What is it good for? What is the effective range on say "elk" with 225 grainers? Is it effective on big bears?

I think that with the right handload the .35 Whelen is good for anything you come up against. If you limit the range of your shots to 300 yds you won't have a problem bringing home any elk. I've never hunted big bears but I think with 225-250 grain bullets at a reasonable range it should take them with no problem. You should ask the guys of in the AK forum about the capabilities of the Whelen.

quote:

Originally posted by Whiteeyetattoo:
What is it good for?

Well, lets see...so far its been good for a bison, a caribou, a muskox, an impala and a kudu. Plan to use it for a bear hunt next spring. Mine is a Remington CDL and I've been using 225gr TSXs in it. I LOVE my whelen!!

It's good for making nice, big holes in animals at any distance I care to shoot, inexpensively, without a lot of noise or barrel wear. JMO, Dutch.

Its a good medium range hammer for Elk/Moose size game at 250 or so yards. It also works real well for Whitetails using the 200 gr. ballistic tip. I use the 225gr. TBBC for the heavier game.