I'm a long way from building a Whelen, but I had the same thought. Use 200 grain .35 Rem type bullets for plinking, 225 grain premiums for most hunting, and the 280 grain A-Frame as a short-range big bear stopper. If you figure on 2300 fps out the muzzle, its probably out of steam at 150-200 yards, but it sounds like most bear hunting is at pretty short ranges. Be worthwhile to hear from some bear guides on this.

For plinking IMHO: Hornady 180 gr SSP with H4831, the "most accurate" load for 180 gr pistol bullets in the Nosler manual. Not going very fast, but amazingly accurate, at least in my Whelen....

The AK bear guides I've talked with (granted only ~ a half dozen) don't have much experience with guys toting 35 Whelens, but maybe someone out there knows?

"Plink" with a Whelen? Maybe I am an odd man out, but I never plink. I always shoot full power loads in all calibers, because my range time is too valuable to plink.

Barstooler

Daks

Dont mean to get in a pissin match, but as someone else has said, they are talking about hunting plains game in AFRICA not whitetail deer around the corner from their house. To not spend a couple of extra bucks on a good bullet would be foolish.

I use core-lokts in my Whelen and .358 win but they would never travel to Africa, and yes a premium is a better insurance policy over a regular cup and core, especially on animals that are a little tougher built and have a greater tenacity for life.

The Barnes TSX is just about the perfect bullet, as far as loosing petals or penciling through i say bull shit, some dudes dont butcher their own and see the path of total devestation, i have, nough said......

meant to say never travel to Africa with a cheap cup and core bullet.

Meant to say, would never travel to Africa with a cheap cup and core bullet.

I love my whelen and so far I've used it to take a bison, musk ox, caribou, impala and kudu. All with 225gr TSXs at just over 2600fps. My plans are to use the same rifle and bullet hunting brown bear on the ABCs in May.

mark

What kind of penetration did you get on the larger animals? Especially the bison, musk ox, and kudu? Did you recover any bullets? and if yes, what did they weight? Thanks love my Whelen and .358win truly under rated.....

The bison was shot in the ear from about 50 yards +/-, it dropped at the shot. The bullet was recovered and I have it but haven't weighed it.

I shot the muskox just behind the shoulder at about 80 yards or so. Other than moving away, it showed little signs of being hit so I shot him a second time, again behind the should. When we caped him there was 2 exit holes about 4 inches apart on the off side.

The caribou was taken at about 75 yards, shot in the right shoulder with a complete pass through. I worked the bolt got him back in the scope, my rule is to keep shooting if an animal is still standing, and I could see a big red spot on his shoulder and blood pouring out his nose, this time there wasn't a need for a second shot.

The impala was taken in Namibia last year, the shot was just under 100 yards and just missed the shoulder, with a complete pass through. When I shot he was standing 4 or 5 feet in front of a bush and after the shot we found pieces of his lungs in the bush! The PH was very impressed.

The kudu was also taken in Namibia. Its a long story... it is my wifes kudu, her first shot wasn't very well placed, we tracked it a ways, found it in the brush on the edge of an opening. Only problem was she couldn't see it and everyone was afriad we were going to lose him, so the PH told me to shoot it... I felt bad for her but we didn't want to lose him or see him suffer either, so I shot him. After the shot I measured it with a range finder at 272 yards! The bullet was recovered just under the skin on the offside, I have it but haven't weighed it either.

quote:

would never travel to Africa with a cheap cup and core bullet.

Not to get in any arguements, here, but have you used them? I'll be heading to the country on the south side of the Limpopo in a few months. I'll be taking the same rifle I used last time - my .35 Whelen stoked with Hornady 250 gr. cup-and-core bullets. They worked well last time, just as they have in WY and AK and AZ for various things. I can't say what the retained weight is because I've never managed to get one to stay in the animal.

The Hornadys are leaving my muzzle at a 2600 fps, and that is well within their design range. They work as designed.

My father stole my Ruger M77 tang safety whelen from me a few years ago.

I always thought it was a 250 Grain bullet kind of gun. He has probably only shot a box with that bullet.

He claims that it's a 200 grain kind of gun. Fierce recoil and a old worn out shoulder have something to do with it.

I like the 250s for everything. Why change!

You know what's funny, I am probably going to end up with a M700 CDL in 35 Whelan and a Varberger.

I like the cartridge, it the 25-06, 30-06, and 9.3x62.

quote:

Originally posted by ICUdoc:
I've used the now-discontinued Fed TBBC 225 on an AK. black bear, and it hit like a hammer. I cannot help but think the 280 gr would be even more of a thumper on close up big bears or maybe hunting the jess in southern africa?

The Federal 225gr TBBC has been revived by Federal!

http://www.federalcartridge.com/default.asp?s1=4&s2=6&id=126&brand=5&year=2007