Sourdough, don't mean to be a pest about it but do you have any favorite .35 Whelen loads? And, who need the short Magnums, especially in a single shot? Just a marketing ploy anyway....<><.... :grin:
MSP Ret.......Since sourdough has not responded for a few days, I thought I may throw my $.02 in, FWIW.
My favorite powder for the Whelen is IMR3031. Often times a cartridge is best defined by a particular bullet weight, and I feel this is caertainly true with the 35 Whelen. My favorite bullet for the Whelen is a 250gr RN from Hornady at 2590fps. There is nothing sterling about the ballistics of this bullet on paper, but it's performance speaks for it's self.
Speer 250gr Grand Slams over IMR 4320 at 2550fps, is also a load worth mentioning, albeit both of these rounds are fired in a very strong bolt rifle, at the upper limits of the powder scale.
I have also found, using both IMR 4320, and 3031, that accuracy (in my rifle) remained consistent while I was experimenting with these powders using the same bullet, but different powder weights.
As with any other thing in reloading, I would start low with these powders and work up until I found something I was comfortable with. If you are not going to be hunting anything larger than deer, you want to look at the 225gr, or possibly even the 200gr. I think when you mount that Whelen barrel on the Handi you may want to consider the lighter bullets.....just a guess on my part. But, To shoot a true 35Whelen, one must think in terms of the 250gr, or heavier bullets.
I shoot a cast 35809 Lyman, 280grGG,GC, at 2040fps, and I feel confident there is nothing in the woods of the Northwest this load would not handle.
Cases are easy to make if you don't have any with the 35Whelen headstamp. With readily available 30-06 cases, a pass through the die is about all required for the first shooting with lighter loads / lighter bullets to fire form the case. After you have a 100, or so, formed cases you are on your own. The thought that a .35 Whelen is a "short range" cartridge, needs a bit of re-thinking. Once you have this round loaded and performing to your expectations, compare it's "paper ballistic's" to about anything you want to, and you will see what I'm talking about. If there is any difference in my Whelen, and my .338 win mag, I am not astute enough to see it. I do my best to avoid any shot over 250 yds, and the actual difference in trajectory, of perhaps 2", at that range is insignficiant in my way of thinking. I can't "hold" that well anyway.
And, you can do all this with much less "fuss" than any of the magnums.
Just my thoughts on this wonderful round. Sorry I got so long winded.
Russ
