The Handi's can shoot! 35 Whelen, 270

[mattparliament]

Well got some shooting done yesterday with the handi 270 and 35 whelen.  Quite happy with both.

Had some fine tuning to do with sighting in the 270 and just wanted some practice also.

The round:

100 grain hornady soft point
50 grains of H4895
Winchester Large Rifle Primer
OAL:  3.145
Taken from 2006 Hodgdon manual
Chrony:  3404 fps
Use:  antelope medicine next weekend

Results:

the last five shots are to the right of the cartridge, I "called" the flyer and expected it to be a touch to the left...




35 Whelen, here's where it gets a bit more interesting.

the load:

Barnes 225 grain TSX
61.5 grains of Reloader 15
I forget the overall length but it is .005 off the lands
Winchester large rifle primers

This is an interesting load and fun playing with the TSX's  The Barnes manual states a max load of 60 grains of R15 for their XFB's but due to the reduced pressured of the TSX's it's recommended to work up slowly from max inspecting for pressure signs which I did at a previous session. 

The chrony:  2810 FPS, that's a whallop!  Put's me in the 338 mag realm with our little handis....

also, my best group of the day, only a 3 shot, those bullets are a bit pricy and they were my last 3, I only loaded 10 to see if I liked them, here's the 3 shot group:




My rest is nothing fancy, a split log wrapped in a fleece jacket on the hood of my jeep, and I'm in the standing position.  I was using the varmint stock also.  I was a bit rusty and I got better as I went, always good to practice.

On a side note, I also made some 225 grain Nosler ballistic tip since they were quite a bit cheaper and I loaded them at 2600 fps and they chronied at that speed, the point of impact was 6 lower at 100 yards.  This was surprising to me, I thought at 100 yards they would be pretty close.

[Scibaer]

.. . oh yeah i have the 35 whelen, i smile and smile when i fire my handi...i cant wait to sqeeze the trigger on a nice sized buck this season !
glenn

[nomosendero]

Very nice! The 35 Whelen group & velocity is really impressive & plenty for any North American game. Thanks for the info!

[quickdtoo]

Fantastic shooting Matt!!

Thx,

Tim

[9x19]

I saw a RMEF .35 at a local shop this past Friday... if they shoot that nice... I might have to go back on Monday! 

[stimpylu32]

Matt

Get a good solid shooting bench and i bet that they would look like one hole , very nice shooting . 

[HUNTS]

Glad to see that someone got a GOOD 35 Whelen Handi.  After sending mine back for the second time last month for a misfire problem I have yet to receive a word from NEF.  I decided to call them last week and was told that they "were looking at it at that very moment".

This week I called and the receptionist told me that the gun has now been sent to the Engineering Department because the Service Department couldn't figure out how to repair it. 

I have to say I'm dissapointed with the way NEF has handled my case.  Out of two months of ownership the gun has been at the factory  for 6 weeks.  They didn't offer to send me a replacement and I have only a tiny amount of faith that when the gun comes back to me for the second time that the problem will be resolved. 

On a seperate note the 22/410 youth combo gun that I bought this summer has a serious ejection problem wi the 22 barrel.  After about 25 round the spent shells fail to eject and are stuck fast.  They require being pushed back out with a cleaning rod and considerable force, very similar to a 158 Topper 30-30 I got rid of not long ago. 

I'm about to wash my hands of all these NEF guns.  How is it that all three that I have bought are problematic?   Please don't tell me it's just a case of bad luck!!!

[Mac11700]

I'm about to wash my hands of all these NEF guns.  How is it that all three that I have bought are problematic?   Please don't tell me it's just a case of bad luck!!!

If your still having problems with all your barrels...then I would say you have a lemon...You have a choice...Ask for a refund and be done with it..or ask to speak to Gordon...and see if he can make assurances to getting your problems fixed...I can honestly say your having bad luck...There are just way too many folks who don't have any problems with their Handi's to say otherwise...Every now and then..one like yours crops up...and it is a shame that happens...but it happens...

Mac

[quickdtoo]

Sorry to hear that, that's gotta be a case of bad luck, I think I would have asked them to fit a new barrel or replace the frame and get it back to me, NOW!!  I've got a ton of Handis/Ultras, haven't had any kind of problem with any of  em, just like most everyone else here. The .22LR barrel must have a rough chamber or bad ejector/spring, that's the first one I've read about having a problem. I'd do a little polishing on the chamber and R&R the ejector, make sure it's clean inside, put a BB under the spring to increase tension, stuck brass in centerfires is usually just barely stuck, that's one of the reasons they switched to extractors. See the ejector to extractor link in the FAQ and Help sticky to learn how to R&R it.

Tim

[mattparliament]

I think we discussed this awhile back but I was also having problems with a couple of misfires on my whelen.  After some inspection it seemed some of the cartridges would go in too far to a point where the base of the brass was in past the end of the chamber.  Does this make sense?  I had 3 misfires from a factory box of remingtons and about the same ration from the same reloads, all remington brass.  On my second batch of reloads I inspected the brass by putting them in the chamber and seeing how far they went in.  Removed 3 out of 20 and had zero misfires on my last trip.  Too bad that this is a seemingly neccessary step but it's better than a shallow primer hit when the elk is standing there!

[handirifle]

Looking in the Q&A section, it lists the twist for the Whelen barrels at 1 in 16.  Is that true?  It seems slow to me, especially for that kind of accuracy.

[quickdtoo]

That's what my RMEF is, I suspect the new ones are the same. Mine shoots 250gr spitzers extremely well, so the general concensus that it wouldn't was put to rest as far as I'm concerned!!

Tim

[handirifle]

Yea, I'd say so!  Thanks Quick.

[handirifle]

Matt
That bullet is seated WAAAY out there!  How much longer than normal is that?

How does the trajectory numbers of that load stack up to a 180gr '06 load?

[Dixie Dude]

Is there another powder for the Barnes bullet that would allow you to seat the bullet deeper but still get the same results without excessive pressure? 

[quickdtoo]

Barnes doesn't provide pressure data, so you're on your own there, seating their recommended  .050" off the lands is plenty far, any particular reason why  you want to do that unless you have a short throated Whelen? If you email Ty Herring at Barnes, he'll send you a .pdf load data sheet if he has it, otherwise you just have to use the data in the #3 book using the TSX loading guidelines.

Tim

http://www.barnesbullets.com/information/load-data/

http://www.barnesbullets.com/information/load-data/tsx-guidelines/

[Dixie Dude]

I'm new to reloading.  My rifle is a Mauser action.  I like that load.  I want to go to Alaska, and try it out.  Is it a good bullet for brown/grizzly and moose?  I would like to float hunt Alaska. 

[quickdtoo]

I'm new to reloading.  My rifle is a Mauser action.  I like that load.  I want to go to Alaska, and try it out.  Is it a good bullet for brown/grizzly and moose?  I would like to float hunt Alaska. 

In a bolt gun, you're basically limited to SAAMI recommend overall length or they won't cycle thru the action, that's not an issue with a single shot.

Tim

[MSP Ret]

mattparliament said - "I only loaded 10 to see if I liked them"....WELL, I guess you must have  liked them.,What a nice cloverleaf group!!!, AND from a hard hitting .35 Whelen, that's a great combination, power and accuracy!!!

I say - I have an early 26" .35 Whelen barrel and it is great. I believe most of the problems were traced to some newly manufactured ammo and perhaps some to the newer 22" barrels. I think the older 26" .35 Whelen barrels are to be sought after and kept....


9x19 said - "I saw a RMEF .35 at a local shop this past Friday... if they shoot that nice... I might have to go back on Monday!"

I say ---BUY IT!!!---....<><.... 

[quickdtoo]

They don't just shoot good!!!!

Tim

http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,130183.msg1098479482.html#msg1098479482

http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,132071.msg1098496055.html#msg1098496055

[Dixie Dude]

Is the SAAMI length what is shown in my reloading manual dimensions?  I am not at home right now, so from what I remember it shows the case length, width, neck, etc., but I don't remember the overall length of what the cartridge is supposed to be.  If it is not in the Lyman reloading manual, where can I find the SAMMI length?  Also, if it says the maximum load of Reloader 15 is 60 grains for a .35 Whelen, is this the actual capacity of the case, or just the maximum of recommended powder? 

[quickdtoo]

The length listed in loading manuals is the SAAMI COL that they have determined which will feed thru all magazines. In general, loading shorter will increase pressures, loading longer if the action will function properly, up to the point where the bullet is just off the lands, will reduce pressures, loading touching the lands will increase pressure. 60gr RL15 is the max load listed in the Barnes #3 for the 225gr XFB, the TSX loading guideline is  listed below from the link I posted earlier, or email Ty at Barnes.

Tim

TSX Loading Guidelines
1. What load data do I use for the Triple Shock Bullet?

Answer. We recommend that you use the minimum X Bullet load data to start.

To compensate for the reduced pressures associated with the Triple Shock, you may have to work up 1 to 2 additional grains above listed loads to achieve equal pressures. Pressures can jump dramatically; therefore we recommend that you work up in 1/2 gr. increments until you are no more than 1 to 2 grains above the listed max load or until signs of excessive pressure are evident. Whichever comes first. You should watch for excessive case head expansion, sticky bolt lift, flattened primers or shiny spots on the base of the case. If you have case head expansion of more than .0005″ with a once-fired case, this is a sure sign of excessive pressure. You will have to measure your case head with a Blade Micrometer just in front of the extractor groove, or you can use a regular micrometer and measure the belt on belted cases, before and after shooting. When any of these signs appear, back down one full grain and you will have a max load for your gun.

If you do not feel comfortable working up a load, or don’t have the proper equipment, then we suggest following the recommended X-Bullet load data. For the 168gr .308 cal Triple Shock Bullet, use the 165gr X-Bullet data.

 

[Dixie Dude]

Thanks, when I get everything lined up, I will try it.  I want to use my Whelen for Alaska, maybe out west, but I do have a 300 WM too. 

[SM Bob]

Great shooting Matt! I like hearing about 270's. That is going to be my next Handi.

                       Robert

[quickdtoo]

"I saw a RMEF .35 at a local shop this past Friday... if they shoot that nice... I might have to go back on Monday!" ---BUY IT!!!---

If I had a nickel for every time you said that, then you went back and it was gone.....well, you know!! 

Tim

[mattparliament]

sheesh, some of my old threads got brought back to life....

[MSP Ret]

an oldie but a goodie Matt....<><....