For those of you shooting a 225 Barnes TSX in your .35 Whelen, what is your powder of choice? I had always used Reloder 15 in my Whelen but when I switched over to the Barnes TSX and seated the it out to and OAL of 3.34, I found that 60 grains of Reloder 15 was pretty heavily compressed. I dropped it back to 58.5 grains and it fit with just a little bit of compression but I am only getting about 2575 fps. I found that 61 grains of BL-C(2) fits well but I haven't shot it over the chronograph yet. Any suggestions?

Dave

RL15 is very good but I find I get the best accuracy from IMR 4320,so thats all I use now.

Snowman:

Do you have any idea what kind of velocity you are getting with IMR4320 and the 225 TSX?

Dave

Dave I'm away from home and don't have my loading and chronograph data in front of me but if memory serves me I was working up loads with the Nosler 225 gr BT and the Branes TSX. Best accuracy in my rifle was with about 58 grs of 4320 and vel with the TSX just around 2600 fps and the Nosler was a little faster.

Just as an aside... I mentioned that I was going to give BL-C(2) a try. I usually try and stay away from ball powders because they are more sensitive to temperature. However, I have had fantastic luck with it in my 30-30 Winchester, it fits in the Whelen with the 225 TSX without compression, and it is the powder that Hodgdon recommends with a 225 grain bullet in the Whelen. I just got off the phone with a tech guy at Hodgdon and he said that a magnum primer would not be necessary. He said the the Whelen is not a big case and BL-C(2) is not hard to light so he suggested that I just use a standard rifle primer. When I asked about all the information that suggested that with a ball powder it was best to use a magnum primer his exact quote was "I don't know where they come up with this crap"......

I'll load some up and let you know how it goes.

Dave,

I've been hunting with the 35 Whelen using the Barnes TSX bullet for the past few years and I have always used RL-15 for the best velocity. Using 60grs of RL-15 and Remington cases the velocity averages at 2702FPS and is the most accurate in my rifle at less then 1" at 100yds. Using Federal cases and the same 60grs of RL-15 the velocity averages at 2658FPS. I would be interested in hearing about your experience with BL-C(2), so let us know what kind of velocity and accuracy you get.

Joe, Isn't the 60 grain RL15 load pretty compressed? Are you using a drop tube? When I use that much RL15 in my Reminton case, it fills the case around 1/2 way up the neck and seated at an OAL of 3.34 the bullet comes abut to the base of the neck.

Dave

Dave,

Your right about that. It does fill the case about half way up the neck. I have a Dillion case cleaner and I touch the case to it when it is running and the powder compacts down to the shoulder. Plenty of room for the 225gr TSX with just a little powder compression. I was surprised to find out that the Federal case gave me less velocity, but it was just as accurate. The Elk I took with it last week didn't know the difference. The TSX passed clean through the rib cage taking out a rib on the way in and on the way out.

Anyway, I would be interested in your experience with BL-C(2) with the same bullet. Keep us informed.

Joe, touching the case to the case cleaner is a great trick. I've got to give it a try.

I just loaded up five rounds with 61 grains of BL-C(2). I'll shoot it across the chrony at the first opportunity but I doubt it will give as much velocity as 60 grains of RL15. We'll see.

Dave

Dave,

As you know I use 60 gr of RL 15 with the 225 gr TSX. While I use a drop tube it is compressed but I am a fan of compressed loads. Velocity is 2700 fps using Winchester brass and a 22" barrel.

Hey Guys,

I have always found R15 to be the best in the majority of loads for the whelen. Though I have found at times that IMR 4320 gives slightly better accuracy. In fact the 225 Nosler BT shoot into less then 1/2" with IMR 4320. Though I use this load just for the smaller and soft big game. I have been a huge fan of the Barnes TSX. I use 60.5 grains of R15 with this bullet and get 2720 fps with a 24" barrelled rifle.

With the new Rem CDL you can seat the bullet to an overall lentgh of 3.500 and they chamber fine and fit in the magazine. the only thing I don't like about this is the grooves in the bullet pick up dirt. So I have switched the CDL over to 250 gr Nolser Partitions and they are effective on game as well.

My 22' barreled rifle still uses the TSX and it performs beautifully on anything I have taken up to eland.

I get good accuracy and speed with tsx's in my cdl also. I am however getting good accuracy with 250 gr hornady spire points and Re-15. I have been thinking of using those for hunting instead. I just loaded the last of my tsx's for this years elk hunt, and the last of my hornadys for my nephew to use (he's going after his first elk with my 35 classic). It'll be a toss up on which to buy next to stock back up.

I doubt I'll change powder either way though. I'm hoping my nephew will get an elk with the Hornady's so I can see how they hold up and the smile on his face just before we load his pack with a quarter.

Oops forgot to add I'm getting 2730 fps with 225 gr tsx's and Re-15 and 2575 fps with Re-15 and the Hornady's.