Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats .35 Ackley Magnum ?

I have a friend who has a 35 Ackley mag. that he wants to trade me.I plan on going Elk hunting in the future and don't have a rifle larger than a 270 which is IMO marginal.I know nothing of this calibur.It's built on a FN commercial model 98 action with a 26 inch barrel.My friend says it was built by P.O Ackley and stocked by Bob Chow.It has a 1960 style roll over stock.It looks like it might be a 375 H&H necked down to 35 calibur.He does have reloading dies with it.Any guess at the value of this gun?It comes with a older like new Leupold 6x scope.I'm a novice at custom rifles so any advise will be appreciated.
thank you PJ

Don't know of any 35 Whelen magnum.....sounds like it could be a 35 Whelen Ackley Improved. If so, it's fairly easy to convert standard 35 Whelen brass into A.I. brass. Would be a great elk rifle.

.35 Norma Magnum???

It's based off his 30 Ackely Magnum. Believe it's a shortened H&H case that will fit in a standard length action. I don't know the dimensions.

P.O. had a "family" of short magnum cases. SH is correct that there was a 30 which had the same case dimensions as the 35. Both were based on the 375 H&H. It is similar to the 264, 7mm Rem, and 338 family of cases but has a shorter o.a.l. and has more body taper (i.e. it has a smaller dia @ the shoulder). I believe there are pictures in P.O.'s book and loads also. It would be easier to recut the chamber to 338 dimensions and use 338 cases. You could also recut it to 358 Norma. You should measure the barrel twist! Many of the old 358 diameter barrels were made with 1-16" twist and are too slow. I would want at least 1-12" twist and 1-10" would be better. You will find some disagreement with my ideas about twist.

There were a slug of wildcat 35 maggies in P.O.'s era including a 35 Ackley mag and an improved version of the same. Was it one of his own?

The rifle might have some intrinsic value as a collector's item but I might just warn you about elk hunting; you won't want to carry a rifle that's just a little lighter than a railroad tie - really! This rifle sounds like 9.5 lbs as nice as it may be.

It is a big heavy rifle.I think i'm going to pass on the gun,too involved.It a absolutely a beautiful gun that appears to never been hunted.I hope it in up with somebody that appreciates it.A perfect exsample of a work of art 40+ years old.The guns in like new condition (something to do with recoil:)it was built by Mr.Ackley

PJ,

I have dies in .35 Ackley Magnum. I have never owned a rifle. In researching said round, I have determined there are two disticntly different ones. One is a shortened .375 H&H case, and the other a full length case. (Also called the .35 Griffin & Howe Magnum) I have formed cases just to ease my curiousity. It appears one COULD probably rechamber to .358 Norma. In actuality, since the advent of the .358 Norma introduction, there is no reason to build a .35 Ackley. Oddly enough, there are few bullets available that will withstand that kind of velocity, anyway.

Grasshopper

PJ, sounds like a great rifle. To bad you are not wanting it. I'm sure there are better cartridges, but to take and old one and keep it alive is the best kind of pride. I have some Ackley cartridge rifles, but not one built by the Pa Ackley! Just my 2 cents worth! Otis!

Page 475's in Volume I of POA's "Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders" (paperback) has the 35 Ackley Magnum. Says it's reformed H&H magnum brass. He's got a range of MV from 2700 to 2900fps for 250 grain bullets mainly using mid-burnrate powders. (IMR, of course....)

So, basically, it's the .300WM, necked up.

W0W!!! a shortened 35 Whelen Improved on the Contender, no less!
still crazy after all these years
Thanks, Paul!