Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 35 Whelen anyone ever

try the Hornady 200gr FTX in the Whelen? I've got a bunch but not sure how they would hold up at 2700 fps. Load data for the 35 Remington stays around 2-2100 max. The Whelen is a new cartridge for me.

Depends on how far you are shooting. I tried it in my 358 Winchester, MV of around 2575-2600 fps. Shot 2 deer with it at close range. Both about 40-50 yards. 2 deer shot it the neck, neither exited. Looked like a grenade went off. So at higher impact velocities I would not use them. My brother used them in a 35 Rem this year, shot a big bodied buck at 15 yards straight on. Entered high chest, found bullet under the hide when skinning about half way back the body under the belly. Retained 181 grains, perfect mushroom. Impact velocity was probably 2050 -2150 fps. So I would not recommend them at high velocities.

Would NOT recommend at Whelen type velocity. This bullet is constructed very similar (same) as a hollow point pistol bullet. It does not like rifle velocity on impact. As a lever gun bullet, it’s ok.

ok that's what I was figuring the results would be. Thanks for the input. I'll save them for the 35REM.

I load 200 gr. Hornadys with 56 gr. 4064 or mild load of re-15. its a deer load so I don't try to hot rod it.
If I want to shoot something bigger I use 250 grain bullets.

Bomb

Use cast bullet data (2400) and slow it down. Turn your 35 Whelen into a 35 Rem. Easy on the shoulder. For shooting deer under 100 yds.

Let me jump in here maybe I can learn something as well as OP.
I’ve had a whelen for 6 plus years never fired it. I been selling off stuff I don’t need so I wanted to try the whelen. Today I loaded the 200 grain Barnes boat tail with 55.5 grains of 4064. Barnes data puts this at 2650 maybe a little more. I loaded 4 rounds and walked out back. 2 rounds got me on paper and the last 2 touched holes at 100 yds. Does anyone know how these pills hold up on whitetail at close range?

The Barnes tsx 200 is good to go on whitetail any distance.

The Barnes 200 grain 358 bullets are good on elk, whitetail, whatever you feel like shooting in the lower 48.

The 200 TTSX is a great shooting bullet for me as well. Wished I could find more.

I shot a whitetail with a Hornady 200gr. Inter-lok RN, the bullet traveresed the chest on a raking shot. It was found just beneath the hide on the point of the shoulder on the opposite side. The bullet retained 66% of its original weight and was perfectly mushroomed. The load was a Ken Waters Pet Load, powder was IMR 3031, this load produced fine accuracy. Three shot 100yd. groups were often tight cloverleafs.

I've loaded the 200gn FTX to over 2,900fps in my standard Whelen without issue and less than 1 inch at 100 yards accuracy.
So far I have only shot pigs with them. The damage was extensive on our 80 to 90 kg pigs. Never had one say the projectile didn't work. Bang flop.