Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .35 Whelen, whitetails and bullets

I've been tinkering again with my pump carbine and getting what I would consider pretty good velocity from my stubby 18.5" barrel and groups all at an inch or so...

250gr hornady RN @ 2430fps

225gr accubond @ 2700fps

200gr TTSX @2790fps

I've only ever killed game with the 225 gr nos PT. I like the bullet though it isn't all that accurate for me (1 1/4" plus) game has never gone more the a few feet if at all and made mean blood trailsin those few feet. I don't like how beat up the tip gets in my magazine from the recoil so I've been playing with the above mention. My question for the guys with more experience with these bullets is which of the three would you want in the chamber for heavy maine whitetails/black bear. I have no doubt all are penetrators at the velocity I'm running and shots at max 150 yds but I'm concerned about not getting enough expansion. Am I pushing the hornady hard enough to expand on whitetails if I dont hit bone? Same with the accubond and TTSX?

I've only used 250 Speer hot cor, 250 speer GS and 225 Sierra's on deer. Ranges were 100-250 yards and all have worked well.

Of the three that you listed, I'd use the 200 TTSX. Velocity at 150 should be 2450 fps and 2200 at 300 yards. Second choice would be the accubond. I doubt either would fail to adequately expand.

I launch 225 AB's at a bit over 2,400 fps and have has good expansion on deer out to 225 yards or so. It makes nice holes.

I have been loading 225 gr. Sierra and Nosler bullets for quite a while now over a moderate charge of IMR 4064. Accuracy is fine and I have harvested a nice 8 pt. whitetail with the Sierra bullet. Shot thru the lungs at a range of 100 yds. the buck went about 30 yds. leaving a great blood trail. I am developing a load with RL 15 which is another powder that has been recommmended in the .35 Whelen.

I have taken 4 black bears with the 225 gr Accubond at just under 2700 fps. Bears don't go very far when hit. Lots of damage.

skybuster -

When I had my 35 W I used the Hornady 200 HSP. I killed several WT and they performed very well.

The old STANDBY powder for the Whelen is IMR 4320, for consideration.

Jerry

For whitetails and critters of like type i use the 200 grain core-loc.
Never had a dead deer complain from 75 yards to 320 yards.

Going at 2800 fps does a job on coyotes.

For elk and larger critters i have some Barnes x bullets as well as 225 and 250 grain.

The deer are not wearing Kevlar where i hunt.
YMMV

Mine loves 250 grain bullets and 4320, 56 grains of it to be exact. Right at 2500 fps from a 24 inch barrel. No whitetails but three caribou with the 250 grain Partitions. All one shot kills. One broadside lung shot walked a short ways pouring blood out like a faucet. The other two dropped on the spot. Could just about eat the bullet holes.

Thanks for your thoughts. I was really looking for actually experience with the accubond and I think Moro answered that well enough for my liking. I have been using r15 mostly for years in my Whelen and it shoots pretty well. I went to TAC in my 350 mag with 225PT and really gassed it up. Shoots very well also. I tried it in my Whelen and that seems to give me quite a bit more velocity over r15 with groups about the same just a touch more recoil which isn't bad anyhow since I chopped the stock and added a limb saver pad.

My best results were always with the 225 Partition, but I haven't used the 225 Accubond. From all reports, it sounds like it works just as well as the Partition, and is what I'd grab next if I couldn't find any more Partitions. just my two cents, and worth what you paid for it.

Crap I have a Tikka T3 .270 rebored to 35 Whelen and am only getting 2625 out with a 22+ inch barrel shooting my 200 gr T-TSX reloads using 60 gr of RL-15. (Book Max)

On the other hand Hornady's superformance 200 gr factory load runs right at 2912 and it is advertised for 2900 so it is right on par but not as accurate as my reloading....

That's why I gave up on RL 15 for a while, big differences in different lots of the stuff. Bought 2 new cans and will see how it works.

Try TAC. you'll be surprised

I've had good results with 225 gr bullets and 60 gr of Varget getting close to 2700 fps. Mule Deer's Gun Gack book shows getting these to 2800 with TAC.

One of these days I'll have to try TAC.

Did some testing today. 60 gr of TAC and 225 AB give me just an inch and at 2680fps. I have some primer flattening but it seems everything in this rifle gives me some flattening. I'm wondering if it's a head space issue? Or, it is brass that's been fired a lot and I noticed when hand priming these test rounds they seemed to seat easier then usual. I wonder if its loose pockets letting the primers back out some?

Try another powder.

Jerry