35 Whelen in Handi-Rifle

[Natman]

Just wondering if NEF or H@R still produced this chambering..My dad bought a box of these shells by mistake and I would like to have the gun to shoot them..I already have the NEF Handi 45-70..Got it two weeks ago with shell holder World Class scope and mounts,and 10 rounds of Win. 300gr.JHP..I need more ammo for it as well but I'll reload for them though..

[dave hall]

I HAD A 35 WHELEN IN AN H&R. IT WAS A SPECIAL RUN FOR THE NAT. ELK FEDERATION.I DON'T THINK THEY MADE IT IN ANY OTHER MODEL,BUT SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE IT IN A STANDARD MODEL.GOOD LUCK FINDING ONE :-)

[257Robt]

There is a 35 Whelen for sale on Guns America. Under search, punch in 35 Whelen, and then scroll down and you'll see it.

[Mitch in MI]

There is a 35 Whelen for sale on Guns America.

Found it. If it were a common chambering, it would be about $100 overpriced, but a minty RMEF Whelen for $320 delivered is less than I've usually seen them offered for.
http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976490780.htm

Let's hope somebody here grabs it.

[Natman]

Thanks ya'll...Just getting into these larger caliber rifles..Enjoying every minute of it..This is a good site to come to..Lot's of info available and people usually write you back quickly..i've mostly hunted and shot the 30-30 and .243 calibers..i'm a huge spring gobbler hunter and deer hunter here in Virginia..Love that 45-70 and hope to work up a warm load for it to try and flatten the trajectory a touch..Recoil isn't to much a factor but you never can tell..I can handle my 835 Ulti-Mag pretty well so I should be allright as long as the scope doesn't give me gift over my eye..

[handirifle]

Man I just spent my allowance on elk tags.  I'd be real suprized if that lasts long.

[Mac11700]

There is a 35 Whelen for sale on Guns America.

Found it. If it were a common chambering, it would be about $100 overpriced, but a minty RMEF Whelen for $320 delivered is less than I've usually seen them offered for.
http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976490780.htm

Let's hope somebody here grabs it.

Well..I put in for it...e-mail sent to him and left phone message...I guess I'll find out soon enough on it...

I figured since these aren't that common(2000 made?) and are on the SB-2 frame I can get a 308 barrel for it soon enough along with a 45-70 barrel...I've been waiting for 2 weeks for my gun shop friend to get my Ultra 308...maybe this is why.....like my lovely wife always says" Everything for a reason"...and I've wanted one of these ever since I  first saw one...this would be a treat...and I wouldn't have to worry about using my 257 Weatherby Mag on elk with this in the safe,would I.. :wink:


Mac

[Mitch in MI]

I figured since these aren't that common(2000 made?) and are on the SB-2 frame I can get a 308 barrel for it soon enough along with a 45-70 barrel...
Mac

Sorry, but the factory won't put high pressure barrels like 35 whelen or 308 on pre-1999 frames.
IIRC, the RMEF 35 Whelen was a 1996 model (2nd letter of serial number is probably a K, and the 'any barrel' program is limited to N and later) You can get a 45-70 barrel for the RMEF gun, or if you can find a newer frame with matching tolerances, you could swap it into the stocks and barrel from the Whelen and add anything you want to it.

[Mac11700]

Mitch:

I am curious about this...since H&R's site says this...

# Additional barrels may be added to firearms of our manufacture since 1987 only, with a serial number that begins with N or H. We do not install additional barrels on any other manufacturer’s firearms.

I'll have to verify the serial number for sure...but since it's already on the SB-2 frame one would think it would be alright to add a 308 barrel...but that's ok if it won't...having a 45-70 barrel for is in the plans anyway...


Mac

[Mitch in MI]

# Additional barrels may be added to firearms of our manufacture since 1987 only, with a serial number that begins with N or H.

Right, they won't even put a shotgun barrel on an old H&R. The part I'm talking about is this:

" * For this barrel, please call Customer Service at (978) 630-8220 to see if it can be fitted to your receiver."

The * is next to all the rimless rifle barrels except for .223. I suspect it's only by mistake that the .243 SL barrels aren't marked with the asterisk. Supposedly, Marlin improved the strength of the SB2 frames in 1999 and wants to discourage the use of the 1987-98 frames with the -06 cartridges. The first letter in the old H&R serial numbers was the year code. The first letter in the H&R 1871 LLC frames is "N" for NEF or "H" for H&R, and the 2nd letter is the date code.

An interesting side note:
David White claimed to have had a couple of current SB2 frames inspected, and said that the H&R Ultra frame was stronger than the NEF Handi frame. That's the only time I ever heard anybody say there was a difference between post 1999 SB2 frames. I wish I'd saved that posting from the H&R Talk forum. I would have saved the whole forum (sans Mortie) and made a CD of it if I hadn't been working overtime all of February.

[Mac11700]

Mitch:

Your right about the 2nd letter being a K...I just got a phone call from them...and looks like I'm going to get it...this aught to be interesting....do you know the twist on these off hand??? Boy....am I going to have a ton of research to do on this one...needing to find out deer loads...using pistol bullets for plinking...cast bullets...and of course...getting some good elk loads too..Also I'm wondering if anyone that has had one of these ever chronoghraphed any loads thru it??


Mac

[Mitch in MI]

looks like I'm going to get it..

You're better off than the guys who paid $225 or so to rebore other calibers to 35 Whelen.  
Standard twist for 35 Whelen is 1 in 16", Remington uses 14", I'm not sure what NEF used, but I'm pretty sure it's faster than the 18 3/4" twist in the .357.
I've saved off 13,000 posts from another NEF forum, 100 messages per page. If you PM me your email address I'll send you a zipfile of every page that contains the word Whelen. Two guys there had a 270 and a 25-06 rebored, and some handloads were mentioned.

[Mac11700]

Mitch:

Thanks for the info...I've been going thru everything and still reading...

Just to let you guys know...I got the 35 Whelen thanks a bunch for the heads up 257Robt...I got the FFL dealer to send off his copy today and will be finishing up the transaction with them on Tues morning when the dealer opens...so far...these are some real nice folks I've been talking to...I've always been a little leary on buying on-line from an unknown,and this is the first time I've ever purchased a gun this way...the dealer I'm buying it from is Schultheis Sporting Goods Inc...they are in Arkport NY...anyone do any buisness with these folks???

I can't wait till I get to shoot it...


Mac

[257Robt]

Mac:
 Let me know how the rifle shoots. I am curious. That rifle had been on GA for a few weeks now and I am surprised that it didn't sell sooner than it did. I would have bought it myself, but just couldn't come up with the funds. Another one missed because of being in college again. Oh well, I am glad that somebody bought who will use it.

[hammerhead357]

Mac; congrats on the purchase of the rifle. I just purchased one just like this from an individual, mine came equiped with a 3x9 scope. I have not taken mine out to a range yet but plan to soon. The man I bought mine from said it had less than 20 rounds through it. I have been cleaning the copper fouling out of it.
I will probably fire a few more rounds of jacketed bullets and then start on nothing but cast out of it.
Later.........Wes

[Sourdough]

Mac:  You've just purchased one of the best calibers made from the venerable 06.  I own a standard Handi in .35 Whelen, (the only one made I think).  My Dad used it to kill a Moose a few years back.  One shot.  As far as getting barrels from NEF for it?  Only low pressure calibers, I've tried repeatedly to get a 30-06 barrel for mine.

[Mac11700]

Thanks Guys:

Let me know how the rifle shoots. I am curious. That rifle had been on GA for a few weeks now and I am surprised that it didn't sell sooner than it did.

257Robt:

I'll let everyone know how it looks and shoots...I'll even detail the transaction with these folks in NewYork for ya,and post some pictures...they seem to be  a pretty good sporting goods store to do buisness with...I have sent them a few e-mails and they have responed right back....This is the first time I've ever bought a rifle on-line so to speak...and to say I'm a-little aprehensive is an understatement...so far they have done all they can to alleviate my concerns by answering a bunch of "newbe" questions,and that helps agreat deal...they are even giving me a week to examine and even take it to the range to try out before finalizing the deal...I don't know if that's the "Norm" or not...but it seems awfull nice to me...and don't worry...I'll be shooting it a-lot...I've wanted one of these for soooooo loooong...and again...A big THANKYOU for giving me the heads up on this...

hammerhead357:

 Thanks Bro...keep us posted on your cast loads...ok...I've been looking over as much data as I can find on cast loads...and jacketed...even some gallery loads...with all things 147 grain wadcutters... I'm still trying to figure out if  I'm going factory...or jump right in using only reloads...very hard choices to make...

Sourdough:

Outstanding...1 shot...1 Moose?? Your going to have to do  better than that my friend...either drop me a PM and fill me in on all the paticulars...or post it for everyone to read...awsome...The more I hear about this caliber...the more I am really beginning to respect it...you can load it down to a gallery gun load...all the way up to using a 250 grain solid...from Barnes...no less...they have a cape buffalo symbol next to it in the Number 5 edition loading manual....that really gets one to thinking ...just how big and mean of game the old Whelen is capable of taking....


Mac

[Mitch in MI]

Outstanding...1 shot...1 Moose?? Your going to have to do  better than that my friend...

Rog, was that the time ya stuck Dad on top of the tractor with a lawn chair? I'll email it to Mac.

[Sourdough]

Mac:  Go to "Outdoor Experiences" page 2.  "Grizzly With A .35 Whelen".  Differant type of gun "bolt action" but still .35 Whelen cartridge.  

As for my Dad's Moose, it was about 7 years ago, he was 76 at the time.  I was carrying my .35 Whelen at the time.  My wife had picked him up at the airport, and put him on a small plane to fly out to camp.  She forgot to send her rifle with him for him to use.  I was not sure how he was going to handle recoil from this single shot with 250 grain factory loads.  Any way we put him on top of the trackrig in a lawn chair and told him a Moose would cross the trail that evening, if he did not fall asleep he'd be able to shoot it.  My partner and I went down the trail shooting grouse for dinner with a .410.  As we walked away Dad heard something in the bushes, and from his elevated position he could see a Moose moving toward the trail.  The Moose was watching Chuck and I as we walked and talked, and occasionally shot the .410.  When we went around the bend out of sight the Moose stepped out and Dad got a perfect broadside shot, 40 yards.  Dad shot just a little high, missing the heart, but taking out both lungs.  The bullet missed the ribs going in, but hit one going out the far side.  I'll write this whole story up in a day or two and put it in "Outdoor Experiences".

[Mac11700]

Sourdough:::


 :-D  :-D  :-D        ROFLMAO

Mac