Just got back from the farm & killed a 190# buck with my whelen, the 3 rd with this combo all haved dropped like a sack of potatoes but none have completely penetrated the deer. Where I hunt it is very thick and if the deer makes 40 yards it's back to camp for the dogs. My rifle loves the sierras(actusl the only bullet i have tried) and I have 60 or so loaded.. Should I change to Hornadies or stay with sierra???

Hmmm three one shot kills dropped on the spot. If it isn't broke don't fix it.

I got good accuracy with the 225 gr Sierras when I owned a .35 Whelen. I never hunted with them, though. Sierras have a reputation for being soft (conventional core bullet, etc.) but I think for deer they should work fine. I wouldn't change if you're happy with the results.

-Bob F.

Tom..I have just worked up a load for my Whelen using that bullet and it shoots great..and I intended to use it for deer.

Your experience is encouraging...but it kinda surprised me that your did not get an exit with that bullet.. Do you know what velocity you are running with your load?

Last year I used the 250 Hornady running at 2477fps to shoot a deer and three big hogs..and never recovered a bullet. The Hornady bullets are tougher than the Sierras from my experience. If you want more penetration..and an exit hole..the 250 Hornady will do that..and it would be my choice is I was hunting moose, bears or hogs...I loaded the 225 Sierras just as a deer load..and it sounds like that will work ok!!

If you are just hunting deer..I don't think I would switch with the results you are getting now...BTW..the deer I shot ran about 80yds before it piled up with the 250gr. The hogs all dropped on the spot..

Z

I had two loads worked up for my whelen. A 250gr Hornady RN at 2450fps and the sierra 225 at 2650. I used the hornady for closer shooting and the sierra for long range work. It took a little doing but I was able to get the loads workedup so that if the hornady was dead on the sierras were 3" high so I didn't have to change zero on my scope.

My load is a case full og rl15 & i'm getting around 2,650fps at about 15 feet

It sounds like you've got what you need. But it wouldn't hurt to try a box of Nosler Partitions in case you run into a hog.


Okie John

I have shot several deer with my 35 whelen improved starting out at 2830fps and the 225 sierras. Even on very large northern deer 225-250lbs, I have always gotten complete passs through. I have even been known to shoot through small saplings if they are close to the deer and not more than 3-4 iinchers in size with complete pass through. Have all of your deer shot with your load had bullets from the same lot? Could they be softer than normal? All of the sierras I have are from a lot about 6 years old. Perhaps they are makeing them softer now. What speed and distance were bullet traveling and estimated speed at impact. The nosler BT is a tougher bullet and shoots very well also if you want a 225gr load that is more stoutly built. I have never recovered a bullet from a deer yet with any of the various guns and loads that I have tried. Anyway, I think you are seeing why the whelen is soo good, shoot-flop-no quiver-no trailing-just wait and shoot them where it is easy to get them because they arnt mooving anywhere but down.

Tom ga hunter, your experience is similar to mine. I've shot exactly one buck with the Sierra 225. The bullet pass through the near shoulder, broke the off shoulder, but didn't exit. I couldn't find the bullet in the carcass. It was a very large bodied deer that drop on the shot at approximately 200 yards. I later chronographed the load and found out the muzzle velocity was only 2450. Terminal velocity was probably around 2000.