Home Forums Hunting & Shooting The Lefty Forum Best Rifle for 35 Whelen Convert

So, I have a stainless lefty 30-06 MRC Extreme II in the safe and it’s chambered in 30-06. It’s a great rifle and a crf action to boot. I want to make a 35 Whelen, as I can deer hunt with the caliber in my home state of Iowa, and I have loads of 06 brass, however, I can’t seem to get the rifle out of the safe and sent to JES because I like it as an 06 too much. I was thinking of buying a Tikka 30-06, and sending it off to be rechambered. Wondering what thoughts were on the idea, or if I should just send the MRC in and have it that rifle rechambered. Thanks!

If you don't regularly shoot or use the 06 and you want and will use the Whelen, I say send it. At 62 years old I'm letting go of safe queens.

Find a used Ruger 77 MkII LH and rebarrel. About the same cost (depending on barrel chosen). I'm having mine changed to .375 Whelen and the factory barrel didn't have enough mass for that big of a hole. Might have enough for .358 though.

Rebore the MRC then if you still want an 06, get the Tikka

i chose a Ruger #1 doesn`t matter if your a south paw or a right hander then

I like my encore in 35 wheeler…

I have a LH Ruger MK 2 in 35 Whelen Imp 21" barrel love it, bought it used so don't know the barrel maker but it is extremely accurate and kills stuff! Bought a Rimrock RH stock blank and converted it to LH. 2 X 7 Vortex Viper that holds zero, all the Leupolds I tried on it would not. Added Ruger Express sights. Very smooth action without the usual Ruger clunk.

Find a rem 7600 in 06. There are a ton of them around and rebore. Even if it is right handed the ejectiom.should not be a bother. Mine shoots with anything I have and is quick on follow up if you find yourself tracking or having deer pushed in a drive. I'm in iowa too. Have a 35 whelen

Find a rem 7600 in 06. There are a ton of them around and rebore. Even if it is right handed the ejectiom.should not be a bother. Mine shoots with anything I have and is quick on follow up if you find yourself tracking or having deer pushed in a drive. I'm in iowa too. Have a 35 whelen

I bought way too many left hand Thompson Center Dimensions when they were clearanced by CDNN.
Sent a 30-06 barrel in to JES for rebore to 35W. They gave me a break on price, with just the barrel and existing shoulder.
Currently have another barrel with them, for 358 win conversion.
Despite what internet expert scenarshooter posted, some rifles are legal for deer in Iowa.
Concerning the Dimension.....I replaced the trigger spring with the 1.5lb. Nice for the bench, field not as much. The adjustment screw requires heat......and doesn't up the poundage with that spring. Give me a 3lb spring and I'll die with a smile and an empty diaper.
Concerning the Whelen.....if you believe the primer strikes are the same between a spring loaded ejector and a blade.......you should be authoring articles for GunGak magazine........on the couch with a JUMBO bag of chips.
I have go and no-go's. Advantage handloader and neck sizers.
My shorter half has criticized my front shoulder shots. She is an outstanding hamburger grinder operator.
Stay behind the front shoulder with the Whelen. Not so far back as BuzzH likes to shoot, though........archery. He likely chased it down with Randys helicopter.
The 35's pound them.
I own land. Landowner tags, as well as the normal doe tags. Corn-Fed!

Take a look at the CVA Scouts.They are great rifles,reasonably priced too.
https://www.wikiarms.com/guns?q=043125849116

My buddy has a rem 700 bdl in 35 whelen rebored ready to go for the exact same purposein iowa. He bought a custom 35 and I'm pretty sure he'd send the rem down the road if ur interested. Nice rifle. Unfortunately it's a righty

Just when I'd convinced myself to build another 35 Whelan or a 9.3x62 just because, my buddy sends me pictures of him and his son with 10' and 9'6" brown bears from Kamchatka, Russia last week shot with 30-06s and Hornady 220 round nose bullets. He said getting his 416 Rem into Russia was a pain, so he asked the guide what they use and they said 30-06 with 220 Hornady or partitions.

When I lived in AK near Fairbanks and again in Eagle River, I hunted with a couple sourdoughs. They handloaded that load for bears, moose, 'bou, everything. They called it their "American Swede," in honor of the heavy for caliber 160gr round nose 6.5x55 load, which they also shot.

Now I'm rethinking things.

I think I'll start tinkering with heavies in my 308.

I have every rifle I need in my small collection. But if I ever do add another one, there's a high probability it'll be a 35 Whelen or a 9.3x62. And the reason I'm going to buy it or build it is "just because".

Logic will have little or no bearing on this decision.

Logic will have little or no bearing on this decision.

Words to live by there lol.

I just finished a 35 whelen build this spring and the whole time I kept telling myself it was not needed. But..... I couldn't stop haha. And yes I love that rifle.

Logic and need are not qualifiers at some point. Lol

Call JES and pick his brain and see what he has had the best results with

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