35 Whelen Ackley Improved

black mamba

black mamba

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Oct 21, 2009
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I've worked up some good hunting loads for my Interarms Mark X custom Mauser in 35 Ackley Whelen, and finally got a chance to run them through a chronograph.
24" Hart cut rifled barrel, McMillan stock with a Nikon 3x-9x BDC scope.

MediumBores-1.jpg


Both loads shoot about .6" @ 100yds for 3 shots off sandbags (I'm no benchrest shooter!) with manageable recoil and no pressure signs.

Load 1 is the 225 gr Nosler Partition over Accurate 2520 powder, and averaged 2720 fps.
Load 2 is the 250 gr Hornady Interlock Spitzer over Varget powder, and averaged 2560 fps.

Both loads could be pushed a little hotter, but why!?! Accurate and powerful and pleasant to shoot.

Any other Whelen shooters out there?
 
Mamba, do you have any pictures of the cartridge? Just curious as to what it looks like, maybe compared to an -06 or .35 Remington? Nice ballistics, too. 225 gr. at 2700 fps will have some very nice knockdown power.
 
The only picture I have right now with the Whelen cartridges are these with a 4-7/8" S&M Daddy Barlow, loaded with 275 gr Hawk semi-spitzers.
I really like the sharp 40° shoulder and straight taper of this Ackley wildcat. It's a 30-06 blown out and necked up for .358 bullets.

DaddyBarlow1.jpg
 
Thanks, trail. You're right about the two cartridges. Both proven game stompers with not much to choose between them.

When I had my Whelen made up you could buy 35 Whelen headstamped brass, but not in 338-06. I like the nickel plated cases, and they can't be necked up.
 
Mamba, thanks for the pics. I think I'm going to put this on my list of next rifle calibers. I like the concept of slinging big lead and the velocity seems good without breaking your shoulder.
 
John 'Pondoro' Taylor was a fan of the round and thought that it was more than sufficient for most African plains game. I, too, think that it is an under appreciated cartridge.
 
1966c10 said:
In the U.S. it seems that the .35 Whelen has been (unfairly) relegated to a "brush gun" cartridge, as people apparently can't hit game unless the rifle has the trajectory of a laser beam.
Click to expand...

You're dead right about the Whelen being mislabeled. Look at this comparison of my Whelen A.I. load to the standard .30-'06 load with the 180 gr. Partition bullet.

whelenv06.jpg


Because of the larger bullet base for the powder gases to push on, the 45 gr. heavier bullet of the Whelen starts out at the same velocity, but has over 700 ft.-lbs. more muzzle energy. The trajectories are calculated for a maximum +/-3" Point Blank Range, and the '06's is only 2 yards farther, while at 400 yds. it drops only 1" less.

Trajectories are almost identical, but the energy figures are massively for the Whelen. Pondoro thought the .350 Rigby Magnum the equal of the .375 H&H on game (excepting elephant because of the lack of a good solid for the Rigby) and the .35 Whelen matches the .350 Rigby almost exactly.
 
1966c10 said:
With the .40 cal minimum for elephant in places, wouldn't something like a .400 H&H Mag or .404 Jeffery be more of the do all caliber that Taylor was talking about? Bell used a 7x57 to take elephants. Try getting away with that today...

In the U.S. it seems that the .35 Whelen has been (unfairly) relegated to a "brush gun" cartridge, as people apparently can't hit game unless the rifle has the trajectory of a laser beam.
Click to expand...
Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.:thumbup:
 
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