There was a thread recently in the lounge about the .35 Whelen, but the handload info was left out since that isn't the correct forum for it. I thought that maybe we could get it going in this forum.

If you load for the .35 Whelen, please feel free to post your favorite loads, and any hunting experiences that you have had with it. Pics are a plus.

My first .35 Whelen was a Remington 760 in .35 Remington that I had a gunsmith friend rechamber to .35 Whelen. Since I am a bolt gun fan, I bought the first Remington 700 in .35 Whelen I could find after Remington announced them back in 1988. It was a 700 Classic that I used for several years. I have since replaced it with a 700 CDL, which is an even nicer/lighter rifle, and this one is extremely accurate.

I have hunted several different animals with the ones I have owned. It is a very effective killer on almost any animal in the country. It is a deer/bear/hog gun supreme.

I have had very good luck with Sierra 225 grain BT pushed to 2700 fps by 56 grains of AA 2015BR for lighter game. This load is a max load in my rifles and may not be safe in anyone else's rifle. Mine have all had .300" freebore so I was able to work up to this load safely in my rifles. If you try this load, start well below and work up watching for pressure signs. I have pretty much settled on the much newer 225 Nosler Accubond pushed to the same speed for my hunting with the .35 now. This powder is about my favorite for use in the Whelen. It gives very good velocities, and accuracy in all of the rifles I have tried it in.
It meters well too. I used Rem cases, Fed 210 primers, and seat to the same length as factory 250 round nose loads to start, then work up and down to find the "sweet spot for my rifle.

Since I hunt with both handguns and rifles in quite a few diffferent calibers, I admit that I haven't taken anything with that bullet yet, but I hope to fix that soon.

I have shot lots of hogs, but below is a picture of the biggest hog I have taken. I shot him with my 700 Classic a few years ago. It weighed in around 475 lbs. One 225 Sierra BT through the short ribs angled forwards to the opposite shoulder at about 80 yards did the trick. I followed that one up though with a 250 Speer GS at 2550 fps through the opposite side to make sure he stayed in place until we could get to him.




To give you an indication of how large he really was, in this shot I am kneeling right behind him, and I am 6'.


Hanging up on the game pole-