35 Whelen Question

[Bullard4075]

I have a chance at a real nice (perfect really) Remington 7400 in 35 Whelen for a little more than
5 Bills. Anyone have experience with this gun and or calibure ?

[Old Savage]

Should be a potent combo to about 250 yds.

[firefuzz]

Personally I'm not a fan of the Remington autoloaders due to past history with them. The pump guns in the same series are an entirely different story tho.

I really like the .35 Whelen. It was developed as a poor man's .375 H&H. I don't believe it's actually in that league but if you look at your loading manuals you'll see it's within about 200 fps of a .338 Win Mag with any given bullet weight. I'm a little more optimistic about it's range than Old Savage is...with a proper sight in I don't think 300 yrds is too far a shot for the Whelen.

There was a guy on the West coast reboring barrels of .30-06 chambered 760 Remingtons to the Whelen a few years ago before Remington came out with the factory ones, don't know if he's still doing this or not. I have always wanted a '95 Winchester chambered in the .35 Whelen. To me that would be the perfect deep woods elk rifle.

Rob

[allhands]

I have a .35whelen, a ruger 77 done over by New England Custom and I absolutely love it. It does recoil quite a bit more than a .30-06, but as was mentioned in the earlier posts, it is some serious power. I handload 200, 250, and 275 grain rounds, and plan to take it to Africa the next time. Absolutely love it!

As to the Remington 7400....well not so much. The newer 7400's are a step up from the 740,742 and 743 but not by much. In my humble opinion, I would not buy one, and would hold out for a bolt gun or pump. Just my 2 cents....

[TedH]

I like the Whelen, and in a 7400 it would be a good match. I know some dont care for the 7400, but my Dad has had one for about 30 years and it's never been anything but 100% reliable. Not up to speed on the current market, but a like new one for 5 bills don't sound to bad to me.

[JB]

Personally I'm not a fan of the Remington autoloaders due to past history with them. The pump guns in the same series are an entirely different story tho.

I really like the .35 Whelen. It was developed as a poor man's .375 H&H. I don't believe it's actually in that league but if you look at your loading manuals you'll see it's within about 200 fps of a .338 Win Mag with any given bullet weight. I'm a little more optimistic about it's range than Old Savage is...with a proper sight in I don't think 300 yrds is too far a shot for the Whelen.

There was a guy on the West coast reboring barrels of .30-06 chambered 760 Remingtons to the Whelen a few years ago before Remington came out with the factory ones, don't know if he's still doing this or not. I have always wanted a '95 Winchester chambered in the .35 Whelen. To me that would be the perfect deep woods elk rifle.

Rob

I'm with Rob as far as having a big preference for the Remington pumps over the autoloaders. I've seen far too many worn out 742's.

I'd think the Whelen should make a dandy short to medium range elk or bear rifle.

[86er]

The one 7400 we had went back once for FTF and then worked fine w Rem factory ammo. It would not cycle the 250 gr reloads, the same ones my 7600 shoots under MOA with. I got rid of the 7400. It can be a good rifle for game you'd use the 200 gr bullet on.

[6pt-sika]

I "had" a 700 Classic in 35 Whelen a couple times .

It did really well with Remington 200 grain CoreLokt factory ammo and some handloads . Sorry but I don't remmember what I loaded for it as I traded the rifle off about 15 years ago .

I killed 4 or 5 deer with the Whelen , I had originally bought it to use as an Elk rifle but I never made it out west while I had the gun .

[kaschi]

It's one of the best cartridges ever! I have a 7600 pump rifle (bought it new in 1988) and have made about 10 one shot kills (PA whitetail deer) with it. I use Remington 200 gr PSP Core Lokt ammo and the rifle shoots them very well. You cannot go wrong with the big 35. It'll kill anything in North America and do it well. IMO the recoil isn't worse than a Win. Model 70 FWT in 30-06.

[gak]

One of my top "wanta haves"--perhaps in a 70 or 700. I like the fact it's got very decent whompum but still subsonic.

[Blaine]

One of my top "wanta haves"--perhaps in a 70 or 700. I like the fact it's got very decent whompum but still subsonic.

Since about 1100 ft per second is speed of sound, I don't think you to be correct on that.

[gak]

One of my top "wanta haves"--perhaps in a 70 or 700. I like the fact it's got very decent whompum but still subsonic.

Since about 1100 ft per second is speed of sound, I don't think you to be correct on that.

You are right. I misspoke being too loose with nomenclature - meant "non magnum," is a standard action and a member of the .30-06 family.

[Blaine]

One of my top "wanta haves"--perhaps in a 70 or 700. I like the fact it's got very decent whompum but still subsonic.

Since about 1100 ft per second is speed of sound, I don't think you to be correct on that.

You are right. I misspoke being too loose with nomenclature - meant "non magnum," is a standard action and a member of the .30-06 family.

I had a nice one in a Rem 700 w/3x9 Leupold, and traded it off for something I never used

[Glenn]

Bullard, I agree with the folks that have misgivings on the Rem 7xx autoloader series. Working the public sight-ins at our range I never saw one that shot well. The Remington pumps, on the other hand shot as good as the bolt guns, every time. A friend asked me to sight in his 742 since he didn't have time (30-06), and the first shot went about 3-4" higher than subsequent shots from the magazine, every time. Pass on the autoloader, but the 35 Whelen is worth pursuing!
Glenn

[buckeyeshooter]

have the 7600 version of 35W. Shoots very accurately, handles 250 grain bullets great--- have not tried heavier. I'm happy with it!

[homefront]

.35 Whelen, one of the "fatal five".

http://35whelen.blogspot.com/

[damienph]

I don't have any experience with 35 whelen but I can vouch for the 7400. My Dad had one in .30-06 that he used for whitetail, mulies and elk. He had it topped with a 2x7 Leupold that I sighted in for him back in the '80s.

He left the rifle to my youngest sister's husband, who really is a bolt guy, but he has taken a couple of very nice whitetails with it.

The Remington semi-autos and pumps have never really appealed to me but they are very capable hunting rifles.

[Bullard4075]

I"m passing on the 7400. I value your comments.
But......... if a Whelen comes along in something else.

[kaschi]

@ Bullard4075: Ruger made a limited run of #1 stainless rifles in 35 Whelen a few years ago. Just thought you'd like to know.

[awp101]

I"m passing on the 7400. I value your comments.
But......... if a Whelen comes along in something else.

You can be like me...my project/wish list includes a standard length Mauser action (such as a k98 rather than an intermediate such as the M48) with a shot out barrel that can be rebored to 9.3x57, 9.3x62 (IIRC) or .35 Whelen....