Best Path to an Accurate .35 Whelen

[MoreSalsa]

I would prefer the 35 Whelen myself, but just a suggestion you may check around for availability of ammo for a 9.3x62, it may be easier to find than ammo for a Whelen I would think ammo for either would be hard to find. Ballistics are very similar between the 2. A few years back you could buy a cz 550 chambered in 9.3x62, may still be able to. and Tikka lists one in their catalog but I don't know if any actually make it to the states. Anything shot with either I'm sure wouldn't know the difference.
With the Whelen you'll have better availability of components and bullet selection if you decide to reload with ammo at 60$ a box it wouldn't take long to pay for a good single stage press, scale, powder measure and the other necessities.
Good luck on your search.

I did take a look at that and the picture seemed pretty clear that 35 whelen was much more readily available (at least in the US) than the 9.3. Probably different in Europe or other international places, but of the .35+ caliber bottleneck options, the whelen seemed to be most available, at least if you don't want to jump all the way up to the .375 calibers (which I'd rather not).

 

[ducky]

I could set you up with a .358 Win barrel for a Savage pretty quickly. I have one I never got around to using. Find yourself a Savage 110 long action rifle and screw it on and shoot it as is, or have your smith punch it out to .35 Whelen. I bet you could have a a serviceable Whelen for $800-900 with GS work.

 

[MoreSalsa]

I could set you up with a .358 Win barrel for a Savage pretty quickly. I have one I never got around to using. Find yourself a Savage 110 long action rifle and screw it on and shoot it as is, or have your smith punch it out to .35 Whelen. I bet you could have a a serviceable Whelen for $800-900 with GS work.

Thanks. Right now I'm leaning towards doing either a re-bore of my Howa (most likely) or getting a new barrel on the Howa. A new barrel would be nice but right now Shaw has really long lead times, which pushes me towards to re-bore. If I don't get a tag this year, then this project will be pushed off to next year, hopefully if I draw next year. Maybe things will have changed by then...

 

[ducky]

Right now I'm leaning towards doing either a re-bore of my Howa (most likely) or getting a new barrel on the Howa.

I know a lot of guys rebore, but I've always rebarreled.

One option you might look at is a Howage barrel. It works with a barrel nut just like a Savage. McGowen will make you a barrel in .35 Whelen. Criterion doesn't offer .35 caliber barrels, but they do others as well like .30-06. I'm sure there are others doing the Howage system as well.

Once you learn how to do it you can change barrels is less than 15 minutes. You would have to invest in some tools so upfront, so it can get expensive. You might go to your local GS to remove the barrel from your action the first time, after that it's easy peasy.