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Common uses: Hunting, Big Game
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 200gr Barnes VOR-TX TTSX |
| Muzzle velocity | 2700 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 3238 ft-lb |
| Stored G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.369 |
| Case length | 63 mm |
| Overall length | 3.34 in |
| Listed maximum pressure | 62000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:16" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2700 | 3237 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2456 | 2679 | 0 |
| 200 | 2227 | 2202 | -4.3 |
| 300 | 2009 | 1793 | -15.6 |
| 400 | 1805 | 1447 | -35.6 |
| 500 | 1616 | 1160 | -66.2 |
At 1,000 yards, .35 Whelen (200gr at 2700 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 47.3 MOA / 13.8 MIL, retaining 1013 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2010 | Supersonic | -15.6 | 5.0 | 1.44 |
| 400 | 1806 | Supersonic | -35.5 | 8.5 | 2.47 |
| 500 | 1617 | Supersonic | -66.2 | 12.6 | 3.68 |
| 600 | 1446 | Supersonic | -110.2 | 17.5 | 5.10 |
| 700 | 1297 | Transonic | -170.9 | 23.3 | 6.78 |
| 800 | 1174 | Transonic | -252.3 | 30.1 | 8.76 |
| 900 | 1081 | Subsonic | -359.0 | 38.1 | 11.08 |
| 1000 | 1013 | Subsonic | -495.4 | 47.3 | 13.76 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Published BCs depend on a reference drag model and stated velocity conditions. A source review does not independently measure a BC. Understanding BC sources
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .35 Whelen is best known as a hard-hitting, medium-bore big-game cartridge that delivers heavy-bullet performance from a standard-length action, earning it a lasting reputation as a "poor man's magnum." Because it is built on the .30-06 case, it works through ordinary long-action rifles and can be an easy conversion or rebarrel, while pushing 200- to 250-grain .358 bullets at moderate velocities. Hunters favor it for elk, moose, black bear, and large deer at short to moderate ranges, where its wide bullet and deep penetration hit harder than the .30-06 without the recoil or blast of a belted magnum. Its main limitations are a comparatively arcing trajectory and modest bullet ballistic coefficients that make it less suited to long-range work, along with a narrower selection of factory ammunition than mainstream calibers. It remains a respected choice among woods hunters and handloaders who value stopping power over reach.
The .35 Whelen originated as a wildcat around 1922, formed by necking up the .30-06 Springfield case to accept .358-caliber bullets. It carries the name of Colonel Townsend Whelen, the noted American rifleman and writer, though credit for the actual design work is disputed: Whelen described it as his own design (with toolmaking by James V. Howe of Frankford Arsenal, later a co-founder of Griffin & Howe), while in a later account he attributed its development to Howe. After decades as a popular wildcat, it was standardized as a factory cartridge by Remington, first offered in the Model 700 in 1988.
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