Which 35 Cal for Encore?

[Big Gun]

I am thinking about getting another Encore pistol barrel and have decided that I would like a 35 Cal, I am strongly considering the 35 Whelen or the 350 Rem Mag but am having a hard time deciding which would be best.   :?: The Whelen has the advantage of more choices of factory ammo available - 200 gr and 250 gr from Remington and 225 gr from Federal.  The 350 Rem Mag has the advantage of being a belted cartridge meaning it will headspace off of the belt and should not have any risk of misfires that are apparently common with 35 Rem contender barrels when firing factory ammo.  I do reload, but do not intend on reloading for this barrel right from the start.  I am thinking I will have the barrel made by the TC custom shop, and plan to have it with a muzzle tamer, probably a 15 inch heavy barrel with the muzzle break for a total length of 16.125 inches.  I would appreciate your opinion on which cartridge you think is best for this application and why you have that opinion.
 
Thanks,

[Thomas Krupinski]

I have been thinking along the same lines and have decided on the Whelen.  I already load for the Whelen for my bolt rifle in that chambering and have moulds to cast for it as well.

There is another advantage as I just resize military '06 brass to make my brass for the Whelen.

I think what I will try to find one in stainless, hopefully one will tun up used.  It would fill a nitch at the high end of the pistol set.

[Lone Star]

Loading a belted case to heaqdspace off the belt is asking for misfires and short case life.  It is the same situation as the Herrett twins - all bottlenecked cartridges in a T/C should be headspaced off the shoulder.  It is the prefered way to go with rifles as well.  Read the loading instructions in the manuals - Speer is a good one - and see what the experts recommend.  A belt is invisible to the experienced reloader.

The .350 has more case capacity than the Whelen, but not a lot.  The .350 also has a longer effective barrel than the Whelen, but not much.  To me, it's a toss-up on which to get.  I like the short fireplug, so I'd get that one....knowing that the Whelen is just as good.

[Big Gun]

I am still undecided but am leaning toward the Whelen at the moment.  I appreciate the thoughts from you guys that replied.

[casper_zip]

Hello there:  :grin:

A while back, I was thinking like you. I wanted a powerful 35 Caliber for my next Encore. After much head scratching, much research, I ended up with the 358 Winchester. I have lots of 308 brass, and it's so simple to make.

This is a bull strong case as you know. I use military brass, just neck em up to 358. I have shot many 1 hole groups with mine with a good scope on it from a bench rest. You can load down to 38 Special velocities if you want to plink with the cheaper pistol cast bullets. Fulled loaded with hunting loads, this caliber will kill elk, or anything you want to shoot. I have many articles on this caliber. It is one of the most, if not the most, overlooked cartridge in America.

To be honest, it'll do anything the 35 Whelen will do in an Encore with a 15" barrel. Fully loaded, mine with a muzzle break, can be a handful.
Of course, this is just my opinion. I love mine, for one thing, I love the versability of cheap cases, being able to use reduced practice loads, and then, go to full power loads.

Best to all,

Casper_Zip  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:

[Thomas Krupinski]

Big Gun,

I think what I would like to find is a stainless 15" with no brake in 35 Whelen.  That should fit my existing holsters, the stainless will not show holster wear and scratches can be buffed out.  I am not sure if it would need to be a heavy or bull taper, I am inclined to think it would not.

If in your search you happen to find one you are not interested in, let me know, would like to find a used one rather than new.

Thanks,

[Thomas Krupinski]

I think Casper_Zip's combination is a very good one and I am leaning towards the Whelen as I already load for it.  If I didn't already have the dies, I could consider that one.  Those advantages he lists are the same reasons I want a Whelen barrel.

[Big Gun]

casper_zip - who made your 358 win barrel for you?

Thomas Krupinski - if you did get the stainless 35 Whelen made, which custom maker would you go with?  At least on their web site TC Custom Shop does not offer this in stainless.

[Thomas Krupinski]

Thomas Krupinski - if you did get the stainless 35 Whelen made, which custom maker would you go with?  At least on their web site TC Custom Shop does not offer this in stainless.

I am afraid that I am too frugal (cheap) to have one made for me.  I would wait till I find one used.  If I can find a longer one, I would buy it and have it cut and crowned.  It may take a while but I can wait as if I get drawn for general elk this fall I can use my 15" 30/06.

[casper_zip]

Hello:   :grin:

My barrel was made by Thompson-Center, I'll open my gun safe this afternoon and double check. The custom big dollar barrels I have are ususally made by Virgin Valley. I had some Bullberry and SSK's, but I have traded them off. I kept my Virgin Valley barrels.

My experience, there's no such thing as a "bad" barrel maker. They could not stay in business. It's a fierce competitive world today, and if your product is not good, you are out of business.

The SSK and Bullberrys were fine barrels, I had no complaints. To be absolutely honest, all my T/C factory barrels, either Contender or Encore can/will easily outshoot me, and I would call myself an excellent, shot. Matter of fact, I can outshoot my rifle friends no problem, they shoot their rifles against me with my handguns. Now, I'm speaking of bench rest, with a good scope.

I'll check my barrel when I get back from town, and let you know for sure who made it.

Best to you all,

Casper_Zip  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:

[casper_zip]

Hello Again:  :grin:

Well, got my errands run, back home. True to my word, opened the gun safe, and my Encore barrel in 358 Win. with Muzzle brake, 15" blue, is made by the T/C Custom Shop, Fox-Ridge.

Really been busy here. Working on my fish pond. Put up a Windmill that pumps air for aeration, and put in two large electric aerators. This should fix me up with O2 problems, and now, I can devote some time to reloading and shooting the T/C's some.

Best to all,

Casper_Zip  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:

[Big Gun]

Ok, I still have not made up my mind but I am getting closer.  I ran across a 35-06 JDJ barrel for sale and am curios about it.  I am a hand loader for several rifle and pistol cartridges but have not played around with any "wildcats".  My biggest question is if I can fire form brass using 35 Whelen factory ammo.  Does anyone shoot this in an Encore?  If so what do you think of it?  The performance stated on the SSK web site is pretty impressive.  I emailed JD to find out what the cost of reloading dies is for this one - does anyone know off the top of their head?

[jhalcott]

I have the 358JDJ in a 14"contender and it is a handfull in the recoil dept.
This is about as close to a 358 winchester you will get. A whelen in a 15" barrel is likely to be like the 30-30 in a 10".Way too much powder wasted to get equal performance. I have a 35 whelen in a rifle,I used to have a 358win in a 19" barreled rifle.You have to go some to prove to me that it was worth while to get an encore in a 15" barrel. Check with the guys shooting the '06 and 308 in Encores.  BUT than again it is YOUR $  jh

[MePlat]

Best to get with JD Jones on the 358-06 JDJ.. I have a 375-06 JDJ and it is a good round and no you cant fire factory 35 Whelan loads to fireform because the shoulder is moved forward on firing and with a factory round you have nothing to headspace on.  You seat a bullet out far enough to run into the rifling to hold the casehead back against the standing  breech and fire with a reduced load.
JD says on his website 2600 with a 225 and I would say you could probaby get that in a 15 inch.  Slightly less with a 14 inch
With an SSK arrestor brake recoil would be ok unless you have an aversion to recoil.

[Jay HHI6818]

I have a 13 1/2 inch 35-06JDJ and its a blast to shoot. It has JD's arrestor brake on it and the recoil isn't bad at all. I'm getting 2260 FPS with the Nosler 225 gr BT.

[Big Gun]

OK, I finally decided and I ordered a 16.5" 35-06 JDJ Encore barrel, will let you know how it turns out.  Thanks to everyone for the replies and ideas.