35 Whelen Project rifle
 

I just completed assembly of my winter project for a one-off elk hunt this fall. The barrel is a Midway special A&B blued 24” 1-12 magnum contour chambered in 35 Whelen, Savage e-series action , Sharp Shooters Supply comp trigger, bolt handle and recoil lug. I set it up in a Savage laminate varmint stock until I find the stock I want. I’m leaning toward a traditional walnut sporter style, either an aftermarket or a Savage take-off if I can find one with good wood. I’ll refinish the stock, bed and pillar the action when I find the right one. I will rework and re-install the stock trigger after load development. The final scope will be a Burris 4x14.5 bplex, Burris dovetail base and Signature rings.

I mounted my 24x target scope and spent the afternoons for the 2 past weekends breaking in the barrel and starting load development. I used 40 Rem, 200 gr. factory loads, then 2 sets of 5 each min and midpoint charge handloads of R-19 over 250 gr. GameKings and Partitions. Now that I have a supply of formed cases, the fun begins and I can start working on load development using the Sierras and Noslers over R-19, IMR-7828 and H-4831.

I was pleasantly surprised with the A&B barrel. After I settled down and got the scope zero set, I was able to print groups at less than 1.75” and a bit tighter with the midpoint handloads. I’ve found the “sweet spot” for 30-06 and variants to be near 90% of case capacity so I expect this rifle to be 1.5” or better shooter in final form and adequate for my intended use. Copper fouling is as expected but should lesson as the bore smoothes out, at least from prior experience with A&B barrels. Recoil was significant, tolerable for a hunting rifle but I reached my pain threshold at the end of the afternoon.

I will have a bit over $650 in this rifle including the action, barrel, estimating for the stock, trigger, misc. parts and caliber specific dies, jags, cleaning rod etc. This has been an enjoyable and pleasant project and will be a nice addition to my battery of Savage project rifles -.243 Win, 25-06 Rem, .308 Win. My next project will be a short action varmint rig, either a 204 or 22-250 or similar.

RE: 35 Whelen Project rifle
 

sounds like a nice gun...

any pics?

RE: 35 Whelen Project rifle
 

I'm thinking about a 35-cal rifle. I'd like to find a Savage 99 in 35 whelen and i really like the lines of the new Rem 750, which is also offered in 35 whelen. I'm not so sure about a auto-loader though..

You project rifle sounds good, pretty cheap too. You do your own 'smithing?

RE: 35 Whelen Project rifle
 

Here's a picture of the rifle in the cleaning cradle in it's present form set up inavarmint style stock, comp trigger and target scope for load development.I'm looking for a good walnut sporter or hunterstock, I'llpilar and bedthe action. Not sure if I will keep it chambered in 35Whelen after the Fall hunt. It'lldepend if I get a ticket for another one-offhunt but I'm considering a .260 variant.

I build theseup from take-off parts andaftermarket barrels. All thework is my own, good or bad.With the Savage system, once the action is timed and trued, caliberchange is just a matter of threading a new barrel and setting headspace. I'm hooked onswitch barrels.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a162/gkaraff/35WhelenProject1.jpg

RE: 35 Whelen Project rifle
 

I have found the A&B barrels to be far better than most people give them credit for. I'm on my third Mauser project with A&Bs, and have built up a couple of Savages as well. The last was a rebuild of an early .30/06 with a badly worn extractor to .25/06 with the current bolt design.

Afraid that won't happen. the .30/06 familiy of cartridges is to long for the 99 action. You will have to settle for a .358 Winchester.

RE: 35 Whelen Project rifle
 

They're expensive as there was very few of them ever made.

RE: 35 Whelen Project rifle
 

Did Savage make the M99 in 35 Whelen? As far as I know they were only made in shorter lenght rounds like the 308 family. Do you mean 358 Win.?