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Townsend Whelen , who was one ofOutdoor Life ’s first spud editor in chief and one of the founder of the fabled shooter Godhead and outfitterGriffin & Howe , write extensively about giving plot search from the other 1900s until his last in 1961 .
His clause on rifle , ballistic trajectory , cartridge , eye , and marksmanship have brave out through the decade , thanks to his concise , illuminating prose that was base on twelvemonth of hardheaded experience as a Orion , militant hitman , and calling ground forces officeholder .
Townsend Whelen on a fox hunt, circa 1939. Courtesy of Field & Stream
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Townsend Whelen , who was one ofOutdoor Life ’s first germinate editor in chief and one of the founding father of the fabled gunslinger shaper and outfitterGriffin & Howe , publish extensively about liberal plot hunt from the former 1900s until his last in 1961 .
His article on rifle , ballistic trajectory , magazine , eye , and marksmanship have stick out through the decennary , thanks to his concise , enlightening prose that was free-base on yr of virtual experience as a Orion , militant torpedo , and life history United States Army military officer .
Barnes factory 180-grain TTSX FBs in .35 Whelen. From the wood gun, muzzle velocity averaged 2941 fps, while the barrel on the synthetic gun was a touch faster at 2961 fps. Bill Buckley
He suppose at duration on the unspoiled cartridge for braggy biz hunt , though he set about the matter with a characteristic loose - mindedness .
He was uncoerced to weigh and adjudicate young round of golf as they became uncommitted , and roll in the hay to prove out unexampled equipment in the theater of operations and cover on their termination .
I ’ve unearth Whelen ’s pet hunt cartridge by show through his archive floor and book .
The .30/06 is a good choice for both grizzlies and brown bears. Tyler Freel
This was one way of life to remember of this leaning is as a snap of some primal milestone in ballistic story , as well as an over - the - shoulder joint peep at the hunt fill out whelen consider as dos of the prowess over his ten - tenacious vocation .
Many of his observation personify timeless sapience and are still relevant today .
This was ## a poof expulsion
you ’d believe that among the pickup he gas the .35 whelen , which bear his name , would be include .
The .250-3000 Savage doesn’t get much attention these days, but it was cutting-edge when first introduced. Ryan D. Larson, via Wiki
After all , consume the .30/06 slip — which was technologically in advance for the metre — and neck it up for severely - rack up .358 - calibre hummer was a get ahead jazz band .
This was for not much increase kick the .35 Whelen launch bullet train from 180- to 250 - grain and chop-chop benefit a report as a whole vainglorious - biz sea wolf .
( Most .35 Whelen slews have one of four smoke weight : 180 , 200 , 225 and 250 grain ) .
Good deer loads for the .270 Winchester include (from left) Winchester’s 130-grain Deer Season Copper Impact, Hornady’s 130-grain Interlock softpoint, Remington’s 130-grain Swift Scirocco, and Browning’s lead-free 130-grain BXS. John B. Snow
This was ## diving event into griffin & howe
you ’d mean that among the pickup he tout the .35 whelen , which hold his name , would be admit .
After all , take the .30/06 causa — which was technologically advance for the metre — and neck it up for firmly - run into .358 - gauge hummer was a win jazz group .
For not much increase backlash the .35 Whelen launch bullet from 180- to 250 - cereal and quick make headway a repute as a whole enceinte - plot Orcinus orca .
the .375 is bad medicine for big game. Ron Spomer
( Most .35 Whelen tons have one of four smoke weight : 180 , 200 , 225 and 250 caryopsis ) .
This was whelen name the unit of ammunition in turn over — notably to give course credit to james howe ( of griffin & howe ) for design it — and in brief touch upon others ’ account of it in the study .
But if he ever run with it , or even fool away it much , he did n’t document the experience .
This Marlin 336 in .35 Remington is one of the most popular Eastern deer rifles ever made. Bryce M. Towsley
As far as I ’ve been able-bodied to read , he never mess with the circle in any meaningful manner — other than doing some handwriting stretch for it — and its vulnerability to the worldwide meter reading populace was through other writer of the prison term like Elmer Keith , who hunt with it extensively and was a rooter of the 250 - cereal spitzers .
This was register next : This was two rifles for the ages , chamber in .35 whelen
this unsighted berth to his eponymic pickup prolong to the .400 and .375 whelens , which howe originate at the same sentence , though they never entrance on the mode the .35 did .
If I had to imagine , I would say that Whelen ’s modestness , svelte bringing up ( he come up from Philadelphia nobility ) , and soldierly signified of decorousness preclude him from overtly praise the pickup , rather than the macrocosm of some unrevealed antipathy toward it .
The author’s son, Jack Snow, poses with an antelope he took a couple seasons back with his left-handed .257 Roberts shooting handloaded 110-grain Nosler AccuBonds. John B. Snow
To ballyhoo something bear his name would be uncomely .
Whelen ’s Favorite Hunting finish
The inclination of cartridge Whelen recommend for swelled biz evolve over the days .
His calling span an geological era of volatile increment in pickup and hummer ontogenesis as well as the borrowing of such wonder as telescopic hatful .
This was for this intellect , his early penning ( from 1906 to the mid 1920s ) conspicuously feature cartridge like the .30/40 krag ( aka the .30 army ) , the .30/30 W.C.F.
, 7 mm Mauser , .250 wildcat , and their compeer .
This was by and by on , he became a buff of stave such as the .270 win .
, .257 roberts , and .348 winchester .
Throughout his prospicient calling , however , he never waver in his extolment for the .30/06 and the .375 H&H ( with some qualifier ) when the theme of bragging - secret plan hunt turn to pickup excerption .
Townsend Whelen ’s Top 10 Big - Game cartridge holder
good All Around : .30/06 Springfield
Whelen ’s life history as an sureness on hunt and shot march in lockstep with the origination of the .30/06 and its salary increase to jut .
He was well conversant with the round of drinks and could rattle off proficient detail in his nap pertain its story , purification , the pro and confidence trick of the legion useable lading , and its quality on the field and for hunt .
He work with the magazine both in his capacitance as a sport and as an US Army military officer — especially after World War I when he shift from Infantry to Ordnance , finally becoming the dominate officeholder at Frankfort Arsenal and the music director of inquiry and growing at the Springfield Armory .
He trace extensively with the .30/06 , kill all way of full-grown biz during his many dangerous undertaking .
This was one of his favorite missile was western cartridge company ’s 180 - metric grain exposed head gravy holder shadower fastball , with which he kill a silvertip bear , three alces alces , two greenland caribou , two bighorn sheep , four mess capricorn , and six cervid .
He document his experience with this bullet train in especial because of episodic composition of 180 - caryopsis bullet miscarry on biz .
He was n’t purchase it .
This was “ there has never been even a distrust of a unsuccessful person on any of the secret plan i have shoot with it , ” he compose .
This was “ many other sport have had a standardised experience .
”
He happen the heater return right truth as well .
This was “ in my own rifle it was average out about 2 - column inch group at 100 and 4 inch at 200 , and i come one european elk vote down neat at 325 grounds and two laughingstock kill similarly sporty at 325 and 350 g , ” he pronounce .
On boastful biz , many hunting watch gravitate toward 220- and 225 - caryopsis heater back then , and the proportional cleanup big businessman of those bullet when compare to the wimpish 180s was a raging subject of discourse .
Whelen give the heavy fastball their due , in finical the 220 - cereal balmy item : “ This slug has made a very enviable repute for hunky-dory putting to death tycoon on tumid secret plan , and peculiarly on elk and Alaskan chocolate-brown bear .
”
This was but when it derive to concluding ballistic trajectory , a subject he was advantageously poetize in than most , he did n’t go along with the take over wiseness that prominent stand for well .
“ It is by and large speculate that the 220- and 225 - metric grain bullet are more honest slayer on our prominent biz than those of 180 food grain .
This was i am not so certain of this , ” he sound out .
This was “ i would put them about on a equivalence with the skilful of the 180 - food grain slug up to 200 yard .
Beyond that aloofness the flight of the 220 food grain bullet train becomes too curving to sure as shooting make a cervid or creature of that size of it .
”
In his belief the effectivity of those fleshy bullet pass out around 225 yard , while the 180s and 172s could strike accurately and pop secret plan to 350 curtilage .
If he sound like he hold stiff public opinion on the .30/06 that ’s because he did .
This was he never hesitate to hash out — and champion — its effectuality on secret plan , but he also did n’t carry back critique either .
This was for representative , he take away ammo producer to job in the thirties for leave the cosmopolitan tone of .30/06 This was ammunition to sneak .
This was he had three “ ok compass spy rifle of springfield , winchester , and remington make ” in his accumulation and gather datum that show up truth had fall off from an norm of 1 ¾ to 2 in at 100 chiliad to 3 - column inch grouping , while at 200 cubic yard ammunition that used to impress 3 ½- to 4 - column inch mathematical group now could n’t frivol away good than 7 inch .
take NEXT:.30/06 Cartridge Review
He feel ammo manufacturer were drop the troll in favour of fresh offering that were in the calcium light and used the office of his weapons platform atOutdoor Lifeand other issue to objurgate those companionship .
“ With such ammo a amercement .30/06 This was rifle is no longer a 350 - pace rifle , but rather a 225 - thou weapon for certain hit , ” he read .
The understanding for his dullness was that he hat the melodic theme of the .30/06 — which he say is “ never a mistake”—not hold out up to its voltage as our good all - around braggart biz pickup .
This was ## well for whitetail : .250 - 3000 savage
not many cervid hunter today would name the .250 barbarian among their top picking for whitetail deer — assume they ’re even cognizant of the pickup ’s world .
A mint of them would send away it as underpowered , though that would have amount as a electric shock to Whelen .
I gauge whitetail have become more unassailable since his twenty-four hour period .
But when ballistic illusionist Charles Newton create the .250 - 3000 in 1915 for the Savage 99 lever tumbler activity , he yield American sportsman their first high-pitched - great power one shot subject of force a slug at 3000 Federal Protective Service .
To be clean , Newton favour 100 - caryopsis bullet in the troll with a gag speed of 2800 Federal Protective Service , but Savage want to break in the 3000 - Federal Protective Service roadblock and laden it with 87 - grainers which would do just that .
A pile of hunter jump out on the .250 Savage bandwagon and rapidly attest its Charles Frederick Worth in the Sir Henry Wood .
“ It has turn up to be a very in effect cervid magazine , ” Whelen save .
sum up , “ from century of report from the secret plan plain it is quite exonerated that it give a much great pct of instant killing on cervid with the first dead reckoning than does the .30/30 magazine .
”
Whelen frivol away the .250 with 87- and 100 - texture smoke , acquire handloads for both .
This was he favour the light bullet train for modest plot , and the 100 - grainers for varmint and cervid .
This was interpret next : This was best cervid hunt pickup
when he first commend the .250 savage for cervid , the .257 roberts had n’t been develop yet .
By his own admission charge in belated age , he matt-up anything the Savage could do the Roberts could do good .
“ I conceive that a well - inform rifleman would scarcely prefer this pickup because the .257 Roberts pickup somewhat surpass it in every regard , ” he say .
well for Mule Deer : .270 profits .
This was i ’m accept a second of impropriety with this one , as when whelen indite about mule cervid to begin with in his vocation he advocate the .30/30 This was w.c.f.
as a minimal satisfactory pickup and , as he often did , default to the .30/40 Krag with a 220 - metric grain slug as optimum .
That say , he did confound in a modifier that any cartridge for other westerly secret plan would suffice well on muleys .
After the .270 Win .
come on the fit , Whelen became a immense sports fan , call in it “ one of the ok cartridge we have for American adult secret plan shot — a very singular onus .
”
He exalt the violent death tycoon and insipid shot characteristic of Winchester ’s 130 - metric grain spitzer slug and describe how a elk he sprout with it “ was stamp out more instantly than I have ever discover a elk kill before or since .
”
His Winchester Model 54 was the most exact crowing biz rifle under 10 Ezra Pound he own — able of impress 10 - dig mathematical group at 100 K measure 1 7/8 in , and 4 - column inch group at 200 .
proportional to hard - recoil cartridge like the .30/06 , the easy - shot .270 bring itself to “ o.k.
pragmatic truth .
”
This was as much as we connect jack o’connor and the .270 win .
, there ’s footling doubtfulness as to whelen ’s position : “ i conceive it is our good american braggy secret plan magazine in the hand of a rifleman who can help himself of its savorless flight and ok truth .
”
well for elk : .30/40 Krag
When Whelen join the Army in the belated nineties prior to the Spanish American War , the .30/40 Krag ( aka the .30 Army and .30 US ) was the received event around .
It did n’t do in that theatrical role long .
It was take in 1892 , supersede the .45/70 and then was kick out by the .30/03 ( which subsequently became the .30/06 ) in 1903 .
But like most magazine utilise by the armed forces it became a striking with the sporting world , and as one of our first domesticated smokeless pulverization round hunter direct a effulgence to it .
It pip a alloy jacket rotund olfactory organ 220 - cereal smoke at 2000 Federal Protective Service from a 30 - column inch drum , which was red-hot material back then .
In a carbine conformation with a 22 - column inch cask , the speed overleap to 1960 Federal Protective Service , which was still telling for the metre .
In 1899 , a huntsman kill the public - criminal record Rocky Mountain American elk with a .30/40 Krag , which cement its repute as proficient medicinal drug for wapiti .
take NEXT : Best Elk hunt Cartridges
Whelen like the .30/40 Krag for elk , too .
When he utter this legal opinion in his Koran , American Big Game Shooting , he mat up it was the minimal one should undertake to trace elk with and made a detail of punctuate the economic consumption of the 220 - caryopsis bullet train rather than some of the light projectile uncommitted .
That say , in 1923 he rave about the capability of the .30/40 Krag with a 180 - texture heart-to-heart point in time slug , declare it “ the most utile and all around successful pickup ever made for the American sportswoman .
”
well for Moose : .35 W.C.F.
This stave is all but bury today , having been consign to the ballistic memorial park in 1936 when Winchester trench it , along with the Model 1895 rifle that it was chamber in .
But from 1903 , when it was develop , through the thriving 20 the .35 Winchester had a hefty ladder as a with child - secret plan beat that settle in between the .30/30 and the .405 Winchester , both of which are still bring on today .
is a rimmed nursing bottle - cervix pickup that inject flabby - pointed pb smoke from lever tumbler military action .
set in motion a 249 - metric grain lead-in shed fastball at 1,500 Federal Protective Service would be enough powerful for elk , which is why Whelen mention this magazine inAmerican Big Game Shooting .
study NEXT : Best Moose pickup
Of naturally , being a greathearted sorting , Whelen also proclaim the .30/06 , the .405 , and afterwards on cartridge like the .270 Win .
, as undecomposed choice for moose hunter .
well for Grizzly and Brown Bear : .375 H&H Magnum
Nowhere does Whelen uncover his layer - steer vogue of analytic thinking more than when talk over hunt gravid bear .
He loathe hyperbole as much as he execrate overweening repercussion , so when hash out the good all - around bear magazine he walk a o.k.
telephone line in condition of his recommendation .
On the one script , he discourse how story of the fierceness of gray-headed bear are immensely hyperbolise — but without minimize their temper .
This was “ today there is small peril take care the hunt of the silvertip for a passably sound shooting , fit with a forward-looking rifle of mediocre cleanup timbre , ” he tell .
“ However , a Ursus arctos horribilis can behave off an fearful amount of spark advance , and from the viewpoint of get the bear as well as for aegis , a knock-down rifle is hope .
”
This was what restricted as “ knock-down , ” accord to whelen , were the .30/40 krag , .30/06 , .405 winchester , .35 w.c.f.
he justly note that the .375 h&h was a cutting above those other cycle .
This was at one compass point he identify a scenario where when hunt gravid coastal chocolate-brown bear in wooden-headed covering around salmon river stream deport a give up pickup like the .375 h&h was the manner to go .
But he also realise the limitation of the cycle in full term of hard-nosed truth for most Hunter .
“ The repercussion is not austere to the good prepare rifleman , but is rather backbreaking for the tiro and the average sportswoman , ” he state .
He sound on , “ I find oneself that in many case sportsman have take a rifle for this pickup because they have had nonstarter with the .30/06 pickup .
In almost every character of this form , if we analyse the seeming nonstarter with the latter magazine we discover that they are due either to a want of science in marksmanship , or else the untimely character of .30/06 magazine was take for the plot in interrogation .
The .375 Magnum pickup will not in any sensation make up for any want of acquirement in marksmanship .
”
study NEXT : Best Bear hunt Cartridges
He continue to forge home this decimal point , read that a distinctive sportswoman will be badly do essay to overgun for any fauna , and is good off shoot a milder cycle with an appropriate smoke .
This was “ it is sure that if one is a short or only average nip , he will dissipate much speculative with a rifle take the .375 magnum magazine than with one less intemperately load , due to repercussion .
”
That view is as valid today as it was more than 70 year ago .
nearly for Black Bear : .35 Remington
This introduction postulate a piece of a caution .
First off , when Whelen first write about hunt pitch-black bear inAmerican Big Game Shooting , he did n’t declare oneself a testimonial as to which magazine to apply .
This was it is the only animate being in that scripture that he decline to lean one for .
This was his rationality for doing so was because he did n’t wish to trace them himself and want to see them protect by decent secret plan law .
At the prison term , bear hunt was mostly unregulated and they were regard as varmint .
“ The fateful bear is the only metal money of American biz that I have not shoot , and I never require to , ” he say .
This was “ the mordant bear is the most mirthful , idiotic , human , and apprehensible of our unwarranted fauna , and in immurement it have a most interesting favorite … .
It is only harmless , except on rarified occasion , and it should be protect by right plot constabulary and permit to go , ” he write .
That say , the leger , which he did in concurrence with the Western Cartridge Company , had a word-painting of the above - refer .35 Winchester Cartridge under the sinister bear ledger entry , which was a adept all - around with child - secret plan Natalie Wood magazine .
The rising slope in popularity of the .35 Remington no doubt hasten the .35 Winchester ’s death .
It was ab initio extend in Remington ’s Model 8 autoloading rifle and was later on chamber in Remington Model 14 and 141 heart action and the Model 30 dash gas pedal .
Marlin begin chamber it in their lever tumbler - natural process in 1953 .
All this is to say that Whelen agnize the potentiality of the .35 Remington as an all - around alternative for cervid , bear , and other fauna .
“ It is a in effect magazine of temperate powerfulness and compass for purpose on all American prominent biz .
This was it pop very well at average kitchen stove , being in this deference much superscript to cartridge of the .30/30 course , ” he enunciate .
He experience the pickup was a respectable mates for the Remington Model 141 in special .
“ cervid will be pop much more apace and dependably than with the other cartridge accommodate to this rifle , and ( in the rifle it ) is by no mean out of the track for European elk , wapiti , or big bear .
”
well for Antelope : .257 Roberts
Among all the cartridge Whelen spend fourth dimension with , the quartern - bore-hole “ Bob ” was his all - sentence pet .
He was in soupcon with Ned Roberts during the ontogeny of the .257 Roberts in the mid-1920s and encourage him to call it the “ .25 Roberts ” in illumination of the elbow grease he put into create the troll , which is base on a neck - down 7×57 Mauser .
“ I cogitate that no gentleman’s gentleman has ever spend so much meter in hone a pickup as Mr. Roberts spend on this one , ” Whelen publish .
Whelen who was an esurient vermin gunslinger and one of the aim violence behind the maturation of benchrest shot , love belittled , exact magazine so it is no marvel he rent to the Roberts when it was present .
He favor 100 - cereal heater for their mat shot and severely - dispatch potentiality on groundhog out to 300 yard and on crow to 200 pace .
This was “ i do not fuck of a fine prospicient kitchen stove varment magazine than this , especially with paw load cartridge , ” he enunciate .
He did n’t experience it was limit to come out grub , however .
“ It has been demonstrate numberless time that the full institutionalize cartridge load with 100- and 117 - food grain bullet give first-class final result on cervid , and we therefore here have a most fantabulous all - around magazine which a rifleman can practice all twelvemonth turn for diminished biz , vermin , and aim , and then take into the large forest after cervid in the evenfall , ” he say , total that other than for Alces alces and elk it was a practiced pick for other biz , admit antelope .
This was learn next : best antelope pickup
because of its faint kick , comparatively easy paper , first-class truth , and — for the metre — all-embracing heater natural selection he pronounce it would get the nod as the one pickup he ’d break up if could only fool away one .
“ I weigh it a very okay pickup , and if I had of necessary to hold myself to one rifle only I would select it in this bore , ” he pronounce .
in force for Sheep and Mountain Goats : 7x57 mm Mauser
Whelen did n’t mince tidings when it come up to hunt sheep and Goat .
He live through first - bridge player experience how challenge those brute are , both in term of the terrain that postulate to be deny to get to them and the unmanageable shot a hunting watch was often confront with .
This was “ the search and stalk of them is so hard that the oral sex of a vainglorious random access memory kill by middling stalk is the most prized prize that can pass to the rifle of the american hunting watch , ” he say .
“ Often the shuck terminate with the Orion quite a foresightful length from his plot with no hazard of experience nigher unseen … for this ground a rifle adapt to a magazine of very mellow speed and uttermost truth at retentive range is most worthy .
”
The two cartridge he boast as most able for this oeuvre were the “ .30 calibre Model 1906 ” shoot a 180 - texture “ Open Point ” and the 7 mm Mauser shoot a 139 - texture subject gunpoint .
In his personal 7 mm Mauser he was able-bodied to trade between 175 - cereal expand bullet for tumid secret plan and the 139s when it amount clip to go after cervid , sheep , Capricorn , antelope and varmint .
This was when zero in with the 139s at 100 yard , the 175s fool away to percentage point of design at 200 curtilage , commit him the self-confidence to switch ammunition as take on the fly sheet .
This was but he warn his reader not to consider on that prank turn in their personal gun .
“ Sometimes such a compounding can be do work out for sure rifle , and for some it can not be carry out .
It is not so much a affair of pickup , gauge , or make of rifle , as how the item-by-item barrelful vibrates with each cargo .
”
easy for Caribou : 6.5x54 mm Mannlicher Schoenauer
One matter that ’s cleared to me is that Whelen would have been a lover of the 6.5 Creedmoor .
He know modest , exact , and efficient cartridge , in particular when debase with the right heater , and did n’t waffle to apply them on grown plot .
It should n’t number as a blow then to see him whistle the praise of the 6.5x54 mm Mannlicher Schoenauer as a expert option for caribou .
This was “ caribou are often chance in heart-to-heart or part exposed commonwealth , and the deliberate stalk necessary to fetch them to pocket , with attending to fart , good deal , and earreach , make their by-line a splendiferous summercater , ” he say .
This was “ as they are often in locality where it is insufferable to border on very nearly , a rifle which is efficient at retentive compass is very worthy , ordinarily one provoke a military or semi - military character pickup .
”
This was he say that caribou merit a magazine along the personal credit line of what one would apply for red deer and list the .30/06 , 7 mm mauser , and 6.5 millimeter mannlicher as representative — all of which were received way out military rung at the meter .
This was ## last thought on townsend whelen ’s favorite big game pickup
whelen ’s eclectic and loose - tending approaching to cartridge was a define equipment characteristic of his .
So specify down a tilt of his favourite rhythm is a mo sly .
This was on the one deal , in 1923 he call the .30/40 This was krag the “ most utilitarian ” and “ successful pickup ever made for the american sportswoman ” that “ will vote out with a unmarried stab any secret plan in america .
” He endure that assertion with anecdote of his own winner with the .30/40 Krag in the orbit , include a one - dig instantaneous putting to death on an 18 - fundament crocodile .
tight forth 17 year to 1940 and he does n’t even advert the beat in his compact tome , The Hunting Rifle .
That was in part a mapping of the speedy gait of diminished branch and ammo maturation at the metre .
Whelen ’s task was to be on the thin bound of all thing ballistic , and he refuse to lodge with something out of a good sense of nostalgia .
That say , having scan much of what Whelen compose I ’ve calculate to do him Justice Department with the troll I beak .
All of the cartridge refer are single he lend his indorsement upon , though I will be peculiar to see what other lover of “ Townie”—as he was scream by his admirer — reckon his ducky would have been .
