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Posted By: limabean 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20
Would there be any reason to have a 26 inch barrel on a rifle in this caliber?
Posted By: PJGunner Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20
Dunno what good it would do.mine have 2" and 24" barrels and work just fine. I can see a 26" barrel on a magnum but on the Whelen??? I seriously doubt what little velocity increase there would be would mean much.
Paul B.
The Whelen is very efficient, using medium to medium-fast burn-rate powders. A longer barrel is going to give you a few more fps, but only a few. Rifle weight and balance is more a consideration, and that is going to depend on stock configuration, barrel taper, etc. I'd not go beyond 24" for any reason, and likely, 22" would be better for balance.
Posted By: MedRiver Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20
To me, one of the joys of the Whelen is not having to swing all that extra steel around. 20" for me. If I think I need more reach I have a 24" .300 WM.
Posted By: memtb Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20

20” to 22” should be good, I’d never go over 24”. JMO. memtb
Posted By: RinB Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20

I used 20.75” and wouldn’t change it.
Posted By: MuskegMan Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20

22" on mine - #3 Pac-Nor contour. It's a bit light on the fore balance. #4 would be better.
Posted By: Judman Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20
22” hart rem sporter on mine
Posted By: TRexF16 Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20
Mine's a 23" and I like it.
Regarding the original question, I don't think a lot of performance would be gained from a 26" barrel, but if the owner wants one, that's all the reason that's needed. Might "hang" a little better for offhand shooting maybe?

Regards,
Rex
Posted By: roundoak Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20
I would think if you wanted more velocity, step up to a magnum. I had a 1903-A3 Springfield with a 24" barrel and a 2.5 K Weaver scope at 10.5 pounds. Wished it had a 22" barrel. My Ruger M 77 with 22" barrel, just right.
Posted By: limabean Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20
I saw one for sale with a 26” barrel and y’all confirmed what I was thinking. Thanks for your input.
Originally Posted by limabean
I saw one for sale with a 26” barrel and y’all confirmed what I was thinking. Thanks for your input.

It's pretty simple to get it cut and re-crowned if you like the gun.
Posted By: kk alaska Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/26/20
My 2 are 21.5" and 22".
Posted By: 5shot Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
My vote is 22", but if you will be hunting open country, more velocity wouldn't be a bad thing. I have one 25" and the second one I went 22". 22" is handier in my opinion.
Posted By: jwp475 Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
Originally Posted by limabean
I saw one for sale with a 26” barrel and y’all confirmed what I was thinking. Thanks for your input.


I would have no problem with a 26" barrel as long as the rifle balanced well
My Whelen's barrel is 24" and I have considered having a rifle with a 22" barrel rebored. I wouldn't go shorter than 22".
Posted By: Mule Deer Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
And on and on and on.

The .35 Whelen is not a flat-shooting round in today's world, despite advances in powders and higher-BC bullet. Another 100 fps (which is about what is obtained from 26" barrel over a 22") will make it shot about 1-2" flatter at 300 yards. It won't hit big game it the vitals more certainly, or but apparently that's not what's become important since we all acquired "personal chronographs."

The first person I ran into who decided to make the .35 Whelen a "long range" round was one of a dozen other guys in a caribou camp in Nunavut Territory almost 20 years ago. The rifle he chose to bring was a custom .35 Whelen Improved with a 26" barrel, which he claimed got 2700+ fps with a 250-grain spitzer. This did kill a caribou bull quite well, but in my experience even really big caribou are killed neatly with a .22-250.

Sorry to sound so non-impressed with 100 fps, but apparently can't help it.
Posted By: TheKid Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
I’m trying to think of a single animal that required more than one shot from mine but I don’t think any did. Mine has a 20” barrel.
I first ried mine with a 24" barrel. I didn't care ffor it for the intended use. so I had it cut to 22". It was better, so I had iron sights installed. I realize now I should have cut it to 20" for my purposes. Elk hunting in the brush of the Oregon coast.
.
Posted By: VaHunter Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
When Redneck built a 35 Whelen for me on a Winchester 70 Classic we settled on a 22" Pacnor #3 barrel.
Posted By: WAM Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
I don’t think there is much advantage in a long barrel. My .35 Whelen 700 classic has a 22” barrel and it has been fine since ‘89.
Posted By: vapodog Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
I fully concurr with the balance requirements but would prefer to achieve that goad by means other than barrel length. Further, I disagree that the .35 Whelen is not a long range gun.....From my own experience, it's at least a fine 350 yard shooter.....longer if you are a better shooter than me.

I want more in a rifle and barrel length has always been a factor as the ability to handle the gun has a lot to do with the length of barrel.

IMO the .35 Whelen handles well and still doesn't lose much in the long range issues with a 20" barrel.
Posted By: z1r Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
I have three Whelens: First has a 19" barrel, second 23.6" and the latest a 26". Love em all. But agree with JWP475 that no matter the barrel length, balance matters.
M77RS 22" would be better if 24". Barrel length is the cheapest velocity gain. I would never cut one down for portability issues. If you want a short barrel buy it that way from the get go. MB
Originally Posted by Magnum_Bob
M77RS 22" would be better if 24". Barrel length is the cheapest velocity gain. I would never cut one down for portability issues. If you want a short barrel buy it that way from the get go. MB

Having crawled into alders following a wounded bear more than once barrel length is the easiest thing to change and a little extra velocity is the last thing I would worry about.
Posted By: noKnees Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/27/20
I would rather set the contour and length for ideal balance and handling, if I feel the need for more fps there is always a larger case.
Ah! Balance and handling. Forgotten concepts in so many discussions about rifles. I have a Sako AV Classic that has been fitted with an aftermarket barrel in .35 Whelen, a medium weight, 25" tube that just feels "Just right". I agree that I don't need the extra 50 -150 FPS that it may give me over shorter tubes. But it handles well, balances the rifle superbly, kicks little, has less muzzle blast than shorter barrels, and happens to be accurate. I like it.
Posted By: fremont Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/28/20
I built my AI version as a 22" and wished I'd done 24" (even 23").
Posted By: SuperCub Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/28/20
Originally Posted by limabean
Would there be any reason to have a 26 inch barrel on a rifle in this caliber?

Depends on what type of rifle you want in the end.

I'd go 23" because I couldn't decide between 22 and 24.
Posted By: Greyghost Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/28/20
23" to 25", I put a heavy 25" #5 with 12 twist on my STA...

Phil
Posted By: himmelrr Re: 35 whelen barrel length? - 08/29/20
Originally Posted by SuperCub
Originally Posted by limabean
Would there be any reason to have a 26 inch barrel on a rifle in this caliber?

Depends on what type of rifle you want in the end.

I'd go 23" because I couldn't decide between 22 and 24.


Sounds like me when I was building a 338Fed. I could not decide between 20 or 22 so I opted for 21!
Originally Posted by Sitka deer
Originally Posted by Magnum_Bob
M77RS 22" would be better if 24". Barrel length is the cheapest velocity gain. I would never cut one down for portability issues. If you want a short barrel buy it that way from the get go. MB

Having crawled into alders following a wounded bear more than once barrel length is the easiest thing to change and a little extra velocity is the last thing I would worry about.


Sitka, all due respect to your profession and experience at it, your opinion is good for you and your needs not mine. For where and what I use mine for 26" isn't a problem ,24 " would be a compromise. Finding a 03 that had been rebored or a 1917 rebored to 35 Whelen and sporterized back in the the times they did that with a full length barrel sure would not get a whack job from me. Finding and getting something like that is probably more likely than ever coming up with enough money to afford to have a guided brown bear hunt in Alaska. Be a " grail" gun for me. Yes I would use it also. I don't buy guns to look at , shoot every one of them. MB
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