Where to start 35 SAUM

[6.5-300 BEE]

Let's not fall into the Whelen myths. NO Whelen cartridge has any headspace issues in a correct chamber with correct ammo. Mike Petrov wrote a whole chapter in Zeglin's book WILDCATS blowing the 400 Whelen myth away for good.

If you push the shoulder too far back or have a too long chamber for ANY rimless cartridge you will have problems.

The 35 SAUM will make a nice walkaround cartridge rifle.

 

[wildwilderness]

Had you though about just using the 350 Rem Mag ? everything is available and If you don't like the belt, after the first firing you can size to avoid the belt. another option would be the 338 RCM for a parent case that wouldn't need the neck expanded very much.( .020) as apposed to .050 thousandths.

Not trying to talk you out of using the 300 SAUM case, but maybe saving you some trouble

J E CUSTOM

I have considered those options and thus the reason I haven't done it yet! Both the 338 RCM and 350 Rem Mag would accomplish the goal and easier in the long run.

The main factor is the donor rifle is a 300 SAUM and in the short term I can have it Rebored to .358 to create the 35 SAUM without a reamer. I know that may save a little upfront, but cost in the long run in time/reloading.

if I was rebarreling it would not be the 35 SAUM but most likely the 338RCM..... maybe that is what I should do...

 

[ruby76]

338 SST or SS gets you under 2.8" with many bullets. I don't think Rich has a 35 cal reamer for those cartridges. He rents his reamers cheap.

 

[wildwilderness]

I love the 35 cal. I necked down the 375 CT to 358 and designed my own machined bullets. I felt it had more velocity that the 375 but not too overbore like the 338. I'm working on 358 lapua next.

I'm happy to send some bullets to try but they need a 10 twist +/- as the bullet is almost 2" and weights 320 grains.

Thanks for the offer but I won't have the twist or mag space for those bullets! Sounds like fun in the right case

 

[wildwilderness]

The 35 Whelen and family really don't have a lot of shoulder to headspace from. I guess I'm lucky with my Ruger in Whelen, as I've never had the issue at all. If I had to hazard a guess it was never really one thing (but two or three)with your Remington and that's why it was never figured out. A couple different issues at once and it can sometimes be best to strip her down to bare action and start over. I did that with my 7stw; the only thing left from the last iteration is the action itself- even the firing pin assembly and trigger have been replaced.

Yes, that whelen was a rebored 270, and never worked 100% I had the trigger worked, barrel turned, spring, firing pin etc! So that's why I thought brass as well. any how it's being rebarreled this time- to 9.3x62

 

[Truc]

I have a model 7 that was originally a 350 Rem Mag, start with those powder loads and work up. He 225 partition will be a thumper. Hope you're doing a brake. For longer ranges the 225 Sierra shoots well, top velocity is with 748. I've used 322 and Varget. Here's a target at 100 yards with two different powders and bullets.

 

[Truc]

I rebarreled my 350 RM with a Shilen barrel and had a brake cut into it, I was able to install on a LA just for grins and giggles shooting the 225 Nosler bonded bullet and was able to hit 2800fps. Nasty load

 

[montana west]

i have a 35 brown whelen and a 375 Brown Whelen never any headspace problems reloader 15 is the powder hands down. I would say a 35 Whelen ackley because of the 40% sholder you will have no head space problems. loading it is very simple and your 5% increase in velocity over the normal 35 whelen is well worth the cost to the dies.. getting 2800 with the regular 35 whelen with a 225 bullet is going to be a bit high pressure. but the ackley version, it will be possible.

 

[David Emerson]

A Sambar would have better performance- BUT here is my thought- I have a 300 wsm in a model 700 SA. The WSM really needs at least an extended mag 2.95 oal, or more to reach its potential. I want a short compact rifle and the Model 7 fits that perfectly. the mag is 2.8" max . Another issue I have with the WSM- it doesnt feed well my Rem 700, so the SAUM case is made by Rem to feed through a REM, so that's why I decided on the 35 SAUM.

I have a 22 inch 350 rem mag and I am getting 2670 with a 250 nosler. Big game powder. Heavily compressed but it really works. CFE223 and maybe even 6.5 staball but it might be a touch too slow. 748 also works well. Maybe R16? You will just need to load them all and see but the old and faster just will not give you the speed. 4895,s, 4320, R15. They may work well with the 200 gr loads. Alliant 2000MR speer shows working very well in the whelen but I have not loaded any to verify. Good luck!!

 

[35 Whelen]

i have a 35 brown whelen and a 375 Brown Whelen never any headspace problems reloader 15 is the powder hands down. I would say a 35 Whelen ackley because of the 40% sholder you will have no head space problems. loading it is very simple and your 5% increase in velocity over the normal 35 whelen is well worth the cost to the dies.. getting 2800 with the regular 35 whelen with a 225 bullet is going to be a bit high pressure. but the ackley version, it will be possible.

I have 3 35 Whelens, I think who ever re-bored his Ruger 270 to 35 Whelen did some think wrong. P.O. Ackley said many years a go that the myth of the 35 Whelen having headspace problems was not true. I think though the op's Ruger was chambered wrong and he may have been able to have fixed that rifle with the 35 Whelen AI camber. I all so have a 400 Whelen and it is a blast, I bet your 35 & 375 Brown Whelen's are fun too. I have thought about doing a 375 Whelen.

As to the OP doing a 35 SAUM, I think for the rifle he has to use it would make a fine rifle and the most economical chose in the long run.

 

[.338 RCM]

I have considered those options and thus the reason I haven't done it yet! Both the 338 RCM and 350 Rem Mag would accomplish the goal and easier in the long run.

The main factor is the donor rifle is a 300 SAUM and in the short term I can have it Rebored to .358 to create the 35 SAUM without a reamer. I know that may save a little upfront, but cost in the long run in time/reloading.

if I was rebarreling it would not be the 35 SAUM but most likely the 338RCM..... maybe that is what I should do...

You won't regret it the .338 RCM is Awesome!

 

[STI]

I used ADI BM2 in my 375WSM which is nearly the same but bigger
I managed to get 200gn Sierra's up to just under 3000fps (16 inch barrel)
I believe BM2 is same as Hodgon Benchmark
Hodgdon Equivalents for ADI Product Codes

 

[wildwilderness]

So I ran into a potential snag. I called CH 4D about custom dies. I was told there is a 24 month wait to have a new custom die made! May just need to re barrel to a standard cartridge like JE says

Any other options out there for a Wildcat die?

 

[can1010]

try Whidden gun works they have made me many different wildcat dies. if your only necking up to 35 cal. they might be able to just hone the neck out to 35 cal. without the wait for custom. my custom dies have been 10-16 weeks