35 Whelen in the Handi - anything special I should consider for handloads?

[M'issippi Bruce]

I finally have my .35 Whelen shooting correctly - sent it back to the factory just to get it to go boom at all, then twiddled the fore-end, etc a bit to get it to group rather than loosely pattern, put a decent scope on it instead of the cheap thing it started with, etc, etc.
Other than a couple of Remington 200 gr that STILL won't go bang, it seems to be perfectly happy with both the Remington and Hornady offerings.
Since I now have a small stash of brass, I'd like to load 225 gr Sierra Gamekings at a reasonable velocity - in the 2600 fps range if the accuracy is there. I have several suitable powders ( listed in the various manuals, anyway ) so - any particularly good loads out there ?
Also, are there any gotcha's to watch for specific to either the Handi or the cartridge ? Never loaded a 35 Whelen before and have only loaded 45-70 for the Handi in the past.

Thanks,
Bruceissippi

[trotterlg]

Watch out how far you push the sholder (what there is of it) back when you resize the brass or it won't go bang with your hand loads either.  Larry

[teddybaham]

i got a cva 35 whelen. i had 2 of the 200gr remingtons do me the same thing, wonder if its the ammo?

[nicholst55]

I've heard rumblings of Remington factory ammo being manufactured with the shoulders set too far back for reliable ignition before, so it wouldn't be the first time.  I've heard recommendations to use any factory ammo other than Remington because of this.

I shoot my own handloads almost exclusively, but I've never had a problem in my Mark X Mauser .35 Whelen with Remington factory ammo - yet, anyway.

[Dinny]

Here's some good info from Whelen Brown. I have had good luck getting top velocities with Re15 too.

http://35cal.com/loading.html


Thanks, Dinny

[gendoc]

i'm glad i have never had any problems with my whelen...2010 model.
i only shoot my handloads, never fired a store bought load.  after fire-forming virgin brass, you only need to resize the neck.  just don't hot-rod your brass and i use WLR primers with over 600 shots of testing. she did purdy good last season too !!!

[cwlongshot]

The 358 diameter bullet in a .473 case has been a problem since its inception. A good hand loader can keep it working with 100% reliability. BUT even factory loadings can be problem attic is some guns...

There are a number of wild cat chamberings that have dealt with the problem, the Brown Whelen is but one. It moves the shoulder out and increases the sholder angle. The whelen shares the long neck and sholder angle of its parent case the 30-06. That angle is fine for the 30 cal, but in 35 cal its pretty small.
 SAME problem with some 35 REM chamberings as its case is even smaller in diameter. Again, hand loaders can maintain the correct dimensions and have a 100% reliable cartridge.

H&R's have compounded this problem by releasing a number of guns with the chambers cut too deep. This exacerbates the head space issues.

I love the 35 Cal's and have had zero issues with my whelen in a Mauser. Getting the whelen to 2600 with a 225 is not an issue in my gun as I have a longer tube. What is the length of yours? Some early barrels where 26" later they were 22...

RL15 is a excellent powder for the Whelen and its what I have used for my top loadings. But there are a number of good powders to try as well. I prefer RL15 with a 225 Accubond at about 2900 from mine. But the Speer 250 RN with 4350 at about 2500 has foulded its bore many times as well. Whitetails get a dose of 4320 and a 200 Hornady spitzer at about 2500. (Nearly duplicating my old favorite the 358 win factroy loading)

Good luck with yours!!

CW

[teddybaham]

im new to reloading as in ive loaded a few to factory specs for my model 94 30-30, ar 15 and my 300wsm a-bolt, but im a little intimidated by the whelen. im shooting it out of a wisper....shhCVA APEX and was thinking of fire forming the brass and just neck sizing . ive never done either of these so i guess ill learn haha ohh and im on the look out for whelen necksizing dies. guess i need to pay a visit to the reloading forum for guidance

[Dinny]

Since there's some shhh-shh talking, there's always the Hornady Superformance 35 Whelen factory ammo.

http://www.hornady.com/store/35-Whelen-200-GR-SP-Superformance/


Don't be intimidated by loading the Whelen, even our lack of success in some ventures gives us a lesson. I may have never learned about false shoulders and die settings had it not been for a mistake made.

Thanks, Dinny

[teddybaham]

i have a box of the hornadys i need to try but the remingtons shoot one hole groups hahaha

[teddybaham]

mostly concerned with the short shoulder issue im afaid id screw up more than make.

[Dinny]

the remingtons shoot one hole groups hahaha

I'm assuming that is when they fire....

mostly concerned with the short shoulder issue im afaid id screw up more than make.

I think that it's impossible not to learn a valuable lesson from any challenge. If you don't have one already, I would buy a kinetic bullet puller. It can help you discard or start-over from simple reloading mistakes. 


Thanks, Dinny

[gendoc]

i'm glad i have never had any problems with my whelen...2010 model.
i only shoot my handloads, never fired a store bought load.  after fire-forming virgin brass, you only need to resize the neck.  just don't hot-rod your brass and i use WLR primers with over 600 shots of testing. she did purdy good last season too !!!

ok, now i got time to post my handload 

225gr sierra spbt #02850   (dinny, i still ain't got in tha box i got from you yet...soon tho)
56gr imr-4895........best powder tested for accuracy
wlr primers
new or fired rem brass, don't matter
2538 fps
.62" 3-shot @ 100yrds

tha whitetail might as well go get in tha back of tha truck

[gcrank1]

Ive found that if I dont load way up on the top loads that cases dont need full length sizing very often, but admittedly, I dont have a Whelen. If the cases arent being blown way out from top loads then just neck sizing to the 'proper shoulder position for the given gun's chamber' has worked well for me in several calibers. I do like to keep brass a uniform length, and the Lee case length gauge and cutter makes very quick and easy verification of that.

[cwlongshot]

Forget about neck sizing in a break barrel. Maybe OK in a falling block def good stuff in a bolt gun. NOT good for handis.

The whelen is a nice caliber to load, like all loading you simply need to know what your doing. Properly setting up your dies is tantamount.

CW

[gendoc]

Forget about neck sizing in a break barrel. Maybe ok in a falling block def good stuff in a bolt gun. NOT good for handis.

The whelen is a nice caliber to load, like all loading you simply need to know what your doing. Properly setting up your dies is tantimount.

CW

what you mean, CW....

when i shoot the 225gr sierra's i MUST close the neck ever so slightly.... for a uniform fit.
i know that shows other problems... but, it shoots every time and is on spot every time so,
 i'm all gud. and will not do it any other way,
maybe thats why it has not failed in over 600 shots !!!!!!!!!!

[quickdtoo]

Since I now have a small stash of brass, I'd like to load 225 gr Sierra Gamekings at a reasonable velocity - in the 2600 fps range if the accuracy is there. I have several suitable powders ( listed in the various manuals, anyway ) so - any particularly good loads out there ?

Rl15 is a good choice, it works excellect in the Handi with the 225gr TSX.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,100788.msg1098266994.html#msg1098266994

[cwlongshot]

Forget about neck sizing in a break barrel. Maybe OK in a falling block def good stuff in a bolt gun. NOT good for handis.

The whelen is a nice caliber to load, like all loading you simply need to know what your doing. Properly setting up your dies is tantamount.

CW

what you mean, CW....

when i shoot the 225gr sierra's i MUST close the neck ever so slightly.... for a uniform fit.
i know that shows other problems... but, it shoots every time and is on spot every time so,
 I'm all good. and will not do it any other way,
maybe that's why it has not failed in over 600 shots !!!!!!!!!!

The reason NOT to neck size only for a break barrel is because the is an inherent amount of movement or "spring" in the action. this causes the cases to grow. So you may get OK results after one firing but very soon you will have problems and need to FL resize. So its better to properly set up the dies and FL resize every time in a Break barrel SS action.

Of coarse the lower the pressure the slower this process, but it happens with every shot just the same...

CW

[gendoc]

Forget about neck sizing in a break barrel. Maybe OK in a falling block def good stuff in a bolt gun. NOT good for handis.

The whelen is a nice caliber to load, like all loading you simply need to know what your doing. Properly setting up your dies is tantamount.

CW

what you mean, CW....

when i shoot the 225gr sierra's i MUST close the neck ever so slightly.... for a uniform fit.
i know that shows other problems... but, it shoots every time and is on spot every time so,
 I'm all good. and will not do it any other way,
maybe that's why it has not failed in over 600 shots !!!!!!!!!!

The reason NOT to neck size only for a break barrel is because the is an inherent amount of movement or "spring" in the action. this causes the cases to grow. So you may get OK results after one firing but very soon you will have problems and need to FL resize. So its better to properly set up the dies and FL resize every time in a Break barrel SS action.

Of coarse the lower the pressure the slower this process, but it happens with every shot just the same...

CW

i can say this fora fact... i ain't never hada problem with my handi's doing that. maybe its because i don't use brass that has signs of excessive wear. after 2-3 loadings , there pitched !!!
and they are mostly used for testing anyway... i make a point to use 1x fired, fireformed brass
when hunting. thats where i get my most consistant accuracy from. then they go in the research can.  anaway... i don't  hot-rod my handloads.
i guess i shudda not even replied to your statement, i see now you were talking info to excessive
use of brass.

[M'issippi Bruce]

Lots of interesting thoughts - thanks to all.
Since 4064 is the only suitable powder on hand, it is going to get the first attempts. Sierra manual has enough data for it and my target velocity seems to be below max loads - and I will adjust downward if that shows better accuracy.

[gcrank1]

Doc, I wish I was closer so I could scavenge up your 'reject' brass....... .