I use smaller diameter bullets for hunting deer, not because my .35 Whelen doesn't work well, it does, but I find that 7mm or .30 cal does everything I want when hunting deer. I reserve the .35 for bigger game, especially elk and moose. Wonderful elk / moose cartridge with 250 grain bullets and has never let me down. Lately I've been dabbling with the 9.3mm cartridges, x62 and x74R. Very similar results. The 9.3's competition for my attention takes away a little of the .35's appeal for me, since the 9.3's are a popular and traditional choice worldwide. I like to hunt in Europe and Africa, and the 9.3's are common and widely accepted there. Whereas the .35's are pretty much an American thing. The recent North American craze promoting long range sniping at game animals hasn't helped the .35 calibers popularity either.
