Hey boys, I'm headed to Ontario in November after whitetails again. I have two loads I've wanted to try that I've never hunted with before. One is the speer HC220gr @ 2585fps and under an inch.
The other is the HC250gr @ 2500fps and that one shoots an inch also.
Any reason to choose one over the other? I'm nervous about the 250 expanding on 200-250lb whitetails?
Btw, the rifle is a model 7 .350 REM MAG.

I think I would use the 250 gr but I wouldn’t feel undergunned with the 220 fp.

Use the 220 Hot Core and have a great hunt.
Good luck, Tom

Do you guys have experience with either bullet? Or like me, assuming they will/should work well.

Skybuster,
I have used both bullets, but through several Whelens. Both were wickedly effective on Pennsy whitetails. Deer will never be able to tell which weight bullet you used.
Since the advent of Bivwak, now SPS, I have been using Partitions. My Whelens seem indifferent to various bullets, bullet weights, powders, or powder charges. Near every combination I've ever tried, over 40 years, shot well.
Some consider the Whelen overkill on deer and such. If true, I believe overkill is just right. Your 350 is essentially identical in performance, nice round.
One of my hunting buddies has used the 220 out of a 358. It has taken a pile of game.
Good hunting.

I have taken whitetail with the 220gr Speer out of my Remington Classic M700 in 35 Whelen. Love it and intend to take more....Zero complaints. I think my loads were perhaps 100fps behind yours. No experience with the 250gr.

I've not used the 250 Speer in my Whelen other than load development. Very accurate in mine, as are all 250 grain bullets in my rifle. A friend used the 250 Speer in his 358 Winchester for deer and elk over the course of 42 years of hunting. He racked up a lot of piles of meat with that bullet. He had a lot of faith in the Speer bullet and his 358. I would think if it worked on western mule deer and elk it ought to work on big bodied whitetails.

I had the 220 Speer bullet fail to give satisfactory penetration on several feral hogs. The 250 gr. Speer at 2500 fps is and has been my go to load for many years in the Whelen, second best is the 250 gr. Hornady spire point. I also think highly of the 250 gr. Hornady RN but it is hard to find this one.

"I also think highly of the 250 gr. Hornady RN but it is hard to find this one."

Probably discontinued like all the other Hornady RNs.

Paul B.

Some good reading here:

http://www.35cal.com/bullets.html

Thanks guys for all your input.

Zapped a cow elk with a 220 last year. Thirty yards and down. 358 Win

In my 35 Whelen AI, the 250 Speer is a great analog for the 250 Partition during load workups, meaning the same charge gives me the same velocity and POI with both bullets, so I have shot the 250 Speer a lot in load development. I've not hunted with it but have listened and read an awful lot about it over the near 30 years I've had my Whelen. I don't recall ever hearing a bad report on its performance on any game. And it's got a better BC than the 220, thought I doubt that'll be an issue for your hunt. I'm sure either will be fine.
Have a great hunt!
Rex

I've hunted with a .35 Whelen for nearly 30 yrs. and never considered whitetails to need 250 gr. bullets. I have used Sierra Game King 225gr. with IMR 4064 for many years and recently gone to Hornady Inter-lok 200gr. RN with IMR 3031. I've taken whitetails with both these loads, bullets performed well and accuracy especially with the Hornady 200gr. is outstanding often producing 3 shot cloverleaf groups @ 100yds..

for you fellas that know. how does the 250 grain core-lokt compare in performance and bullet construction to teh 250 speer hc in .35 cal?
thanks,
Big Ed

My 358 Norma was my main guideing rifle for many years,the 300 Barnes and then the 280 SAF were my bullets of choice. On the homefront moose and caribou huming I used (and still use) the 250 Speer Hotcore. Great bullet that deserves the premium brand on it! IMHO

Very impressive animal there!

I've been using them as fireform loads in my 35 Whelen Ackley. After the last range session which resulted in some very nice groups using Re-15, I thought "Why aren't I just using these??" (I normally shoot 225's.)

hornady 250 is being sold at a steep discount in the Wisconsin MAN MALL. Mills Fleet Farm
They have an online presence but it seems like the price may only be good in stores that have existing stock

Stocked up years ago and have enough to last me forever, especially since I try to hunt with a bunch of different rifles and loads every year. I already have a 4 boxes of 250 gr. Hornady Spire points and just less than a hundred of the Hornady RN's. Not to forget the Partitions, Sierra 225's and Woodleigh 225 grain bullets.

I think you will like either one. I have enough 250 gr Speer to last me the rest of my life. One shot one deer.
In honor of Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock.

Waterrat what a beautiful moose almost a double shovel. That is a pretty good endorsement of the 250s which to me is the classic bullet weight for the medium 35s.

I couldn't edit at this late date so did it this way.

I just got the latest Hornady load manual and the 250 gr. round nose has been officially discontinued. Damn them to hell!
Paul B.

Don't be upset about Hornady. Go to Hawk Bullets' website. Look at the RNs for .358 and pick out the 250 gr with the jacket thickness you want for your caliber. Rem Mag and Norma may need the heavier jacket. But you will find the soft copper jacket more ductile than all other bullets to speak of. The slug up in a slightly oversize bore and they usually expand quite well. I use them in my 9X56mm Steyr M/S. You can get them in 0.354 for the 9mm bore. Check it out and try them. Get them in SP, RN, and flat nose if need be. Good luck on your hunt, Be Well, RZ. www.hawkbullets.com or Hawk, Inc.