The 35 Whelen and Mr. Rifleman ~ The legendary shooter and hunter

Published on January 21, 2018
Duration: 31:01

This video delves into the history and ballistics of the legendary .35 Whelen cartridge, developed by Colonel Townsend Whelen and James V. Howe. The speaker, demonstrating high authority and expertise, highlights its effectiveness for big game hunting, its origins as a wildcat round, and its eventual standardization. Key takeaways include its impressive stopping power with manageable recoil, its versatility for various North American game, and its historical context within the development of American sporting cartridges.

Quick Summary

The .35 Whelen is a potent big-game cartridge, derived from the .30-06 Springfield case, developed by Colonel Townsend Whelen and James V. Howe. It offers excellent ballistics with manageable recoil, launching 200-grain bullets around 2,900 fps, making it highly effective for North American game.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction and Search for the .35 Whelen
  2. 01:27Historical Context of the .35 Whelen
  3. 03:01The Creators: Whelen and Howe
  4. 05:18Design and Ballistics
  5. 07:09Performance and Recoil Advantages
  6. 09:29Market Challenges and Commercial Adoption
  7. 13:56Versatility in the Field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the .35 Whelen cartridge and who developed it?

The .35 Whelen is a powerful big-game rifle cartridge, essentially a .30-06 Springfield case necked up to .35 caliber. It was developed around 1922 by James V. Howe under the direction of Colonel Townsend Whelen, a renowned marksman and hunter known as 'Mr. Rifleman'.

What are the ballistic advantages of the .35 Whelen?

The .35 Whelen offers impressive ballistics, capable of launching a 200-grain bullet at approximately 2,900 fps. Its trajectory with a 225-grain bullet can match a 180-grain .30-06 out to 400 yards, providing significant downrange energy.

How does the recoil of the .35 Whelen compare to other cartridges?

The .35 Whelen provides manageable recoil, estimated at 23-24 ft-lbs of free recoil, similar to a 7mm Remington Magnum. This is significantly less than cartridges like the .338 Winchester Magnum, which can exceed 30 ft-lbs, making it more comfortable for many shooters.

Why was the .35 Whelen initially a wildcat cartridge?

For decades, the .35 Whelen remained a wildcat cartridge because it wasn't commercially produced or standardized by major manufacturers. It faced competition from popular belted magnums and only saw official standardization by Remington in 1988.

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