Another 35 Whelen for Deer Thread

[foxfyre841]

I'm building a 35 whelen on a 1909 argentine mauser action and had some questions for bullet selection.

I'm in arizona and hunt here and Virginia. Mostly deer, but I also have the opportunity to hunt Elk, pronghorn, buffallo (rare), javelina, and mountain goat. I'm trying to figure out a bullet for the lighter skinned animals (deer, goat, javelina).

I've read this thread http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=378164
and others like it and have some questions:

I'll start by put my proposed load out there: RL-15 56-60grains to push a 200gr @ 2800fps or a 225gr @ 2750 (loads are not fully developed these just seem to be what others are getting). I'll use heavy for caliber bullets when hunting elk or larger eg: woodleigh 310gr.

A BT will extend ranges usefully for the deer-ish animals (mule, coues, pronghorn, mountain goat) but I have heard bad things:

Sierra's Gameking in this caliber and speeds sheds it's core and/or explodes even on light skinned animals.
The Barnes TSX, Nosler Accubond bullets do not expand fully on thinner game (goat, coues, pronghorn) because they are too tough.

These are the only current BT offerings that I could find. I'ld like the added range of the BT but have heard great things about pointed spitzer bullets on thinner game:
Speers' 250gr
Hornady's 200 and 250 SP-RP

Other bullets that are meant for heavier game also show up in user posts:
Nosler Partition 225 & 250 gr
Hornady interlock roundnose 200 & 250gr

I'm trying to see if anyone can confirm or refute the claims that I've summarized from general discussion. Also any advice is welcome.

Thanks!
James

 

[Kachok]

Don't get too caught up in having 50 different bullet weights, just load up some 250gr partitions over 53gr of RL15 and you have a great setup for everything the 35 Whelen is supposed to do

 

[ReloaderEd]

I agree one load is best for the 35 whelen. I have one a 742 Remington and tried a lot of different bullets and loads. Actually recoil was ok but muzzle blast was excrusiating so I would load it back some and work up to a comfortable level. The 250 gr bullet is great for big game.if you get used to shooting it. Personally after all is said and done I am going to sell it to someone that likes muzzle blast and detached retinas. Be safe....

 

[natman]

A boat tail bullet can make a difference, but only at distances far longer than you should be shooting a 35 Whelen. I don't see any reason to restrict yourself to BT bullets. I'd make a 200 grain load with Corelokts or similar for deer and a 225-250 grain premium bullet load for elk and such and call it good.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I agree with Natman.
I'd load the 200gr Remington PtSpt for most anything that you'll be hunting.

For the occasional Elk or Moose hunt, I'd go with the 225gr Nosler Partition.

The Bonded boat-tail plastic tipped bullets will be ok and will give slightly better 200yd and further ballistics, but you won't likely be shooting that far anyhow.

I've actually had good performance from all the Sierra bullets I've used through the years. The only dissapointment was the 170gr FN from the .30/30. It seemed to be a bit hard for it.

The Sierra 200gr RN will be too soft for the .35Whelen, but the PtSpt's will do fine. Especially at longer ranges where velocities have slowed down.

Only if I'm going into dense alder thickets after brown or grizzly bears would I really prefer a 250gr Partition or a Barnes-X.

My next rifle build is going to be a .35Whelen. I've got a .338/06 and it's great, but I've always dreamed of building a .35. I really love the homely old .35Rem and have killed many deer with it. The Whelen is only more-better!

However, If I was only going to shoot one load through my .338/06, it would be a 250gr bullet. With the 250gr Hornady PtSpt. I've gotten three touching at 100yds at 2,550fps over 56.5gr of IMR4350. With this same "zero" setting at 100yds I'm 3" high at 100yds with a Nosler 180gr BallisticTip (discontinued) at 2,900fps for a 250yd zero.
Substitute the 250gr Swift A-frame and your good for anything in the hemisphere.

 

[foxfyre841]

Thanks guys:

I think that considering the terrain (Arizona desert) 300 yd shots are not unexpected. Eventually I will get one of those new winchester m70 featherweights to fill this gap but for now I will use the 35 whelen: 225gr .358cal bullets don't waver in the high winds nearly so much as 150gr .270cal. (plus you gotta love the fun factor of such a strange cartridge).

For the small desert deer and other thin skinned game I'll be looking at the gameking and accubond pretty hard. At speeds of 2400-2800fps I don't think i'll have the same problem as the low-loaders. (And yes i'm used to big boom: my other brush gun is a marlin 1895GS in 45-70 with grizzly loads.)

I like the woodleigh 310gr or the partition bullets for Bear, elk, moose sized animals though. I'll probably order some of the partition 250gr to try for that application.

I'll probably vary the charge of RL15 between 54 and 60 grs after i get a scale (use a scoop system now). Otherwise i'll follow the recommendations made on this page: http://www.35cal.com/loading.html.

Thanks for all your help. Keep it coming though: the rifle is very far from finished and I still have time to waffle.

James

 

[roklok]

I used to use the 225 Sierra Game King on deer, it actually worked very well. Recovered a couple bullets, never shed the jacket, even at close ranges. It would STOP a deer right now. I had just one deer that moved after the shot, he went maybe 15 yards after taking one through the ribs. Now, I use 250 grain Nosler Partitions for everything, ahead of 59 grains* of Reloder 15. I have used this load on deer, black bear, grizzly, moose, muskox with great success. It does great on deer, though not quite as dramatic as the lighter constructed GameKing, but works very well on the big stuff as well.

* Work up to this load carefully, it is safe in all three of my Whelens.

 

[MichaelK]

Another option for you James is to just make your own bullets. Here's a pic of .35 caliber bullets I made out of .223 brass. Easy to make a bonded core bullet by dipping the whole jacket in molten lead. Anneals the brass, fills the jacket, and bonds the core all in one motion. Then run the cooled jacket/core through a CH bullet die (www.ch4d.com)

 

[davidfletcher]

Rocklok is right. Use the Sierra 225s and you'll be happy.