First IA buck with .35 Whelen

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Last night I killed my first IA whitetail with a .35 Whelen. After decades of shotgun slugs, muzzleloader, and straight wall rounds, what a pleasure it was to use a purpose-built rifle and cartridge for deer instead of a “compromise”.

He was no monster, just a mature 3 year old. The distance was about 65 yards, and estimated impact velocity was ~2,700fps. The entry was caliber size and exit was roughly 3x with a bizarreish Mickey Mouse shape. On the way through the deer one of the petals lacerated the heart and the lungs were liquified. The buck staggered at the shot and dead-ran about 60 yards before piling up.

EDIT: I was using Barnes Vor-Tx 180 grain TTSX.

 

[Swamp Fox]

I have always admired the .35 Whelen.

Pics and specs for the rifle and optics?

Congrats on the buck.

 

[Rick M.]

Awesome. Looks like damn near zero meat waste.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I have always admired the .35 Whelen.

Pics and specs for the rifle and optics?

Congrats on the buck.

I will get some pics in coming days, but very simple set up. Stainless CVA Scout with 25” barrel and muzzle brake. Factory scope mount and Warne Maxima rings. I’m running a Burris Fullfield E1 4.5-12x40 I believe. I will confirm and attach some pics.

Recoil is very mild but muzzle blast is extreme. Gotta have good ear protection.

 

[bkshafer]

I've always liked the 35 Whelen.

 

[tmattywaggs]

I will get some pics in coming days, but very simple set up. Stainless CVA Scout with 25” barrel and muzzle brake. Factory scope mount and Warne Maxima rings. I’m running a Burris Fullfield E1 4.5-12x40 I believe. I will confirm and attach some pics.

Recoil is very mild but muzzle blast is extreme. Gotta have good ear protection.

What bullet were you using?


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[jjohnsonElknewbie]

What bullet were you using?


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Barnes Vor-Tx 180 grain TTSX

 

[saltfork]

The whelen is an awesome cartridge, I love mine. I haven't used the 180 TTSX but have used the 200 and old 225 TSX along with 225 sierra, mostly on deer and pigs. They never go far when hit with any of them

 

[Jimbee]

How's the recoil? I'm in Iowa and thinking about reboring a tikka .270 superlite barrel to 35 whelan. How much does your rig weigh?

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

How's the recoil? I'm in Iowa and thinking about reboring a tikka .270 superlite barrel to 35 whelan. How much does your rig weigh?

The recoil with the muzzle brake is very mild. My daughters can both shoot the rifle accurately. However, the muzzle blast is jarring if you're in any kind of enclosed area (shooting house, blind, etc...) so make sure you ALWAYS have hearing protection.

According to CVA the rifle without scope weighs 5.8 pounds. With scope (15 oz) it's a hair under 7 pounds.

 

[Fogalo]

Here’s mine with the 35 whelen from last week - Wisconsin doe season

Barnes 180 ttsx, 275 yards

 

[Bluefish]

Really like the new 35 cal rules for Iowa. Took a small buck last year with 35 whelen and took a doe and buck this year with 358 jdj.
neighbor was impressed and just upgraded from a shotgun to a Cva 35 whelen. Now to work on loads for next year. I spoke with Paul at maker bullets and he should have a option for the whelen in the next 3 months.

 

[Wildone]

Congratulations to both of you and thanks for posting the results. Nice to see the damages at both ranges. I have this same CVA / 180 TTSX combo in transit right now for Iowa next season. I decided to go with a VX3HD 3.5x10 CDS and bear creek rail and rings. I know a lot of guys like the 225 and up for this caliber but for deer hunting I think the 180's fit the bill nicely. I've been using the Barnes bullets exclusively for 25 years in everything I own all over North America and these images are exactly what I would expect. Awesome job guys.

 

[BigCountry82]

35 whelen is a excellent cartridge. I have a TC encore I hunt with here in MS.

 

[BigCountry82]

I would like to build a custom 35 Whelen bolt rifle on a Win70 action someday.

 

[Wildone]

A Win Stainless Featherweight in 35W would be a thing of beauty. Nice classy looking rig.

 

[Bluefish]

180’s should work fine, but why not just step up to a 200?

I used 150 (2800 fps) CE last year and it was explosive on entry. I have data up to 3100 fps. Got the job done, but not the performance I was looking for. Used the same bullet this year in a 357 max pistol and it worked as expected. 2800 fps vs 1900. Used 203g SH this year to take two WT. loaded to 2400 fps (358jdj) and worked well. Have 200g Hammers loaded ready for testing this year. Going to aim for around 2650-2700 fps.

also know that maker is going to release a 200g aimed at use in the Whelen this spring.

 

[Wildone]

JJohnson where you able to use low mounts with the 40MM objective or did you go medium?

 

[Huntsalot]

He wasn't going anywhere with that shot! How do you know he's 3.5?

 

[Wildone]

Bluefish- 200 and 225 gr pills are like trying to find a needle in a hay stack at the moment unless you want the Hornady. Barnes and Nosler are xos nearly everywhere ( I've been looking for a while now) . I'm on several lists to be notified when they come available. I agree that the heavier weights would be nice for elk or moose though. I've taken bear and deer with a lot less in my 260 rem. I wouldn't sweat a 180 flying at 2950 for whitetail at all. Getting golf ball size exit wounds at 275 yards leads one to believe that it's enough.