Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .35 Whelen..........

Campfire gold right there! What he didn't realize is that the Whelen is the "more" that he was referring to.

On page 205,"Keith's Rifles for Large Game".....skin was 10-4x9-8; Snug Harbor ,Alaska, 1937 and the 35 Whelen, 57 gr 4064 with 275 gr WTCCO bullet. If it was good enough for Elmer...….

For some reason something about the bear made Elmer think it may have been a grizzly instead of a brown bear. One of the few things Elmer ever said in print that has me scratching my head.


Long or far, with the right load in the right place makes that .35 Whelan a great all around game getter.

I like the 35 Whelen Ackley version the best, just something about that 40 deg shoulder/straight case that does it for me. I have always used Barnes 250X and 200X. The standard Whelen can do just as well, especially with the newer powders. I always liked how it kills just as well as the medium magnums but with less fuss.

Just right! I bought the 700 Classic. The other rifles
are getting dusty.

I got a 35 Whelen set up last year, but didn't get time to air it out much before having to travel, then didn't have time to get it set up for hunting when I got back. Looking forward to taking it out and doing some shooting and hunting with it this year. Have 200 and 225 AB, 225 PT, among others. I also have several cast bullet moulds, including an NOE Hammer that casts a 315gr FP that I cast hard enough out of a proprietary alloy (SSS) to push at 80-90% of full pressure (low to mid-50's kpsi). If they shoot, I'll pack them for elk, and try to get one in the timber and at a steeply raking shot. I doubt any elk I can shoot will stop that bullet at 2100 FPS MV. SD is ridiculously high, mid-.3's

I’ve owned a .35 Whelen 700 Classic since 1989, since restocked with a beater 700 BDL walnut stock. I always imposed a 250 yard limit on shots on elk with Fed 225 gr TBBC factory loads at 2,600 fps. In 2008, I was trying to get a clear shot on a bull weaving in and out of oak brush on the opposite hillside. It wandered sidehill and I was getting anxious for the shot so I fired without checking the range again. The bull dropped at the shot at a laser measured 308 yards with a pass through and lungs turned to jelly! With the right load and scope like a cds turret, it is a 300-400 yard elk rifle for sure! I usually hunt elk with my .300 Weatherby or 7mm Weatherby of late, but need to dust off the old reliable .35 Whelen soon.

..........................is a butt stomper, I shoot 250gr MidwayUSA blems and Partitions to 2600 fps in a JES rebored pre-64 model 70, that rifle is one of the most non-picky guns I've ever loaded for, when I get this batch of brass shot up, i'll build a load with the 250's at a full 2700 fps with Alliant Power Pro 2000 powder, that'll be some serious slap down from the '06 sized case.

My CDL is not picky at all.....it shoots them all the same! The most accurate rifle I have ever touched.

Yup.....it sure is and carries serious energy out there as well.....

You guys sound like a Whelen is great. It is so old it was invented in 1922. Guess maybe they get better with age. Like wine? Come on Steelhead, make a xxxxx comment. Rusty

Did you find published data that will do that???

Hunted with a guy that shot a nice buck with his 300 win mag. The buck turned and ran up over the next hill. We finally found him dead. Upon gutting that buck we found a perfect double lung shot and a small hole in and out. That same bullet worked great on the Elk he killed the year before. The bullet was the Barnes TSX 180 gr. Nothing wrong with the rifle or the bullet,just not the right setup for deer.

My 77 mkII Ruger 35 Whelen with RL15 would do 2600 fps fine with a 250 gr RN Hornady but at 2620-2630 primers would start to flatten and at 2650 fps the boltface would be printed on the brass. ( to much of a good thing). I keep it under 2600 fps. Moose take notice when hit.

I've had good luck with Reloader 15 as well...… curious about the mention of Alliant Power Pro 2000 powder... one of the newer ones IIRC.

For the "non-believer"

BTW - I'm currently seeing what CFE-223 will do with the 250 NPT.

If that’s obtaineable, that would be a hammer!!!

I’m getting 2,746 fps avg velocities with CFE 223 over GM210M primers in Federal cases using Speer data for 220 gr bullets with my 225 gr NP out of a 22” barrel. Best accuracy I’ve obtained with a NP well under 1” at 100 yards. I’m a fuzz under max powder load, too.

I’ve not shot game with that NP load but it should do the deed. Happy Trails

I don't have a lot of data on loads.......but I can tell you....once you open the body cavity...... just roll over and drain out!

I have a Remington 700 Classic in 35 Whelen. Have taken whitetails with both the 200gr Remington factory load and handloads using the wonderful Speer 220gr flat nose. The 200gr factory loads are soft shooting and easier on my shoulder than my 30-06. The 220gr kicks more....either kill very cleanly. Great cartridge the 35 Whelen.

I threatened to buy a M70 supergrade with the prettiest piece of wood I've ever seen in a factory gun and sell it to a buddy of mine at a steep profit if he did not buy the gun which he did. A beautiful Winchester for sure. Anyway, he rebarelled to the Colonel's cartridge and that is one shootin' sumbitch. It came out about a pound heavier than I would prefer but it is one damned fine rifle.