Three Weeks

[SJB358]

Dr Mike,

Here is my load for the 35 Whelen and the 250 gr PT.
52.0 grs AA2015 BR
R-P case
Rem 9 1/2 primer

MV 2476 fps and just under an inch accuracy from my M700 Classic. The recovered bullet is from water jugs, retained weight is 214.9 grains and expanded to .652".

I think RL 15 would also be a good powder and I just might load a few up to try.

JD338

I wish you alot of luck with the 250gr PT's. If I could get my hands on some, I would like to give them a try in my Whelen. Right now, the 250gr Speer Hot Cor is shooting really well over 59gr's of RL15. I am getting right at 2575 FPS and MOA all the way to 300 yards. I wouldn't be scared to use that bullet on a griz, pretty low speed and shouldn't have any integrity issues.

300 Yard Group

100 Yard Group

200 Yard Group

I am using CCI250 primers, and R-P cases. I am using an COAL of 3.34 with these. So far, they have been solid paper shooting bullets, but the bullet is almost exactly like the PT as far as shape, so I would think you should be able to get it to shoot pretty close.

I wish you lots of luck in your hunt. I will be holding my breath for you buddy. I can't wait to see the big Silver Tip and I hope your Whelen is laying next to it! Scotty

 

[DrMike]

Scotty,

Those are some fine groups.

Whatever it is worth, I dropped my last grizzly with a .356 shooting a 220 grain Speer FN at ~2250 fps. By no means was this a high-stepping load. Nevertheless, the first shot broke both shoulders and dropped him immediately. To be certain, I had to stalk him to ensure that the shot was taken at a closer range than some would prefer, all the while taking care not to alarm the bear. However, the bullet performed very well on that critter. I dropped a large bison with a 250 grain Hornady out of my .358 BLR. Those 35 calibre bullets will do the trick if I do my part.

Reviewing my notes on this rifle, I see that I have tried and rejected because of accuracy issues the Swift 225 AF with RL15 (good velocity and poor accuracy), 225 TSX with IMR 4064 (good velocity and poor accuracy), Hornady 250 SP with IMR 3031 (reasonable velocity and poor accuracy), Nosler 225 AB and VN550 (fair velocity and poor accuracy), Nosler 225 AB and Big Game (poor velocity and poor accuracy), Hornady 250 grain SP and A2520 (excellent velocity and poor accuracy), Woodleigh 250 RN and A2520 (very poor velocity and good accuracy), Sierra 225 SBT and RL15 (good velocity and poor accuracy), Speer 250 SP and H335 (good velocity and poor accuracy), Nosler 225 PT with Varget (excellent velocity and poor accuracy) and with A2495 (poor velocity and poor accuracy, and Nosler 225 AB with H4350, IMR4895, H414 and RL15 (all good velocity and poor accuracy).

On the other hand, I'm getting fair velocity and excellent accuracy with the 225 grain Sierra SBT and A2520 and with the 225 grain TSX with A2520 (good velocity and good accuracy). I note that as I continue to shoot, the rifle is settling in and the groups are slowly tightening, which I have observed on other rifles. My 280 wasn't truly broken in until after 200+ rounds had passed down the barrel. I'm not about to give up on the rifle. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a grizzly with the two loads aforementioned. However, in the coming two weeks, I'm still hopeful that I'll find the "magic load" that makes me smile each time I pull the trigger.

I have a couple of loads to test later this week using the 225 grain A-Frame and the 225 grain AB. Plus, I hope to load up the 250 grain PTs as JD338 suggested.

 

[DrMike]

Well, the big day has at last arrived. Hunting season is officially here. It is now 1:15. After a restless night checking the clock every hour or so, I finally decided to get up. I'll pick up my hunting partners in an hour and we'll drive to the valley of the moose. In addition to an old friend, we are taking a fellow who drew a grizzly tag for the area we are hunting this morning. My area is about two hours away. I'll haul a trailer over there and spend three weeks the first of September. Today is an opportunity for me to focus on early moose and black bear. I plan to tote my 350 Remington Magnum this morning. It will be too hot to drop game after about nine, so I should be home very early.

 

[SJB358]

Good luck Mike! Wish you luck with the moose. Scotty

 

[bullet]

Mike, hope you guys have good luck and are safe and careful. Yes, nothing like the beginning of hunting season. I have to wait a while down here for it to begin. In fact some hunting seasons up north are over buy the time our season starts but when everyone up there is inside trying to keep warm in January I will still be at it down here.

Now that said, I envy the country you get to hunt in. I would take a short season as apposed to our long season if I was able to hunt year after year in the country you do.

 

[DrMike]

Thanks, Mike. No moose this morning. The weather is hot. It is 25 C now. I do not want to deal with a moose in this temperature. It was cool early, and we were on the hillside glassing at 4:30. However, nothing showed. I took a drive through the countryside and saw a mulie doe and her fawn, but that was all. Some larger animal, perhaps a bear from the way it was digging at logs, was working the forest about 20 meters behind me, but it never showed. The breeze was correct to avoid being detected, but whatever it was drifted back into the bush and never showed itself.

Hunting season extends through December for me, and then wolf continues into the spring. It is a great area to live in, but then, everywhere I've lived had its own charm.

 

[bullet]

Mike, very well said and your point is so true to those of us who love to hunt, every area does have it's own charm. AMEN!!!