35 Rem vs the 35 Whelen

[DirtTime]

What say you?

[mike103]

Well I own both in Remington 7600 pumps. I killed several bucks with both rifles and a bear with the Whelen.

I wish I could give you a detailed account of the performance of both cartridges on game at different distances. But the truth is all shots were under 100 yards on several deer, a few yotes and one bear. The    bear was shot in the head at close range when treed by hounds.  So either rifle would have done the job on all shots.

The 35 Rem is a carbine and it carries well. I have a 2x7 Nikon scope mounted with a O/U mount not to use the iron sights although you could but to allow your thumb to go under the scope and allow you to carry the rifle with your whole hand at the balance point. The recoil is very mild and because of the short bull barrel very accurate out to 100 yards. I use the standard Remington soft point 200 grain bullets. All six bucks killed with this gun were one shot kills. The ammo is hard to find at times and expensive.

The Whelen barrel is rifle length and has a 3x9 Nikon mounted over the bore with QD Warne mounts. Carry is not as comfortable because the receiver has to be cradled in your hand. I use the Remington soft point 200 grain bullets. I don't not find the recoil excessive but it is more then the 30-06. I have shot this rifle out to 200 yards and it is very accurate. Both of the bucks shot with this gun were one shot stops as well as two yotes and of course the bear. 

I also own a Remington 750 auto loader carbine in 35 Whelen. This rifles took several trips to the range to find the right length for the spring to operate the rifle reliable. Had to take out about five rings on the spring. Because of this I don't shoot the gun much. I also use the 250 grain Remington soft points because they cycle the action better. I also have a 2x7 Nikon scope with the O/U mount. I have only shot this rifle at fifty yards. Like all autos the barrel heats up and the shots walk. It also has the carbine length bull barrel. Only shot one buck with the gun. Shot too far back and had to track it and finish it off. My fault. Like to think the big bullet helped out.

Thats my experience.  

 

[Buckmaster7600]

That's like asking 30-30 or 30-06, both are awesome and kill with authority! If I had to pick one it would be a 358win. There is something magical about the way a 35cal bullet over 2000fps kills. It's way beyond paper ballistics.

I own all 3.


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[Pygmy]

Dave Petzal said in one of his  books..."  The effect of a heavy , medium caliber bullet  on game has to be seen to be appreciated".

I believe that a 200 to 250 grain   .35 caliber bullet would  be considered a heavy medium caliber bullet.

Edited October 27, 2016 by Pygmy

[Jmp209]

35 cals are awesome for deer and bear. My first bear was with a 35 rem, I've killed several deer with a pair of 358s and a 350 rem mag which is ballistically on par with the whelen. My dad has a 356 that's accounted for a couple bears and well over a dozen deer. Of all the game we've ever shot with any of the 35 cals we've only ever lost one deer due to a grazing shot. Meat damage is minimal in my dad's experience but I get a little itchy on the trigger and have a habit of hitting them in the shoulder as soon as they step into an opening.

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[Buckmaster7600]

35 cals are awesome for deer and bear. My first bear was with a 35 rem, I've killed several deer with a pair of 358s and a 350 rem mag which is ballistically on par with the whelen. My dad has a 356 that's accounted for a couple bears and well over a dozen deer. Of all the game we've ever shot with any of the 35 cals we've only ever lost one deer due to a grazing shot. Meat damage is minimal in my dad's experience but I get a little itchy on the trigger and have a habit of hitting them in the shoulder as soon as they step into an opening.

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It's amazing but meat damage really is minimal.

You and I could be good friends with our love for the 35's I'm going to try and kill one with my new to me 350rem.

It's truly a shame that America has never caught onto the 35's


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[DirtTime]

Was just curious how much difference there is. Basically comparing a macintosh  to a golden delicious? 

[ants]

One of my long time hunting buddies has used a 35 Rem. for years, and inside of 100 yards (Which is where he shoots) the deer don't go anywhere. He shot a real nice, big 7 Pt last year at like 60 yards and the thing just piled right up. I shot a buck years ago with a 35 Rem. and got the same results. Talked to an old timer last season who hunts with the 35 Whelen. He and his brother have been using the round for years and he described it as a "one shot deer killer"……..

[Jmp209]

It's amazing but meat damage really is minimal.

You and I could be good friends with our love for the 35's I'm going to try and kill one with my new to me 350rem.

It's truly a shame that America has never caught onto the 35's


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Haha any 35 fan is a friend of mine. They definitely deserve more praise than they get. Timing didn't help some of the 35s, being introduced in the 1950s and 60s with a bunch of long range magnums. A lot of writers also described several of them as great "woods" and "brush" calibers which they absolutely are but failed to mention that many are also very capable of 250 yard shots or longer at deer sized game.

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[Buckmaster7600]

Was just curious how much difference there is. Basically comparing a macintosh  to a golden delicious? 

The best way to describe the difference between a 35 rem and a 35 whelen would be to compare them to a 30-30 and a 30-06. 35 rem Is down around 2000fps with a 200gn pill and a 35 whelen is about 2800 with the same 200gn pill. The 35 is very light recoiling and the whelen is on on the heavier side. 35rem is effective to around 200yds and the whelen will double that. Ammo availability is similar if a place has them they usually don't have much for selection. 35 whelen is more versatile for a hand loader because you can load pistol bullets down around 1000fps for plinking and varmits or 275 or even 300gn's for some very big animals. 35 whelen is very easy to make brass because it is based on the 30-06 case.


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[Pygmy]

Buckmaster7600 (aka Stubby)  explained it wonderfully, in technical jargon, which he is very knowledgeable about..

I'll  try to explain it in layman's terms. 

Both use the same bullets, but the Whelen  case holds a lot more powder.

The .35 rem is an excellent deer cartridge out to about 150 yards and kicks less even in light carbines.

The Whelen is an excellent big game cartridge on game as large as moose and elk out to about 300 yards. It is perfectly capable of cleanly killing the largest North American Game, including the big bears and kicks more than the .35 Rem.

If you shoot a deer with either chambering at 75 yards they will be equally dead, given proper shot placement.

[The_Real_TCIII]

So can I shoot whelan in my 35 Rem?


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[DirtTime]

I guess there is a reason to the question. The other day I was looking at my guns and thought, my shotgun has a synth stock, both of my deer rifles have a synth stock, and of course the M&P has a synth stock. I want to put something with a wood stock in there. For some reason, first thing that popped into my head was a bolt action 35 Whelen. 

[Buckmaster7600]

I guess there is a reason to the question. The other day I was looking at my guns and thought, my shotgun has a synth stock, both of my deer rifles have a synth stock, and of course the M&P has a synth stock. I want to put something with a wood stock in there. For some reason, first thing that popped into my head was a bolt action 35 Whelen. 

The only one I know if is the 700, they are doing a current run of them now. If it were me I would look for one of the previous runs due to Remington's questionable quality as of late.


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[Pygmy]

You may need to look around for one a bit...There might be a Rem 700 Classic around.. Is anybody making  a bolt Whelen these days (other than the custom/semi-custom stuff )?  At one time I was in the market for a Whelen, but you don't run across one every day.. I finally gave up looking and bought a 9.3 x 62, because they were available in presently manufactured rifles, abeit imports such as Tikka and CZ.

[DirtTime]

I did do a little research, and I already knew if I want one, it will be used. I wish I knew why that round popped into my head so fast. It may end up being one of those "I want it, I will wait until I find a good one" things. But, nothing wrong with asking questions and getting info.

[Buckmaster7600]

You may need to look around for one a bit...There might be a Rem 700 Classic around.. Is anybody making  a bolt Whelen these days (other than the custom/semi-custom stuff )?  At one time I was in the market for a Whelen, but you don't run across one every day.. I finally gave up looking and bought a 9.3 x 62, because they were available in presently manufactured rifles, abeit imports such as Tikka and CZ.

Remington is currently listing the 700 in whelen and there are a bunch of new ones on GB


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[Pygmy]

Cool...!   If they had been chambering the CDL in the Whelen back when I was looking for one  ( about 20 years ago) I'd have bought one ..