35 whelen- Black Bear

[35 Whelen]

I you have never had a Whelen you would find that it is a great cartridge with many applications. The Whelen is easy to reload for, there are great number of bullet weight/powder combinations. For me bullet selection has been withing the 200-225gr range for bear hunting. I really like the Barnes bullets for bear hunting, however have loaded Nosler's 225gr Accubond, but never used one to harvest a bear. I started out with a 338WinMag, however the recoil was too stout for my liking. I'd done a lot of reading on 30+ caliber cartridges, found a fairly large following for the Whelen, checked the ballistics and the rest was history. You get close to the terminal ballistics of the .338WinMag without the powder, thus less recoil. Presently I have the Whelen, a .358 Winchester and a .270AI in the arsenal. I recently picked up a rifle that I intend to make a donor for a build. I am having trouble deciding what to build because the Whelen seems to fit what I intend to hunt. The cartridge is extremely efficient when it comes harvesting game, it is bang-flop, there is not a lot of tissue damage around the entry/exit holes (and..always entry/exit holes), it's just a good hunting cartridge. Why this round has never really taken off is beyond me. In 1988 Remington came out with their Remington 700 Classic in 35 Whelen, try to locate one on the shooting market, they are impossible to find. Ruger also manufactured the Whelen in their Ruger 77, try to find one of those on the market anywhere, they are a rare and very desirable rifle. People who have Whelens and who have hunted with them become loyal followers to the cartridge.[/Q

One of the best places I have found to pick up a used 35 Whelen is on GunBroker. May take a little time to for the on that you really like to show up but there is all most all ways Remington's, Ruger's, H &R's, and CVA's on there.

 

[hawg chaser]

Try varget powder with a 225 accubond. Because of this powder and bullet combination I've virtually retired all of my other big game rifles.

 

[Scrumbag]

Got a 9.3x62 I'm umming and ahhing about using for black bear.... seems to use slightly heavier bullets than the 35 Whelen but think will still work

 

[HARPERC]

........Got a 9.3x62 I'm umming and ahhing about using for black bear.... seems to use slightly heavier bullets than the 35 Whelen but think will still work ........

I think you know it will absolutely work. Take a look at the 258 Sledge Hammer's if you need something new to keep your interest.

 

[nicholasjohn]

Both my son and I black bear hunt with 35 Whelens in Maine over bait. The rifles are Ruger 77 tang safety rebores from 30-06 to the 35 Whelens. The last outfitter that we went with asked what we were hunting with, we told him Whelens, the outfitter/guide smiled when we said that. I asked him what he was smiling about, he said, "Because with the Whelen we don't have to track them." I've shot quite a few bear with the Barnes 225gr TSX bullet, never recovered a bullet. We shoot 57.5gr of IMR 4064. Tissue damage is golf-ball size entrance and fist size exit holes every time. I believe that the 225gr gives optimum performance/velocity in the Whelen. We also hunt with the .358 Winchesters as well as the Whelen. I like the Barnes 200gr TTSX bullets with this cartridge; again great performance/velocity with this round, terminal results. I really do not know the reason that the 35 Whelen is not more popular than what it is. The round is easy to load for, brass is readily available or easy to fire form, yet it is like an obsolete cartridge that only has a small following. For accuracy our Whelens like the Sierra 225gr Gamekings, out to 300 yards they are tack drivers. Where are you planning to hunt, and at what distances? We're always like to look at new outfitters and what is out there for hunting black bear. We have been thinking about a Manitoba hunt, however just not gotten there yet.

I think the reason the 35's in general aren't more popular is because most guys think of them as slow-moving bullets with a rainbow trajectory. As you've found, the trajectory is plenty flat enough for 300 yard shooting. It's not significantly different from 30-06 trajectories, especially for the large animals that are typically shot with a 35 Whelen. Maybe hunters read too many shooting magazines ………...

 

[HARPERC]

.....It's not significantly different from 30-06 trajectories, especially for the large animals that are typically shot with a 35 Whelen. Maybe hunters read too many shooting magazines ……….

As much as I like the .35 Whelen, a .30-06 with 220 grain bullets will do what the .35 is generally used for. Such as the expressed purpose stated for this thread.

 

[35 Whelen]

I agree with nicholasjohn, most people any thing over 30cal. drops to fast. So far I have shoot my 35 Whelen out to 400yrds., not hard to do.

Harperc, yes the 30-06 with a 220gr. bullet will do most of what a 35 Whelen will do, both are grate rounds, I have them both. But the 35 Whelen will shoot a 225gr. bullet flatter then the 30-06 shoots the 220gr. bullets. But as I said they are both grate cartridges and it really comes down to personal preference and what you shoot the best.

 

[Scrumbag]

I think you know it will absolutely work. Take a look at the 258 Sledge Hammer's if you need something new to keep your interest.

Was wondering about the 250gr Accubond

 

[Heavyiron]

The 225 sgk will work well on bear. My experience is limited on bear kills. I only have 2 to report on but it did well with them.

 

[hunter67wa]

I shot 250gr corlokt as i didn't reload for that caliber and what a hammer deer and elk fell every time with ease. My neighbor reloads for it and uses 225 Accubonds and loves them for elk and moose

 

[HARPERC]

.......Was wondering about the 250gr Accubond ..........

The .338's, and .308's have worked well for me.

 

[35 Whelen]

Was wondering about the 250gr Accubond

I have not tried the 250 gr. accubond but have loaded some 225gr. accubonds. They do not shoot as accurate as the partions out of my rifle but not much different to really hurt. I have not taken any game with them.

 

[AKGuide]

It's a shame that Barnes doesn't make the 250 grain bullet anymore. It hits like a Mack truck. I bought the last three boxes they had at the factory years ago and reload and replace the ones I use on game to keep my quiver full. My 350 Rem Mag pushes them at 2500 out of a 22" Bbl. Every grizz I've put my crosshairs on have dropped in their tracks thanks to that bullet. I'd look at hammer bullets for something similar as your whelen with the ability to load them long would easily push 250 grain bullets to 2550-2600fps and possibly more with the new powders available.

 

[hunter67wa]

There is a reason its called the poor mans magnum!