35 Whelen

[bill m]

Would anyone here consider the Whelen sufficient for bear in Alaska.
I read Elmer Kieth's 'Hell, I Was There!" He used the Whelen on a hunt and said that he would never do that again. It took him, his partner, and a lot of shots to put this bear down.
I have one and I really like it. I'll probably never use it for big bear anyway. But I understood it to be very capable. Just curious.

[Greywolf]

Only for blackies, not them other grumpy , no sense of humor, big bears. m2cents

Had a blackie soak up three rounds of 35w and one was through the skull (1st round).

I'm sure there are a few here that can give you first hand accounts of successes and failures.

Wait til Senior Coot sees this.

[dave-t.]

I would think the Whelen would be a great choice for bear. 30-30's are commonly used on blackies, the 30-06 was commonly used on Alaskan grizzlies. I can't see how the Whelen gives up anything to those rounds. I think of the 35W as a shorter range .338wm. In fact, I would consider it ideal for game bigger than deer out to ranges of 225-250yrds.

I do believe with griz that there is no such thing as too much gun.

[GF.]

I guess I'd need to know what bullet weights are being contemplated... I look at it this way, though; brown bears fall to broadheads pretty much every year. You make a good shot on a bear that doesn't know you're there - or which has ample choices of escape route - and the chances of needing a follow-up shot have got to be damn close to nil.

OTOH, you get a PO'd griz coming for you, personally, and there's not a big enough cannon in the world in that moment....

I think the .35W is a mighty fine round, myself; ample bullet, enough velocity for any reasonable hunting shot (and let's not forget the thread on bullets seeing to be more destructive of tissue at longer range, which is also sometimes pronounced 'lower velocity'....). I don't think it's lacking much. Elmer Keith, on the other hand, thought a .338WM was just about adequate for deer hunting, so it pays to keep that in mind (and the salt shaker handy) whenever you consume his opinions...

Which makes them no less enjoyable in their way. But looking to him for an objective opinion is like looking to Rush Limbaugh for detailed and balanced news reporting - he's not IN that business!

[Whelen Nut]

Bill

I'll let you know about the 20th of October. The Whelen, with 225 North Forks, is heading to AK for a Brownie.

WN

[Just a Hunter]

I would use it without a second thought.

Federal Premium Vital-Shok Ammunition 35 Whelen 225 Grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw
Muzzle Velocity: 2600 fps
Muzzle Energy: 3375 ft. lbs.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=660965

Nosler Custom Ammunition 35 Whelen 225 Grain AccuBond Spitzer
Muzzle Velocity:2800 fps
Muzzle Energy: 3917 ft. lbs
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=332070

The first cartridge scoots along at around 100fps less than several of the 338win Mag cartridges while the second cartridge actually best's the velocity of quite a few.

I wouldnt run out to buy a 338Win Mag for a hunt if I already had a 35Whelen that I enjoyed shooting

[T2133]

I have carried one while elk hunting in grizzly bear habitat, but would I intentionally pick a fight with one? I am enjoying retirement too much:)

[Greybeard]

Should be satisfactory with premium heavy bullets such as A-frames, Partitions, etc. I have a 9x63mm which is the metric equivalent and have shot black bear and elk with it. It shoots them hard and dead. I have never hunted brown bear but have worked extensively in Alaska and somewhere have the US Forest Service Alaska bulletin on the use of firearms for bear protection. The 35 Whelen is on the suggested list. I carried a .44 magnum revolver when working in the woods there. A rifle or shotgun was too awkward to carry around. When you see a brown bear, you realize the .44 revolver is too small and is just for an emergency situation. The old time Alaskans suggest filling the front sight off the revolvers so the bear can shove it up your arse easier. When in bear country always make sure you travel with someone who is slower than you.

If I was to buy a rifle for a brown bear hunt, it would probably be the Ruger .375. Why? because it is handier than the old .375 H&H. Both are probably better (more assuring ) than the .35 Whelen for the big brownies. Greybeard/

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I shoot 250 gr Hornady RNs in mine and I'd shoot any kinda bear with it. Not many bears in these parts to try it out on though. I've shot deer with it and lost a nice buck that was hit twice. I don't use it much on deer because those 250s don't even act like they are hitting anything when they go through a set of deer lungs. There's just not enough tissue there to set them up so they go right through.

I think bears have a little more to work with.

Alan

[T2133]

When in bear country always make sure you travel with someone who is slower than you.
Greybeard

That would be funny if you were not talkin' about me most of the time:)

[Chuck S]

The 35 Whelen is one of the hardest hitting of the 35 clan and as such, coupled with a good bullet, would be in my ballpark for Grizzly Hunting should I get that urge. Using one of these: 250 Gr. Swift A-Frame 2560 velocity at 3637 ft lbs of energy with 91 ft lbs/sec momentum and a KO factor of 32, 250 Gr. Barnes X 2580 / 3694 at 92 ft lbs/sec and a TKO Factor of 32, or the 250 Gr. Nosler Partition 2570 / 3667 at 91 ft lb/sec momentum and a Taylor Factor of 32 would all fit as being a big bear round. For instance a 338 Win mag has Momentum values ranging from 91-95 using the 250 gn round and a TKO at or about 31. These are all in the lower part of the range for a rifle hunting the big bears as far as I'm concerned as a 375 H&H shooting a 270 gn Barnes at around 2780 gives Momentum figures at 107 ft lbs/sec while the TKO is 40.
For reference the 30-06 shooting 220 gn bullets at 2500 fps with nearly 3000ft lbs of energy, gives us Momentum of 78 ft lbs/sec, and a TKO factor of 24. Other than that many of us have noted the leathality of the old 35 Rem on deer and black bear in the NE and elsewhere. The 35 gives a bit more smack over the .308, or the .338 bullets once you get that pill moving. This is reflected in those TKO values above which takes into consideration the part diameter plays.

[Hi Ball]

The .35-Whelen can get the job done if loaded as GF stated, premium heavy bullets! However I will never nor would I suggest this caliber to hunt the biggest of the bears in Alaska, this is a job for the .375H&H or my .416 Rem mag. There is an awesome difference between a grizzly that weighs in at 350 pounds and one that tips the scales at over 850 pounds to even a 1000 pounds. You really need something that throws very large amounts of lead and penetrates very deeply.

The .35-Whelen makes a great blackbear gun!