.357 to .35 whelen

[GURU]

could a .357 be rechambered to a .35 whelen? i need a flat shooting handi rifle in .35 cal. or bigger for the mississippi primitive weapons season. ive been shooting a 22" 45-70 but would like something  different. i have been looking for a .35 whelen with no luck, i thought it may be easier to find a .357 to rechamber.

[quickdtoo]

The MS primitive season requires a .38 cal or bigger, the 35 Whelen would not qualify. I could be rechambered tho, but the slow 1:18¾" twist rate wouldn't be ideal for bigger bullets, use the search function, there are several threads on rechambering the 357.

Tim

http://www.mdwfp.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10913

[GURU]

they have changed some of the regulations this year. you can use any single shot .35 cal. or larger with an exposed hammer. even an encore

[quickdtoo]

The only thing I found on that was the proposal, nothing that it has been approved. The earlier link I posted is on the MS state run forum, it still states .38 cal, no Encores.

http://www.mdwfp.com/Level2/Wildlife/pdf/intents/2008/LE6-2280.pdf

The regs still state .38 cal and bigger.

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.38 caliber or larger) of a kind and type manufactured prior to 1900, and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons. Sidearms are not allowed during primitive weapon season.
 

 http://home.mdwfp.com/wildlife.aspx

As stated in this thread at MDWFP, it isn't law yet, may be sooner or later tho, but still not in the regs.

http://www.mdwfp.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=48554

Tim

[ro]

Tim, i think GURU is right about the new regulations for the upcoming 2008-2009 primitive season here in Mississippi, i think it was HB 560 that died in the state house to allow T/C encore rifles to be legal as a primitive rifle here because it was not manufactured before 1900, last month the state game and fish commission had a meeting and changed a few laws and regulations. In their meeting last month they dropped the made before 1900 part of the law, and changed the 38 caliber down to 35 caliber single shot breech loading rifle with a exposed hammer, so yes now you can hunt with a 35 caliber or larger NEF or T/C encore rifles, there was so much money put into this from T/C and calls from encore owners to get this law changed, i do not own a encore but allot of handi-rifles i still have my old 50 cal hawken rifle and Knight 50 cal black powder rifles, but in past few seasons i have hunted with my nef 45/70 and 500, so i guess here in Mississippi there is not a old primitive season left, but i can still hunt with my old smoke pole when i want to, but i like my NEF 45/70. they also made it legal to hunt with feeders but thats a whole different story.

[quickdtoo]

That should make a lot of Encore fans happy if it was approved.

Tim

[GURU]

i thought i was right about the new laws , a friend of mine called the mdwfp office and they told him it passed . ok, now help me figure out how to come up with a flat shooting .35 cal or larger handi. as much as some of you guys know about handi rifles somebody has to know where a .35 whelen is for sale or what  i could hae built to fit my needs.  thanks

[quickdtoo]

Check your PMs. 

Tim

[jw1044]

Can the .357 be reamed out to the .35 Remington and is the twist adequate?

[quickdtoo]

The 35 Remington works fine, MSP Ret and I both have 35 Rem Handis, but it's not a flat shooting round.

Going back to the 357>35 Whelen rechamber, the 1:18¾" twist rate should be fine for jacketed bullets 200gr and under, the Hornady 180gr SSP at 2800fps MV would stabilize in a 1:25" twist according to the twist rate calculator below. The big question would be how well it would hold up on a close shot since it's made for much slower velocities, it's popular in the 357 Max at around 2000-2200fps. But there are other 200gr spitzer bullets that would work fine.

Tim

http://kwk.us/twist.html

https://www.hornady.com/shop/?ps_session=bb420aadf45cb06e19385b428ff65fe0&page=shop%2Fbrowse&category_id=70a419acca0fbe6e9e40dc6781621989

[AtlLaw]

the Hornady 180gr SSP at 2800fps MV ... The big question would be how well it would hold up on a close shot since it's made for much slower velocities,

Tim, did you see that performance summary of different .35 cal bullets in the 35 Rem?  From his, whomever "he" is, tests, he indicated the 180 gr.'s expansion wasn't that great at 35 Rem velocities and recommended the 200 gr. round nose.  Don't ask me where I found it on the web.  Tell ya what.  I was gonna work up a 225 gr. Bambi load for my Whelen for this year.  Instead I'll do one with the 180 gr.  I've got a couple a hundred of them laying around anyway.   

[quickdtoo]

I know exactly where it came from, and his test showed it didn't do well in wet phonebooks at 2370fps, it pretty much used it up, if it hits bone, it's bad news, and starting out at Whelen velocities would provide disastrous results!

Tim

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,7180.msg73017.html#msg73017

The 180 grain Hornady Single Shot Pistol Bullet

Apparently this bullet is a good seller at Hornady, as they produce around a half million per year.  There are a lot of lower velocity 35’s and pistol length barrels that require an easy opening bullet for reduced velocities.  The SSP 180 meets that need.  My questions were few; how would it hold up at close range and what were the expansion characteristics at longer ranges?  To answer this question, I fired it at 2380 fps into the books, range twenty feet, and also at 2300 fps out of my Bullberry barreled Contender pistol in .35 Remington at the 100 and 200 yard books.

At close range, velocity 2380 feet, (call me Elmer Keith) the bullets expanded to wide diameter and penetrated around 8 inches, less than any other bullet save the 125 pistol bullets discussed later.  Bullets held together, no doubt due to the Interlock feature, but the lead remaining in the jackets looked almost melted.  They also blew the crap out of the phone books.  Two shots, one in the top half and the other in the bottom, were all the first few books could take.  These look adequate for most lung shots on deer but I’d hesitate to use them against tough resistance at close range at these velocities.  At 100 and 200 yards it was apparent that the scoring in the nose of the bullet was not shallow, but deep, as the nose of the bullet peeled back into clearly defined segments.  The bullet expanded to wide diameter at 200 yards and showed around 11 inches of penetration.  This appears to be a deer bullet, and if any doubt about the expansion qualities of the .35 Remington at long range are present this bullet should answer all questions.  There are more suitable cartridges than the .35 Remington for the longer ranges, but if this bullet is placed properly in the chest it looks to be able to cause sufficient damage way out there.  A 2300+ fps launch velocity should be sufficient to at least 200 yards as regards trajectory, and these bullets can be used in tubular magazines if the soft nose is clipped and filed off flush with the jacket.  The resulting meplat is considerably larger than the 150 Remington PSP factory load and similar to the 180 Speer.  Little loss of ballistic performance should occur, as the bullet still has most of its tapering ogive.  It is also possible to load the levergun as a two shot with pointed bullets, one in the chamber, the other in the tube. 

 

[burntmuch]

I loaded some 180 hornady SSPs for my new 35 whelen. Just cause thats what I had. Right around 2400 fps. They shot real good, Right around an inch. real comfortable to shoot too. Then Tim burst my bubble with that article .  Ive since got some hornady & rem 200 grain round nose. I ll save 180 for my 357 max  Jay

[AtlLaw]

I know exactly where it came from,

Right you are Timmy me lad!     My bad!  I missed a couple of key words like "Hornady" and "SSP."   What I was seeing in my mind was the Speer 180 gr. FP.     Well, one outa 3 ain't bad!   

[quickdtoo]