#10MinuteTalk

One of the oldest .30-06-based wildcats, the .35 Whelen had enjoyed a brief period of commercial successes, and is still holding on in some circles as an understated champion for medium-sized game. Has this old powerhouse been displaced by modern magnums, or, does modesty prevail? Tune in to learn more!
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[@Anschutz270]

35 Whelen is consistently in stock in Fairbanks. Just about a perfect round for Alaska.

[@robertbent7999]

Should do one on 338/06

[@anonymousf454]

​@@robertbent7999I only wish they made more options for higher BC bullets in .35 cal. I have been looking at both and man its hard to decide. Like 338 has a lot of great bullets, but they generally require a higher velocity to perform well. But its high bc usually helps carry that velocity. I also heat its not much of a bump above 30 cal, so its almost like what is it going to do over a 3006 other than be hard to find. Heavy bullets for 338 can come into their own I guess over the upper end weight 3006, so thats cool. Pros for 35 Whelen are...35 caliber is where cast bullets start to perform really well. You can load real light pistol bullets for varmint or small game too. 35 caliber supposedly kills out of proportion to its size.....and supposedly a bump up above 3006. Cons are 35 do not really have good longer range bullets.....So....I dont really know if the 338-06 will give me much over the 35 Whelen...and may actually be less capable.

[@altonwelch4991]

Louisiana and Mississippi allow the 35 Whelen chambered in a break action single shot rifle to be used in the primitive deer season. This has made it a popular cartridge as of late.

[@newerest1]

I swear these BS hunting laws drive so much of what cartridges people use rather than actual effectiveness

[@Huntinherrington1]

Louisiana allows any 35 cal or larger single shot, breech loading, exposed hammer rifle/pistol for primitive use. The 35 Whelen happens to fall into that category. Along with 350 legend, 35 Remington, 444 Marlin, 45-70, and on and on.

[@russellkeeling4387]

@@Huntinherrington1 As an elk hunter the .35 Whelen seems overkill for deer to me.

[@Huntinherrington1]

@@russellkeeling4387 Most around here shoot Barnes 180gr ttsx. It’s a 35 caliber 30/06. I wouldn’t say it’s over kill but it is plenty! I mean alot of people around here shoot a 7 mag or 300 wm deer hunting in the timber (sub 100 yard shot) that’s pretty overkill too.

[@CrimeVid]

Don’t worry son, it’s a hunter’s gun…

[@timeverett7828]

My 35 Whelen is 2900fps and 3900ft lbs energy at the muzzle 225gr bullets. Lots of folks use it in Canada 🇨🇦 DRT MOOSE EVERY TIME! One of the most efficient cartridges ever made.

[@gsnicholas8522]

I'm curious about the load you're using to get 2900 fps with a 225 grain bullet. I'm getting just slightly better than 2800 with a 225 accubond and a healthy charge of varget.

[@timeverett7828]

@@gsnicholas8522 Hornady superformance powder And bullets

[@gsnicholas8522]

@@timeverett7828 I’ll have to check it out. Thanks

[@timeverett7828]

@@gsnicholas8522 no sweat

[@russellkeeling9712]

My calculation for that bullet weight and velocity comes out to 4200 pounds of energy at muzzle. To match that with a .338 with a 225 grain bullet it uses over ten grains more powder.

[@b0lbi]

We need to remember too, that when this was introduced there wasn't a maker in the US producing 375h&h type actions and rifles. Those were usually full custom jobs and were outside the reach of the common man. This bridged the gap as the "poor man's magnum".

[@dg20120]

Very good point. The 35 Whelen was popular in the northwest, western Canada and Alaska since a 1903 Springfield or any other rifle chambered in .30-06 could be rebarreled as a 35 for a lot less than a magnum Mauser action cost. It’s popularity seems to have declined since Winchester introduced the 300 and 338 magnums around 60 years ago. It wasn’t helpful that by the time a major manufacturer got around to chambering rifles in 35 Whelen (Remington in 1988), it was closing the barn door after the horses were out.

[@MrGrxxx123]

True story

[@blackpowder4016]

It was a sensible and inexpensive conversion for war surplus 1903 Springfield and 1917 Enfield rifles with pitted or shot-out barrels. Just bore the barrel the barrel out to .350 and cut new rifling. A lot of barrels were ruined by the corrosive chlorate-primed ammo they used before 1950.

[@danielcurtis1434]

Plus it was a military officer just changing the neck of the .30-06. It went from .22” to .405”. He was just looking at how you could change the case to optimize the ballistics both external and terminal.

[@dg20120]

@@twintwo1429 Gun manufacturers were entirely too slow in producing factory rifles chambered in 35 Whelen. They should have been doing it before WWII. The market for rifles larger than .30 caliber is comparatively small so waiting until a number of years after Winchester had introduced the.300 and .338 magnums in more affordable rifles hurt the 35’s chances of selling well. It was too little too late.

[@infantilepillock1687]

Well done. The mentioned 9,3x62 is still very popular here in Germany. Very close to the .35 Whelen and terrific performance on wild boar and red deer. Please do a #10MinutesTalk about the mighty .222 Remington.

[@jamesdb1986]

Love my 35 Whelen! It was my grandfather's pride and joy. Its built off a 98 mauser action, a custom barrel, and one of my grandfather's custom hand carved stocks. Its absolutely beautiful and will take down anything we have in the US. I'm from Montana and it's absolutely my go to elk gun. I've even taken my last couple mule deer with it. Once again great podcast, and keep them coming

[@eastcoaster3943]

Happy to hear that the 9.3x62 was mentioned, would like to see a 10 min talk and that cartridge. Great video!

[@Anschutz270]

That's a cool round.

[@willrowell3218]

Agreed

[@robertpetersson1390]

In sweden if you have one rifle you go with 308. If you have two you with 9.3x62 and 6 5x55

[@russellkeeling4387]

I don't think these guys really know much about these cartridges. He said the .35 Whelen is slow but it is not and neither is the 9.3x62. My 225 grain loads have an average muzzle velocity of 2816 fps and the 9.3x62 is almost identical.

[@LRRPFco52]

​@@russellkeeling4387That's cookin', but seems to be kosher with the load data I'm seeing for it. Running the ballistics shows freaking brutal downrange performance, with over 2000ft-lbs at 475yds at 6300ft elevation. I rarely/never see elk there. Gotta go up to 7000-8000ft in season to see them most of the time. What barrel length are you running?

[@benmiddleton3184]

My grandfather (who was a hunting guide in Wyoming) had a 35 Whelen AI built for me in the late 90's. On paper, the cartridge doesn't look that impressive, but the 35 with a 250gn has relative similar trajectory performance as the 308 Winchester with a 175gn bullet. I reload using IMR 4064 using a 250gn Nosler Partition and this load maintains energy and velocities over 1800 fps/ft lbs at 400 yards. For Africa hunting, the 35 Whelen is regarded as one of the calibers capable of taking the "Deadly 5". The 35 is great on deer because of the diameter of the bullet, it doesn't need to mushroom to produce same results as a 243 or 270 and the result is little meat damage. Ammo is in short supply everywhere, but what is available in my area is 260 Rem, 338 Lapua, 35 Whelen, and 50 BMG. Thanks for the video.

[@georgesakellaropoulos8162]

It makes a silver dollar sized hole and you can eat up to the hole.

[@retrogunroom]

Dropped a bison with a 35 whelen last year. Awesome results.

[@nicholasnikezic6970]

Video or photos?

[@moneyx3232]

what bullet did u use?

[@chuckydubree1925]

How bad is the recoil

[@ericwiitala5407]

I'm in CO, grew up in the northeast and have a place in Maine. I have a 35 Whelen and it's my go to bear round. I absolutely love it and honestly, where I hunt elk in the thicker timber, I have no issues taking it.

[@scruffyarms]

My uncle has an M77 original tang in 35 Whelen. Just used it to harvest 2 deer in Wisconsin this season.

[@Jason-nt5gr]

I once heard of the 35 Whelen as the non-magnum, magnum. Listening to the ballistics in this pod-cast really helped drive that home.

[@JC-nh6yo]

Been waiting on this one. Big fan of the 35 Whelen.

[@JAC8504]

This 10min talk begs the question / Discussion guys. 338-06 !!! I know you mentioned it for a brief moment in another discussion. 338-06 / 35 Whelen vs 338 WinMag?!?!?

[@michaelficarro2591]

You could throw the .338 RCM in there too...

[@phild9813]

And 338 Federal.

[@MrJtin69]

375 magnum with a 235 grain or 180 :)

[@russellkeeling9712]

The 338-06 looks very good on paper but it is still a wildcat round.

[@Fulcrum205]

​@@russellkeeling9712it was SAAMI standardized as the 338-06 A-Square back in the 90s. Factory ammo dried up when A-Square shut down

[@mojomike3913]

Next time let's see a fair comparison of the venerable old 6.5x55 Swede vs all of your new wonder 6.5s.

[@jmharper3128]

I'd love to watch/listen to that

[@cliffordschorr]

I think they did that in their 6.5 revolution hour long episode

[@trent8678]

6.5x55 is a loss

[@rustyshackleford2723]

@@cliffordschorr They did do it, sort of

[@mojomike3913]

@@rustyshackleford2723 I did say a "fair" comparison.

[@georgesakellaropoulos8162]

The .35 Whelan is arguably the most efficient cartridge as far as energy produced per grain of powder burned. The .338-'06 comes close, and outdistances it slightly.

[@rogerramjet7567]

I have an Ackley improved 33806. It definitely is a great cartridge. I have taken EVERYTHING IN NORTH AMERICA EXCEPT THE FOUR SHEEP WITH IT. EXCELLENT!!

[@georgesakellaropoulos8162]

@@rogerramjet7567 Your username says you're probably as old as I am lol.

[@possumpopper89]

I used to know an old Curmudgeon who was acquainted with Colonel Whelan when he served in the Army. He pronounced it “Whale-in”. He had the utmost admiration for the Colonel.

[@oncall21]

The 35 Whelan is a great cartridge. I have it in a Remington 7600 and it's about perfect for hunting sambar deer over hounds. Thanks for sharing!

[@cjr4497]

35 whelen is very popular in Louisiana. Most of my family has them including myself. They made it legal for our "primitive" season hence the inital popularity. After people started using them they realized how good they were and started using them for regular rifle season. It knocks em dead and with much less meat loss. I hope to get a bolt action 35 whelen soon. My other favorite which is also pretty popular here is the .280 Remington. This cartridge should also be way more popular than it is.

[@jl123ist]

I agree about the .280 remington, it is a fantastic cartridge. My father's favorite deer hunting round, with 140gr. Hornady SST's it lays the whitetails down.

[@timnichols3582]

I also agree about the 280, I recently got a 280 AI. I also think the 35 Whelen is a great cartridge. I can't decide between that an a 375 H & H?

[@jordan50489]

What he bullet you use I also live in Louisiana and last year I shot a doe in sherburne and it destroyed the front leg of the deer was shooting 200gr

[@jayellgee]

@@jordan50489I know this is 11 months late, but try the Barnes 180 grain solid copper loads. They do considerably less meat damage.

[@jordan50489]

@@jayellgee don’t really have a choice of variety here because they don’t stock it year round and when it does hit the shelves good luck if you aren’t first But I been using the Barnes 180gr tsx and haven’t had issues like with the hornady I also have a box of 250gr buffalo bore soft points I found at a gun show

[@59MackB61]

Great Topic! This cartidge goes back before the 375 H&H was readilly available in the US. For a hunter headed to Alaska in the 1930s a Springfield rechambered to 35 Whelen was a great option. A Magnum length action was hard to find in the US till Winchester started chambering the Model 70 in 375 H&H. A correctly sporterized Springfield is timeless and fun to shoot. Elmer Keith was a fan of the Whelen, if you owned a 35 Whelen in the 1930s you were very well armed. My 35 Whelen is a sporterized 1903 30-06 that came to me with very llittle rifling. I sent it to JES Reboring and he made it a 35 Whelen. It is a great way to turn a beautifull old rifle from a wall hanger to a shooter. The 35 is also a great cast bullet caliber, another plus for reloaders. I have a 338 Win Mag in a Model 70 and the Whelen in a 1903 Springfield. The 338 weighs 1.5# less and it is a sharper kick, but the Whelen with heavies rolls you back. After having a 338-06, a 35 Whelen and a 338 Win Mag the 338 Win Mag trumps the other two from the standpoints of velocity and availability. As usual, nice job and thanks for sharing!

[@scotteger6271]

Mark thanks for the interesting information. Sounds like a neat rifle that’s probably fun to shoot and also fun to just appreciate that it still exists today.

[@59MackB61]

@@scotteger6271 Thanks for the kind words. Filling the freezer with a 100+ year old rifle is quite satisfying. I really enjoy your talks and my next range finder wil be a Vortex. Keep up the great work!

[@scotteger6271]

@@59MackB61 oh I don’t work for Vortex just a fan and avid listener of their podcasts! I’d love to work for them…if my wife would leave Pennsylvania I’d totally look into it. I have one of their range finders…excellent like everything else Vortex. Can’t beat their warranty either, especially considering almost every other company doesn’t warranty electronics for more than a couple of years.

[@ronws2007]

I have read Elmer Keith Big Game Hunting, totally spot on.

[@roblund8557]

Remington used to make a 700 called the classic, which has a satin finish and is only chambered in one caliber per year. 1988 was the Whelen, always wanted one.

[@scotteger6271]

Rob neat information…such a shame what a company Remington used to be and the fact that it basically doesn’t even exist today. It’s also hard to imagine any current rifle companies chambering some model in only one cartridge per year anymore, but I’m sure it adds to the resale value considerably.

[@brazzy1467]

I have a Thompson Encore pro hunter in 35 Whelen and I love it. I'm having my Savage 110 30-06 re-done in 35 Whelen to hunt in Alaska this year. Can't wait to get it back.

[@kevinvoiselle6077]

I deer hunt in Mississippi and this is considered a primitive weapon for us, for now. Never had to trail a deer. Put away my 30-06 and used the 35 all season. Scoped it with a Vortex 5X25 X 56 and I love it.

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

THANK YOU FOR THIS! Some side notes; Hornady Superformance 200 grain SP is rated at 2920 fps and 3750 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. Buffalo Bore has a 225 grain load rated for 2800 fps and 3900 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle. The other relevant hunting stat is the stop. The 0.358 bullet stops faster then a 0.308 bullet, causing drastically more hydrostatic shock, yet still penetrating deep enough for a through and through. Animals bleed out faster and leave a better blood trail. Vs. the 9.3x62 the energies are basically equal, but the Whelen is faster, shoots flatter, has the better BC, and is more versatile to reload down to lighter bullets. The 9.3 is legal in all countries in Africa for everything while the 35 is only legal in most countries as a lot of the colonized countries require the British 0.375 caliber as a minimum, even though a modern 225 grain TSX or TTSX is more devastating, penetrating deeper then a 286 grain lead core.

[@RookCustoms]

Amen

[@RookCustoms]

I wish Lehigh would get off their ass and make a .358 bullet

[@revcdp]

I’d forgotten about the Buffalo Bore and Garrett Cartridges offerings. I think the latter even offers some with the Woodleigh hydrostatic shock loads. Either would kill anything on earth.

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

@@revcdp a truly versatile rifle. Ultimate gun nerdery.

[@JWZelch]

That Hornady Superperformance hits like a lightning bolt on whitetails. More muzzle velocity with a substantially heavier bullet than a 7mm REM mag.

[@billgraham6234]

In my final semester at school earlier this year I built a 22” 35 Whelen using a CZ 98 action, Shilen barrel, 11 degree crown, and a double set trigger. Went for a toned down target style stock, and flat black Cerakote throughout. Really fun to shoot!

[@fuzzy883]

I live in Saskatchewan Canada where I can hunt elk and moose during open seasons. I have scored on elk each season for over a decade, and all have been with my 35 Whelen. I shoot a Rem 700 cdl sf which pushes Barnes 200 grain TTSX bullets at 2950. The result is spectacular out to 300 yards. Bang, flop. Bang, stumble forward, flop. And occasionally, bang, step step step ... look around, flop. I have not had an elk move more than 20 yards from impact, and that includes a few poor shots. And, all this for considerably less recoil than say, a 338 Win Mag. Cheers!

[@AirborneMOC031]

My 35 Whelen is a light Mannlicher stocked build on a Husqvarna 1600 action with a 20" barrel. Same bullet exits the barrel at just over 2800 fps... more than sufficient for hunting the Continental Divide here in BC. Getting a chrono'd 2950 fps with that bullet in a Whelen must be a warmish load. Looking at Quickload results while adding an additional 4" of barrel length. If I had built this rifle for my self back in the mid 1970's instead of buying the .358 Norma Magnum Husqvarna I purchased... I wouldn't have the 30/06, 30 Newton, 358 Winchester, etc that I purchased between then and now sitting in the gun safe. Not that I mind having those rifles, but I probably would have just worn out barrel after barrel in the 35 Whelen with different loads. Everything from gophers with a few grains of Red Dot between bulk purchase 158 gr. pistol bullets, to cast bullet loads for economical practice on the local silhouette range, up to 250 grain Bear Wrench loads.

[@fuzzy883]

My reloads are max book value using Nosler reloading data. I have no pressure signs whatsoever. I have tried hotter loads but get no gain in fps so I know I am getting the most out of my 24" barrel. My powder is IMR 8208 XBR. I have found it is magic for only my 200 gr ttsx loads. I tried it with 225 grain bullets and the results weren't special.

[@williammcclelland6789]

I have a Ruger M77 in 35 Whelen. Recoil is more of a big push on the shoulder than a sharp punch. I don't know why, but I find myself grinning when I shoot it. It really is fun to shoot.

[@Aaron-mn8gw]

The classic .405 Win would be a great talk.

[@DJ-3551-1]

I use my 35 Whelen cva scout for primitive season. Love it

[@JC-nh6yo]

Use it for the same.

[@ValcoBayrunner]

Did CVA not release the scout in a stainless version ? All I see was blued for 35 whelen. The scout comes in 44 mag and 444 marlin stainless as well. And maybe 243.

[@jimmyboredom3519]

I had a 35 whelen before I traded it for a marlin 45-70. That 35 would roll a whitetail end over end and leave parts of deer on the tree behind it.

[@MrJtin69]

Why upgrade to 45-70 for the straight wall seasons ?

[@atomicwedgie8176]

Shoot behind leg, deflate thoracic cavity, can't draw a breath, minimal meat loss. Perfect cartridge! DON'T shoot the shoulder.

[@paulnelson7384]

Popularly of the 35 Whelen was a after WW2, as the 98 Mauser was a bring home rifle and gunsmith rebarreld them to 35 Whelen or re rifled from 8 mm Mauser.

[@russellkeeling9712]

Any rifle with a .473 case diameter can be rebarreled to .35 Whelen.

[@commiecrusher]

@@russellkeeling9712 i dont think that's true. I don't think a short action .243 could be rebarreled for a long action .35 whelen

[@MrTinkerer1]

I built a commercial action Mauser in 35 Whelen with a Boyds stock as my Alaskan gun. Love the cartridge

[@SveninColorado]

Thank you for the in depth discussion of this grand old wildcat gone commercial. Back in the late '90's, a long time gunsmith friend built a .35 Whelen using a large ring Mauser action and a 22" Shilen barrel He grew up hunting Colorado/Wyoming mule deer, pronghorn, and elk. He used a .243 for pronghorn and a .30-06 for deer and elk. He built the Whelen specifically for a South African antelope hunt, basically for the reasons y'all discussed in your presentation. His professional hunter/guide was very impressed by the Whelen's performance, particularly on the large Eland, Bongo and Kudu. Since then, it is his go to rifle for elk. He's also taken it to take a good size Maine moose using the Whelen.

[@RookCustoms]

Use a 225 pill sight @200 gives me 300 -9 400-26 500-52 ending with a range of energy still above 1500 right around 1800-1600. Great pig, deer, woodchuck, black bear, moose, elk, caribou, grizzly .... especially more these days as the bullet technology and BCs have gone up with some of these solid coppers. Hands down my favorite recoils right around 30-06 same trajectory with heavy bullet. Brings bone crushing down range performance without tearing of meat. Its amazing.

[@constancebarch5458]

In PA we use the .35 Whelen in Remington 7600 pump. Great deer rifle in the woods. It's just a kick-ass version of the .30-06. In the woods, all of our shots are 100 yards or less.

[@scotteger6271]

Definitely agree about the distance…western part of central PA here and lucky to shoot more than 75 yards in the woods I hunt. There are a lot more power line clearings now though, so starting to get some longer shots in those places. I shot a doe just over 200yards the year before last in a power line clearing.

[@russellkeeling4387]

You are a lucky man. I would love to get my hands on a Remington 7600. It contains a lot of firepower.

[@Oldclimber1]

Hardly, as in " all of our shots are 100 yards or less ...". But certainly above 3/4 are. I've gotten several deer at 150+, though the majority was inside 50. It depends on where you hunt in Pa. In the "olden days" the Upper Tier was like a deer farm, and there were plenty of opportunities for taking deer way over 100+. That population has crashed (relatively), according to acquaintances who have shifted to rural, non-driven, heavy cover hunting, as opposed to maintaining their high-woods, more open cover, hunting. The Whelen is without a doubt a superb, close cover round, especially for the evolving environment of deer hunting. And as an after-note, the biggest buck I ever took was with my .308, 760 pump, iron-sighted carbine,, that was jump shot with a 180 grain round nose, in a driving rain.

[@JWZelch]

The .35 Whelen is simply fantastic within its range limitations. Limitations which aren’t exactly hobbling: 350 yards with a bit of practice. The larger bullet diameter not only allows the powder more surface area to push on, but it facilitates a much faster transfer of bullet energy into the target. I love the Hornady Superperformance load. 200 grain bullet at an advertised 2900 FPS. Shoot, that’s more velocity and significantly more bullet than a 7mm Rem Mag with 175s. Not surprisingly, it hits like a bolt of lightning. If you draw the line at 300 or 350 yards, the ole Whelen is a good bit better of a deer cartridge than the .270. (Albeit, 300 yards is not all that far, and the Whelen is dropping like a stone at that range.) Since my 700CDL is my only rifle, it’s taken a few antelope, too. The guys give me a little grief over shooting something so “big” and “slow”, but when they draw the line at 300 yards, too, the long-range potential of their .270s and 7 mags don’t matter. The young guy actually brought out a magnificent point about trading effectiveness at longer range for effectiveness at shorter range, especially considering that the vaaaast majority of shots are at closer ranges. That’s where the Whelen really shines. It’s combination of bullet weight, velocity, and terminal performance is better than any of the other chamberings of the -06 case within “normal” ranges. Change my mind, lol.

[@charlesohlandt3711]

I run a Savage 110 that was in 30-06 to 35 Whelen. Love it as an Elk gun. Great talk guys

[@CrickCritterOutdoors]

Did Lance get back to you on that extra 35 Whelen CDL? The 358 Norma Mag would make a great 10 minute talk

[@robertpetersson1390]

And 308 norma magnum

[@AirborneMOC031]

I bought a Husqvarna 'Husky' (as Tradewinds imported and marketed it) in 358 Norma Magnum new in 1974 to serve everything from being my Bear Wrench and elk and moose rifle hunting up in the mountains of the Continental Divide. That rifle has done everything I could reasonably ask, although weighing only 7.5 lbs complete with 3x9x scope... it does recoil a fair bit. Didn't used to notice the recoil in my younger years; hitting 70 years old now... I notice it a lot. And as a result had a Mannlicher stocked 35 Whelen built that weighs a bit less with scope and 20" short bbl... but still puts a 200 grain TTSX out the end of the barrel at 2800+ fps according to the chrono. So, not giving up much to the 358 Norma Magnum. As far as a talk about the .358 Norma Magnum, a talk on the 35 Newton would be far more interesting, particularly from a historical perspective as Norma got their 35 Norma Magnum from cribbing the Newton that was invented and marketed over 40 years earlier. And then there's the the Mashburn 35 magnum...

[@nathangarland2081]

Very popular in the Northeast. Great round in the Remington 7600 for a whitetail big woods buck gun.

[@petercraft8634]

Very popular round down here in Australia for sambar deer hunting.

[@hornetag]

338-06 video PLEASE!!!!

[@revcdp]

3 loadings sold at Alaska Ammo in Fairbanks, Barnes and Remington

[@austinsmith8899]

Not anymore. I just bought the last Barnes a couple hours ago. Going down around valdez for some bear this weekend!

[@revcdp]

@@austinsmith8899 hope you get a trophy sized coastal brown

[@richardtraylor3855]

Very popular round down here in Mississippi. We’re allowed to use them as primitive weapon alternative to muzzleloader. Mine is in a Traditions G2

[@StevenMMan]

I have love this round since the 70s. It has some large game for me like elk and moose, but it works for every thing as it has feed me well with pronghorn whitetail and mule deer. Of course I am the kind of guy take a .444 marlin, sidekick muzzleloader, handgun, or a stick and string after a prairie goat.

[@curtisross6080]

Please do a talk on the .30-40 Krag!

[@matthewvassoff5736]

Buckhammer from the past

[@ronws2007]

As someone mentioned below about Elmer Keith, rounds like he .35 Whelen hearkens back to the 1920s, a hundred years ago. They had .30-06, of course, for big game hunting. But those bullets are so fast they go right through an animal and don't stay long enough to expand and do damage. If your elk is at 1200 yards, sure, use the .30-06 or a .300 WM. But, as Keith and Whelen were hunting in timbered areas, most shots were 300 yards or less. Even where I hunt on public land, one clear lane I had reticle measured at 238 yards. So, Keith's .333 OKH and Whelen's .35 Whelen, were designed to be slower and heavier. To create the wound channel to stop an animal, you needed more mass and expandibility to make the wound channel with projectile material contact, rather than shock waves from high velocity. Back country and mountain hunts are treacherous all the way around. It is preferred to have the animal drop in its spot. Which did not always happen and many is the time they made an accidental rump shot. So, to me, a layman with way more ignorance than knowledge, which I hope to correct, see the value of the .35 Whelen as similar to that of the .350 Legend, .45-70 Government, and the .450 Bush Master, the averaged actions and rounds you based the Crossfire II Straight Wall BDC on. Close range as less than 300 yards shooting heavy rounds at a slower speed. This accomplishes the wounding that is necessary to take the game. And this is a round that you can use on elk and yes, you can get within 300 yards of them. It might be in a tree stand or a sling but there was plenty of times the big game hunters saw one in the trees at the edge of the camp site. I am wondering if the .35 Whelen might have become more popular but the .350 Legend came along and proved to be so successful, with a manageable recoil, that it took over. I could be wrong on that, don't hold me to it.

[@stephenhair5501]

Many years ago, my buddy was looking to buy a 7 Mag. for hunting hogs in river bottoms. I talked him into buying the Remington Model 700. It was the year that the Remington Classic was in the 35 Whelen. It was perfect for what he wanted. Great round without getting into belted magnums with increased felt recoil.

[@klees57]

I'd like the hear what you guys have to say about the 358 Winchester too. In Iowa we have to have a cartridge of .350-.500 calibers to be legal for deer season. Great info as always.

[@nazaretnalbandian3619]

You gentlemen talked about the 35 Whelen for twenty minutes and not once mentioned the 358 Winchester. I think the 358 Winchester deserves a podcast of its own. What do you think?

[@eltongreen8030]

Remington chambered it in the CDL and I bought one. I now own two, one with a 26" Shaw 1 in 14" twist. They shoot great. My 250 grain bullets deliver 2680fps in the 24" and 2770fps in the 26". The Sierra GK 225gr bullet is 2725-2750 and 2785 to 2810. I use RL15 and it shoots inside 1" at 100yds, and inside 3" at 400 if you're careful. I can hit with it consistently at 600 yards. Look in the Speer manual for its 250 grain max and it is just over 2700fps from a 24" barrel using Power Pro 2000mr.

[@robertsanders7061]

Gun Blue 490 does a great job discussing the 35 Whelen. The man is like Ryan with a lot more years

[@g-mc4507]

Yes. They should have watched his video and it would have answered a lot of their questions.

[@shanerhodes925]

And Remington is still chambering the 35 Whelan in the 7600 carbine for grice wholesale. We have sold quite a few in the last couple years. Very nice rifle.

[@TheWVgoodguy22]

Awesome choice for one of these talks. A buddy of mine loves his and uses it for deer 🦌 in PA. The one manufacturer that was glaringly missed was the Ruger No. 1. When I do internet searches and when I am in a Cabela’s Gun Library I see a few of them but they’re too expensive for my blood. I would get one in the CVA Hunter and put a good 3-9x40 Vortex scope on her. Would be a fun and cool gun to hunt with. Thanks for sharing

[@mr.rem2609]

Got mine in a Remingtin 7600. Love it! Destroys everything!

[@codystetler4613]

This round is making a come back among the big woods tracking and still hunting guys. I've been hunting down one in a 7600

[@LRRPFco52]

Did you find a 7600? I noticed that the 7400 is a total pussycat in .30-06. Makes me wonder how it would handle in 35 Whelen.

[@AirborneMOC031]

Short story: instead of losing hunting seasons hunting down a 35 Whelen in a 7600. Pick a 7600 now chambered in 30/06, .270, etc and have a gunsmith rebarrel it to 35 Whelen. A bit more expensive, but far, far faster than searching - and you get to specify the specific throating you want with the chambering for your hunting bullet of choice. And more likely than not, better accuracy out of that custom barrel than you will get in a used 7600. The 35 Whelen's popularity as a re-barrel has never ended. I ended up there 50 years after my first .35 caliber. I bought a Husqvarna .358 Norma Magnum back in 1974 and it has filled my .358 needs most of the time since, although a lighter recoiling .358 Winchester joined the herd for when I didn't see the need for the 26" barrel/velocity in the upcoming hunt. That 7.5 lb 358 Norma Mag started feeling like the recoil was a lot harsher than it was in my 20's, 30's, etc, when I was in my 60's, and I started thinking of a .35 Whelen as an alternative to the big 35... I had thought of it many times over the years - a short barreled, lighter .35 caliber. Short story, I had my pet gunsmith/dual sport riding buddy build me a 20" barreled, Mannlicher stocked classic hunting rifle in .35 Whelen. Classic looks, weighs 7 lb. 2 oz. with Con-trol mounts and a Leopold 3x9x Compact for the scope. Feels like a wand in the hand when carrying it hunting all day. First load I tried to sight in for the ongoing hunting season and I got two five shot, 1 MOA groups at 200 yards; a 200 gr. Barnes TTSX at just slightly over 2800 fps. Load development ended right there as far as the big game load goes. Handload development since then has been about a custom load from Accurate Molds with a 358 grain WFN design, 'just because', and gopher hunting loads with bulk 158 grain pistol bullets powered by a few grains of Red Dot to be subsonic loads to 'heavy' up for those big bull gophers. Practice in the summer makes you much less likely to miss on an elk or moose during hunting season while trying to thread a bullet between tree trunks. If this rifle had been available and if I had bought it back in 1974... there'd probably only be one hunting rifle in my safe.

[@joshszydel8202]

Have and load for 6. Great cartridge. Loving the 180 gr ttsx at 3100.

[@ALovelyBunchOfDragonballz]

Had a classmate build one. We were tasked with building an "American Classic" in .30-06, and IIRC as soon as we were graded on it he bought a .358 barrel blank, used the existing action and bolt (being a Rem 700 long action in .30-06, the textbook case of the best way to build a 35 Whelen), rebarrelled and chambered it for 35 Whelen. He loved it.

[@TheTrollhomicide]

Just ordered a 35 whelen...pretty excited to use this. I love a thumper

[@christopherrichards1444]

I run a Remington 7600 carbine in 35 whelen. Limited edition 1 of only 100 big woods bucks model, bought new 2 years ago. It is so light it is silly and it packs such a punch. Best rifle I have.

[@Piledriver2235]

Love my 7600 in 35 whelen. Happy to say I've brought a few others into the cult!

[@russellkeeling4387]

Having a .35 Whelen I would have to say that 7600 has a lot of power contained inside. I'd love to have one.

[@donaldstone540]

Another plus on the Whelan's side is when it was introduced, there were many surplus rifles that would relatively easily be chambered in .35 with just a re-barreling. The Mausers, the 17 Enfield and 03 Springfields. No need to even open the bolt face, just a new barrel and off you go.

[@russellkeeling9712]

You look a load data. I load a 225 grain bullet and use 4064 powder. My chronograph shows just under 2800 feet per second as an average. The bullet does not have a high BC because it is fat but at any ethical distance it has magnum energy. Even though many may not believe, it has a nice long point blank range.

[@experienceoutdoors6279]

I bought a rem 7600 2 years ago new in 35whelan. Being in Australia it was the best fast follow up hound hunt deer gun I could get.

[@HuntShootOffroad]

Same mate, 7600 in oz, but for pigs. I've had dramas with larger magazine's though

[@johnnythevis9486]

I know I'm a year and a half late to this party, but here in Louisiana the 35 Whelen is super popular because we can use it in break-action single shot rifles for our primitive weapons deer season. A lot of people just keep using that same rifle for normal firearms season. Nowadays it's just near-impossible to find ammo for it, and when you do, it's $90/box!

[@joshsinglefooter]

Good to have you!

[@asphalt_mafia573]

I was lucky enough to find a Cooper (of Montana) model 52 in 35 whelen. Without hesitation, I bought it. It is my whitetail go-to.

[@wyattcarter2778]

35 whelen is now a legal cartridge to hunt deer during the Iowa gun season

[@SW-oo2jw]

Really ??

[@jonputnam5745]

Ryan just had to tease us on that 338 federal. Would love to hear a 10mintalk on 338 Fed. Also the 10mm auto and the 454 casull would be fun ones as well.

[@stanleyboc5776]

My buddy uses a 35 Whelen in Remington 7600 I’ve wanted one for awhile.

[@davidfornkahl8374]

So do I. To me, that would be the ideal big buck rifle here in most of Missouri.

[@peterwright4647]

David Fornkahl I inherited a 35 Whelen in a 760 Remington pump. It harvested dozens of moose and elk and several whitetail here in northern Saskatchewan before I got it. It’s not pretty but it has been well maintained and has served me well to fill my freezer every year since 1992. Great rifle/cartridge combo. Wish I had it handy for a couple black bear encounters that got exciting with my old .303. Picked up a Remington 7600 in .35 a few years ago but sticking with old faithful.

[@brucelindholm4400]

I use the 350 Rem Mag but would have bought the 35 Whelen if it had been available at the time. Very similar cartridges but 35 Whelen cartridges are easier to find and easier to make my own from another cartridge. Love it for elk.

[@slickrick809]

All things '06 related are just awesome.

[@joelsmith6050]

Velocity wise, the .35 Whelen shines with CFE 223 and MR 2000. The Speer manual lists the 250gr at 2700+. I used that combo last year for NM mule deer. Pretty potent.

[@fit_pappy1240]

I have a very rare Ruger No. 1 in 35 Whelen (mfg 2006 with stainless and walnut).....it might actually be the last rifle I would ever part with....only 248 were made in it's configuration.....good talk guys

[@leveractiongypsy1848]

Elmer Keith said it was the best all around cartridge for North America and took his record Alaskan Bear with a 35 Whelen. He mentioned best bullet weights are 250-300grs. If you cast and PC bullets, there are many great bullet molds in that range from 220gr-315gr. Personally I like the Lyman 358009 (or NOE copy of ) and also NOE makes a 315gr 'Thumper' which is amazing. The way you 'get' a 35 Whelen, is find a good 30-06 rifle (or 270 or any 06 parent case smaller than 358) with a blown out bore and rebore it to .358 - thats it - you're done with the rifle. Then you reload for it. I'd say you cant really capitalize on its potential unless you do reload for it but I'll bet there's some potent ammo out there. When you start shooting 290gr cast lead bullets at 2000-2200fps and you are shooting down the trees your targets are tacked to, you understand its a different level of power haha

[@georgefloydspaceshuttlepro1839]

Let's hear some cartridge talks about the guns from "Blood Meridien", the guns used by the most legendary hunters, and the guns used on the most famous maneaters from Africa, India, NW Asia, and Americas!!!

[@davidwooten1330]

Townsand whelon…look this gentleman up 👀. Man knew his stuff .

[@JimmyJusa]

Along similar lines, I'd be interested in a video on 338 federal and/or 358 Winchester as options for make 200-300 yards for game, with recoil being a factor compared to magnums and whether the recoil is justified or not.

[@wahyasaquii7563]

☝️☝️☝️... THIS!!!!!

[@jamesreeder8917]

I love my federal it works great for elk

[@blackie1of4]

Love my 358 Winchester... Ruger made a special run of 400 rifles in 2018... so I had to have one. $399 out the door and I'm getting 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards with Buffalo Bore ammo. The recoil is far less than any 30-06 Springfield I've ever shot. Feels about the same as a 308 Winchester. Which makes sense due to the same case and amount of powder.

[@terrybright646]

Excellent cartridge. My 35 Whelen Remington 700 CDL rifle was manufactured in 1987, the year prior to Remington's announcement. Why do I have? Son in Alaska. Enough said...

[@paulsaivideos]

thanks for talking about one of the most underrated cartridges around, it strikes above its weight class, when you can get 3700 or 3800 ft lbs out of a 30-06 case thats incredible, ihave two, i have a savage axis stainless that i rebarreled with an ER shaw 24 in 1 in 14 twist, im getting clover leaf accuracy at 50 yards, and 250 gr hornady interlock at 2600 ft/sec, and a remington 750 that i shoot 200 grain bullets in right at 2900 ft/sec, deer dont stand a chance, love the cartridge talks keep up the good work, fellow sconny

[@jacobwilbert1018]

My hunting buddy I grew up with, his uncle gave him a Remington 760 in 35 Whelen. Dont know what year it was but it was a real 760 not 7600, like new off the shelf. That along with a few other fine peices and an 870 express were stolen by a dope head. The 870 was the only one ever found and returned. Werent even my guns but still hurts my heart to think about.

[@paulj4149]

Great episode. Looking forward to that 7.62*39!

[@chuckydubree1925]

Just picked up a cva scout chambered in 35 whelen absolutely love it great shooting gun

[@alexclarke3534]

Beautiful cartridge. Would be a superb choice for a lighter built/ or recoil shy shooter that needs plenty of power.

[@jordanwiser4192]

It has a fuck ton of recoil

[@benneuls4142]

I'm a recent subscriber and also a novice reloader. Really have been enjoying all these cartridge talks! 👍

[@VortexNation]

Happy to hear that Ben! Thanks for tuning in! And if you ever want to hear something we haven't covered, feel free to suggest a topic! :)

[@bobrossiv3048]

The wssm line would be awesome to hear about. That and 204 ruger

[@guycarlton53]

Bought a rem pump in 35 Whelen last year. Love it. How bout the 8mm Rem mag or 30-378, be a good 10min talk

[@gsp8489]

I live in Iowa which allows shotgun slugs or "straight wall" rifle cartridges for deer hunting. Upon closer reading of the regs, it says we can use a straight wall rifle cartridge OR OTHER rifle cartridge with bullet diameter of .35 up to .50 and generating a certain ft/lb bla bla bla...long story short, the DNR specifically mentions that the 35 Whelen meets those criteria even though it's not a "straight wall" which seems like a legal loop hole they can't figure out how to close. This would give me MUCH better ballistics/trajectory than a 45-70, 350 Legend, or 357 mag which are my other "straight wall" choices. In Iowa this would be a LONG RANGE deer round compared to what we would have traditionally hunted with (shotgun slugs). Anyway, I have a self imposed limit of 400 yards with my 270 winchester when I go out west. With that limit, I could just sell my 270 and use a Whelen for Iowa deer AND all of my western hunting to 400 yards. I would probably still want something lighter and flatter for my pronghorn hunting but for everything else, I'm nearly convinced......but I only occasionally handload a batch of ammo with my Inlaw before a western hunt, never on my own, and finding ammo for it is another story right now.

[@ahoneyman]

It seems like Iowa basically cut and pasted LA primitive hunting laws minus the whole single shot thing. Ammo isn't cheap ($2.30ish a round vs $1.60 for 30.06) so that may be a concern. The upside is easy 150-200yd capability. Go for it.

[@FredHenry1850]

When you neck up, using the same grain bullet, you gain base surface area to push the initial velocity higher. When you neck down, using the same grain weight, you gain B.C., giving you better long range performance. The necked up version will be quicker out of the gate, the necked down will over take it at extended ranges.

[@mikeoconnm]

I got this caliber in a 700 classic in 1994. Love it.

[@fedup3582]

Lets see, slipping through the brush after an angry brown bear, with a 338 mag with 250 gr bullet and 3 rounds in the magazine, or else a 35 whelen with a 250 gr bullet and 5 rounds in the magazine...... 🤔

[@Phil22886]

oh boy! We got a New England reference with the "benoit way" comment! Yessah! Love you guys! -Phil from Maine

[@GeographyCzar]

It sounds to me like the 35 Whelen is basically the 16 gauge of rifle calibers. Pre-steel era, I can make all the same arguments in favor of 16 gauge over either 12 or 20; it makes more mathematical sense than its closest rivals. But the big brand manufacturers decided to develop the 12 and the 20 while leaving the 16 gauge behind. I would argue it should have been the other way around. Lots of people claim to want the "Goldilocks" cartridge, but the strongest candidates get jettisoned, or in this case, ignored.

[@45-70Guy]

Came back for a second listen. Just caught on the “Benoit way” which was a cool reference as it’s close to home here . Great video guys

[@tjwehler5330]

I own a Remington 7600 Carbine. Grices gun shop did a run of them several years ago. Great gun. Also, factory ammo is honestly pretty easy to find here in Pennsylvania. It's still a cult classic here.

[@peterwright4647]

Here in northern Saskatchewan 35 Whelen is fantastic. I inherited one that harvested dozens of moose, elk and a few whitetail before I got it in early 90’s and it’s served me very well. In a Remington 760 so I don’t want to load them hot. Picked up. 35 in a 7600 a few years ago but haven’t used it yet. Most shots I take are under 200 yds. Traded for a .338 Win mag in a browning a bolt 2 a few years ago but I only used it a few years. Too loud too much recoil and way more meat waste. Like my .270 wsm for open plains. Maybe 300 wsm could do it all but I like my old pump in .35.

[@markwyatt131]

I Would love to see a 10 minute talk on the 338 Federal. Comparing stated ballistics from Federal's website, the 200 gr. Fusion rounds carry more speed out to 200yrds. than the 180gr 308 fusion rounds. More energy out to 500(that's as far as the graph goes). Hand loaders have bullet options at 185gr., 200gr, 210gr, & 225gr.

[@mbonneau79]

Timing is impeccable, I just got a notice that my CVA Scout in .35 Whelen shipped this morning. Scope on its way and rings already here. Two boxes of Hornady Superformance in the ammo locker. Should be a fun summer.

[@russellkeeling9712]

Watch the cases carefully when you fire your rifle the first few times. My brand new CVA Scout had case head separation on the second round and from then on. Returned the rifle and it had long head space. They then could not replace the rifle with a .35 because they did not have any more. Not happy with CVA over that.

[@lynnjr457]

Just ran across this video and this channel. I'd suggest watching Ron Spomer if you want a better history of 35 Whelen and why it was developed. A lot of younger "experts" don't take into consideration the realities of those years right after WW! when they question why this cartridge was created. Things like the plethora of 30-06 military rifles that were dirt cheap, the cost of magnum length mauser actions at that time, and the ease of reaming an existing barrel out to .358. You get a cartridge that will take anything in North America consistently (and many things around the globe even if 375H&H has legally become the bare minimum in Africa), and one that is perfect for handloaders. Fireforming brass is simple, and reloading it is a breeze. Being from the South (Florida), I rarely see 35 Whelen down here, but on my trips to Alaska, the people that live up there and who aren't trying to take unethical shots from mountain to mountain are carrying 35 Whelens. The reason you don't see many new guns is because the gun and ammo industries focuses on new cartridge fads. With so many wildcats created since 1922, cartridges like the 35 Whelen rarely make it back into rotation. Beyond the 30-06 and some of the belted magnums, how many 100 year old rifle cartridges still see new guns made for them? We are a fad focused society, the comment about checking "Instagram" for 35 Whelen use just shows how out of touch we are with everyday hunters who don't normally post on social media and the focus on the fad side of our society. I recently moved to Alaska, but spent many years visiting, and hanging out with the guys who hunted for meat (not trophies). Nearly every one of them had a 35 Whelen in their collection that saw extensive use. Many of which were just inexpensive, rebored 30-06s. I just purchased a Merkel R15 so I can rebore it to 35 Whelen and I already have a Interarms Mark X that was rebored to 35 Whelen, it's just too nice for the back of the truck. I would also say that most people who are religious about the 30-06 don't see a need to move up to 35 Whelen, this has also contributed over the last 100 years to it's categorization as a "poor man's magnum" with a specific niche around Moose, Elk, and larger animals that 30-06 "can" struggle with. To be honest, until I saw the 35 Whelen used up close, I thought my 30-06's were on par as well. It was quite an education. There is something special about a 250gr 35 Cal bullet going over 2500 fps.

[@adamrumsey4490]

I would love to hear you guys talk about the .357 Magnum!!

[@rideswift]

I have 2 35 Whelen's, An H&R single shot, and a Remington 700 Limited Edition "Custom", They are also available in A Ruger #1. As far as ammo goes, I hand load and take advantage of all the 30-06 brass that get tossed on the ground. Im able to push the 200gr bullets to 2800 fps and they hit like a sledge hammer

[@williammcclelland6789]

A Ruger No. 1 in 35 Whelen is my holy grail. If I ever come across one, my wife will not be happy.

[@rideswift]

@@williammcclelland6789 Its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission right!? LOL

[@russellkeeling9712]

@@williammcclelland6789 Lipsey's is where it will come from now if it is a Ruger. Beautiful elegant rifles.

[@gen1161]

I know this is unrelated to the topic discussed in the video, but vortex optics should really consider selling directly to the consumer.