CVA Apex 35 Whelen problems

[magetec]

I am new to this forum, please excuse if in wrong section. Best group at 100 yards is 4 to 5". Loaded according to hornady manual.
Powder 4064 55gn
Hornady FTX 200gn
COL 3.100"

Thought to see where bullet touches lands:
Picture attached shows loaded cartridge vs cartridge with bullet touching lands.
Thinking chamber may be cut wrong, any advise appreciated.

 

[Patocazador]

There's no law that says you have to seat to the cannelure. See how it does with it seated halfway.
My Rem. 700 doesn't have that much of a throat. Is the Apex a bolt-action or single shot?

 

[magetec]

Single shot, horrible groups at present. That is why I was going to try setting .020 off lands, not possible with this bullet, not enough in neck.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Interested as I want a 35 Whelen single one day. Tagged for review.

 

[Dudedog]

Welcome to THR lots of great people here.

I don't own a .35 Whelen so I can't be a lot of help but people who do here will be happy to help.
Questions
How does it shoot with factory ammo?
Did you start at 55gr or did you work up to it?
Looking at a couple sources with a different 200gr bullet range looks to be 54-59ish (double check these numbers)
With that much of a range I might step .5gr at a time and try 54, 54.5.....to maybe a 1gr short of the max.and see if things got better along the way if you haven't already.

Hope you get it worked out.

 

[old heeler]

Single shot, horrible groups at present. That is why I was going to try setting .020 off lands, not possible with this bullet, not enough in neck.

Welcome

You might want to shoot longer bullet. I'm shooting Nosler 225 gr AB in 35 WhelenAI and bullet is 1.37" long and that 200gr FTX bullet just little over 1" long. If you notice Hornady data for 250 gr it 3.290" and bullet is 1.235" . I've shot Barnes 225gr TSX and it's 1.309", the TTSX is 1.296" and I havn't shot those.

Well good luck

 

[magetec]

Thanks
A longer bullet might help, but the ogee of the bullet would still determine the distance that the bullet has to travel to touch the lands. With this bullet distance to lands is .274
Seems like too far of a jump. I don't know what SAAMI spec is for this chamber, or really how to measure it.

 

[thomas15]

Is the rifle new? Have you tried factory ammo?

I did a search on Bing and that brought up a number of interesting forum threads on this gun. This has me thinking that the issues may not be related to the chamber.

 

[Bull Nutria]

I have a TC encore in 35 whelen load 56g of IMR 4064 and 200 gr FTX shoots about 1 inch group at 100 yds. something bad wrong with your scope, mounts, or chamber????double check everything and use sand bags off solid bench and squeeze the trigger when you test fire!!

Bull

 

[magetec]

Leupold vx3i 2.5x8, new. Dead shot one piece mount, torqued with blue loctite on base. Shooting bench you could set a armored personal carrier on. My brother built with 1/2" plate steel, super overkill. Caldwell shooting bag and lead sled. This is the only gun that I have problems with, my 45-70 clover leafs at that distance.

 

[thomas15]

Well then send it back to CVA

 

[old heeler]

Thanks
A longer bullet might help, but the ogee of the bullet would still determine the distance that the bullet has to travel to touch the lands. With this bullet distance to lands is .274
Seems like too far of a jump. I don't know what SAAMI spec is for this chamber, or really how to measure it.

I hope this will help. A 200gr Sierra is 1.050" long from ogive forawrd to tip of bullet is .565" long so ogive back to base of bullet is .495" long. That 250gr Hornady is 1.235" and from ogive forward length is .575" and ogvie to base of bullet is .650" and if your OAL: is 3.300" you have app .450" in the neck. That Nolser 225gr from ogive to base of bullet is .750".

If someone suggest sending back you better shoot some factory ammo and that's what they would test rifle with. Your rifle may not like those bullets. I purchase 5 boxes of different bullets and I'll send you two boxes that mine doesn't like just pm you address, one is that Sierra bullets and Speer 220gr HCFN

 

[Patocazador]

This is the only gun that I have problems with, my 45-70 clover leafs at that distance.

I was getting so-so groups with 200 gr. bullets in my 700 until I got to maximum plus. I used a Speer 200gr. with 60+ gr. of RL-15 seated to the bottom of the neck. This produced a 1/4" three-shot group @ 100 yds. That is the best group I have ever gotten in 40+ years of reloading for over 25 calibers. (WARNING: this load is above maximum in the Nosler manual. I am relating my experience, not suggesting that you do the same.)

 

[alsaqr]

Neither of my .35 Whelen rifles have that much free bore.

 

[magetec]

Thanks for all the information and experience.

 

[WVRJ]

Looks like your rifle has a long throat,or you may not be getting an accurate measurement.My M700 in the Whelen has a very long throat,but it still shoots great even though the bullet jump is around .050.I found that the 225 gr. Sierra Game King shoots the best for me.

 

[magetec]

I think you are right about a very long throat, returned rifle to CVA for repair. I could accept .050 jump, if grouped accurately, but .270 jump is too much.

 

[magetec]

Will try the Sierra bullets, when the rifle returns. I had the 200gn hornadys already, use in my 35 Rem. Very accurate in that rifle, marlin lever.

 

[magetec]

Update on 35 Whelen problems. Rifle was returned to CVA for the accuracy problem. Received back yesterday and attached is the newest test fire for accuracy. Grouped within 2 moa with the same amunition used in the previous test, 5 shots. 4 within 2moa with one flier, probably me on that one. It clipped the bottom of the orange target, not seen in pic. Company reamed out chamber, said it was short, not to SAAMI spec.

 

[Dudedog]

4 within 2moa with one flier

It seems like there always has to be one that just doesn't behave and do what it is supposed to do!

Glad they fixed it and things are better.
Thanks for updating us.

 

[Bfh_auto]

That group looks like a little more practice with the gun would tighten it up. I had similar groupings with my inline until I became proficient at shouldering it the same every time.
Update us as you tune the load. I want a 35 whelen, but haven't found the right one.

 

[GooseGestapo]

The long throat is symptomatic to the factory .35’s.
My Browning .358 likewise requires the bullets to be seated out such to optimize accuracy.
I too suggest a longer bullet. For accuracy, try the 225gr Sierra GameKing.
I use the Hornady 200gr Spt seated out to 2.825”. It just does fit the magazine and shoots vastly better than seated to cannelure.