Thank you. I cannot humbly thank you enough in any other way, than to simply say it. From the depths of my heart - THANK YOU!

There are those who deserve mention here - John (Seafire) and Matt Yore (MYore). John suggested the project, back when I logged on here asking for information on the 35 Whelen. Matt Yore of Sawtooth Rifles did all of the gunsmithing work, including the barrel machining, fitting, stock fitting and even Cerakoting the barrel and action. And there are countless others who sent monetary donations, and even loading dies, bullets, right down to my chosen optic! To all of you - I cannot ever possibly thank you enough, except to say I will enthusiastically "pass it on", and I will do so perpetually.

I must digress here a bit - I logged on to this forum on the advice of a friend, based on his assertation that there are a lot of 35 Whelen afficionados here. I don't know where they are, save one or two. He must have been setting me up. All of the initial project movers kept trying to seduce me to another cartridge. No worries John and Matt - I know it was all in jest.

And there were a few other Whelen guys out there too, who also contributed a bit more quietly. And FWIW - those Barnes 225 gr. TSX bullets have given me the best group thus far - .7" at 100 yards, with loads developed only with an educated guess!

Now for the sad news - I just got home from a week+ camping trip. I did get to fire the New Whelen. (See mention above) I chose a bad time to contract Broncchitis, Asthma and an upper respiratoratory tract infection all at once though. I went to the ER this morning, after my wife drove us back from Tok to Wasilla almost entirely by herself, and towing a trailer for the first time. I just knew there was a reason I married her almost 17 years ago!

So I've never been much of a shutter bug, and I made a serious mistake in ensuring I had good batteries in my camera for the range session. I was already under the weather though, and spent most of my time helping Timothy sight in his new 7mm-08 for our black bear trip in a couple days (providing I'm well enough!)

I will say though, that there were a couple of genuine sub-MOA groups fired with my hand-loads from my new, very much cherrished .35 Whelen. The 225 gr. Barnes TSX went into a .75" 3-shot group, from a seated, "rested" position. (I shoot my groups using whatever I might have available in the hunting field.) The second sub-MOA group was from some 250 gr. Nosler Partitions, also hand-loads. I don't think you can get any more "minute of bear" than that!

The LOP with the Boyd's stock is perfect, and I love the personal touches on the scope. Even the weight of the rifle is perfect - It barely feels heavier than my Marlin 30-06. Matt Yore of Sawtooth Rifles gave it the addition that will make it an Heirloom rifle - Cerakoting to last a lifetime.

Here are a few pics from back home. I am feeling better after the hospital drugged me up, and can't think of any better way to spend my time. ;-)

Awesome looking gun! Thanks for your service sir

Yep, that's a goodun!

Beautiful rifle.

Boy that's one pretty rifle. I hope it gives you half as much pleasure as it has already given to me. I was more than pleased to be able to participate in a small way, on this most worthy project.
Thanks for all you do for us, Matt. God Bless

Matt, Sorry to hear about the lung stuff. Have anything to do with where you've been lately? Hopefully you can enjoy the rest of your time there and get out for the bear hunt.

So you're saying I have have a problem with my loading techniques or just cant shoot worth a...? Both? I knew something was fishy when the remington express factory load gave me the best results. I'm really glad it is performing up to expectations now. I'm plumb tickled with .75 MOA with this one. Not to downplay the project at all, but it obviously wasn't built with the same components the benchrest shooters are using. That is actually about as light of a barrel as you would want to go with a .35 cal hole through it, at least that is what a couple well known barrel makers told me.

I'll be putting together a Whelen for myself as soon as I can sneak one on the lathe. I have a couple paying jobs with deadlines already and the Vet #2 build in the works, and really it would be good if I never had time to get to a personal build I guess.

Great story all the way around.

"And FWIW - those Barnes 225 gr. TSX bullets have given me the best group thus far - .7" at 100 yards, with loads developed only with an educated guess!"

And I told you so. Watch what happens when the moose takes one.

Beautiful rifle for a deserving man!

Thank you again for your service.

Ed

Most would be amazed at the extent of the generosity that permeates our membership.

It truly would amaze you.

Yepper some really great folks here..

Veddy cool!

Great rifle and I love the caliber!

Great thread and pictures, Matt. It's been a pretty awesome experience for all of us who helped in any way on this project for a very deserving fellow.
I too am a 35 Whelen guy, as are alot of people who never say much about it. I have ranging dots in my scope and have used it to make a 1-shot kill on an elk at 418 yards--- everything was right and it was no problem. Other cartridges do this and that better and worse, while the Whelen just comes to work and gets the job done. I'll always have at least one, and if I had to go to one rifle for everything, I would hope I had the sense to grab the Whelen.
Good luck to you on your illness, and my sympathies to your wife for having to tow a trailer for the first time, under duress.

Well, you must have done something right, it's truly a shooter! No slight to either your loading or shooting abilities - I used a tip from one of the other fire members and seated the TSXs deep - he told me they like to jump and he was right. They gave me a three shot .7" group, and the 250 gr. partitions were at .89". It seems to like loads closer to max too, as both of my best groups were the hottest loads I put together. I won't have time to get out to the range again before the bear hunt, but I already have loads which are plenty accurate for now. I'll be spending the next 5 months doing some "keyboard loading" for it and collecting a couple more powders, etc. Here's a pic of my campsite loading bench in Fairbanks:

I'm guessing it will be DRT as long as I do my part!

Outstanding!!! And a big thank you!!

You have a pretty nice view from your "loading bench". The simple stuff has its purpose at times.

Who donated the dog???
Thanks for your service
Enjoy the rifle
Post animal pics

Matt - indeed! I've had that Lee hand press for almost 20 years, and I'll never get rid of it. I take it to the range, on camping trips - there's just something to be said for having the ability to load on the go without needing a bench mounted press.

TBREW401 - The dog is Jenna - a Pitt Bull/Rotweiller/Lab mix. She was a freebie from Craigslist 5 years ago, a reward for my son for an accomplishment. She has been a great family dog, and at almost 100 lbs, she's perfect for Timothy. He plays as rough as he wants with her, that way he is gentle with his four younger sisters.

It is my pleasure and my honor to serve, and you can rest assured I will absolutely post pictures of any animals that succumb to the Keena family rifles!

Those and more are the reasons I chose the 35 Whelen. Unless for some strange reason the bullet manufacturers stop making .358 bullets, there will always be components, as 30-06 brass is simple to neck up. It has enough smack for anything that walks the land, at least in North America. And heck - I just like it! I've read some about COL Whelen, and I like his views. I just named my 2.5 month old husky/black lab pup "Whelen". He'll be getting trained as a bird dog when I finish my tour.

That rifle is way cool!


Thanks for your service, sir!

Way Cool Matt

That is a nice looking gun.

Matt, This project has been a lot of fun for me to follow. My thanks to everyone involved and a special thanks to you for your service and for being a good guy. Ken

This thread brings a little tear to the eye and has my allergies acting up...

was proud to be a small part of this...

again Thanks to Mr Matt Yore for all of his hard work on this...

Thanks to Pam Lo at Leupold Tactical, for making the touches on the scope possible... it has Matt K's named and rank engraved on one side and the on the other is the 24 hour Campfire logo..

Thanks to all the forum members who made this all possible.. from the guys who donated the bullets and dies, to those that sent what they could...


and a final thanks to Matt K. for allowing us to be able to do this for one of our boys in Uniform... serving our country so far from home....

all of us involved feel very good and satisfied for accomplishment of a very worthwhile project...

and thanks to Rick Bin for allowing us to make his web site the home base for this endeavor...

thanks again to all you guys out there!

best regards
seafire

Go hunt something.

Preferably - kill something with all due respect to the critter, with a great hunt beforehand.

Thank you for your service (I know it's becoming trite... but the best I can do.)

any animmals that fall to matt and his custom made campfire edition .35 whelen would go around bragging about it if they could.
thanks for your service.

Matt, that is one AWESOME rifle in the best cartridge out there buddy! What a gift. Hope we can link up.. Be good to talk Whelen with a fellow person, in the know!

Thanks again everyone! I can't wait to get back home and send some more .358 bullets downrange. beretzs - whenever you are "in town", the coffee is on me.

No worries buddy. Might be traveling that way soon.

AlaskanMatt,

Thank you for your service. I pray for your safe return.

Thanking a vet for their service may be a lot more popular today than in previous times, but it will never be trite, not to the receiving vet. If we want to freshen it up a bit, try mowing their lawn sometime, or paying for their lunch. Those things give teeth to the thanks. The local Applebee's feeds vets a free meal one day per year. They don't have to do that, but they do.