.35 Whelen

The .35 Whelen is a powerful medium-bore rifle cartridge that does not require a magnum action or a magnum bolt-face. The parent of this cartridge is the .30-06 Springfield, which is necked-up to accept a bullet diameter of .358 in. This cartridge is more powerful than its parent, especially in killing power on large game.

History
The .35 Whelen was originally developed in 1922 as a wildcat cartridge by Col. Townsend Whelen, and built by gunsmith James V. Howe (later of Griffin & Howe). At the time Colonel Townsend Whelen was the commanding officer of the Frankford Arsenal, and James V. Howe was a toolmaker in the same establishment.

The 1923 issue of American Rifleman Colonel Whelen referred to it as "the first cartridge that I designed" and in that same  article stated that, "Mr. James V. Howe undertook this work of making dies, reamers, chambering tools, and of chambering the rifles, all in accordance with my design."

In 1987 the Remington Arms Company standardized the cartridge as a regular commercial round. It was first made available in the Remington model 700 Classic, manufactured in 1988.

Performance
Suitable .358 in bullets range in weight from 150 to 300 gr. This round can use .38/.357 pistol bullets for cheap practice, low recoil target shooting, and varmint hunting. Using a 250 gr bullet, the .35 Whelen will generate 3500 ftlbf at the muzzle from a 24 in barrel.

The .35 Whelen is the ballistic twin of the .350 Remington Magnum. With the correct bullet choice this cartridge is suitable for virtually all thin-skinned large and dangerous game. The European designation for this cartridge would be 9 x 63 mm; with its wide bullet selection and high muzzle energy it is in the same echelon as the venerable 9.3x62mm.