Anyone using their 35 Whelen for Deer this coming season?

I won't be using mine for deer this year but have in the past. The load posted above looks good, and most any 200 gr. load will work OK. I had poor results on a few deer using very strongly constructed 250 gr. and 225 gr. bullets that were really meant for elk and moose. Poor expansion and long tracking jobs. In elk those bullets worked very well.
 
My Sambar load is a Woodleigh 225 RN using 55gr of ADI 2208 powder, Not sure of the Chrono'd speed but its taken a number of Sambar now, Ive shot fallow Deer with it but the Whelen with the sturdy projectiles is just too much of a good thing for deer an the projie fails to expend.

Loaded with lighter more fragile pills it would be a mighty deer gun


My Ruger Hawkeye mkII .35Whelen, has become my work horse hunting rifle for all conditions!
 
Longwalker said:
I won't be using mine for deer this year but have in the past. The load posted above looks good, and most any 200 gr. load will work OK. I had poor results on a few deer using very strongly constructed 250 gr. and 225 gr. bullets that were really meant for elk and moose. Poor expansion and long tracking jobs. In elk those bullets worked very well.
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+1 longwalker
 
Not yet - maybe next year.

I like the 250gr Hornady RN over a full case of Re17 for about 2600 fps, or a 225gr Partition over a full case of Re15 for a bit over 2700 fps.
 
Got some lesser 35s now to use for deer hunt - 358Win, 356Win and 35Rem. However the 35 Whelen is ballistically superior - with more potential reach if loaded for that and if you need it (I usually don't) ... decisions, decisions.

If I do grab one of my 35 Whelens it might be a 7600 carbine with my old woods hunting standby load - 59.5 ReL15 and a 250 Hornady RN - boring thumper that works well for me.
 
Longwalker said:
I won't be using mine for deer this year but have in the past. The load posted above looks good, and most any 200 gr. load will work OK. I had poor results on a few deer using very strongly constructed 250 gr. and 225 gr. bullets that were really meant for elk and moose. Poor expansion and long tracking jobs. In elk those bullets worked very well.
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Same here. Last year took a big elk using 225TSX with excellent results. Elk down within 10 yards. Next day on a mature Muley, through both lungs with small exit wound. He staggered around a bit and fell down a hill. Dead but not as dramatic as the elk. Day after on a meat-pole raiding 5 1/2' black bear. Same as Muley.
For deer I'd try a normal Hornady or Speer 225 gr conventional bullet. I'm sure they would work great.
Geoff
 
For deer, a 200gr Hornady or Remington would work fine. Save the bigger bullets for bigger game.

Longwalker said:
I won't be using mine for deer this year but have in the past. The load posted above looks good, and most any 200 gr. load will work OK. I had poor results on a few deer using very strongly constructed 250 gr. and 225 gr. bullets that were really meant for elk and moose. Poor expansion and long tracking jobs. In elk those bullets worked very well.
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What he said!
 
It's great to hear 35 whelen shooters passionately chime in. I need to load up 200s after this overwhelming agreement on the heavier rounds. It's my first time taking out the 35 whelen for deer.

Thanks for the advice guys :).
 
I use my 7600 in .35 for deer every year. I have taken two deer with it so far, a running doe with a shoulder shot that exited out the far side of the next and a spike last fall from a high ridge. Entrance was high in the back, a little too far towards the tail and took out the liver, dropping him to the ground. When I got off the ridge, he was standing broadside and I fired another round through the ribs, finishing him off. Both deer left heavy blood trails and all shots were complete pass throughs. I have been using Hornady Interlocks, 200gr spire points. This year, I can`t find the spire points, so I am loading the round nose and my usual 4064 powder is non-existant in my area, so trying RL 15.
 
Sadly I won't be using my .35 Whelen this year because at this point it is just an action sitting on my bench.:(

It's a project that needs to be completed. Or maybe I should just try to find a Ruger Hawkeye stainless in .35 Whelen?
 
Ill hopefully take mine out in november for deer. I have some 225gr accubonds/ RL15 ready to go so thats what Ill be using this season. Ive only had the rifle about 6mos and only used the 225gr bullets. Im curious to try out some 250gr bullets for it.
 
I will be using 200gr. Hor. S.P. 54gr of IMR4895 about 2500. I,ve used this load on 2 other deer no problems
 
Out of my Whelen I use the 225 Accubond for moose and the Hornady 200 SP for deer... And the 250 SP-RP for bears.
 
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