I've got a brown bear hunt planned for next spring on the ABC Islands and I'm thinking of taking my 35whelen, Remington CDL in syn. stock. The load I've been using is a 225gr TSX at 2600fps. Would you use that load for brown bear? Use a 250gr bullet? If so what bullet, TSX, Swift? Or would a 375 H&H be better?

The 35 Whelen with any of the bullets you mentioned will work just fine.

As to bullets I happen to like the 250 a-frame, TBBC, or Northfork.

Just got back from a vacation in AK where I asked a lot of guys what they used to hunt with. Unlike what we read in the forums where you have to be careful or you'll get your head bit off for saying just about anything here the hunters in AK use whatever they think is fun.

One has shot three brown bear in recent years and got the last one at 20 ft by shooting it in the head with his Ruger #1 in 45-70. He guided his buddy who shot one in the neck at 30 ft with a 500 S&W. He told his buddy to shoot it in the head but he missed and hit the spine. These guys pay only $25 for a tag and hunt every year on a certain section on Kodiak.

Get ready for rain. It makes a better story to say you got dangerous game with a dangerous game gun. Thats my take on bullet/cartridge selection.

They don't bite back (usually anyway!) but I'll be using the 225 TSX at 2700fps in my Whelen for mooose this year. From the penetration/expansion test I did a month ago (it's posted here somewhere) the 225 TSX penetrates and retain more weight than the 250gr Speer HC, GS and Hornady IL.

Thanks guys