RickF,
Like you, I hesitate to blame a bullet that I didn't recover. However, after almost 25+ years of big game hunting, I know when I muff a shot. When I fired at the bull that I lost, the range was short, I was calm and confident, had my left arm wrapped up in my sling, and was very deliberate when I took aim and squeezed the trigger. Had it not been for the fact that I hit another bull at 200+ yds. three days later, I'd blame the rifle.

If I haven't already said it, your original post was facinating. I truly enjoyed the pictures of the bullets and was impressed by the performance of the Northfork bullet. If my .35 were more powerful, and I could obtain more velocity with a 250 gr. bullet, I'd be trying some of those bullets. As it is, I feel that I should stick to the lighter weight bullets with a smaller frontal profile after expansion thus enhancing penetration.
I was also intrigued by your cartridge. I've heard of it all my life, but I thought it was just another too long, too loud, powder gobblin' magnum. Turns out it's basically a .35 on a 338 win Mag case! If ever I give in and decide to own a "magnum", I'll give this one a hard, hard look.
35W

RickF, I can identify with your hunt in so many ways. I had what I would call �questionable performance� on a bull with a Nosler Partition.
I went on an elk hunt in New Mexico last month. I shoot a 35 Whelen that I built several years ago specifically for elk hunting. I have for the last few years loaded the 225 gr. Partition over 58 grs. of Varget attaining a velocity of around 2700 fps according to my chronograph. I have killed a couple of whitetails with it simply because I wanted to get some use out of it, but until this year had never gotten a shot at an elk.
The evening of the first days hunt I got a shot at a nice mature bull at around 75 yds. He had just stepped out of the timber and was grazing. He lifted his head and craned it around to the left to look behind himself. When he did, I placed the crosshairs at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. My thought was I'll either, a) spine him, b) the bullet will angle back through his left lung and exit, or c) penetrate through and break his left (far) shoulder. I fired and the bull bolted out into the meadow and ran a little semi-circle back into the timber. I took a running shot at him, but shot over him. I wasn't worried because I was certain I had hit him. I decided to wait a bit before going after him. While I was gathering my things, I heard him cough, and then heard limbs break. I figured he'd fallen. I went to where he was when I shot (he had been standing in snow) and found a few drops of blood that, judging from the location of the blood relative to the tracks, had come from the entrance wound. I saw no evidence of the bullet exiting (blood, hair, etc. in the snow). Also, when the bull ran he showed no evidence of a broken shoulder. I easily tracked him into the timber and not far in the timber I found where he'd stopped and bled some, but no bull. The pattern of the drops of blood looked as though they had dripped from his mouth/nose. My father and I looked until past dark with no luck. We returned the next day and followed the blood trail until it played out then combed the timber for another 2-3 hours with still no luck. We did find more blood, and it too appeared to have dripped from the mouth and/or nose.
I was very disappointed that the bullet hadn't exited or at least broken his off shoulder. I feel that had the bullet exited the bull, he would have bled more and perhaps died more quickly. I�m still sick about losing that bull.
Three days later I got a shot at another bull. I jumped him out of a large bowl/meadow area, at around 10,500' elevation, took a running shot at him at a little under 100 yards as he quartered away from me. I saw him flinch at the shot, yet he ran on up the side of the bowl and stopped behind a little string of timber. Where he stopped, a very large aspen tree mostly obscured him. I sat down and got all wrapped up in my sling and waited for him to step out. He was now at what I'd guess was 200-225 yards. When he stepped out, I shot him again behind the left shoulder at which time he went down.
Sounds good, huh? It was late, so I snapped a few pictures, gutted him, and left. Next day we came back to skin, quarter and pack him out. Contrary horses, snow, equipment, etc. threw us late getting back to him so I wasn�t able to thoroughly search for the bullets. Both had entered behind his left shoulder, within a couple of inches of each other, and angled forward and stopped ahead of the right shoulder. Neither exited which, again, disappointed me.
I have used Partitions quite a bit, but always in smaller calibers and on whitetail. In my experience, they completely penetrate deer from any angle 90% of the time. I personally am all in favor of TWO outlets for bleeding.
RickF the picture of the North Fork bullet is inspiring, however Dave Scovill, editor of Rifle and Handloader magazine wrote an excellent article on premium bullets. He pointed out that bullets which expand and make a nice, large mushroom do not penetrate as well as those such as the Barnes �X� or the Winchester Fail Safe. He pointed out that when the bullet expands in this manner, the sectional density is effectively lowered hence reducing penetration.
I am currently in search of a bullet that will penetrate more deeply without the sacrifice of lower B.C. and velocity (hence, a more arched trajectory). I bought a box Barnes Triple Shock �X� 225 gr. And thus far am pleased. The first four, four shot groups all stayed within 1 �� with 3 shot clusters in each group going under 1�. This, all without load development. I used Re15 and velocities started out at around 2550. By working up 1 grain at a time, I was able to achieve 2722 fps with the last load. I have high hopes for this bullets. Now, let�s just hope I draw an elk tag next year!!
-35 Whelen

I have been using Barns X and Nosler partitions for years. And every now and then I have had one that will be totaly weird. I always like an exit hole believing that more blood can run out of two holes than one. I am a huge advocate of the Barns X and love their TSX. But figure this one out. Mule deer buck broadside 250 yards and a 225grain Barns X moly going at a muzzle speed of 3200fps. Two bullets were lodged on the far side skin after going through one shoulder then the second shot through both. Strange I thought for the leading penetration bullet. Same year with the same gun at 100 yards I had complete penetration on a cow moose facing me though chest out the butt. I have just bought some 200gr accubonds for a 300 win to try.

Well, I'm glad it only happens now and then. Yes, it is weird. Good luck with the 200 Accub. I love them in my 300 Ultra. Very very accurate with Re25.

35Whelen: I have taken several elk cleanly with the X bullets in my 35 Whelen; I have not tried the triple shocks yet because I put in quite a supply of the 200 X's when I heard they weren't going to make them anymore. The only bullets that have not exited have stopped against the skin on a complete front to back or a long shot that stayed against the humerus after exiting the chest.

I don't mean to crap in anyone's Cheerios, but how can you assume that the bullet failed when it was not recovered? It could very possibly have performed just fine, but missed the spine and major arteries by a millimeter and away he ran. I wasn't there, so I won't pretend to know all of the details of your shot placement, etc, and I'm not judging your shooting ability. I just don't think it's always reasonable to blame the bullet.

I have to agree 43deer. A well placed 225 gr. Partition from a 35 Whele

n at 75 yards equals dead elk. Nothing wrong with trying the TSX or North Fork but I don't see that bullet failure had anything to do with the bull that was lost.



Jeff