My thoughts are 280 A.I. shooting a 168 to 180 grain
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Caliber for medium range Elk
- Thread starter nksmfamjp
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Equalizer
Well-Known Member
Nice! If you rebarrel and don't want to go 30-06/270 win You could go 338-06 and with the 200-225 class of bullets be within moderate recoil range. It is subjective and the stock is a strong factor in the equation but just throwing that out there.[/QUOTE]
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
I say it again... 35 Whelen... It hits as hard as the 338-06. Most 338 bullets are built for the 338win mag at a minimum; the heavier 35 cal pills are made for the 307 Winchester and the Whelen...
SilverbulletMAG
Well-Known Member
In this scenerio though, you think the 35 Whelen would be good on elk out to 600 yards (nevermind the unquantifiable "low recoil")? Genuinely curious as I don't know how they hold accuracy beyond a couple hundred yards.
35 Whelen is a caliber I never understood. It's in this weird middle ground between a 30-06 and 338 Win. I have a couple 30-06's and at one point, I was looking into converting one over to 35 Whelen just because. Still may...
EDIT: For my own gee-whiz, threw some sample load data into a balistic calcular and it looks like the 35 Whelen runs out of steam pretty quick and wouldn't be good for elk beyond about 400 yards (keeping energy above 1500). Example with a 200 grain accubond and "average" velocity listed by Nosler.
35 Whelen w/200 grain AB
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Trajectory | Come Up (MOA) | Come Up (MILS) | Wind Drift | Wind Drift (MOA) | Wind Drift (MILS) |
| 0 | 2700 | 3237.0 | -1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 100 | 2458 | 2684.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 200 | 2230 | 2207.0 | -4.3 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 300 | 2013 | 1799.0 | -15.6 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 400 | 1810 | 1454.0 | -35.5 | 8.5 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 500 | 1622 | 1168.0 | -66.1 | 12.6 | 3.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 600 | 1451 | 935.0 | -109.9 | 17.5 | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
30-06 w/190ABLR
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Trajectory | Come Up (MOA) | Come Up (MILS) | Wind Drift | Wind Drift (MOA) | Wind Drift (MILS) |
| 0 | 2750 | 3190.0 | -1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 100 | 2599 | 2850.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 200 | 2453 | 2539.0 | -3.7 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 300 | 2312 | 2255.0 | -13.1 | 4.2 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 400 | 2175 | 1997.0 | -29.1 | 6.9 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 500 | 2044 | 1762.0 | -52.4 | 10.0 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 600 | 1916 | 1549.0 | -84.1 | 13.4 | 3.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Ace Quackhunter
Well-Known Member
I shoot both the 7mm Remington Mag. and the 264 Winchester Mag. Both work on Elk and Deer, but I would give the edge to the 264 Mag. I just finished a 6.5 X 55 hunting rifle and it showing great results, can't wait to try it on game this fall.
I think the 338-06 is a better elk cartridge than the whelen at distance shooting a 250 at 2570fps
Equalizer
Well-Known Member
I mentioned the 338-06 because O.P. said he got a rifle in 30-06 and was going to rebarrel. It's not the greatest cartridge but it checks off several boxes for O.P.
•elk capable
•same bolt face
•moderate recoil
•not boringly common
I realize there are quite a few great choices out there but it was just my two cents. Good luck O.P.
•elk capable
•same bolt face
•moderate recoil
•not boringly common
I realize there are quite a few great choices out there but it was just my two cents. Good luck O.P.
Me personally with my 35 Whelens I hold to a 400 to 500 yard shot. With the right load a practice a 600 yard shot I think would be with in reach with out issue. I just looked at hodgdon, nosler, and speer loading data, velocities list are 200gr. 2800 to 2900fps, 220 and 225gr. 2600 to 2800fps, 250gr. 2500 to 2700fps. My loads with nosler 225gr. bullets are just over 2700pfs. I think a 35 Whelen can be used out to 600 yards. Of coarse and unfortchantly the 35 caliber don't get the love they should and the bullets don't have the best BC's for long range shots, so yes other calibers can shot flatter. But the 35 Whelen still shots an lot flatter than most think and flatter than what it shows on paper, I shot over an antelope by expecting more drop than It did. The 35 Whelen and 338-06 are why better cartridges in all aspects than they get credit for. I say try them you love them.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
the Whelen sucks on 200's... that's a pretty unfair comparison. You really need to look at 250's at 2400 fps or so for the whelen to shine.
My normal Whelen load is the 220 speer fn running 2700 fps. I've got some 259 monos (boat tail) from a member that work well... I haven't really worked this rifle over to see what I can get out of 250's though as I already have other rifles shooting heavies.. 2 300rums running 225's, a 338 running 225'5 and 250's, and a 375h&h running either 285's or 300's.
I would be tempted to get an 8" twist barrel and go with the 6.5 Sherman. Low recoil, plenty fast for sure, and you can start with the 127 LRX. OR, at minimum, a 6.5/270 ( so don't have to trim the brass). OR 6.5/280 AI, have the rifle set up so you can just neck down 280AI brass. 
nksmfamjp
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I think I'm sold on the 300 Sherman and 280 AI. It really comes down to when I get my parts to the gunsmith vs when I see Hornady bushing dies on Rich's site for 300 Sherman. The Whidden dies are nice, but this is a sporter build....I don't need $300 dies for that.
6.5 is not a bad round, but I'm not sold on getting rid of my 6.5x55 as a duplicate rifle. I have a 300 WSM too, so I don't want this to morph into a long range tactical rifle either....just an extended range moderate recoil walking rifle.
Not sure how to explain mild recoil. I have rifles from 223 through 458 Lott. To me, my hunting weight 6.5x55 is on the low end of mild and a 9lb 30'06 is relatively high. 300 Win Mag is really overkill, so I would say just under that is max. 300 Sherman will be over 30-06, but not too bad. 280AI would be just about right...280 Sherman, not worth the cost for the improvements over 280 AI. All opinion, I get that. 6.5.....well, then we are back at 6.5x55ish.
6.5 is not a bad round, but I'm not sold on getting rid of my 6.5x55 as a duplicate rifle. I have a 300 WSM too, so I don't want this to morph into a long range tactical rifle either....just an extended range moderate recoil walking rifle.
Not sure how to explain mild recoil. I have rifles from 223 through 458 Lott. To me, my hunting weight 6.5x55 is on the low end of mild and a 9lb 30'06 is relatively high. 300 Win Mag is really overkill, so I would say just under that is max. 300 Sherman will be over 30-06, but not too bad. 280AI would be just about right...280 Sherman, not worth the cost for the improvements over 280 AI. All opinion, I get that. 6.5.....well, then we are back at 6.5x55ish.
Equalizer
Well-Known Member
A conundrum for sure!!
nksmfamjp
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i know because the 300 WSM does it all.....the 6.5x55 can do it all but not ideal.
The real issue is the the 300 WSM is a heavy long range chassis rifle and the 6.5x55 is a moderate weight wood stocked rifle....so my choices are heavy or easily damaged. I'm looking for more of an all weather, tough hunting rifle.
I'd stick with the 30-06 or the 300 w s m. I run a 06 as my primary gun right now till I rebarrel my 300 win mag. I'm running a 168 t t s x Barnes at 2850 FPS and we've shot clean thru elk even on hard quartering shots have yet to recover a bullet. Shot distance has been 50 to 300 yards. My wife killed here elk with her 25-06 I built her running a 100 t t s x at 200 yards one shot and d r t . She also wanted a low recoil round and that fit the bill.
