Hi all:

As stated a couple weeks ago, I will be hunting moose this Fall in my home state of NH. I have decided to use my Remington 700 Classic in 35 Whelen. I have reloaded for several years now, and have decided to roll my own cannon fodder for the moose hunt too. I have narrowed my bullet choice down to three offerings. The Sierra 225 grain SBT, The Nosler 225 grain Partition, or the Barnes 225 grain TSX. I am leading hard toward the Sierra, due to the fact that I have read where this pill was designed to perform well at Whelen velocities. Any input and advice would be helpful from those of you who have experience and know-how in this area. BTW, I took a moose in 1991 with my Whelen and 250 grain Rem. Corelokt factory ammo. It was a great broadside shot at 40 yards on a 700 pound dressed weight cow. She did not fold when hit, and I was NOT impressed with the bullets performance. Thanks to all, Rich.

*face palm*

When o when do these questions stop!?!

Really?

Hemi

I apologize in advance to all, and to Mr. "Hemi" if I have somehow commited a General Big Game forum "Faux Pas" by floating my question. I usually hang around the "Savage Collector" forum and am not a regular here. Rich

what didn't you like about the bullet on the 1991 deal? did it not perform to your expectations? i would use the 250 again.

No reason for apologies....just a tough crowd tonight, I guess.

Not sure myself because I'm just now getting into the 35 caliber. But out of the 3 you mentioned, I'd choose from either the TSX or the Partition.

I've used the 225 XFB out of my 358 Winchester on three different bulls up our way with very good results. I've shot the newer TSX in the same weight out of my Norma and don't like how they open as well as the older ones. The 200 TSX both opens well and penetrates so well that I will use it out of either 358 before I use the heavier TSX. The other choice I'd make would be the Partition, but I'd opt for the 250 if it were my choice. I've shot a few moose with GameKings in 30 and 33 caliber. The 35 GameKing, however, is not one I'd rate all that high on my list of moose bullet choices, especially when you're capable of loading whatever you want and the other two are already on your list.





These 35s were shot through a 9" wet aspen log at 100 yards. Left to right: 200 XFB (2), 225 NAB, 225 Partition, 250 Hornady (2), 250 Speer, 250 Speer Grand Slam (2) (FWIW, these were all shot out of the bigger Norma.)

Lots of ways to shoot moose very adequately in 35 caliber.

I have used the Sierra a bit, it would be my last choice. The Nosler or Barnes are more reliable moose bullets in my opinion.
and on another note, I can't think of anything a 225 gr. bullet will do on moose that a 250 wouldn't do better, so I use 250's almost all the time now.

I've shot moose with my Norma with the 250 gr. Nosler, Hornady and an old Barnes X. Also shot an interior grizzly with a 225 GR. TSX. All but the TSX worked very good. The TSX blew thru with very little expansion or meat destruction. Had a long, tense tracking job till he bled out.

I use the 225gr TSX in my Whelen. It has so far accounted for only one moose but it went down on the spot. I've tested it against the Speer 250gr HC and GS and the Hornady 250gr IL SP and RN. The 225gr TSX expanded and penetrated better than both 250gr.

P.S. thats one of them in my avatar.

Thank you folks! This is VERY helpful info.

I'd roll with the Partition options.

Ditto

One comment before getting into bullets: Just because a moose doesn't drop when hit doesn't mean the bullet isn't any good. Unless spined, a moose isn't nearly as likely as a deer to fall down when touched by a bullet. In fact they occasionally act like they're not bothered much at all.

That said, if I were hunting moose with a .35 Whelen I'd probably use the 250-grain Nosler Partition. It will penetrate plenty, and the moose I've seen shot with Partitions have gone down quicker than those shot with "harder" bullets that retain more weight.

This is the vary reason I don't use Barnes bullets! I have had far to many times had this happen, in hunting elk and testing their bullets in a large water stock tank.

So the remedy for me was to keep using bullets like Nosler Partitons, Swift A Frames and Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets. I don't get any of the "Pencil Through Shots" on big game animals. I get plenty of massive tissue damage with any of the 3 bullets I mentioned.

Here for fun:

250gr Hornady IL SP


250gr Speer HC


250gr Speer GS


225gr Barnes TSX

BCSteve,

Cool. What was the bullet recovery media?

If it is moose, then you have sure done well!

John

I wish. Only one moose with my Whelen so far and it was with a 225gr TSX.

Test media was wet newspaper. Obviously, their is no clear "winner" or "loser" in that round up. The TSX penetrated 2" deeper, expanded a little wider, higher velocity and a little flatter.

Nosler or Swift A frames in the right spot. Option #2: Might be unpopular but those factory core-lokts for the 35 Whelen have done well for me on Northern Whitetail, Black bear, Hogs and 1 Elk.

99,



You can not go wrong with any of the bullets mentioned. Buy freezer wrap. By the way Moose is good as an entree, side or starter.

good luck with the hunt

8mmwapiti

The Sierra has a spotty reputation on game. Sierra told me, in a phone call, that is was too "hard" for .358 velocities; that tells me it's iffy for a Whelen since they are pretty close. Great practice bullet though!

I've had great luck with the 225-Partition on deer. With your longer magazine and more powder behind it I'd run the 250-gn Partition all the way.

We sure do not want to have people ask questions on the Campfire. What was the OP thinking? This is a place for um....um...um Oh I remember now it is a place to discuss hunting, shooting, reloading ect. Oh wait that is what the OP was doing. Hemi if the Fire bores you then maybe you could use the off part of the onoff function on your computer. It may serve you better than being obnoxious.


8mmwapiti

True, true, and true, except I think there may be a better word than occasionally. I have had exactly three moose drop at the shot - with little rhyme or reason. The first was a 190 Hornady BTSP through the chest, broadside, and the animal; dropped. The second was a 225 TSX (340) through both shoulder joints which, no surprise, took out his forward gear and put him down though still very lively. The third was a 250 Gameking (340) which hit a loping bull at 200 yards; got him a bit farther back than intended, and angled forward from the point of the hip along and past the kidney and spine, missing both, but apparently stunning him so that he dropped immediately. His antlers caught in the ground when he fell and his momentum twisted his neck and head so his nose was pointed skyward when I finally found him. Had that not happened, I suppose he may have gotten up again, but he was dead when I finally found him. I looked, first, well beyond since he had disappeared immediately at the shot. 80-90% of the time I've put two, three, or four shots into moose to better assist gravity.

My extensive expertise hunting Alces Alces consists of one moose, shot with a 250 gr. Partition. Performance was everything you could hope for. Shot a bunch of other stuff, including a brown bear and a couple elk, with the same bullet over the years.

They penetrate deeply while doing a lot of damage along the way. My choice would always be a NP unless required by law to use a lead-free bullet.

Partitions always work.

Partitions never don't work (unless maybe you hunting pachyderms or are on a Sci Fi/Fantasy safari).

But any of the bullets you list will result in the need for a good sharp knife and some freezer wrap, if you do your part.

A very big "Thank-you" to all who replied. This has helped me more than you will know. I was hoping to get some great input by folks with experiences involving the .358 caliber bullets and large game. You guys have been a great asset.

P.S. Thanks to 8mm for writing exactly what I was thinking on his last post, I ain't a know-it-all and was just looking for a little help. 8mm and the rest of you are good people.

I have used my Ruger M77RS 35 Whelen on a couple of moose and finished up one that wasn't aware that the 220 Partition out of a 30-06 had killed him.

I used the 250gr. Speer on two and the 250gr Partition as the uneeded coup de grace shot. This is an insignificant sample size but for me they both worked and I will use them again if the situation presents itself.

I have witnessed several moose taken with the old Hornady 275gr. RNSP out of an old P. O. Ackley barrelled 1903 sporter used by my dad years ago.

As for the Sierra 225, unless they have stiffened them up they would not be my choice for moose. The ones I used back in the late 80's and early 90's were pretty soft at Whelen speeds, everything perished in short order but the bits I recovered from deer, pigs, cow elk, and a nilgai didn't impress me.

Good luck filling your tag.

Discussions and questions are what this forum and other forums are here for, so as you were.

In regards to the bullet choice, I'd go for the partitions. mainly because of the velocity with your Whelen. The NP has a rep for opening at a very wide velocity range. Barnes is a killer as well, but I would fear lack of expansion at Whelen velocities. With that said, either bullet will kill em dead. Wish you luck and be sure to post some pics for those that cant seem to draw a tag.

Joseph

I've shot about 10 whitetails with 225 gr. Game kings in my Whelen. I'd say if anything they're on the soft side for moose. I'd probably go with a partition.