Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Bear Load: 225 Sierra in the 35 Whelen?

I've really gotten to like the 225gr TSX with a healthy load of Varget, usually a straight through and through on everything I've shot with it. I've also gotten very good results with 250gr Speer Hot-Cor and RL-15. Too many blow ups and shed cores with Sierra to use it on anything other than paper and varmits.

We've had them not expand out of a .358 Win and completely come apart out of a .35 Whelen, all on medium'ish whitetails. In between they were great and super accurate.

I had one Sierra 225 not expand at all when I shot a whitetail with my whelen at about 10 yds. The buck ran well over 100 yds leaving no blood trail from a double lung shot. Bullet path was bullet diameter all the way. My one experience, never to be repeated. I use more reliable bullets now.

I don't understand the comments about these bullets being too "soft". Sierra's reloading guide says the the .358" 225 Gamekings have a thicker jacket and more anitmony in their core that some of their other bullets. They are designed for big game.

I shot a cow elk with a Gameking from my Whelen last fall. It passed right through. Actually, I would have liked to have seen a bigger exit wound, but she didn't go too far.

I have used a few boxes with no complaints. One shot will take down a caribou or whitetail with no problem, maybe I just don't know what to look for? Very accurate in my rifle!
whelennut

McInnis,
My experience with this bullet, although quite limited, mirrors your thoughts. I found it too tough for deer/hogs as it didn't expand much at all. My feelings at the time were that the bullet would be much better suited for larger animals.

I used the Nosler 225 gr PT in my 35 Whelen to take a 250 lb Black Bear. I would use a stouter bullet and not look back.

JD338

I read that, but I'm skeptical when manufacturers make blanket statements about things that have as many variables as terminal ballistics. That's why I posted here, in front of people who have used Sierra 225-grain Game Kings on bears. And I ended up buying 250-grain Hornadys based on what I've read.


Okie John

My 35 Whelen bear load is .225 TSX, the 168 gr TSX work great on elk out of my 300 should ber great in the Whelen!