One day last week, a guy posted an answer to a post and mentioned the 35 Whelan AckImp. Has anyone ever had a custom done in this caliber? Any info at all on this cartridge would be appreciated. It seems like it would be the perfect deer round. A medium range field rifle and the best brush buster I could imagine.

That's a matter of opinion.....while the .35 Whelen is a fine deer round it's brush busting is truly of opinion.....tests would disagree with this assumption. The 6.5X55 class of cartridge would do as well IMO!!! Further I'd say that bullet diameter and weight have little to nothing to do with "busting Brush"
As for the Ackley Improved version it's a well known fact that the ackley improved cartridges are mostly not worth the extra cost of build and reloading. Extra performance is truly a myth and lately most advocates say that the brass lasts longer as they have finally realized that the performance claims are pure BS....The brass life will also be disproved I believe.

I'm not familiar with the AI Whelan, but was quite surprised to read your claims covering all Ackley Improved cartridges. Ackley himself regarded some, maybe even many of his improved versions as experiments that proved to provide little to no value.

At the same time there are several that were regarded by him as being worthwhile. I have several I do feel have been worthwhile chambers. Examples - 2 I feel are significant improvements are the 250-3000 AI and 257 Roberts AI. At the same time, I have a 30.06 AI that probably could be considered an insignificant improvement.

Could you expand any on the facts you refer to? I would be interested in reading them. I'll promise you I'm not interested in getting into an internight fight, and will disappear into the woodwork before letting the thread go downhill, but would like to see your basis.

Not to spark one of those internet fights, but my 25-06 AI is a great target and beanfield rifle. I've had no problems with brass either. I can't show proof that there was a significant improvement since going AI, but I have more confidence in it downrange. It's a matter of what you have confidence in and shoot well. My Remington model 40 likes em just fine.

Swampman,
My 35 Whelen AI was built on a M70 crf action,25" ER Shaw barrel. So far my fps gain has been about 150fps and I havent had to trim cases yet.My buddy has a std.35 Whelen he has to trim every 2nd loading.He is going to have it rechambered.

Personally, in "this" case i'd NOT build the Ackley imp.. For the purpose you mentioned it won't be one bit better than the std. 35 whelen!!

It's a lot more trouble to make the imp. case over the std. case and unlike the imp. you can buy factory Whelen ammo and brass, and i see that as an huge advantage.

It's a myth that big fat bullets "buck brush" better than long slim ones!!

Drilling Man

This wildcat is as simple as it gets. shoot factory 35 whelen ammo in improved chamber and you have 35 whelen AI.

DM,
After having a .50 muzzleloader deflect off a twig on a nice 10 point last year, I beleive you. Pardon my use of the term Brush buster. What I meant was a nice , close-quarter weapon with a big punch and capability of making medium to long range shots as well.

Katahdin,
Thanks for responding. Who did the chambering work for you? Also, have you checked point of impact based on 100yd zero versus the std?

I really like the Ackley Improved family of cartridges - although they are often misunderstood and generally will not fetch as high a price in a used gun as the parent caliber. The general "rule of thumb" with the A.I.'s is 175 to 200 fps over the parent caliber. Sometimes as little as 150 fps - sometimes as much as 225 - generally, you have to go to a slightly slower powder to get the higher end velocity. A lot of "gunsmiths" do not understand how to headspace these guns - but, done right, they will deliver enough of an increase in performance to make it worth the effort; and dramatically improve brass life.

Having said that, I wouldn't personally mess with the .35 Whelan. Bullet selection is so much better with the .338/06 and it fills essentially the same niche.