Loads for .35 Whelen

[bsteve]

I just bought a Rem 7600 pump, I'm waiting for dies and brass to come in. I'm going to use Hornaday's 200 gr. spire point and Hodgdon BLC-2 powder. The max load Hodgdon lists is 63 gr. with 49,000 cup for pressure with a velocity of 2,800 fps.. I'll start with 60 gr. of powder and work my way up. Any thoughts?

[JsmesB67]

I have the same gun... I had good luck with RL 15 and IMR 4064. I primarily used Nosler 250 gr. bullets, but I always liked Sierra 225's for a deer load. If I remember right I used enough 4064 to get 2500 fps with the 250's and 2650 with the 225's. Good luck...
Jim B.

[bsteve]

Jim those sound like pretty stiff loads. What's been your experience as far as ejection, does the pump have enough leverage ?

[JsmesB67]

The 7600 hundred has the double slide bars, a vast improvement over the 760. The loads I had indeed were above max but I worked up carefully and I never experienced any excessive pressure signs. I did however once or twice have a blown primer from a case reloaded 5 or 6 times.

[vangunsmith]

Just a note gentlemen,don,t forget reloading stats are for bolt actions,not pumps. Pumps,autos,and lever actions will not take the same pressures a bolt actiion will.You probably know this,but was just passing it on. Love the cal. all you have picked,and oldie but a goodie. vangunsmith

[Josh Sorensen]

I have really liked the 225gr Sierra SBT and the Hornady 250gr RN. My favorite powders have been H322 and Varget. I have also heard really good things about H335. The whelen is a grand old cartridge. From my Ruger bolt gun I can get 2650 with the 225s and use an extremely accurate load of just over 2400fps with the 250 RN load.

[thndrchiken]

For PA deer, I use the 200 gr Hornady interlok, for anything larger I would use the 225 gr partition or 250 gr RN interlok or gamekings. Although I imagine if the ranges were kept respectacle some hard cast bullets in the 300-350 gr range should be pretty potent.