"New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

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vancelw
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"New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by vancelw »

I finally shot my Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen today.

http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=56931

I had the .30-'06 and sent it to JES Reboring for the conversion. He gave me a 3-groove 1:14 twist.
I refinished the stock. It came out a little light, but it's growing on me. Makes it easier to discern from my .30-40 Krag at a glance.
I paid a local "gunsmith" to D&T for a receiver sight. He butchered the job. Badly.
IMG_1987 cropped LG.jpg
IMG_1988 cropped LG.jpg
I got a little money out of him, about 50% of the damage he did.
I bought a Providence Tool Co. Pattern 21 sight and finally got the nerve to install it myself yesterday. I let the loctite cure overnight.
Finished the assembly and shot the rifle 2 times at 20 yards and 2 times at 100 yards. I'm going to need a taller front sight. May get the barrel dove-tailed and install a globe front sight.
Recoil is stiff, but not unbearable. It's no worse than my .45-70s with hot loads in my SRC or Guide Gun. Or my B71 in .348. It is definitely more recoil than my Rem 750 in .35 Whelen had.
IMG_2247 lg.jpg
IMG_2248 lg.jpg
I made some minor mistakes in the sight installation. I'm no gunsmith. I figured what better rifle to experiment with than one that a supposed professional had already messed up.
The Pattern 21 sight covered the wrong holes in the side of the receiver nicely. I used loctite to secure two plugs in the holes before covering them.
This rifle cycles and ejects nicely. Throws the brass way back over my head and the empties land behind my right side.
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Blaine
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by Blaine »

Don't spend all your money....that .405 needs nothing done to it. :twisted:
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vancelw
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by vancelw »

BlaineG wrote:Don't spend all your money....that .405 needs nothing done to it. :twisted:
They ALL have to be fed....
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TedH
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by TedH »

I've got a couple boxes of 220 gr. bullets I could shoot up for you if you want that new front sight tested when you get it installed. Heck, I'd even do the loading.
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vancelw
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by vancelw »

I can't be feeding my new baby the light stuff!
Nothing but 250 gr for her :D

I'm always up for a range day. Might be road trip time 8)

I think I may deface a presidential dollar coin and make a new front sight blade. They are exactly the correct thickness.
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7.62 Precision
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by 7.62 Precision »

Very nice! The coin idea would be cool for a front sight. I was going to do that on an 1858 Rem repro with a coin I bought up from an Iraqi. I showed the coin to someone, and it turned out to be older and rarer than i expected, so I hung onto it.

I like the color of the stock fine, and the Type 21 sight looks great.

Just let me know when you are headed up for your hunting trip . . .
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vancelw
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by vancelw »

I cut a "golden" dollar (zachary taylor) in quarters 8) Dimes and nickels were too thin.

I have one piece filed to fit. Just need to get the proper drill bit so I can pin it. Good excuse to go to town tomorrow. Once I get it pinned in, I'll shoot and file until I get it where I want it at 100 yards. If I mess up, at least I figured out the easy way to cut out my coin quarters.

I tried using brass black but rubbed it all off when I was filing the pointers to fit. Just left the pointers tarnished looking, but I think I like it that way.

I was out in the pasture today and saw some fresh hog sign :evil: I hope to have this anvil ready for them soon.
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7.62 Precision
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by 7.62 Precision »

vancelw wrote: I was out in the pasture today and saw some fresh hog sign :evil: I hope to have this anvil ready for them soon.
Those poor hogs . . .
Pete44ru
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by Pete44ru »

vancelw wrote:
I cut a "golden" dollar (zachary taylor) in quarters 8)

AND................. you still have $0.75 left fer some Sarsaparilly ! ! :mrgreen:

I luv it, when a plan comes together ! :)

FWIW, when I peeped my .405 M1895, I D/T'd the top of the rear half of the bolt for an XS peep sight that I had hanging around, after I removed it from my marlin M1894.

I bought a higher XS White Line front sight blade for it - I wish I'da thought about your coin trick, :roll:

.
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vancelw
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by vancelw »

Pete44ru wrote:
I bought a higher XS White Line front sight blade for it - I wish I'da thought about your coin trick, :roll:

.
I searched and searched for a sight blade to replace the factory one with. I couldn't find anything that would work. Short of desoldering the front sight and having the barrel either dove-tailed or D&T-ing it for a ramp.

Even after this, I may well have the barrel dove-tailed for a globe sight. I like using a crosshair insert on the front. Lets me aim where I want the bullet to hit instead of the pumpkin on a post sight picture.
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by Pete44ru »

.

FWIW, XS ( http://www.xssights.com ) sells the blank/un-pinned front sight (the buyer must clamp it in place & drill the retaining pin hole) on their website, as part of a receiver sight/front sight set - but when I called them, cust service told me that I could buy just the front sight.

I re-used the issue front sight retaining pin.



.
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vancelw
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by vancelw »

IMG_2253 lg.jpg
It ain't purty, but it's a start.
As I start sighting it in I will try to shape it a little better. Worst case, I can start over.
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by Pete44ru »

.

Purty is, as purty does - I think it looks skookum ! ! :mrgreen:



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BenT
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by BenT »

I get brass flat stock from the hardware store that fit my 95 Browning. I had to go to a couple different stores till I found one with the right thickness. When it was the correct height I used a black permanent marker to color it. I cut the front top edge facing me at a 45 degree angle and left it brass. Works fine.

I'm glad you finally got out and shot it ! I wouldn't been able to wait that long.
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vancelw
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by vancelw »

BenT wrote:I get brass flat stock from the hardware store that fit my 95 Browning. I had to go to a couple different stores till I found one with the right thickness. When it was the correct height I used a black permanent marker to color it. I cut the front top edge facing me at a 45 degree angle and left it brass. Works fine.

I'm glad you finally got out and shot it ! I wouldn't been able to wait that long.

I'd be completely ashamed to admit right now how many guns I have that I have not taken time to fire, yet :oops: :oops:
Gotta fix that.
I didn't want to shoot it until I got a decent sight on it.

Not to mention how many I have swapped optics on and have not sighted in yet....

I got hurt at work last fall and spent a LOT of time gimpy (still somewhat) and part of my therapy was buying/trading guns online and at guns shows. What better way to force myself to walk when it hurt to do so :D

I was going to seek some flat stock, but (not counting gasoline) I figured it was cheaper to use a dollar. I would have preferred a silver dollar, but that would have meant cutting up a $20 to $30 coin. And I hate cutting up something that old. I messed up my first piece I cut, so I ended up with Lady Liberty's torch showing. I'll square up the front edge when I file the sight down. Don't want to file it too much in case I want to shoot some cast bullets a little slower.
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by muskeg13 »

I like your front sight! I recall from various reading that coin sight inserts were pretty common in the pre-bolt gun days. I did the same with a copper penny on my 1899 Savage that was missing the sight insert. I lucked out on the sight height and managed to get it right the first time around. Good job. Bet it works fine for you.
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Re: "New" Browning 1895 in .35 Whelen

Post by roundshoes »

I recently purchased a Browning 1895 in 30-06 cartridge. I am planning to re-chamber/barrel this rifle to 35 Whelen or similar. There has been great discussion with much input over time about completing such conversions. But, I never noticed anyone inquire about converting the "06 into 35 Whelen Ackley Improved. I am not primarily interested in extra (minimal) increased bullet speed with improved cartridge but preserving case life and reducing thrust at bolt face as pressure increases compared to standard 35 Whelen cartridge and so I think. Am I "splitting hairs" in the fact that even the new Browning (Miroku) higher pressure resistant rifles shouldn't be loaded to "maximum" loads. The additional tedious prep/reloading part doesn't bother me. Thanks for your input.
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