Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .35 Whelen Deer Load..................

When I was developing loads for my Whelen many years ago I tried the Speer 220gr., my rifle liked the 225gr. Nosler BT and Sierrra GK better and that was my go to bullet for many years.

The Speer 180FN would work swell, as any of the 200gr round nose bullets. I used both the Barnes 250X & 200X on Plains Game (from whitetail size to elk size) I would also look at the Speer 220 FN. I too see your parameters as a great excuse to use the FN cast lead.

I've killed deer very cleanly with two loads. The first is the factory Remington 200gr spitzer. Very accurate in my Remington 700 Classic and easy on the shoulder.

My other load is 55gr of IMR 4064 with the very fine Speer 220gr flat point. Also very accurate but kicks a bit more than the 200gr Remington.

54.5gr. IMR 4064 was my go to load with 225gr. Sierra Game King and Nosler Balllistic Tip. I recently tried Ken Waters load of 55gr. IMR 3031 with a Hornady 200gr. RN and found it to give excellent accuracy, I used it to take a whitetail this fall. A quartering shot at 100yds. the recovered bullet weighed 122gr. and was perfectly mushroomed. This will be my go to load for whitetails from now on.

Nosler brass, Fed210 primer, 60 grains RL15 200 gr Tipped TSX give sme 2633 fps and 3 in one hole as in the lower right target three shot groups 2" high at 100 yds..

If I do my part and take my time the load shoots under .5 moa

I have shot some groups comparable to that with the Hornady 200gr./ RN 55.0 gr. IMR 3031 load and that is why it has become my one load for whitetail hunting.