I'm looking to use my rem700 in 35 Whelen for Wyoming Elk this fall. I'm looking at 225gr Bearclaws, 250gr SpeerHotcores, 250gr SpeerGrandslams, and the Partitions. Running some potential loads through the computor it appears that the 250gr hotcores step right along with the bearclaws up to 300yds. Has anyone had experience with these bullets on Elk in a 35 whelen? Any advantages or disadvantages between 225gr and 250gr? I've used 250gr remington factory loads for moose, but the shots were real close! I appreciate some guidance before I head down the wrong trail and waste a lot of time and money.

Of the ones you mention, based on my own experience go with the 225 grain TBBC. At 2600 fps you'll get a little better distance and the 225's will do anything you want the Whelen to do. I have mine set for a 250 yard zero and that will put you almost 4" high at 100 yards and 5" low at 300. A very versatile and potent round.

I'd go with any premium 225 @ 2600ish fps and you'll be good to go.

If you are hunting the thick stuff and the shots will be 200 or less the 250 Partitions work best. 250 Speers are fine for broadside shots as Hornadys. I will agree that a 225 will probably give you better range for out to 300. If you use 225 I'd only use Partitions or something like a Swift or TBBC. As a long time Montana resident I've killed a lot of elk and most were shot under 100 yds at less than perfect angles. The better bullets will hold together at higher impact V's.
My 250gr Partition load is about 2500fps and my 225gr Partition load is just under 2700. At 200 yds or less the 250 will blow through anything broadside and drive in 3 to 4 feet on quartering towards you shoulder shots or quartering away from you behind the ribs shots.

You should try the 225 TSX, possibly the best of all worlds...

The 250 Speers work well on our big AK moose.
My buddy in Whitehorse has used the 250 Speer
Spitzer for 30 years in .358 Win to .358 Norma
on Moose and Bear without a bullet failure. So should work fine for Elk.

The 250 grain Speers are very good all around bullets and will serve you well on all forms of game in Alaska.

I personsally like the 225 Barnes X or the new TSX. In my Rem 700 CDL, I can easily get over 2700 fps with this bullet with Reloader 15 and it is very accurate. With this load sighted in at 200 yards, it's 2.5" high at 100 yard and 8" low at 300.

The Rem factory loads are pretty anemic compared to what you can receive handloading. If you want factory loads, then the Fed Premium 225 TBBC are loads I can recommend.

BigBullet

What is the TSX? How do you think a quartering shot within 200yds would be with this or any other 225gr bonded or partition bullet? Care to share a 225gr load?

Compared to the other 225 grain bullets, I beleive you will see greater peentration and nearly 100% weight retention. I shot a zebra at over 325 yards (actually further then I wanted to shoot, quartering away, and the beast ran about 200 yards and piled up dead. This is probibly pushing the limits of this cartridge/bullet combo, but it does work well.

I recovered one 225 gr BX thus far. Its really kind if a strange story. I shot a waterbuck at 125 yards, snap shot and hit the buck right at the junction of the neck and the shoulder and the buck went right down as expected. The waterbuck was good size, maybe 650lbs-700lbs. But heres the strange part the bullet went through the buck. Then you may ask how was the bullet recovered? Well 2 days later we were walking the same trail and about 40 yards past where the waterbuck went down, here lay the bullet on the trail.




Needless to say we were all very surprised.

BigBulelt

Given that the 225TSX will retain 100% of it's weight, I can't see how a conventional 250 gr. bullet will do better.

I have a jealously guarded stash of 200 gr. HV's that I use, but when they are gone, I would be happy to shoot the 225 TSX. As a matter of fact, I have relegated the 200's to the 358, and will work up a load with the 225's for the Whelen. FWIW, Dutch.

Hey Dutch,

Before I settled on the Barnes bullets for my hunting needs, I did a lot of bullet testing into wet magazine at 50 yards. Though not exactly perfect, it did allow me to see the way differnent bullets penetrated and held together. Of the bullets I tried the 225 gr barnes X (no TSX at the time) was the best for penetration and retained weight, plus they were the most accurate in my rifle, so the choice for me at the time easy.

I also looked at some of the Nosler offerings and then some conventional designed bullets. Of this last group, I was impressed with the way the 250 Speer's hung togeher and can beleive those who say(most with much more experience then mine and from Alaska) that the 250 gr Speer is a good all-around bullet for their needs. Part of it is their design, but also they are driven at lower velocities then the 225 grain bullets, so they don't have to be quite as stout. 72-78% retained weight was seen in my little testing, no core seperations and they shot pretty good groups from my rifle at 100 yards.

Personally, I will stick with the 225 grain Barnes TSX, but those who prefer the 250 grain Speer Hot Core for an all around bullet are not wrong either.

BigBullet

Here's a little data from bullets I recovered here in Arizona on elk I have killed.

A 250 grain Speer hot core, velocity 2600fps, range 131 yards. The bullet hit behind the 3rd rib, missed all bones, entered the heart and blew up, no exit. Recovered bullet weight 56 grains.

225 grain Nosler Ballistic tip. Velocity 2700fps, range 225 yards. The bullet hit in front of the left rear flank, traveled the whole length of the elk and stopped on the brisquet. Recovered bullet weight 206 grains. The ballistic tip, by far, is the most accurate bullet in my Whelen, with excellent weight retention.

My observations on these 2 "tests", both of the elk were stone dead at the shot. Either worked properly in my situation, and I would use either bullet again.


Jerry

BigBullet,

I ordered a Rem 700 cdl in 35 whelen this afternoon from my local gunshop. I have been wrestling with the decision on whether to build a 358 winchester on a short action, or a 35 whelen on a long action. When I saw the price on the cdl and it came in 35 whelen I bit. If you would be so kind, could you give me pros and cons on your cdl in 35 whelen and your thoughts on the 1in 16 twist rate.
Thanks
GWB

KTROUT:

My Whelen is a Model 700, with a custom barrel. It is twisted 1 in 16 and it shoots 250 grain bullets into 1" or less groups. The 225 ballistic tips shoot better than that! Of course
I don't shoot bullets over 250 grains.

Good Luck

Jerry

ktrout,

Like Jerry says, the 225 Nosler BT shoot the best and 1/2" groups are not uncommon for me. I have shot several groups under 1" at 200 yards. And the BT is a good hunting bullet for many applications.

Now for the pros and cons of the CDL, first it is light this may be a pro or a con depending on your outlook. When you shoot a heavily loaded 225gr bullet or heavier, the recoil is noticable. The R3 recoild pad does work and the trigger is very nice, once adjusted. For me, I'm 6'3" its a little short in length of pull, especially with just shirtsleeves. There are no open sights for back up. The rifle is throated long and the magazine is long, 3.600". In my rifle, I seat the 225 grain Nosler BT and 225 grain Barnes X to 3.500". I have never shot factory ammo in my rifle, but being so long throated, I doubt it would shoot very well. Though it may be worth a try and possably there are folks who have had good success with factory ammo. Again, I consider the long mag/throat to be pro, others may consider it a con.

The wood fit and finish is very nice along with the metal work/finish. The rifle is extremely accurate and I have shot bullets of 300 grains at over 2200 fps with no sign of tipping. I shoot 225 gr, 250 gr, 275 gr (old Hornadys) and 300 gr (old Barnes Originals)all shot less then 1.5".

For comparison, I also shoot a 35 Whelen with a 1:14 twist Shilen barrel on an '03 action and the REM CDL normally shoots all bullet weights more accurately. And I paid a lot more for that custom rifle. Though its still a 1" rifle, the Rem is better.

Hope this gives you a fair appraisal of what you should expect from your CDL and good shooting.

BigBullet

I like the 250gr Speer GrandSlams in the Whelen.

BigRx

As a 358 Norma shooter for 25yrs plus using it for backup I feel qualified in this field. For an elk hunt the 250 speer hot-core would be perfect as with either nosler. If you plan on an exclusive Tx heart shot go for a swift or barnes. Guiding I load Swifts and personal use speer or hornady get the nod. ? ackley improved? Jim

Great Thread! Nice to read the recommendations. Can't wait to hit the range and try some of these bullets.
I've been offered .300 Weatherby loaners, .338 mag loaners, but I really like my Whelen, and hope to set it up for the hunt.

Good information. I was just thinking of what bullet I should load in my 358 Norma Magnum for this year's elk hunt. Now I have some opinions to help guide me.

One bullet you should by all means try is the North Fork. I use it with my .358 STA and have taken several Elk, plus Zebra, Hartebeest and Impala in Africa. The North Fork comes in 225, 250 and 270 grain bullets, my rifles like all three weights. For the larger tougher animals I would bet my farm on the 270 grainers. www.northforkbullets.com will get you there. Good luck and good shooting.

I have taken more than a dozen animals with the Fed. 225 gr. TBBC load in the .35 Whelen, out to ranges of 410 yards. The animals ranged in size from steinbok to moose and eland. All have been one shot kills and I have only recovered one bullet. In my rifle with a 22 inch barrel, this loads chronos at 2630 fps. I zero for 2.5 inches high at 100 yards with gives me a dead on hold at 200 and about 9-10 inches low at 300. Consistently groups at one inch or less for 3 shot groups.

I have now tried the Nosler Custom ammo in .35 Whelen and it is some good stuff as well, at least off the bench. 4 shots groups that hover right at 1 inch and a published velocity for the 225 Partition of 2750 fps and the 250 gr. Partition at 2550. In my rifle, the 225 gr. load is 3 inches high at 100 yds and the 250 grain load prints dead on. I haven't taken any game with this load yet, however. But I can't imagine anything but excellent performance from the Partition.