Sorry If This Is A Dumb Question About 35 Whelen

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I just found a beautiful and I mean a beautiful custom 35 Whelen. Ive read up on this round a whole lot. What's your experience with it in Africa?

Is the 35. Whelen enough for brown bears in Alaska. Lets say a 200 yard shot?

Thanks

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

My buddy built one and after using it for a few years has started getting rid of his other hunting rifles. As far as I know he’s only taken deer and hogs with it though

 

[Hooked Now]

It maintains a slight ballistic advantage over the .243. In a pinch it could be used for smaller ground vermin or to scare a crow off of a power line. But yes, fantastic round and I think there are a few fans of it who should be around in 3...2...1...

 

[Ray B]

There are a LOT of dead bears that were shot with the 30-06, the 35 Whelens parent, but does that qualify it as "enough"? There's a reason a lot of Alaskan guides carry 375H&H and larger rifles and that there are minimum cartridge requirements for several countries in Africa for dangerous game. Does that mean the 35 Whelen is inadequate? Certainly not, but if Big Bears or DG is on the menu, I'd consider something bigger.

 

[Hooked Now]

I just found a beautiful and I mean a beautiful custom 35 Whelen. Ive read up on this round a whole lot. What's your experience with it in Africa?

Is the 35. Whelen enough for brown bears in Alaska. Lets say a 200 yard shot?

Thanks

And BTW, what's up with saying "beautiful and I mean beautiful" and not posting pics. Bad dog...

 

[Betterinthebush]

It will most assuredly get the job done.

 

[roklok]

Yes it is enough for a 200 yard shot at a brownie. I wouldnt shoot much past that on the big bears with any cartridge. I shot a nice interior grizzly with my 35 whelen at 30 yards. It worked splendidly. My Kodiak bear I shot with .375 H&H at 230 yards, but the Whelen would have worked fine, I took the 375 to Kodiak because of it being stainless.

 

[mdwest]

My wife took her eland at 235 meters with a 35 whelen that I built for her using 225gr accubonds…

It’s very much a capable 300 yard gun IMO..

And plenty for brown bear as well IMO..

 

[Flbt]

I just found a beautiful and I mean a beautiful custom 35 Whelen. Ive read up on this round a whole lot. What's your experience with it in Africa?

Is the 35. Whelen enough for brown bears in Alaska. Lets say a 200 yard shot?

Thanks

I have it’s smaller brother the 358w there nothing in North America I would not be willing to hunt with it with in its range.
The 35w is more of a good thing.

 

[thriller]

I just found a beautiful and I mean a beautiful custom 35 Whelen. Ive read up on this round a whole lot. What's your experience with it in Africa?

Is the 35. Whelen enough for brown bears in Alaska. Lets say a 200 yard shot?

Thanks

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen

 

[uplander01]

I’d try and get closer than 200 yards on a big brownie, that being said, the 35 whelen is a fantastic North American big game caliber. And would certainly whack everything in Africa except the big heavies of course.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I just found a beautiful and I mean a beautiful custom 35 Whelen. Ive read up on this round a whole lot. What's your experience with it in Africa?

Is the 35. Whelen enough for brown bears in Alaska. Lets say a 200 yard shot?

Thanks

@Obi Wan Kenobi
There's no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to the mighty Whelen
Even with factory loads it is more than capable of taking any pg that walks and all game in north America and Alaska

The Whelen is a cartridge that begs to be hand loaded to reach its full potential. Loaded properly it becomes a 400yd plus rifle.
Hand loaded it will give you
Upto 2,900 fps with 225 guns
2,700 fps with 259s
2,500 fps with 279-280 grainers
And 2,400+ fps with 310s

Everything I shot in Namibia was a one shot kill on game from Springbok to a massive zebra stallion and ranges from 120 to 275 yards.

You will never be disappointed with a Whelen and it's NOT just a woods cartridge it's more than capable at longer ranges
Factor rounds are available from Barnes, Federal and Remington as well as double tap and Nosler so you have a good selection of factory rounds
Reloading the Whelen opens up a whole new world and gives a massive increase in power to the point it give the 338 win mag a horrible shake up.
What's not to love about the Whelen.
Bob

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

And BTW, what's up with saying "beautiful and I mean beautiful" and not posting pics. Bad dog...

Ill post pictures tomorrow I wasnt going to show it to anyone until the deposit was secured. I did that today.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

@Obi Wan Kenobi
There's no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to the mighty Whelen
Even with factory loads it is more than capable of taking any pg that walks and all game in north America and Alaska

The Whelen is a cartridge that begs to be hand loaded to reach its full potential. Loaded properly it becomes a 400yd plus rifle.
Hand loaded it will give you
Upto 2,900 fps with 225 guns
2,700 fps with 259s
2,500 fps with 279-280 grainers
And 2,400+ fps with 310s

Everything I shot in Namibia was a one shot kill on game from Springbok to a massive zebra stallion and ranges from 120 to 275 yards.

You will never be disappointed with a Whelen and it's NOT just a woods cartridge it's more than capable at longer ranges
Factor rounds are available from Barnes, Federal and Remington as well as double tap and Nosler so you have a good selection of factory rounds
Reloading the Whelen opens up a whole new world and gives a massive increase in power to the point it give the 338 win mag a horrible shake up.
What's not to love about the Whelen.
Bob

Bob you just made my day sir, I just put a 50% deposit on her today. She'll be here in a couple of weeks!!! Will definitely put her to use for crocodile, eland, sable and perhaps leopard in a 26 hunt. Thank you sir!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I’d try and get closer than 200 yards on a big brownie, that being said, the 35 whelen is a fantastic North American big game caliber. And would certainly whack everything in Africa except the big heavies of course.

Uplander thanks for the post. I shot a cape buffalo free range in Zambia on a stalk at 22 yards in 24. We lost him on a trail, came over a hill. He was laying down. The wind shifted he stood up and looked right at us. I'm not saying I want to kill a brownie at 22 yards. But I won't panic with dangerous game if I'm properly armed. The reason I asked about 200 yards I've seen shots taken like that on brown bear in some of the you tube videos. Yes sir 100 yards or less for BB seems right.

 

[Hedge774]

I still covet the Ruger African in the 35 Whelen.....sigh.

 

[colorado]

It maintains a slight ballistic advantage over the .243. In a pinch it could be used for smaller ground vermin or to scare a crow off of a power line. But yes, fantastic round and I think there are a few fans of it who should be around in 3...2...1...

lol! And I thought I was a troll!

 

[jbirdwell]

I took Sable, Wildebeest, Zebra, Impala, Warthog, and Blesbok with mine on my 2024 hunt using Buffalo Bore 225 gr. Barnes TSX and had no problems.

 

[ftrovato]

@Obi Wan Kenobi
There's no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to the mighty Whelen
Even with factory loads it is more than capable of taking any pg that walks and all game in north America and Alaska

The Whelen is a cartridge that begs to be hand loaded to reach its full potential. Loaded properly it becomes a 400yd plus rifle.
Hand loaded it will give you
Upto 2,900 fps with 225 guns
2,700 fps with 259s
2,500 fps with 279-280 grainers
And 2,400+ fps with 310s

Everything I shot in Namibia was a one shot kill on game from Springbok to a massive zebra stallion and ranges from 120 to 275 yards.

You will never be disappointed with a Whelen and it's NOT just a woods cartridge it's more than capable at longer ranges
Factor rounds are available from Barnes, Federal and Remington as well as double tap and Nosler so you have a good selection of factory rounds
Reloading the Whelen opens up a whole new world and gives a massive increase in power to the point it give the 338 win mag a horrible shake up.
What's not to love about the Whelen.
Bob

This is a paid for announcement by Bob' Whelen' Nelson. ;-)

I think it's fair to say that Bob is a fan.

Personally, I always have room for another 'beautiful' rifle in my safe!

 

[Tgood1]

Ive used a remington. 35 whelen pump extensively for whitetail, blackbear, and hogs, it's just devastating . Possibly the most underrated cartridge.