If you had to settle with ONE bullet weight for 35 whelen...

[R.W.Dale]

If you had to settle with ONE NONPREMIUM bullet weight for 35 Whelen for shooting targets and thin skinned critters out to 300m or so what would that bullet and weight be? The Idea is get the closes to optimum performance for me with buying the fewest boxes of different bullets, something that yields the best compromise between terminal and ballistic performance

[AtlLaw]

I dunno... Used 200 gr. pspcl's last year, trying a 225 gr. btsp this year.  Or I may try one or another of the 250 gr. bullets....  Or I may see how fast I can drive those 200 gr. pspcl's, or maybe play around with some of those 180 gr. Sierra's I got...  But then, that's part of the joy of hand loading, is it not?  Uh, I assumed you were talking about hand loading since there isn't much choice in factory loaded ammo.

[R.W.Dale]

assumed you were talking about hand loading since there isn't much choice in factory loaded ammo.

 There's factory ammo


 I plan on experimenting a lot with various 180 and 158 grn pistol bullets for plinkin, But for hunting and serious range work I value ya'lls recommendations on bullets

[Scott G.]

I have had great luck with the Hornady 250 SP. My Rem 700 Classic will keep them around an inch or less and my 7600 is around 1 1/2 inches both using RL15. I have tried the Remington 200gr Cor-lok but neither gun liked them.  I have been really wanting to work up some plinking loads with the lighter bullets but just haven't had the time. Let us know how they work out.

[jager]

My choice would be a 250 Speer Spt at as close to 2500fps as you can load it. It has the best B.C. and S.D. of the "standard" components and an excellent reputation for penetration and accuracy. (It is very accurate in both of my Whelen's when loaded on top of H4895 or RL15.)

[WyoStillhunter]

250 gr. Hornady Spire Point.

[Stoneybroke]

225 Bear Claw in Federal factory or 225 accubonds, 225 ballistic tips, or 225 Sierra SP in handloads using RL15.

[onesonek]

If you had to settle with ONE NONPREMIUM bullet weight for 35 Whelen for shooting targets and thin skinned critters out to 300m or so what would that bullet and weight be? The Idea is get the closes to optimum performance for me with buying the fewest boxes of different bullets, something that yields the best compromise between terminal and ballistic performance

Well, I'll throw my  2 cents in.
I know what you are asking and seeking, but you set some limits which I would not do for myself.  I believe you can use just about any bullet of appropriate weight and get the job done on game animals, if you limit yourself in certain situations. Limiting to just one bullet will be one of many of  your compromises, and only but a few cases, be ideal or optimum. A 225 gr Nosler BT would likely take care of 90-95% of your needs in that cartridge. But it's that 5% scenario, which is what I plan for even if I don't need it. And that's why I use premium bullets. Then I shoot which ever one shoots best.
When you use words like ideal, optimum, and compromise, it makes for tough decisions. Specially when you are compromising right from the start.
I would suggest at least 2 bullets, one for plinking and practice, and one for hunting. And shoot enough of the later, as to know what it's doing.
Punching paper is one thing, but hunting is another. The cost of hunting can be costly, specially if travel is involved. And if it isn't, I don't let the cost of the bullet become a factor either way. It is what finishes the job for all my efforts, I might as well use the best for the task at hand.

jmo

Dave

[rickt300]

I first looked at it that way, why not one bullet fits all. You have to test different bullets anyway to see how well they shoot. I wanted to try the 225 grain Sierra but have yet to lay my hands on a box of them but I tested other bullets. The 180 grain Hornady pistol bullet, the 200 grain Remington RNCL, the 250 grain Hornady RN and last the 250 grain Speer. I am lucky with my rifle in two ways, one it puts all these bullets very close together and when sighted in for the 250 grain bullets the lighter bullets hit around an inch higher and All shoot nice tight groups. I realized I have different loads for different things though not one is perfect for all I might put them to, separately they can cover just about any situation. If I could have only one of these bullets it would be the 250 grain Speer.  On the other hand I would like to test some 225 grain Sierra boattails some day.

[AtlLaw]

I guess I never gave you a serious answer to your question so let me try... as much as it goes against my grain.   
You said thin skinned game out to 300 meters.  To my mind that would dictate a lighter bullet, say 200 to 225 gr. , depending on your definition of thin skinned.  I believe the everything from our little deer to the great bears are thin skinned.

However, if I were to be restricted to one bullet for my Whelen, it would probably be a 250 gr, minimum, and one as much heavier as I could find that would shoot through my Remington accurately.  I think a 275 gr. would be great!   

[rickt300]

I took thin skinned to mean deer, antelope and possibly Black bears. The one bullet weight I would choose would be the 225 gr.. The bullets would be the Nosler Partition and the Sierra Gameking if they both shot accuratley and close to the same POI.

[JD338]

I've killed quite a few thin skinned animals with the 225 gr PT from my M700 Classic
35 Whelen. If I decide to hunt with it again, I would go with the 225 gr AB.

JD338

[BBF]

Son in Law uses the 250gr Speer. I just ran a quick check on the Sierra  Ballistic software to compare three bullets.
a. Hdy    250 gr Sp
b.Speer  250 gr. Spitzer
c. Nosler 225 gr. Ballistic Tip.

The Speer came out on top with Energy and Drop

I had a 700 Rem in 350 Rem Mag and would have loved to use the Speer but found the bullet would need to be pushed into the case too far for my liking so I settled for the Hdy RN and the Speer 220 gr. FN

[Sourdough]

I have two .35 Whelens and carry them quite a bit.  For what you describe I would limit it to 200gr bullets.  That way it would flatten the trajectory out.  For everything in the Lower 48 the 200gr bullet would be totally adequate.  But if you should ever decide to go to Canada or Alaska to hunt definitely rethink using one bullet.  Because what works well down there is not up to defending yourself against a big bear charging, or drop a big Moose in his tracks.  I only load 250gr Nosler Partitions in my .35 Whelen loads period.  That's my one bullet that fits all.