Handloads: A Faster .35 Whelen

by
posted on July 15, 2023
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
.35 Whelen

.35 Whelen specsHandloaders are always on the watch for new bullets or propellants that improve the performance of their favorite cartridges. One such advancement that caught my eye was in the Speer Handloading Manual Number 15 that listed the .35 Whelen shooting 250-grain bullets at a velocity of 2,709 f.p.s. from 66.2 grains of Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR.

That velocity is about 300 f.p.s. faster than any safe handload I’ve shot in my .35 Whelen, and I immediately set to work at the reloading bench. To start, 63.0 grains of 2000-MR fired Speer 250-grain Grand Slam bullets at 2,538 f.p.s. and 64.0 grains launched them at 2,570 f.p.s. I stopped at 65.0 grains because accuracy was good, and bullet speed was more than respectable at 2,610 f.p.s. The recoil was quite substantial. In fact, it seemed just as stout as a .338 Win. Mag. also firing 250-grain bullets.

The Whelen has always produced even velocities and a good return on propellant burned to attain velocity with a variety of handloads. The 65.0-grain charge of 2000-MR and the Speer 250-grain bullet adds another example. The propellant filled a Whelen case up to the bottom of the neck, and seating a bullet slightly compressed it. A tight propellant column aids in a uniform burn, shown by a low standard deviation of 8 f.p.s. over nine shots.

Thirty-five cal. 250-grain bullets carry a relatively low ballistic coefficient, however, the listed Whelen load’s trajectory is within 2" of the trajectory of the .30-’06 Sprg. shooting 180-grain bullets at 2,700 f.p.s. out to 350 yards. Way out there, the Whelen bullet also packs nearly 400 ft.-lbs. more energy than the .30-’06 bullet.

This load’s advancement in velocity will make the Whelen all that more effective on game from prairie antelope to black-timber elk.

Latest

FN 15 Guardian
FN 15 Guardian

Review: FN 15 Guardian

FN America has sought to bring its legendary quality and reliability to an AR-15 that lists for just $999, and we believe that it has done this well with its 15 Guardian carbine.

Springfield Armory Hellcat Now Available In .380 ACP

Despite the extensive number of Hellcat models in its lineup, Springfield Armory has only offered the pistol in one chambering, 9 mm Luger, until now. The .380 ACP model offers similar capabilities with softer recoil.

Arms Of The Mail Guard Marines

While difficult to imagine today, brazen armed thefts of the U.S. Mail in the 1920s became all too common and beyond the abilities of mail personnel to handle. Enter the U.S. Marines—armed to the teeth.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 13, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Editor’s Choice: Trijicon MRO SD

As can be sussed out from its name, the Miniature Rifle Optic (MRO) is a sealed reflex sight developed by Trijicon for use aboard carbines and rifles to facilitate lightning-quick target acquisition and smooth transitions between multiple targets.

Preview: MAC 9 DS Duty

Military Armament Corp. (MAC) introduced an affordable 2011-style pistol in 2024 with its MAC 9 DS.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.