Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles light load for 35 whelen on blacktail?

It looks like I might be using my 35 Whelen, instead of my Marlin 336/.35 Rem for deer season this year, but all I can find on the store shelves for Whelen ammo is 250 grain Core-Lokt.

A friend who reloads said he would help me load some different ammo. What kind of bullets would you use if you were loading this cartridge for hunting blacktail deer in the PNW, where most shots would probably be pretty close and a long shot would be out around 200-300 yards at the most?

I was thinking to load some 180 or 200 grain bullets. I found a decent deal on Speer 180s (#2435), and was also looking at Hornady 200 grain roundnose. I would like to buy bullets that I can also use in my Marlin levergun, so not looking for spire point bullets.

how about the hornady 200 gr flex tips? Its a spire point you can use in the marlin.

225 Sierra Gamekings. Super accurate and don't kick like the 250's.

I'd run the factory loads, which really aren't loaded that hot, unless of course you just want to dink. In that case, the Horn 200 with a starting load of H or I4895 would suffice.

I run 35 grains of SR 4759 in a 338/06 with a Hornady 200 grain Flat Nose, duplicating the old 33 Winchester...

and appropriate load in the 35 Whelen with a 200 grain RN would probably duplicate it...

my MV out of a 24 inch barrel is 2400 fps..