reduced loads

grizzlybeardavid · Rookie Member Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 13

Hi there anyone, I'm wondering has any reduced loads for the 35 whelen to practice with. I'm fortunate that it shoots 1/2 groups at 100 yards using the sierra 225 boattail with 54.5 grains of IMR 4064. I dropped an elk kneeling at 100 yards with one shot to the neck(he was facing me!).
Anything with the Hornady 200 grain bullet or something else.

Thanks

David

1895ss · Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:28 pm Post subject: Re: reduced loads

I don't have a 35 whelen but try this....... www.nfa.ca/reloading/r...ooter.html

Bushmaster · Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:36 pm Post subject: Re: reduced loads

Grizzlybeardavid...Why would you want ot use reduced loads to practice with...I can just see it now...POP...POP...POP at the range...And then you shoot your first real load at a real dangerous game and BLAM...I bet you weren't expecting that. Now we need one more shot and we miss because we flinched...I do not advicate reduced loads to practice with in your hunting rifle (or hunting pistol/revolver) or have you already guessed that. If you want reduced loads to practice with...Buy a .22 and practice with it, but expect that big game rifle to KICK...And practice getting kicked...So you won't miss...If you insist on reduced loads purchase at least two load manuals. I recommend Lyman 48th edition and the Sierra Edition V Second printing...They say Speer has a very good load manual too...

And welcome to the site...Please...stay a while. Have a beer and enjoy...

grizzlybeardavid · Rookie Member Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 13

Thank you for the site.

grizzlybeardavid · Rookie Member Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 13

Hey Bushmaster, thanks for the welcome, I do intend to stay!!
I do know about dangerous game hunting having shot a grizzly in BC in May of 1991 and been twice to Alaska for BIG Brownies in fall of 1995 and spring of 1996. Both Bears took more than one shot to stop them. All other animals have been dropped with one shot. I also want my son to start shooting it and enjoying it!

1895ss · Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: reduced loads

I have never tried any reduced loads. I just happened to have been looking into it for a freind of mine about 2 months ago. When my 2 son's were getting old enough to shoot something more then their 22 rimfires, I bought them each a 6mm Rem. Recoil is mild and they soon learned to shoot them very well. That was 20 years ago. They both still use their 6mm's from time to time and I've never been sorry I bought them.
Oh and welcome aboard...... Smile

Bushmaster · Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:52 pm Post subject: Re: reduced loads

I don't know how old your son is, but I started my 4 sons and one daughter on .22's and worked them up as they got older...I'm still at .30-06 level and two of them are at .300 Winchester magnum. Ol' man just can't get away his trusty .30-30 WCF and his Browning .30-06.....To reduce a load even for them is (in my not so humble opinion) not a good idea...They must expect the bigger rifles to kick...

By The Way...My Daughter (33 yrs) prefers .357 magnum full house loads in a SAA Colt...

Glad yer stayin'...

Handloader · Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:27 pm Post subject: Re: reduced loads

Bushmaster wrote:

Grizzlybeardavid...Why would you want ot use reduced loads to practice with...I can just see it now...POP...POP...POP at the range...And then you shoot your first real load at a real dangerous game and BLAM...I bet you weren't expecting that. . . . .
And welcome to the site...Please...stay a while. Have a beer and enjoy...

Rare it is that I disagree with Bushmaster, but, I believe a good case can be made for using reduced loads on big game rifles. Recall that the Army used Springfield 03A3 training rifles in 22lr. This was due to ammo shortage among other things, but, those that trained on the rimfires were much more adept when it came to the transition to centerfire.

Using your big game rifle with reduced loads keeps you in touch with the feel of the trigger. Trigger discipline is critical to any big game shooting. With reduced loads you can shoot more at any given session without too much concern for bruising from sustained recoil. Reduced loads are easier on the rifle, too.

I use cast bullets on many of my big game rifles, simply so I can enjoy shooting them often and without imparting excess wear on the big bores. I shoot 416 Rigby and 458 Lott as well as 338WM, 30-06 and 270 with cast bullets frequently. Once the discipline of the rifle itself is mastered, adding the recoil is no major jump. IMHO.

steve4102 · Member Joined: Feb 24, 2005 Posts: 38

IMR SR 4759 is a reduced load.

www.imrpowder.com/data...whelen.php

I prefer BlueDot for all my reduced loads. I don't have any
BlueDot data in 35 Whelen to share with you at this time. If you slip on over to the accurate reloading site you may find that the Bluedot boys can help you out.

Spacedone · Member Joined: Nov 04, 2005 Posts: 266 Location: missouri

i use 4 different loads for my enfields but all are standard loads. when i want to shoot a reduced load i just grab a smaller caliber.

POP!! · Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2006 10:21 am Post subject: Re: reduced loads

I started with about 8 grains of Unique and worked up. I like to use 10 gr or so for 158 gr HP. Shoots nice and feels like a 22 mag. Nice jackrabbit loas too!

Also if you can get a hold of the Lyman 47 manual they have reduced loads for just about any caliber with cast bullets. I just substitute the cast with jacketed bullets.
Curently I am using 10 gr Unique with the Nosler 158 HP in my Whelen Remington pump which is a tack driver.

225 Barnes TSX with H322 at 2700 fps and 1 solid hole!

Spacedone · Member Joined: Nov 04, 2005 Posts: 266 Location: missouri

if you use a reloading manual properly you can get a large range of velocities with most bullets which will act as a reduced load but not actually be a reduced load. depending on what powder i use i can make my 303 enfield shoot like a 30 30 or a light 30 06 load. the 30 30 type load has no recoil and the 06 type load kicks hard and shortens the life of my barrels. but i can get a FPS range from 1800 fps to 2800 fps safely without using a reduced load. average for a 303 is about 2500 fps.

i like the large selections of powders just for this reason. just figgure out what velocity you want and find a powder/bullet combinatiuon that fits your need.

GroovyJack · Member Joined: May 21, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Bama

Reduced loads and casts are good .. Can push hard cast up to 2500 or so .. But they gots to be hard .. Is getting to be a lot of my shooting , casting for the 375 H@H and 458 Lott .. As well as 44 and 45 colt ..
Jack

grizzlybeardavid · Rookie Member Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 13

Thank you Steve 4102 and POP for the info!

POP!! · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:55 am Post subject: Re: reduced loads

Anytime