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35 CALIBER BULLET CHOICES


Left to Right; 250 SpeerHC, 250 Hornady, 250 Norma Triclad HP, 250 Norma Triclad SP, 250 Hornady RN, 300 Barnes Original, 310 Woodleigh RN, Lyman 358009
On this page is a listing of some of the bullets I load into my various 35 calibre firesticks. I hope to add additional details on them later.

Perhaps you will observe a few exceptions - notably the premium bullets which cost a bit! The 225 Trophy Bonded Bear Claw (now available from Speer and factory loaded to 2600 fps into Federal Premium Centerfire 35 Whelen ammo), Barnes "X" and "TSX", and Swift A-frame all look like they would be great performers!!! For now however, I'm using Speer, Sierra and Hornady at half the cost. I have recently acquired some of the premium Nosler 225 grain partitions to try and have found them excellent in my 35 Whelen AI and 350 Rem Mag (see my loading notes page). I also now have some 310gr Woodleighs to try.

35 Cal 225gr Spitzer Nosler AccuBond® Part #50712

NEW FOR 2007!(50 count)
   Ballistics B.C. .423
S.D. .251
OAL. 1.375"
Like the the discontinued Ballistic Tip but with a tougher bonded core it would seem. Should be worth a try!
Triple-Shock™ X-Bullet
358 Caliber
Diameter Weight Description S.D. B.C. CAT#
.358" 200 gr TSX FB .223 .284 35820
.358" 225 gr TSX FB .251 .359 35824
Good reports on accuracy, velocity and terminal effect on big game coming to me on these TSX bullets. I have not tried them yet myself.
250 grain Hornady Spire Point #3520

Tough, reliable and LOW COST! I really like it - especially in my Whelens.
250 grain Hornady Roundnose #3525

I have found this bullet quite accurate and fast out of the muzzle too. However I find that it does require usually about 2 grains more powder than its pointy brother immediately above to acheive the same velocity. I shot a bear from a ground blind with this one at around 30 yards I think. When it lifted its head up out of the 20 litre bait pail for a look around, I fired. That bear was entirely dead so fast that it dropped instantly. I then cautiously approached and noticed it was lying stone dead with its nose still at the edge of the pail.
200 grain Hornady Spire Point #3510

According to a Hornady rep, this bullet is quite a tough one as it shares the exact same core (3% antimony) and jacket as the 250 grain SP. It can be driven at the 3000 fps level with hunting confidence - especially for heavy game.
250 grain Speer Spire Point #2453 - (Ballist. Coef.- 0.446)

Very similar dimensions to the Hornady 250 spirepoint. It's a classic 35 cal bullet and quite economical too. It can be used in all the 35s. It has quite a bit of exposed lead so the tip can be cut of back to the jacket for safe use in the tubular mag in the 356. You'll find that the resultant flat is the same diameter as 220 Speer flatnose. Modified in this way leaves about 247 grains. Reports suggest to me that this bullet is a good performer on all big game.
220 Speer Flatnose #2439 (Ballist. Coef.- 0.316)

This is a great bullet for the 356. Leaving the muzzle between 2200 and 2400fps seems about perfect for black bear hunting in the eastern woods. It hits with authority and can even literally knock over a smaller bruin as if hit with an invisible drop kick. I wouldn't rely on its sterling terminal performance if driven much faster (as one can do with the 350 and the Whelens). For deer, bloodshot meat would be the result I imagine. And on moose and bear probably classic bullet failure would result.

Check out these entrance and exit wound pics made by this bullet in a deer shot through by a shooting buddie of mine this fall (Nov.05). He was using his 35 Rem loaded with this bullet at just 1950fps - awesome tissue damage resulted but only around the immediate wound channel so not much meat was lost he tells me. His purpose in using this caliber/bullet combo was to try and anchor the deer so as not to allow it to run far on to nearby lands with no permission to hunt (Manitoulin Island,ON). The terminal performance was as expected and proved to be quite satisfactory for the purpose he feels.

Entrance pic (269K - a bit out of focus)    Exit pic1 (1124K)   Exit pic2 (863K)

225 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip #35225 (Ballist. Coef.- .421)
[now discontinued - replaced by 225 grain Accubond]

This is a tough bullet - in fact maybe too tough for thin skinned game. Some deer hunters have been reporting on forums that they get zero expansion with this one - especially on smaller deer on broadside lung shots. I have read more than one to say this. On quartering shots the bullet seems to just begin to expand as its exiting. Probably great for BIG deer and on up in size. It's a loooooong one and may not be as good in the short action cartridges unless the polycarbonate tip is cut off. It is aerodynamic and probably accurate in alot of guns.
225 grain Nosler Partition #44800 (Ballist. Coef. = .430 Sectional density = .251) and 250 grainer of course too (haven't tried that weight yet)

This 225 is a tough bullet and works excellent in my Whelens and my 350s.
225 Sierra Game King #2850 (Ballist. Coef.- .370 @ 2500 fps and above, .384 between 2500 and 2000 fps, .387 between 2000 and 1600 fps, .370 @ 1600 fps and below)

This bullet is short so it works to save on case capacity in the short action guns especially. It's quite streamlined too. A 050" jacket at the base make this a tough game bullet. I have been getting conflicting reports as to its terminal performance on big game. One source suggests it hangs together through a very large bear (story source comes via Sierra rep). Another source - a gunsmith here in Ontario - says he's shot a truckload of deer, elk and moose with it and it NEVER hangs together. It "vaporizes" in the animal - his word for breaks up and rarely does he get an exit. He hunts with this bullet leaving his Whelen at 2700 fps he tells me. However, that being said, it always seems to kill efficiently in his experience - so he likes it alot. Maybe he's getting the same effect that 270 fans sometimes report shooting moose with light 130 grains that break up on impact - kills like lightning they say ("that time" I would add). Perhaps the bigger and heavier 225 grain has this fatal terminal effect more regularly - even though a bullet failure has occurred in the classic sense. More to consider.

Norma 250 grain FN hollow point.

I just [March 2005] picked up the last of these old stock items at a gun shop. I don't know much about them yet except that another 35 Whelen fan said they shot very accurately in his Remington pump gun. They are nickel colour (?). They are quite short (1.093") with alot of lead exposed at the tip in the form of a wide meplat with - yes - a hollowpoint (???). They have a canulure in the right spot (.720" back from the tip) for the Whelens, some longer box 350 RemMags and the 358s - but not the 356. I don't know whether this bullet is designed to be effective on big game at Norma Magnum speeds (2600 - 2850 MV) or at 356 speeds (2150 MV). Also one of my mausers does not want to feed round nose bullets - so maybe it'll have trouble with these ones too. Let U know when I fire off some. I bought the last 100 but missed out on the original quantity available on a close out sale of around 900 (others have to have some 35 cal. shooting fun too I guess). [NOTE - I managed to pick up another 100 but these ones differ slightly having a perfectly flat nose without any hollowpoint.]

300 grain Barnes Original Roundnose #35850

(.049 THICK jackets -Ballist. Coef.- .371) These are no longer made but I have 35 left! These were gratefully received from a good friend to try (I'll use them on a Rhino or a Cape Buff if I see one in my backyard). Paco Kelly says that the combo of this bullet with his 35 Whelen Improved, and loaded up to potential, makes it the practical equivalent to the 375 H&H for dangerous African game (and much more flexible loading it for the smaller game). Haven't fired off any as yet. Interestingly they measure between 1.350" to1.355" which is the same length essentially as the 310 WoodleighRNs I have (see below).

Lyman 358009 Cast

I now have in hand a small supply of 285 grain Lyman mould cast bullets (gas checked) to try. I can get them cast for me locally. Paco Kelly has hunted alot with this bullet and really likes it. He even reports killing a Hippo with it without much difficulty. See my first load tests with this bullet in my 35 Whelen AI on my loading notes page.
- also misc. 158 gr. pistol bullets

The Best Bullets I NEVER Tried!

Barnes X-bullets available in 35 caliber

These X-Bullets [now discontinued - replaced by TSX series] I have yet to try myself except for firing off a few 200 grainers. They were given me by a friend and of course not enough to evaluate in any meaningful way.
35
Dia. Weight. Desc. S.D. B.C. CAT#
.358"180gr."X" S.201.29835810
.358"200gr."X" S.223.34635815
.358"225gr."X" S.250.40535825
.358"250gr."X" S.279.45835835
and the 358 Barnes Solid Roundnose [now discontinued]

Dia.     Weight.  Desc.     S.D.   B.C.   Cat. #

.358"   250 gr.  Solid     .285   .313   35822

35 cal. Grand Slam SP

The 250 Speer GRAND SLAM looks like it would be awesome - especially so in the short action 35s since it is a shorter bullet (more powder room) and well constructed. I have a friend shooting the new Remington Guide 673 rifle in 350 and says this bullet shoots consistently accurately with a variety of loads. I hope to be trying them soon.
Part Number Caliber
 Wt. Gr. Wt. Gm. Box Count Bullet Coefficient
2455  35 cal.  250 16.20   50 .335 

Sectional Density
 Diameter in. Diameter mm Construction
.279 0.358 9.09 Hot-Cor

Remington .358 200 PSP-Core Lokts (SD=.223 Bal. Coef.=.282)

- I have just received in the mail 100 of these pointy 200 grainers (200 PSPCL - see pic to the right). These spire points are a tough big game bullet and should be capable of being used on big bear at magnum levels up to 3000 fps MV. I think they might be better than the Hornady 200 spire points (which are tough too - see note above) at holding together through a big beast. I can't say for sure. Recently I think Jon Sundra wrote about killing a big black bear successfully with this one in a gun rag (I forget the ballistic and animal details though). The pointed version has a very tiny tip with little lead exposed which helps penetration at magnum velocities. Also as bullets go they are quite economical right now (21.99 CAN/100 plus shipping, 13.79 US at MidwayUSA).
They come in a RN version also (200 SPCL) which are available presently (see pic on left of recovered ones fired from a Marlin 336 lever gun). In the past there were 250 grain incarnations for reloaders but I haven't found these ones to be available now. There is lots of load data out there for these old standards.


Sierra 200 Grain Round Nose Pro-Hunter #2800 - good for the 356 and 35 Remington. Quite easy on the pocket book. Probably best to keep under 2400 MV - I'm guessing(???). Hodgdons load data cranks em up to 2800 MV out of the 35 Whelen. So maybe they know they'll work on game at that speed (???) - or not. I hope to get some to try soon in my 356.

Heavy For Calibre .358 Bullets

.358 Woodleigh 310 SoftnoseWoodleigh 310s - this Aussie company showing 35 cal bullets in 250 and 310 grain weight Roundnose Soft Nose. Get them at MidwayUSA or order them in Canada at Corlane Sporting Goods in Dawson Creek, BC @ $52/box (spring 2008).

Here is a pic of the 310 grain version of the .358 Woodleigh Softnose. I've got a 100 coming now from Corlanes arriving soon (got them now - see next pic). They may be too long for my short actions but should be fine in my 35 Whelens. We'll see. Update - they measure 1.355" long (same essential length as the 300gr. Barnes originals I have - see above). Load testing coming this spring (2008) I'm hoping.

Here's a 35 Whelen case in which I seated a Woodleigh 310gr to the canelure at about 3.280" COAL. Looks very good. Especially since a number of guns permit even longer seating - out to 3.400" in some rifles if the throating will allow it.
.358 Woodleigh 310gr Roundnose Softnose

heavyweight35s



L to R
35 Whelen - 310Woodleigh 3.280"
350WSM - 310Woodleigh 2.865"
358Win - 310Woodleigh 2.865"
350 Rem Mag - 300 Barnes Original 2.820"