Got my #1 .35 Whelen ready for deer and pigs.
It likes being held a certain way and a cold barrel. When it was 100 degrees I could get one really good group then they would slowly open up because I could never get the barrel cool enough. I could still get 1.5"-2" 5 shot groups from a warm barrel, but it will easily shoot a 3 shot sub MOA from a cold one.
Here are 3 groups on 3 different days from a cold barrel. The one on the left is with a Hornady 250SP the other two are Speer 250sp. The one in the middle was after I moved the scope in the rings and wasn't zeroed. The one on the right was this afternoon. Now I just need to find something to shoot.
![[image]](http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt242/AgCatJHS/20131017_203558-1_zps6dd4ddb9.jpg)
That'll do!
by Hoot 
, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Friday, October 18, 2013, 09:15 (4059 days ago) @ Jared
That cartridge is rapidly becoming a favorite.
Curious: What happens as the barrel heats up? Vertical stringing or just groups opening up?
That'll do!
I was getting vertical stringing but I am not sure if that was because of the heating, the was I was using a rest, forend pressure, or a combination of the above. Now the groups just get bigger. On a hot day once the barrel gets warm I can keep the groups around 1.5-2" but rarely better. I will still get an occasional flyer but that is probably just me. The first 3 shots out of a cold barrel will easily do under an inch. The group I shot yesterday was .65" and I am not much of a rifle shot.
This rifle seems to shoot better the more I shoot it. I am a big fan of the Cartridge too. You can easily get 2500-2600 FPS with a 250 bullet. RL 15 is a great powder for it if you haven't used any yet. Look for some older data they really cut it back the last couple of manuals. Varget is suppose to be good. My goal for after season is to work up a good load with the Partition. I have a bunch that I got for cheap.
I also have one built on a old Mauser action. It is a good shooter just a little heavy. The Number 1 is 8# on the nose loaded and about the same length as my guide gun.
Seriously good rifle cartridge. It's been my "aint playin"
rifle since '89.
I have had good luck with AA2015, even tho it is a bit on the fast side for this. RL15, H335, and WC844 are all good also. Mine's the AI version.
My favorite load was the 250gr Barnes X-bullet but they quit making it years ago. Took a lot of tinkering to get it sorted out (early X-bullets could bite ya) but found a good load at 2650fps. Still have a hundred or so saved up for something.
Nowadays I mostly shoot the 225gr Ballistic Tip at 2750fps.
Jared, you mentioned flyers. Are you using formed '06 or factory 35W brass? Some necks on formed '06 cases stretch unevenly and are thicker on one side than the other. They shot poorly.
I know I've posted this a million times, but here it is again: 
![[image]](http://home.comcast.net/~johnk454/pics/35WAI_BTweb.jpg)
![[image]](http://home.comcast.net/~johnk454/pics/Whackley.jpg)
A cylinder of resurized coolent at the bench?
by Rob Leahy 
, Prescott, Arizona, Friday, October 18, 2013, 10:26 (4059 days ago) @ Jared
When I shot with Mic McPherson and Jim Schmidt, of Az Ammunition, he had a cylinder of coolant with a small hose at the bench. He would cool the chamber between groups.
He was working up custom loads for hi end rifles at the time.... McMillan and Lilja 30-378s etc. it cooled the barrels quickly, even in the 110 day at Ben Avery range in Phx. I need to work up some loads for my m77 35 Whelen. I sure like loading 35 W. ammo compared to .338 wins...
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Of the Troops & For the Troops
A cylinder of resurized coolent at the bench?
I have thought about that but never tried it. I may have to try that next summer. In summer time I'll take 3 or 4 rifles and when I get back to the first the barrel is still warm.
Wally World
by JLF , Friday, October 18, 2013, 15:27 (4059 days ago) @ Jared
Go to the computer section of Wally, and pick up a can of compressed air used for cleaning keyboards and such. It sprays at such pressure that the blast is still partly liquified, and it will offer major cool in a hurry. It will also easily fit in a kit bag.
JLF
Possible solution.....
by Gunner , St Louis, Saturday, October 19, 2013, 08:21 (4058 days ago) @ Jared
No.1's have been known to be touchy on accuracy when the barrel heats up, mainly due to the barrel contact with the forend. You might want to try this....
http://www.eabco.com/HicksAccurizer1.html
A few years back John Barness wrote an article about No.1's and mentioned the Hicks, also wrote how he used pieces of business cards between the barrel and forend. When he found the right number for his rifle, he used bedding compound to make it permanent, solved his accuracy issues with the heating problem.
Gunner
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https://www.instagram.com/41gunner/
41 Mags rule, Baers rock!