Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 35 Whelen

I like my Ackley version. 3-shot group is with 225 SGKs over Re-15.

I recently brought a T/C Encore PH frame and I think the first barrel I might try is the 35 Whelen. I, for whatever reason, have become addicted to thinking about pighunting. Mostly nostalgia I suppose. But I think the Whelen would be perfect for that application. On my recent Elk hunting trip I realized that most of the shots that I would have had in the specific area where I was hunting would have been a 250 to 400 yard shot at most. The 35 would have been right at home there in my opinion.

Forgot to mention, Re: Fremont, that is a beautiful rifle!

I have been wanting to have one built on a Savage action. I`m sure this is going to start a fight ! But I think the Savage action is as good or better than the Remington.

Biggest caliber I own now. Had bigger ones in the past to keep up with the "Jones" in the big bore crowd.

UHOH, think you just stepped in sheat.

I had Randall Redman rebore/rechamber a pre '64 M/70 for .35 Whelen. I put a Griffin & Howe mount on it and have two top halves, one with an early Leupold 2-7X and the other with Lyman Alaskan. I reload for it an shoot everything from .357 pistol bullets to cast and jacketed bullets. For a deer hunting load I like 225 gr. Sierra SPBT over IMR 4064, an accurate effective load. For heavier game I like Fedreal's load with the Trophy Bonded Bearclaw bullet, its a real stopper.

They work great on coyotes too!
whelennut

35 Whelen

Along with the 9.3x62 and around a 250gr both box above their division. Another plus, reasonable weight to carry. Feeds well in a standard action a straightforward re barrel for a general gunsmith .A great off the shoulder hunting/stalking rifle with a lower power scope. I have a 35Whelen on a Mk1 Ruger that has a relatively light barrel profile and a 9.3 of similar weight on a commercial 98 Mauser action.
I have a Brno 375 H&H (1987 vintage )and a M17 375 CT.They "dont get around much ant more."

For that Encore frame think about a 20" barrel. I have a 20" 350 Rem Mag barrel for my Encore made by Fox Ridge Outfitters. I went with a heavy taper contour because I like a little weight out front but it carries real nice in the woods being so short, and handles great on running shots.

I also have a Remington 750 Carbine in 35 Whelen. I guess I just have an affliction for short barrels.

Im in the process of building a 35 Whelen from an 30-06 ADL I aquired a few years ago. Still in the parts collection phase.

Remington 700 action
Fluted bolt
Fluted Gre-tan firing pin
Talley rings
Remington bottom metal (older style - not pot metal)
Remington stock (new factory second)

I still need a VX-II 3x9 scope and a stainless barrel. I'm planning on spraying all metal (except the barrel) with a titanium color cerakote.

I should also mention I'm chambering and installing the barrel as a night course at a local college.

I think it's cool that you can do that at a local college. At most colleges you could be arrested for bringing it on campus.

Hey Kinser. I built a whelen on a savage action and am very happy with it. Non-accutrigger 30-06 action, A&B barrel from Midway, Boyd's JRS Pepper Laminate Stock. Very affordable, accurate, pleasent to shoot, and puts big holes in deer.

It's actually pretty cool. It's a machine work class where they teach you to use a metal lathe. I took the intro to metal lathes a couple years ago which was pretty fun.

The college actually has a large collection of reamers including at 35 Whelen.

From what I understand, you practise turning, cutting threads and cutting and crowning on a blank piece of stock before actually working on your barrel blank.

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MACH-222 Gunsmithing-Basic Machine Work
This course involves fundamental techniques for machine tool practices as they relate to gunsmithing. Activities include profiling, chambering barrel blanks, and mounting the action the students choose. This course provides students with hands-on experience with the basic tools of the machinist trade. If the student requires a barrel or suitable action, contact 403.XXX.XXXX at least six weeks in advance of the course.

Mad Mikee, I teach metal trades and welding at the high school level. I would love to show my students how to chamber a barrel but would probally be fired for corrupting their little minds.

I've had a T/C Encore with a 35 Whelen barrel bought from Midway for quite a few years. After Mississippi made that combo legal for primitive weapons season I bought a 2nd one in a pro-hunter model. I've used the Whelen on moose, black bear, hogs and deer. My handloads use Hornady, Nosler and Barnes bullets. What I found was I never took off the Whelen barrels. The custom shop barrels in smaller calibers just didn't get used so I sold them. Even though I own a good 338 WM. my future plans include a good bolt gun in 35 Whelen. Love the caliber.

From what I understand, you practise turning, cutting threads and cutting and crowning on a blank piece of stock before actually working on your barrel blank.

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MACH-222 Gunsmithing-Basic Machine Work
This course involves fundamental techniques for machine tool practices as they relate to gunsmithing. Activities include profiling, chambering barrel blanks, and mounting the action the students choose. This course provides students with hands-on experience with the basic tools of the machinist trade. If the student requires a barrel or suitable action, contact 403.XXX.XXXX at least six weeks in advance of the course.

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Now that is cool!

Post some pictures and let us know how it shoots when you finish your project.

Will do. Just waiting to hear back from the Department Manager so I can find out if I need to order the barrel blank myself or if he'll order one for me.

I have been using the Whelen since 2000. It has been to Africa, Canada and several places in the U.S.. I too consider it a medium bore but it seems to kill out of proportion to its paper ballistics. My favorite bullet weight is 225 grain slugs, but I know lots of guys use the 250 grain bullets with good results. It is effective easily out to 300 yards for medium and large game. Once, in the last hours of a Alberta moose hunt, I used my Whelen and 225 gr. Federal TBBC bullets to take a medium sized moose at a laser ranged 412 yards. One shot put it down right there, (it took me 3 shots to hit it, for full disclosure) but that 3rd shot that went through the chest dropped him on the spot.