Interesting thread. Started in 2010 and dies, resurrected in 2017, briefly dies and came back to life once more.
More proof of life after death.
Not sure of the year I got my first .35 Whelen but think it was around 2009 or 10, A Ruger M77RS if found at a gun show NIB. About three months later a Remington M700 Classic showed up and I bought it. Bought some Hornady and Speer 250 gr. bullets, spitzers and round nose for the Hornady's and Speer's sptizer Hot core.
I'd read Paco Kelly's article on the Whelen a so tried working up to his H335 load in the rifles. He quoted 2525 FPS as I recall and both rifles did just that on average with groups ranging from 1.25" to 1.50" in the rifles. No signs of pressure and primers were nice and round.
Then, one day while cruising a gun show I saw a very nice classic custom Mauser. I asked to pick it up and it felt like it was made just for me. When I asked the price, I did not even think about quibbling for a lower price. It too liked that H335 load so that's what I went with. I had a chance to do a hunt on the Kaibab here in AZ but while they were not insisting on all copper bullets they did ask if we would use them voluntarily. So I got some 225 gr. TSX bullets and heard how good Rl15 was in the .35W so got a couple of pounds of that too. I worked up to 60.4 gr. in the Mausers for 2710 FPS and groups from .50" to .75" depending on how well I'm shooting. I only saw one decent deer on that hunt and if I'd taken the shot, that TSX would have passed though him and taken out some of the does behind him.
Since then I've been doing cull hunts for cow elk on a private ranch and that 225 gr. TSX literally floors elk. I messed up on a couple of shots hitting them a bit too far back yet they went down and try as they might, could not get back up.
I've done seven hunts on that place and four elk bang, flop DRT. The other three bang flop and unable to even try an get away.
Personally, and this is just my opinion, the .35 Whelen is at it's best with a good 225 gr. bullet. There isn't a single animal in North America I would not tangle with that TSX load and would not worry on most African big game.
Paul B.
