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

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