35 Whelen Max Effective Range

[gerry35]

So far my best load has been 250 partitions going 2650, pushed by reloader 15. I figure 400 is my max range for expansion with that bullet. This is my go-to gun and load here in Alaska. More than enough for hunting situations, and enough oomph I trust it against brown bear.

I did take my first black bear with it at 375 yards. Black bear aren't all that tough, but it still only made it 40 yards with a through and through on the lungs. 1.25" exit, only hit ribs.

I haven't been able to find the 250 grain partitions in 2 and 1/2 years. I'm down to 18 rounds. I tried a load ladder with 225 accubonds and didn't get the best results, though they'd work in a pinch. Considering going to the 200 grain barnes ttsx, so thanks for all the info! Penetration with modest expansion is my primary reason for picking the heavier partitions, so thinking the lighter ttsx should give similar on-game performance?

I'm sure I posted something on here since it's an older thread. I got a couple of black bears with the 200 gr TTSX and IMR 8208 at 2850 fps, you'll like it. CFE 223 will get you even more speed.

You also could sub in some 250 gr Speer's or Hornady's for practice and smaller game and save up your Partition's for hunting the bigger stuff. They'll make a run of those again some day.

 

[BCsteve]

I get pretty close to 3000fps in mine with 200 TTSX and IMR4064. Haven't killed anything with those yet but did kill a couple moose with the 225 TSX.

 

[35WhelenAI]

The 180 TTSX needs to be pushed really fast to overcome the ballistic deficit to the 200 TTSX. 200 TTSX strikes the best balance IMO and ballistic calculations back that.

Alliant Power Pro Varmint trumps both CFE and IMR 8208 if you wanna put rocket fuel behind the higher BC monos in the Whelen or Whelen AI. PPV is basically 270 fps faster than CFE 223 with 180 bullets and 90 fps faster with 225 class bullets. 200's are right in between from my work with the 200 TTSX.

However, that's at long range that most of us are not shooting at, inside 300-350 yds, pick your poison and both the 180 and 200 TTSX bullets are great. No animal is gonna argue...

BCsteve, your post came as I was typing mine. For me, 2940 fps with IMR 4064 and the 200 TTSX from my Whelen AI with minimal case head expansion, along with no traditional pressure signs.

 

[Mikey_B79]

I picked up some CFE 223 to try with the 225's and 250's, supposed to be a really good powder with excellent speed.

I basically copied the Speer published data (250gr Hot Core at 3.340" COAL loaded with CFE223) for use in my CVA Scout and the results were quite strong. 2632FPS average and just over 1 MOA at 100 yards. Recoil is a bit spicy, but it is a total hammer. I'm a believer it CFE223 for heavy bullet performance in the Whelen.

 

[gerry35]

I basically copied the Speer published data (250gr Hot Core at 3.340" COAL loaded with CFE223) for use in my CVA Scout and the results were quite strong. 2632FPS average and just over 1 MOA at 100 yards. Recoil is a bit spicy, but it is a total hammer. I'm a believer it CFE223 for heavy bullet performance in the Whelen.

I would imagine there's a bit of recoil! Going to try it myself this summer and see. Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

 

[BCsteve]

Try Power Pro 2000MR with the 225gr. Over 2800fps with the 225gr TSX.

 

[gerry35]

Try Power Pro 2000MR with the 225gr. Over 2800fps with the 225gr TSX.

Can you even found it up here? Alliant powders have been non existent from what I've seen.

 

[BCsteve]

Can you even found it up here? Alliant powders have been non existent from what I've seen.

Got two pounds on line two years ago. I haven't checked recently but you're probably right about current availability.

 

[rickyw]

Check out the tipped hammer hunters. If you can get the 196 grain going 2900 fps it’s looking like you could take the Whelen out past 500 yards. I didn’t see these last I checked so maybe they are new? I’m going to have to try them when I get my Whelen finished. They also have a 255 grainer with a bc of .551!

.358 Archives - Hammer Bullets

hammerbullets.com

 

[BCsteve]

Reviving this one since I just got my Tikka T3X in .35 Whelen back from the gunsmith. Was debating the pros and cons of loading 200gr TTSX or the 225gr TSX so I reached out to Barnes and asked them what was the minimum expansion velocities for the two. I thought I had read somewhere that the 225gr TSX had a lower velocity minimum but wasn't sure. I was surprised by their answer.

Steve,
200 TTSX = 2000 fps
225 TSX = 1800 fps

At these impact velocities you should see double diameter expansion. They are starting to expand approximately 200 fps slower but for best performance hit these velocities and you are assured of a massive dump of hydrostatic shock into the animal.

Thank You

Alan Griffith | Consumer Service
Barnes Bullets

 

[Balderdash]

Reviving this one since I just got my Tikka T3X in .35 Whelen back from the gunsmith. Was debating the pros and cons of loading 200gr TTSX or the 225gr TSX so I reached out to Barnes and asked them what was the minimum expansion velocities for the two. I thought I had read somewhere that the 225gr TSX had a lower velocity minimum but wasn't sure. I was surprised by their answer.

Steve,
200 TTSX = 2000 fps
225 TSX = 1800 fps

At these impact velocities you should see double diameter expansion. They are starting to expand approximately 200 fps slower but for best performance hit these velocities and you are assured of a massive dump of hydrostatic shock into the animal.

Thank You

Alan Griffith | Consumer Service
Barnes Bullets

Thinking about a Tikka Whelen myself. Can you share specifics of barrel make, twist, throat, etc?

Thanks.

 

[gerry35]

Reviving this one since I just got my Tikka T3X in .35 Whelen back from the gunsmith. Was debating the pros and cons of loading 200gr TTSX or the 225gr TSX so I reached out to Barnes and asked them what was the minimum expansion velocities for the two. I thought I had read somewhere that the 225gr TSX had a lower velocity minimum but wasn't sure. I was surprised by their answer.

Steve,
200 TTSX = 2000 fps
225 TSX = 1800 fps

At these impact velocities you should see double diameter expansion. They are starting to expand approximately 200 fps slower but for best performance hit these velocities and you are assured of a massive dump of hydrostatic shock into the animal.

Thank You

Alan Griffith | Consumer Service
Barnes Bullets

I'm really surprised by this, the 225 gr TSX has a pretty small hollow point and would have thought the 200 gr TTSX would be more reliable farther out. I have taken game with both but at close range so far.

 

[Leaf Litter]

Here's the Strelok data for my Tikka 35 Whelen AI, McGowen 24" barrel.

215 HHT @ 2900 FPS and ~1k feet elevation. Good to between 550 and 600 yards if we're using Hammer's 1800fps minimum expansion velocity threshold

 

[gerry35]

@Leaf Litter looks like we posted at the same time. Please let us know how they perform on game when you get the chance.

This one really interests me, they claim a.454 BC with it. Could get some great speed out of it I would imagine.

 

[BCsteve]

Same. If love to give those a try. They would be a great in-betweener the 200gr TTSX and the 225gr TSX. They're so damn expensive up here!

This one really interests me, they claim a.454 BC with it. Could get some great speed out of it I would imagine.

View attachment 868855

 

[gerry35]

Same. If love to give those a try. They would be a great in-betweener the 200gr TTSX and the 225gr TSX. They're so damn expensive up here!

They definitely are expensive!

 

[Leaf Litter]

@Leaf Litter looks like we posted at the same time. Please let us know how they perform on game when you get the chance.

This one really interests me, they claim a.454 BC with it. Could get some great speed out of it I would imagine.

View attachment 868855

Unfortunately I haven't shot any deer with it yet. I had to skip deer season this year, fortunately my elk filled the freezer nicely.

The 141gr HHT in .277 worked really well on my elk. Obviously not apples to apples, but it was certainly effective.

 

[BCsteve]

Thinking about a Tikka Whelen myself. Can you share specifics of barrel make, twist, throat, etc?

Thanks.

Tikka T3X which started as a 6.5x55. The barrel is a stainless 22” Bevan King 1:14 twist barrel with SAAMI spec chamber. I had that barrel installed on a Ruger MKII for several years but wasn’t seeing much action because it was so dang heavy. When I found out that the thread was the same as on the Tikka I got a hold of my gunsmith and had e barrel swapped over on the Tikka with some minor chamber touch up. With everything being the same, it lost a pound going from the Ruger to the Tikka.

 

[35WhelenAI]

My choice of the 200 TTSX versus the 225 TSX is the additional speed the 200 TTSX can be pushed to safely, and a slightly higher BC to flatten the trajectory at all ranges. The 200 gr recoils less from experience shooting both weights of bullets out of the 35 Whelen AI. I could look at a recoil calculator and put a number to it but that's my impression.

200 fps lower expansion velocity is an advantage for the 225 TSX however those factors above make it a wash or slightly in favor of the 200 TTSX in any hunting situation that I'll find myself in.

 

[BCsteve]

My choice of the 200 TTSX versus the 225 TSX is the additional speed the 200 TTSX can be pushed to safely, and a slightly higher BC to flatten the trajectory at all ranges. The 200 gr recoils less from experience shooting both weights of bullets out of the 35 Whelen AI. I could look at a recoil calculator and put a number to it but that's my impression.

200 fps lower expansion velocity is an advantage for the 225 TSX however those factors above make it a wash or slightly in favor of the 200 TTSX in any hunting situation that I'll find myself in

Yes, it's pretty much a wash. A quick look on the ballistic app shows that they both arrive at their minimum expansion velo at slightly over 400 yds with the 200gr TTSX 5" flatter.