Bought a new #3 .45-70 in early 80's. Took a deer with it, love the short OA length/minus action length and also lite weight. Re-barreled to Douglas 22" and fitted #1 wood. Nice light mountain rifle...good knockdown with a Barnes 250gr at 2600+ fps.

Forgot to mention I also have a nearly new <50 shots .45-70 barrel and also the original wood kicking around here somewhere?

Oops - went to check. I have the wood pieces and the barrel band they are like new. .45-70 barrel is not here. Not surprised, I moved from Oregon in 1994 and whittled 37 long guns and 17 handguns down to 4 and 3 respectively. Gave away and sold alot - I am sure I gave away the barrel to someone - maybe to H&K Gun Shop in Forest grove Oregon, Curt did lots of work for me...

Looks like a dandy deerslayer, the Whelen has been my primary whitetail rifle for more than 25 yrs. now. It just gets the job done, never needed a 2nd shot.

Nice.

I have a #3 in 223 that I got with the intent to rebarrel to 257 Rob. It shoots so well, I have been hesitant to make any changes. Took a deer with it this past season.

35 Brown-Whelen.... always sounded like a fun cartridge, as do the Gibbs design rounds. Tell me how it is to own and load for it.

Does that lever bite your hand a bit with .35 recoil? I'm slowly working on a No.3 project- had JES rebore a .223 to 9.3x62 and am restocking with No. 1 pattern wood. There's no way I'd want to shoot it with the OEM lever, so I cut, welded, and shaped it to be more friendly for recoil.

Ruger #3 take off 45/70 barrels make great 458x2” American or 450 Marlin ‘All Ruger’ model 77 bolt action rifles with a little lathe and reamer work.
I would have used a No.1 take off barrel but a #3 is what I found first.

As a matter of fact, yes it does at the range. It's a pretty light setup with ballistics nearly equaling my .375 H&H mag 270gr loads, so yes it can be a handful. As I recall, it banged my ring finger pretty good if I shot it loosely off bags.

I have a #3 in 45/70 that I put #1 wood on. It looks good but I've never shot it since I put the new wood on it.
It was a beast with the original wood.
A guy with 45/120 reamer offered to rechamber it but I chickened out. :>)
John

I love the gun but now live in an elk-less State so it doesn't get any use. I had previously owned (pre Remington 35 Whelen launch) a .35 Whelen in a 700ADL so I had plenty of brass to form. I fire-formed my previously formed Whelen brass to Brown Whelen with 55gr 4064 under a 200gr bullet with CCI 200 primer. it yielded about 2300fps approx 8 feet from the muzzle. The neck does look pretty short and scary but I have never had any problems with bullets staying seated with a 250gr Speer Spitzer. I previously used a 275gr Barnes in my 700ADL 35 Whelen but that bullet never (looked) stable with the Brown neck. My Elk load with the Brown was 63gr of 4064 under a Speer 250gr spitz. cci200 at 2623fps (loa 3.430") average 8 feet in front of the muzzle. My old Elk load with the ADL in 35 Whelen was 54gr 4064 under a Barnes 275gr cci200 at around 2400fps (loa 3.370")

Interesting comparison of 35 whelen 24" barrel and the 35 Brown Whelen 22" barrel:

.35 Whelen 24" - 250gr Speer Spitzer - 55gr 3031/cci200 - 2534fps LOA 3.440"
.35 Brown - Whelen 22" - 250gr Speer Spitzer - 55gr 3031/cci200 - 2451fps LOA 3.430"

*I know I compared case capacity Whelen vs Brown but couldn't locate my figures. (been a few years) lol!

That Remington - did it to me twice, lol! I had sporterized a Arisaka 99 to 7mm08 before Remington legitimized that cartridge, and then they did it again to me with the 35 Whelen - probably one reason I went up to the Brown version.

MarkJuen, I am looking for a set of No1 wood and have an unfired 45-70 No 1 barrel I'll trade you.

I am sorry, the wood I have is from a new #3.

Thanks, I suppose would make the same offer of the 45-70 barrel for those . As I said it is new as it was taken off a new No 1 in order to make a 475 Turnbull for an article in Rifle magazine.