Paper Patching the 35 Whelen?

[RBak]

I would like to hear of some experiences PP'n the 35 Whelen. I have a Whelen but all I shoot is cast bullets. Would like to hear how you take them down the .006 needed for patching, short of swaging.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Respectfully, Russ

[Cat Whisperer]

Yea!  I too have a 35 Wheelen - Rem 700 Classic (1:16 ouch!).  I got it specifically to shoot big heavy cast boolets. - Won't quite stabilize the 280 grain 358009 though.

I've heard that some people patch with teflon tape - I would think that would be much thinner - maybe I'll just go measure it.

OK there are TWO of us looking for answers...

[RBak]

"I've heard that some people patch with teflon tape - I would think that would be much thinner - maybe I'll just go measure it."

Hi Cat Whisperer... Good luck with the telfon, can't say if it will work for you or not as all my experiments with telfon, excepting muzzleloaders, has been a total flop.
It appears to me the "real thing", whatever that may be, ends up being a good "stout" paper of light weight. A very hard item to find nowadays. The old story of two wraps around the bullet does seem to be best when you end up with + / - .001 to .0015 oversize. At least for me. I am going to patch up a .338 / 220gr. cast from pure lead, using plain computer printing paper,  ending up at approximately .356, with hopes it will bump up to at least .357, and maybe .358.
Don't have a clue what to expect with the first attempt, but if it don't work I was comtemptlating adding a couple wraps of real tight telfon over the regular paper I've been using (9lb.@ .002)
My "learnings" tell me that more than two wraps of anything is not good but I guess I need to see for myself the difference.
Let us know how your bullet turns out. I have a Shilen bbl. 1-14 twist on my Rifle and it does very well with the 280gr. 358009. I have also got the RCBS 358-200 and the Saeco 247gr. The 200 grain seems to do worse that the heavier weights, but that could be a matter of load development, as others report good results with the same twist.
Russ

[45 2.1]

Russ-
   I have had very good luck using the LEE sizing kit in an appropriate size. Lee makes custom sizes for almost any diameter. You need to polish out the taper in the die for it to work well though. I would try a .348" sizer and lube the bullets with case lube before putting them in the sizer, then remove afterwards.
   For those that have .348" bullet swaging dies, you can swage a pure lead flat nose slug and patch it with 13 lb. paper to .358" diameter. I use these for 35 Rem and they work very well.

[RBak]

Russ-
   I have had very good luck using the LEE sizing kit in an appropriate size. Lee makes custom sizes for almost any diameter.  

Hi 45 2.1, Thanks for the reply. I can't seem to locate anything from Lee that would "step down" the .358 to about .348. It's seems they go from .356 down to .323. The extremes...on both ends...seems too much. I do have a .338 / 220 grain mold from Lee that I intend to give a try with "three" wraps. Never done anything with three wraps, but yesterday, at the range, I was discussing this with a shooter and he says he does it all the time. He seemed VERY knowledgeable with paper patch, even allowed me to shoot a few loads of 45-70 that had been paper patched with three wraps. And,  I have to admit, I could find no fault in their accuracy. This is the only time that I've ever heard that not using more than two wraps was just an "old wive's tale". Everything I've read, or heard, says to stay with two wraps. Well, guess what. I'm going to put together some three wrap bullets today. My calculations tell me I should end up with a .359 bullet.  Don't know for sure since I haven't actualy done it yet, but we'll see. If I can make it work I will be "on the road to happiness".
Respectfully, Russ

[45 2.1]

Russ-
   The LEE sizer would have to be a custom size, $25 last time I got one. Call up LEE and ask. The delivery time was about 2 weeks. If you cast a softer than wheelweight hardness bullet, you can size in the Lyman or RCBS sizers with a standard .348" die providing you lube the bullet before sizing it.
   As far as using three wraps, it will work as long as you have sufficient bearing surface to keep it lined up and it will have to fit the throat to have good accuracy. It is better (with smokeless powders) to have the naked bullet at bore size and the patched bullet at or just below throat diameter, which is usually .003" over groove diameter. This has worked in every caliber between .25 and .50 that I have tried.

[RBak]

Russ-
 "  The LEE sizer would have to be a custom size, $25 last time I got one. Call up LEE and ask. The delivery time was about 2 weeks. "

45 2.1, Thank's,  that is indeed good information. I will call Lee Precision this next week, and see if I can get a .348 die made up. I personally think this would be better than the 3 wraps on a .338. But, I still haven't fired the 3 wrap .338 loads I made up so I can't say with any certainty that is true.
Russ