Mine likes the 200 and the 250 grain.

For some reason it doesn't like the 225.
Longest shot to date was around 290-300,deer did not know what happened.

Try several weights and let the rifle tell you what it likes,goes for powder as well.

I used some Barnes 180 factory loads on deer this year at ranges past 200 yards....that thing shoots almost like a .270. Accuracy was excellent.....I've hunted plains game twice now and I can assure you that I'd not hesitate to use that load on any pains game.

I've owned 2 Mod 700 Classics reamed to the Ackley, and a Mod 750 carbine in standard Whelan. I only hunted with both Mod 700s. I used the original 250X on several head of big Plains Game in '96, then used the 200X in 2002. I used the 310 Woodleigh on a nice hog a few years back. The Nosler 250PT shot well, as did the sierra 225 in all. I now have moved on tot he 358 Norma mag, just for the experience. With todays modern powders & premium bullets, anything from a 180 on up works in the lower 48, IMO. There is something to be said of thumping a heavy muscled animal with a big heavy softnose though. For my 'all around" bullet weight choices in this Norma mag, I'm sticking with 3, the Barnes 200TTSX, the 225TSX and the new 220 Hammer. I just started playing with this one. If I ever get another 35 Whelan, I'd settle on the standard case and 24" barrel unless I found a good deal on another Mod 700 Classic. 35 calibers are a nice choice between the 338 and 375s, having the qualities of both.

I have never met anyone that shoots the 35 Whelen, that wasn't radical about it, self included, its a grand caliber and kills so well how could one not like it...I sold my Jack Haugh 35 Whelen, because it brought more money than I could turn down and I have a .338 Win and I feel the same about it, the .338 has always been my favorite caliber for no particular reason other than Ive had such good luck with it. Ive been thinking about another 35 Whelen, but probably not in the cards as these days and at my age I shoot my yearly elk and Mule deer, then hunt whitetails and antelope in Texas and my .338 or 30-06 works as well as anything..Ive sold off most of my guns this last year.

Well, count me in as one of the 'radicals' that Ray mentioned. I own many rifles and many calibers, but I think about the 35 Whelen most of the time.

The lowest we (my wife and I) shoot is 225 gr. She likes this best for the recoil factor. She has successfully taken elk out to 256 yards with this round; Factory Federal Premium 225 TBB @ 2,600 fps.

I sold two of my Remington 35 Whelens with the 1/16 twist, and now only own Ruger Hawkeyes and a Dakota, all with 1/12 twist. The lowest I shoot is 250 gr. Nosler Partitions @ 2,550 fps. The highest is 310 Woodleighs.

I have taken elk with my 35 Whelen, and last year I took it to Zambia and took leopard, warthog, bushbuck, hartebeest, oribi and lechwe with it. I used the 250 NP and also the 280 SAF.

Really a lot of good bullet weights for the Whelen, from 180 to 310. What I visualize the use of the 35 Whelen for my own hunting, I like the 250- 310 gr. bullets (elk, moose, bear) and Africa. That is why I favor the 1/12 twist. For caribou, deer, antelope, and smaller, I like my 25-06 and 280 Rem.

If I didn't have other rifles, and used only one rifle for all of my hunting (the Whelen), I'm sure I'd get into the lighter weights really quickly.

My Whelen is always loaded with a 250 grain bullet, the Hornady RN or spitzer are awesome bullets. The Partition is excellent also but so far I haven't been able to see a real advantage it might have over the others. I have had great luck with the 250 grain Speer spitzer also. I get near 2500 fps out of my 20 inch barrel and don't need any more speed. The Whelen seems to shoot well with every bullet tried in it. Recoil is reasonable and the magazine hold two more than most belted cased guns. It also makes a lot of blood flow, especially with Hornady bullets making tracking easy in the dark. I should use mine more.