Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tell me about the 35 Whelen

Does nothing that a 30-06 won't do, when loaded with heavy bullets.

I agree.

The Whelen is a great cartridge. I would be happy with one for very large game at closer yardages. It is not a deer cartridge IMO. Even in B.C. it would not be the cartridge I would choose. The 30-06 will do as well and is much more versatile.

I've had all three of the Whelens, the 35, 375 and 400 as well as a laundry list of standards from 6mm Rem to 375 H&H, including 4 or 5 30-06's. If I were forced to choose one round to hunt all of North America and non-dangerous in Africa, and as much as I love my 400 Whelen, my choice would be the 35 Whelen with a 250 grain Nosler Partition over 56 grains of 4320.

Yes it does! The 35 W cuts a 'bigger' hole from start to finish. I think you/we know what a bigger swath does.


Now I no longer have a 35 W and I'm not on a quest for one but it will do more tissue damage from start to finish.


Jerry

I see that IMR 4320 is still a good powder for the Whelen.


Jerry

I can tell you one thing, I'm not passing up a deer if carrying the Whelen

And neither would I. But it is far from being choice #1. However, like I said, it is a great cartridge.

I have used my various .35 Whelens as my primary elk rifles for 20 years or so. Have taken something like 15 or 16 elk, and a couple moose with mine. Shot a few elk with .308, .30-06, 7x64 .270 & 8x57IS and other similar cartridges, and saw many more shot by friends and hunting partners. In my experience, the .35 Whelen with 250 grain or 225 grain strongly constructed bullets trumps those lesser cartridges in every way that matters to me. Full straight line penetration with exit holes, minimal deflection when heavy shoulder bones are hit, never a bullet "failure" due to fragmentation, and shorter flight distance after a shot.
A 9.3x62 would do the same or possibly a tad better, as will the .375H&H. Recoil with the Whelen is less with similar weight 9.3 / .375 rifles.
I really do notice a difference in "Killing power" between the Whelen and lesser cartridges, however I don't shoot at game animals at extreme distances, where some hotshot super fast .300 or .338 magnum with a calibrated turret scope and bipod and range finder might trump its performance. I'm content with hunting for my game, not just sniping at it.
Almost any smaller cartridge is a better choice for deer. The Whelen is a big critter cartridge.

I shoot 250gr. Northforks over RL15 getting 2500fps out of a 22" 14 twist barrel. More than I needed on boar,but perfect on eland, kudu, wildebeast, oryx, zebra. I also brought an '06 along, but the PH kept urging me to "use the 35!" Longest shot was about 225 yards. Some other cartridges would have worked as well, by the Whelen interested me most.

I shoot a Whelen for primitive season down here in MS. It's a T/C Encore and scoped it goes just under 7.5lbs. I shoot 225gr Sierras and believe me it gets your attention when you pull the trigger! I've yet to get a deer with mine but my friends that use a similar setup say it's an impressive killer.

Tate -

I know about the 35 W being 'considered' legal in primitive weapon (ML)
season....

Can you Xplain their reasoning (if there is such a thing)?

Jerry

Jerry -

The only reason I've ever heard is to increase the number of deer harvested and the number of hunters. Last article I read stated we need to remove 400,000 deer from the population every year just to keep the herd in check. We average about 350,000. I guess maybe the state decided the old rule about 45cal or larger limited the number of cartridges too much and possibly the large calibers scared off some recoil sensitive shooters. It seems most hunters assume a 45-70 kicks a whole lot worse than it actually does. By dropping down to the 35cal requirement, and opening up the Whelen, hunters got closer to the old 30cal "comfort zone". Also, the larger caliber rounds have a reputation for a rainbow-like trajectory, not like the popular flat shooting 270. This was another drawback that kept people at home during primitive season. The Whelen was considered a smaller round with less "kick" and has a trajectory similar to a 30-06. They started selling like hotcakes and got a ton more hunters into the woods during primitive season. In fact, many hunters I know use their single shot Whelens for the entire hunting season. That was never the case with the 45-70.

My first primitive weapon was a Whelen. From what I understand the primitive season was never terribly successful as far as number of hunters when actual MLs were required. When the state changed over to the single shot break-open rifles in 45cal and larger, all ML owners went out and bought 45-70s. A fair number of new primitive season hunters also got into the game, but primitive season really came into it's own when they dropped down to the 35cal requirement. Last year they went even further. During the second and third primitive seasons, you can use any rifle you choose on private land. Primitive weapons are only required on public land, and there's very little of that around here local to me.

Thanks Tate -

Wow that's a whole lot of changes since I hunted Miss. I hunted near Meadville for several yrs.

I'd also prefer the Whelen to the 45-70, mainly for range and better trajectory. I had heard of the changes but I didn't know why.

Thanks


Jerry

I had a pre'64 M/70 rebored to .35 Whelen more than 20 yrs. ago, I have been very satisfied with the loading flexibility of this venerable old cartridge. During the off season I shoot a lot of cast bullet and jacketed pistol bullet loads. Unique is my powder of choice, you get a lot of loads out of a pound. For whitetail deer 225 grain Sierra or Nosler bullets with either IMR 4064 or RL-15 get the job done. Of all the factory loads offered by Midway the Federal Vital-Shok 225 grain Trophy Bonded Bearclaw is my choice. It is an accurate load in my rifle and posesses plenty of knock down power.

While true, for some reason, I have never been able to utilize that truism in my purchase of rifles. I've never been able to force myself to use only three calibers/rifles.

HMMMM, maybe an all arounder candidate. I really had not thought of it in that sense before...

Wow, that's almost as good as a Field & Stream answer and about as much bullchit as can be put into 2 sentences.

That's very observant of you S H.

OTOH I haven't read F S in over 30 yrs so I wouldn't know. Nice of you to keep us updated.


Jerry

No, the Whelen or its ballistic twin the .350 Rem mag which I have is a noticeably better killer on anything larger then a deer. I've owned .30-06's ever since I started hunting almost 50 years ago loaded with all kinds of bullets and have had my .350 for the last thirteen years and have seen without a doubt that a .35 hits harder. So far I've never had to shoot anything twice with that gun. The .30-06 is a great cartridge, one that I really love but it isn't a .35 Whelen (or .350 RM).

You can always count on SH for a derogatory response.