For hunting I've always used Nosler Partition or Barnes bullets and have had nothing but good luck with them. Last fall a local gunsmith put together a very nice .35 Whelen for me on a Savage 110 action. With a healthy load of R-15 and Speer hot-core 250gr bullets it flat shoots, groups for 225gr bullets look like shotgun patterns though. Since I've never taken anything with Speer bullets I'm wondering how they hold up especially hunting in the foothills of Rockies, where you may see Elk, Deer, Moose and Bear all in the same morning. But, at almost half the cost of 250gr Nosler Partitions the hot-core become awfully attractive. However if they kerblang on the way in, that's NOT really cost effective.

The Speer hotcore and Hornady 250 interlock are great slugs for the .35 and were designed with those velocities in mind. I have never had either one fail to expand or do adequate damage.

I wouldn't hesitate with that bullet. I have a 350 Rem mag which is very similar and would have no concern with that choice on any game in North America.

The modest velocities delivered by the 35 Whelen make the Speer or Hornady 250's an excellent choice for any big game. A premium bullet will not bring one extra bit of performance to the field in this circumstance. My Whelens have taken whitetail & mule deer, moose, & elk with complete success.
That 250 grain bullet is flat deadly, and if you can shoot that far, will be deadly out to 250 or 300 yards.
Having said that, I hunt only with Partitions when using a 270, as I think that higher velocity can take advantage of the design. When I hunted with a 6mm, I used Partitions for the same reason. In those instances, (3,000+ fps) I believe a premium bullet is worthwhile.

John Galt, I've carried two diff 35 Whelens alot of miles and killed many deer and a few elk with them. My thoughts, practice with Speer HotCor and hunt with 250 NosParts. Some would say the NP are made for the "big 35s", whatever that means. But the 35Wh is as fast at 50yds as the 358Norma at 175yds. And I'll not hesitate to shoot an elk with either of them cals at either of them distances. The NP will hold up to that close in shot, also expands nicely at 175yds from a 35Wh.
Premium bullets ain't the expensive part of this game. Lotta guys looking for ways to reason themselves into being cheap, let's not be one of them. Shoot the good stuff and you won't be doubting your loads. That peace of mind on a November AM is worth it right there.

Nosler Partition is an adequate bullet, but it hardly qualifies as a "premium" in today's boutique bullet marketplace.

On the other hand, the 250 gr Hornady Interlock is fully adequate in the Whelen as well. While there is no particular virtue to being "cheap" about buying bullets, there is also no particular virtue to spending more than is necessary to gain no additional performance on game.

I've killed impala, mule deer, caribou, kudu, gemsbok, cow elk, and big bull elk in Alaska, Africa, Montana and Wyoming with my Whelen, using Speer HotCores, Speer Grand Slams, Hornady Round Nose Interlocks, and Woodleigh Weldcores. I have friends who have used everything from Winchester PowerPoints to Sierra boattails to Nosler Partitions to who-knows-what. The ultimate result seems to be that when you launch half an ounce of lead and copper at 2500 +/- velocity at critters, they tend to keel over dead.

I don't get too hung up over it any more in the Whelen -- I shoot Hornady RN's because they group in an inch at 200 yards.

Stuff dies.

Dennis

.338 Federal you must read minds. That was the conclusion I was coming to as well. Now if only Barnes would bring out one of their tipped bullets in 250gr.

Dennis, not disputing the rest of your post, but at least in my mind the Nosler Partition will always be a premium bullet, and almost always THE best choice for any given situation. How can you not go with a bullet that uses 1/3 of its weight like a good soft point and then turns into a wide meplat solid?

Try the new Nosler 250 Accubonds. Hits hard like a PT, flys like BT. I have started shooting the in 225 Accubounds in my 35 wheelen. My gun does not like 250's anything. If Nosler makes the Accubond in a cal. I own I shoot them now, If not I am right back to PT. Let's see, $650 for the rifle, $500 for the scope, and you want to cut corners on bullets? (SMILING)

Just gotta say that "more expensive" often does not equate to "better." This theme crops up way to often.
Further, some of us shoot quite a bit. This might mean buying 500 or 1,000, maybe more (the true loonies), bullets at a time. Cost difference for 500 250gr Sierras vs Partitions: $248. That's not chicken feed to some of us. Certainly contributes to being able to shoot more often, particularly now with the significantly higher cost of all components.
Since I have first hand experience on a couple dozen head of big game that has been entirely satisfactory with "standard" bullets in this caliber.
Having said that, are Partitions ever a bad idea? Heck no!

My Whelen likes any bullet of any construction and weight. It's accounted for several elk with the 250 grain Hornady SP. But a Partition or Speer would work just as well.

Heck no! Never a bad idea to use Partitions on game. Not a bad plan to practice with cheaper bullets either. That is why in my previous post I mentioned that exact thing. Several years ago when 250NPs were introduced I discovered that 250 Speers strike at exactly same point at 300 yds as Partitions, using exact same charges and OAL. That's handy in my gun and may be in others also.
It's still hard for anyone to make the case that cup-n-core bullets work BETTER than Partitions on game. Many are stating that cheaper bullets work "just as good". Would the same guys be using c-n-c bullets on game if they cost same as NosParts? I doubt it.

Yes...I would. I shoot mostly TSX's at game, with an occasional foray to Woodleighs -- both of which cost more than Partitions. But if I don't use a "premium" bullet, I use Hornady Interlocks. Or Speer HotCores.

I do think that good cup and core bullets, like Hornady Interlocks, work "better" on game than Nosler Partitions -- because they expand and hold together without blowing the front end off the bullet. The 300+ lb boar I just drilled through the neck and out the off shoulder with a 200 gr .338 Interlock at 2750 fps proved that point nicely. Dead pig, total penetration, no blown-apart bullet parts.

The only bullets I like less than Partitions are Sierras and anything with a plastic point... .

Dennis

They're all a sample of "one", but they are real "used" bullets:

(all 358 Winchester launched)



Moose; +/- 50 yards, 250 Hot Core



Moose; +/- 300 yards, 250 Hornady, 225 Barnes XFB



I pulled this 200 Core-Lokt SP out of a caribou.




The single Ballistic Tip that has really failed in any meangful way to impress me has been the 225 grain 358 bullet. It "varminted" a fox out of my 358 at less than 50 yards. Among the field of fox bits - and the two halves of vole that the bullet cut in two as Reynard held it, I found the ball of fluff (fox hair) containing the BT jacket.


I have used the 225 X quite a few times on several moose and other animals. I am willing to say that it works significantly better in general than other cored bullets have; much faster kills- less meat destroying trauma.

And while I haven't been the biggest fan of the Partition in any caliber, as bullets go which can do it all over a very wide range, I would say there are few bullets which can go head to head with it. It may be old, but it's still a good one. I would never spend the entire bullet budget on spendy bullets though. 10% on good stuff and 90% on practice stuff works about right for me.

And I had a 225 Ballistic tip fired from a Whelen fail to expend going through a deer. Took 5 minutes for the deer to tip over and there was a neat little 35 caliber hole through both lungs, otherwise no damage.

I know a guy here in Alberta who shoots moose and grizzly with his .350 Rem Mag using 200gr Speer HC bullets. He gets exit holes most of the time. The 250gr will have no problems achieving full penetration IMO. If you are unsettled about it at the end of the day, just use the PT's or TSX's or some other premium or semi-premium bullet for hunting, and load up a cheap bullet of the same weight and shape for practice in the off-season.

Yeah, good 250 grain cup/core bullets do fine at Whelen velocity.

but

I'll pay the extra few bucks for the confidence that comes with having an even better bullet in my rifle when 'ol mossy nuts steps out of the timber on the other side of the meadow.

I prefer cup/core bullets in the Whelen for all big game. The only reason I use premium bullets is when velocity is 2900+ fps.

I've killed a 6x6 bull elk with the 250 speer HC (complete penetration through the shoulders) and a small 4x4 mule deer with the 250 grand slam. Both animals dropped at the shot.

Unless I go after brown bear/grizzly bear, I will use 250 speer for everything. Still, I wouldn't have any concern if I had to use the 250 speer bullets.

I use cup/core bullets when deer are on the menu and I'm not in big bear country.

The thing is, I do most of my elk hunting where the griz have figured out that a rifle shot means a gut pile at minimum. In the highly unlikely event I have to keep one of the buggers off me at close quarters I will have a bullet in the chamber that will smash anything it hits.

Maybe a 250 gr Hotcore would do it. I dont know. A 250 gr. A Frame will.

JG

Either the 250 Speer or Hornady will do the job.

WN

X2 to Whelen Nut's assessment.

Lotsa good bullet choices for the 35 whelen these days. But I think one can't go wrong with the 250 Speer HC out the door at 2400MV for everything big game - in my hunting world anyway.

Lotsa bullet choices out there though - http://www.35cal.com/bullets.html

I'll be glad to trade, bullet for bullet, Speer 35cal/250 HotCor or Hornady Interlock 250s for Nosler Partitions of same cal and weight. Should be a fair trade for any who think that c-n-c bullets are as good as Partitions, regardless of cost. And if any brave soul would claim that c-n-c are BETTER than NPs, then the trade should be a no-brainer.
Any takers?

If I had any .358 Nosler Partitions, by some unfortunate accident of trading or other acquisition, I would happily trade them to you for Hornady Interlocks. They would just be wasting space in my bullet storage area, because it's a lead-pipe cinch I would never shoot them at game, and I've never found Partitions to be accurate enough to use for target shooting.

If I ever inadvertently get any, you'll be the first person I PM...

This is America, and I get to like or dislike any commercial product I choose to, and no one gets tell me otherwise .

Dennis

250gr Partitions are the shizzle in the Whelen.

Cool enough! Keep your eyes open for Partitions.

The thing with 35 Whelen is that you are shooting big fat heavy bullets at lower than magnum velocities. Bullet choice isn't so critical as say a 7mmRM.

I have a Canadian pen pal that hunts almost exclusively with a .35 Whelen and a stiff load using the 250 gr. Speer Hot-Core.
He usually hunts moose, but when he got a coveted tag for Grizzly Bear he used the 250 gr. Speer with total confidence.
I got lucky and got into 200 of the two core Sper Grand Slams cheap, but I haven't loaded or tried them yet.
I did go with the 225 gr. Barnes TSX on my Kaibab deer hunt as Arizona asked hunters there to use them as it is supposed to be part of the Condor flyway. I didn't see a deer I felt was worth taking so I don't know how well they would have worked. I've gotten to where I carry the Whelen on all my hunts.
Paul B.

Dennis,
If you are focused on group size, the 225 gr. Sierra has been the most accurate hunting load I have ever fired in any rifle I own!

However when you take into account the cost of out of state tags, airfare, guide fees, etc. the cost of a box of bullets is pretty insignificant.

I can toss the 225 gr. Nosler Partition out of my 22" barrel Remington Classic at 2700 fps. and be confident that I have done everything possible to tip the odds in my favor.

Priceless!

whelennut

I love the Partition. I use them almost exclusively in all of my rifles, except for the Whelen. The Hornady spire point has worked fine on elk. I have loaded up 200 rounds with the 250 grain Partition for elk hunting. I just didn't shoot an elk with it this past year. I shot one with a 280 loaded with 160 grain Partitions, instead. The Whelen spent that day in the truck. Everybody has to get their turn, otherwise the safe is a very bad neighborhood.

You got to keep all those guns happy or they may turn on you and get tempermental

I'm not flaming you Paul but I am curious. Just how do condors supposedly ingest lead from spent bullets? I havent paid attention to the issue much and havent heard the spin from the tree huggers on just how spent lead bullets are a hazard to condors.

Do they find bullets and eat them? Seems pretty far fetched to me.

I'm mostly focussed on killing things to eat them. As I think I noted, the only bullets I like less than Partitions are Sierras. Accuracy is a relative issue, and is not overly significant in a hunting rifle once it is within certain constraints -- let's say 1.25" groups at 100 yards, just for discussion purposes.

I wouldn't use Nosler Partitions if they cost $2 a hundred and shot into the .3's, just to be clear that cost and accuracy are not my issues with them (though I have not found them to be terribly accurate bullets). I load Woodleigh Weldcores and Barnes TSX's in most of my hunting loads, with a sprinkling of Hornady Interlocks for good measure. I am not trying to save pennies while spending dollars, for certain.

I am not trying to convince anyone else to follow my lead, nor am I susceptible of being talked into using products I don't care for, regardless of price or other people's experiences, at this juncture in my life.

It is as it is .

Dennis

It is official policy in California, and apparently Arizona now, that condors ingest lead residue from eating gut piles and carcass remains. I suspect there are few people on this board who actually believe that to be the case, but that is irrelevant, as the State governments make the rules governing hunting, and they get to tell you that you must use lead-free bullets when hunting within their jurisdictions.

As one of my old mentors says, "It may not be right, but it is so."

Dennis

I am not trying to convince anyone else to follow my lead, nor am I susceptible of being talked into using products I don't care for, regardless of price or other people's experiences, at this juncture in my life.

It is as it is .

Dennis [/quote]

We do agree on something then!

whelennut

I'm not a bullet snob. The Whelen shoots anything. All my other rifles shoot Noslers, exclusively.

Did I tell you I'm not a bullet snob?

Almost forgot, the only "failure" I have had with a whelen was some of the 280gr Aframes, they were just to heavy to expand at whelen speeds. I had them going about 2300fps and got very impressive bone breaking on a pig but they did not appear to expand much at all.

My choice of bullet in my .35 Whelen is the 225gr TSX @ 2700fps with RL15. Works good for moose.

Another fan of both the Speer and Hornady 250 grain bullets. That said I have found nothing wrong with the Partition in any caliber larger then .257. If Nosler would let go of some Partition or Accubond seconds in 35 caliber I would not hesitate to stock up on them.

I've shot about 8 elk with the Speer 250 Grand Slam, one with the Hornady 250 RN , one with the Speer 250 PSP hot cor. Couldn't tell any difference, good expansion, good penetration, good bone breaking power, dead elk within 40 yards or so. The one disappointment was a Nosler 225 BT that I shot very badly into a bull elk's paunch on a rear angling shot. It never made it into the vitals and so I punched my tag with no meat to show for it that year. Any of those other bullets would have taken that elk home, despite my crappy shot.

Speers, 250 Hot Cores, are very accurate in my 35W and have taken down a bushel barrel of hog. I've never had one not exit and most all shots are head shots. Ranges have been from around 30 yards to 200.

Hornady 250 spire points are accurate but I have never shot any game with them.

Nosler Partitions (250's) are not as accurate as either of the above but suitable for hunting. I will be trying them on a pig hunt next weekend.

I found a box of 225 Nosler Ballistic tips on the back shelf of a local gun shop and so far they are the least accurate. Since they are discontinued, I not really over anxious to develope a load for them.

Best in your quest .. BP...