, Fed brass, 3.195 COAL.

2675 FPS, 1/3 MOA all day. This is in a cut down Remington classic barrel (20") with a very long Remington throat. No pressure signs and I think I loaded some hotter and these just ended up being more accurate.

Thanks.


Okie John

I've been shooting the .35 Whelen for nearly 35yrs. now, two of the most accurate shooting bullets in my rifle are Sierra Game King 225gr. and Hornady Inter-lok 200gr. RN. IMR 4064 produced best accuracy with the SGK 225 and IMR 3031 with the 200gr. Hornady. Never recovered a 225, one 200 gr. that I recovered retained 66% of original weight and was perfectly mushroomed. The Hornady 200 RN with IMR 3031 produced astonishing accuracy, 100yd. 3 shot groups were often tight cloverleafs.

I've had a 350 RM since the 60's the best load with that rifle was with 250 Grain bullets and 56 grains of 4320 .32 MOA. I didn't work with light bullets much with that rifle. The loads I did try were not all that great.
I'd imagine in general, the Whelen can do nearly the same as a 350. But my 350 was in a Remington 600 and my whelen is a pre-64 Winchester. I felt that I could push the 350, because the 600 is a strong action and it can handle escape gasses if need be. I'm not as confident with a pre-64 Model 70 Winchester - I am not man/mad enough to push it! If I did, it would be in a blow up chamber and someone would have to pay good money for me to do it. I now have a 700 Classic in 350 Magnum, if I had to try to get maximum velocity out of a 35 caliber, that would be my rifle for that - I don't own a 358 Norma, yet. What scares me with the whelen is the wide range of maximum loads I've seen in print, I have to wonder how one source's maximum load is 6 grains higher than another - with the same powder and bullet. I tend to think that the whelen was a wildcat cartridge for a long time and different chambers, leades, bore diameter etc. may have been used to work up some of the loads I've seen. With this rifle, I'm feeling like I'm walking on thin ice.

In the 60's I was part of a team that pushed most manufacturer's rifles, available then, until they blew up. I witnessed what can happen. There's no reason to get that last 100 FPS in my pre-64, in my opinion. Cuss at me all you want, but that's what I've come to believe.

tag
Bugger

Trying Tac this weekend with the 200 TTSX

I recently bought a CVA Scout TD 22" in the 35 Whelen.I was loading 200gr TTSX for my test loads.I loaded mine with three different powders that worked well in my 338-06 and ran close to the same velocity.I didn't try TAC yet because I've been saving the pound I have for my 308 Win.Mule Deer's results with TAC were impressive.Most of the load data I've seen doesn't really show most of the powders I have.I have some BLC-2 and the data was showing 63.0grs max,so I loaded my test rounds with 62.0grs of CFE-223,BLC-2 and Big Game to see where I was at.I just necked up some fired Winchester 30-06 brass that had been necked up and fired in my 338-06.I used a WLRM primer.
62.0grs BLC-2 2665fps
62.0grs CFE-223 2721fps
62.0grs Big Game 2777fps
I have 8lbs of Big Game so I think I'll play with that powder some more.I should easily get into the 2800fps range.I found it quite interesting how different the velocities the same powders ran in my 338-06 with a 26" barrel,using same brass and primer but with the 200gr Nosler Accubond.
200gr Accubond 59.5grs BLC-2 2830fps
200gr Accubond 59.0grs CFE223 2807fps
200gr Accubond 59.0grs Big Game 2812fps
The big difference may have been the temperature.The data for the 338-06 was probably taken when the temperature was around 60-70 degrees.When I shot the 35 Whelen,it was in the mid 90's.

I ended up using 61.4 grains of TAC, 225 SGK, Hornady brass, and a CCI #34 primer. Velocity was just under 2,700 fps, recoil in a 22" Model 700 was about like a 338 WM, and accuracy was superb.


Okie John

I would have never considered using that much TAC.Just shows you how when you increase the bore size,you can pack way more fast powder than you think you can.Found this QL data matching 57500psi


Cartridge : .35 Whelen
Bullet : .358, 200, Barnes 'TTSX' 30461
Useable Case Capaci: 59.347 grain H2O = 3.853 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 57500 psi, or 396 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 110 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !


Powder type Filling/Loading Ratio Charge Charge Vel. Prop.Burnt P max P muzz B_Time
% Grains Gramm fps % psi psi ms
--------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------

Ramshot Big Game 106.2 61.9 4.01 2787 96.2 57501 8219 1.022
Ramshot TAC 99.9 58.9 3.82 2704 93.3 57501 7751 1.043

Yeah, it's a lot. The load was accurate but recoil made it hard to enjoy shooting it.


Okie John