30 Whelen

[Mikeflies]

Has anybody ever heard of this round? I remember reading an article about this round several years ago & how the author was so excited about it that he raved when any major rifle company put it out it would be a favorite of almost everyone. The reason I ask is because I am looking at getting a custom rifle made this year & just wonder if it was out there anywhere. My reloader is on the way and I want to have some off the wall rounds because now I will be able to reload them myself. Thanks for the help & God Bless.

 

[Bambistew]

Are you sure its a "Whelen" could you possibly be confusing it with a Newton? The Whelen cartridges (only 2 that I'm aware of 35 and 400) are based on the good ol 30-06 case. The Newton is a differnt animal and one that intrigues me.

If I remember right, the Newton and the new Ruger Magnums are pretty similar in case capacity.

 

[Carl]

The 30 Whelen is a great chambering. It's very popular, though not so off-the-wall. It's better known by another name.

 

[Mikeflies]

I remember the article where the author asked why the gentleman who designed the round didn't name it after himself, & he said no because all it was, was the 35 Whelen in a 30 cal and did not feel right changing the name. The article was in like Rifle or Gun Loader or some magizine like that. I sure wish I could find the article, but had no luck looking it up on Google or Yahoo.

 

[Carl]

Do you know how Col. Whelen made the 35 Whelen?

 

[Mikeflies]

I know it came from the 30-06, if that's what your getting at.

 

[Biscuit Hunter]

My dad bought a 30 Whelen last year and loves it. He seems convinced that it is perfect for just about everything, and wishes he would have heard of it sooner.

 

[Biscuit Hunter]

And if you're still having trouble finding that magazine article-- try checking the April edition.

 

[Carl]

Definatly the April edition.

 

[Biscuit Hunter]

Sorry Mike, I couldn't help but mess with you a little-- after all, you are from Texas...

In all seriousness, though, the .35 Whelen came about when James Howe necked the .30-06 up to accept .358 bullets (he named the round after Col. Townsend Whelen). There was no change to case wall dimension or shoulder angle, as with something like an Ackley Improved round, so if you necked a .35 Whelen back down, you would be left with a .30-06. I have a feeling that the gunwriter was either pulling an April Fools joke, or was making a point about the number of .30 cal chamberings that we have today-- many of which are redundant.

Rifle shopping is always fun, and I too share your interest in oddball chamberings. That being said, from your OP I assume that you are new to handloading, so I would strongly advise that you avoid any of the true wildcats until you have a lot of experience at the handloading game. Stick with a cartridge for which there is a large variety of proven and published data. I've been handloading for several years now, and do not have the experience yet to feel comfortable going totally off the map.

My newest rifle is in .300 Win Mag. Very common and seemingly boring. But-- on my bench I have bullets ranging in weight from 100 grains to 240 grains. I have shot bullets from 2000 fps to 3500 fps. I can assemble loads that my 12 year old could use to take a tiny Texas whitetail, or loads that I could use to take down a big old mean Montana griz bent on eating my 12 year old. What I gave up in the coolness factor of an oddball chambering, I gained back many times over in the variety of loads that I can assemble without worrying about blowing up a rifle.

Just my 2 cents. Let us know what round you end up going with, especially if it's an oddball.