35 Whelen

[hoytcanon]

Personally, I think 250 grains is optimal for the medium .35 cal cartridges.

 

[Bush Buck]

I like the 35 Whelen but I would probably choose my 375 H&H to shoot bullets heavier than 250 grains.

Hoytcanon,
I certainly understand choosing the 250 for large bodied moose and bears but I wonder if a 225 would be more versatile for deer, elk and African antelope?

 

[hoytcanon]

I like the 35 Whelen but I would probably choose my 375 H&H to shoot bullets heavier than 250 grains.

Hoytcanon,
I certainly understand choosing the 250 for large bodied moose and bears but I wonder if a 225 would be more versatile for deer, elk and African antelope?

I my experience, the 250 is just about perfect in the .35 Whelen, .350 Rem Mag and the Sambar. The 225's are nice in the .358 Win and 200's in the .35 Rem. I don't care for the concept of always shooting the heaviest for caliber bullets... it simply makes the cartridge less versatile, while at the same time adding virtually nothing to the terminal effect on game. I think matching the bullet weight to the case volume is the most practical and versatile approach... this usually means choosing something in the middle, not too light and not too heavy.

 

[Rule 303]

I my experience, the 250 is just about perfect in the .35 Whelen, .350 Rem Mag and the Sambar. The 225's are nice in the .358 Win and 200's in the .35 Rem. I don't care for the concept of always shooting the heaviest for caliber bullets... it simply makes the cartridge less versatile, while at the same time adding virtually nothing to the terminal effect on game. I think matching the bullet weight to the case volume is the most practical and versatile approach... this usually means choosing something in the middle, not too light and not too heavy.

I see where you are coming from and tend to agree but, there is always a BUT. I have found the 225 gr in the Sambar great on pigs to Red Deer. Anything bigger, like Sambar Deer (Indian Elk) I go for the 250's and would do so with the Whelen.

I feel the 275 grain bullets would be like using 286 grain bullets in the 9.3X62 and for the Whelen to 358RUM are the go for heavy and/or big bodied animals. Remembering Taylor claimed he couldn't pick the difference between a 350 Rigby and 375H&H (I think he was talking about penetration, will have to re-read his book) when both were using 300/310 grain projectiles and back then the 350R was loaded to Whelen performance. But, there we go again another BUT, I don't think anybody will be hunting Elephant or Rhino with a Whelen. Lion yes and I would use the 275 out of a Whelen, Sambar or larger 35cal for this.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I like the 35 Whelen but I would probably choose my 375 H&H to shoot bullets heavier than 250 grains.

Hoytcanon,
I certainly understand choosing the 250 for large bodied moose and bears but I wonder if a 225 would be more versatile for deer, elk and African antelope?

@Bush Buck
Fortunately the Whelen is very versatile.
Mine will put bullets from 200gn to 275gn to the same poi at 100yards. At 200 they are still very similar but after that the 225s reign out to over 400.
The 250-275 have a very similar trajectory out to 300
And the 310 with the same sight setting is spot on the bulls eye at 100
The Whelen is capable of launching a big 310 grainer at 2,455 fps which ain't that far behind the 375 H&H. The 35 cal 310 has a very similar SD as the 350gn 375.
The Whelen is a handloaders dream and getting the best out of it is an easy job.
A ton of game was shot with the 350 Rigby and it was highly prized for its versatility in its day.
Game ain't got any tougher in the last 100years but hunter seem to require more power to do the same job on the same animals.
I still have trouble understanding why cartridges of yore killed animals admirably years ago but now days are considered borderline.
Maybe we should concentrate more on putting a properly constructed bullet of adequate calibre in the right spot more often.
A 35 cal soft points thru the lungs/heart will kill an animal just as dead as a 40-45 cal bullet in the same spot. Neither will work if'n y'all shoot em in the foot.
Gun writers and advertising bullshit have a lot to answer for in my book.
Why is it daddy's little girl can kill a truck load of game with her puny little 257 Roberts but daddy needs a big 300-338 magnum to do the same job. That's right some gunwriters told him he needs it to be a man but his daughter is killing the same game just as dead with her itty bitty 25 cal.
Target showing a group shot with my Whelen using bullets from 200-310 grains. The top right hand shot is a 200gn ftx the one in the bull is a 310gn Woodleigh soft points. The rest are various 225s,250s and a 275 thrown in for fun.
This is from a cold clean barrel and it wasn't allowed to cool between shots. At the end of the session you couldn't touch the barrel it was that hot.
To me this is how a rifle should shoot wether it's clean dirty, cold or hot no matter what the calibre
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I see where you are coming from and tend to agree but, there is always a BUT. I have found the 225 gr in the Sambar great on pigs to Red Deer. Anything bigger, like Sambar Deer (Indian Elk) I go for the 250's and would do so with the Whelen.

I feel the 275 grain bullets would be like using 286 grain bullets in the 9.3X62 and for the Whelen to 358RUM are the go for heavy and/or big bodied animals. Remembering Taylor claimed he couldn't pick the difference between a 350 Rigby and 375H&H (I think he was talking about penetration, will have to re-read his book) when both were using 300/310 grain projectiles and back then the 350R was loaded to Whelen performance. But, there we go again another BUT, I don't think anybody will be hunting Elephant or Rhino with a Whelen. Lion yes and I would use the 275 out of a Whelen, Sambar or larger 35cal for this.

@Rule 303
Y'all don't need a 35 or bigger for sambar in my book. To me even my 444 marlin loaded with 280gn Woodleigh RNSP @ 2,350fps was over kill for them.
The last one I shot at a bit over 100 yards was with the Victoria minimum a 270 win hand loaded with 130gn ACP monos. It was bang flop. No tracking, hole in one side and bigger hole out the other side plus a blood spray Stevie Wonder could follow on a dark night. I know a person that uses an old 303brit loaded with 215 gn Woodleigh RNSP @2,200 fps and his deer fall down dead when he shoots them no problems.
They ain't armour plated, tough yes but with no lungs/ heart they ain't going far.
Bob
Bob

 

[Rule 303]

Bob you are correct, though generally a bigger cal can drop them quicker. A mate hit a Sambar stag from 15mt's with a 220 grain proj from a 30-06. In one side out the other, some bone and bright bubbly blood was there, so at least one rib and both lungs hit. Stag was never found even with 15 blokes looking for it and the following 2 weekends with dogs. Larger calibre or much lighter bullet and stag may well have been found not too far from the spot.

My sambar stag took a hit with 250 grain Woodleigh, 180mts with a very stiff crosswind - so I was lucky, missed the heart, but broke both front legs. he traveled 300mts porpoiseing off its back legs. I wouldn't have believed it if I had not seen it. Yes if had been a heart shot or lung shot he would not of traveled that far. A hind I shot, same rifle and load from 20 meters , through the heart ran up hill for about 60mts turned down hill for 30 then fell over.

Yep they are not bullet proof but are tough and can cover distance even with a heart or lung shot, especially if they are already spooked. I know of quite a few with good hits with cals upto and including 300WM that were lost. One of the reasons I put these down to was poor bullet selection.