35 Whelen Ballistics Tables From All the Top Ammunition Manufacturers

By Wes Littlefield

Last Updated: Sep 1, 2026

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Wes Littlefield

Guns have fascinated Wes since pulling the trigger on his BB gun as a kid. He built a private gun range over a decade ago to keep his skills sharp. He loves breaking down complex ideas into understandable pieces for readers, with expertise in hunting and all aspects of shooting.

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Wes Littlefield, "35 Whelen Ballistics Charts from Major Ammo Makers"
(https://ammo.com/ballistics/35-whelen-ballistics)

Congrats! You’ve discovered our in-depth look at 35 Whelen ballistics from all the major ammo manufacturers. And once you’ve found the right load, you can browse our entire selection of 35 Whelen ammo.

Save time by clicking the links below to jump to your preferred ammo company, where you’ll find the 35 Whelen ballistics data you need for your favorite factory load.

35 Whelen Ballistics Charts

Barnes

VOR-TX 180 Grain TTSX

VOR-TX 200 Grain TTSX

Buffalo Bore

Supercharged 225 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail

Supercharged 225 Grain TSX

Supercharged 250 Grain Spitzer

Federal

Fusion 200 Grain SP

Hornady

Superformance 200 Grain SP

Norma

Oryx 250 Grain Bonded SP

Nosler

Trophy Grade 225 Grain AccuBond

Remington

Core-Lokt 200 Grain PSP

High Performance Rifle 250 Grain PSP

Winchester

Power-Point 200 Grain SP

Administrative Note: The information above comes from the manufacturers. Actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load. When manufacturer ballistic data were unavailable, we calculated ballistics using a ballistics calculator.

35 Whelen Trajectory Chart

A bullet’s flight path to the target is also called its trajectory. Shooters measure trajectory in inches of bullet drop, milliradians (MIL), or minutes of angle (MOA). In this article, we use inches of bullet drop.

A flat trajectory is preferred for long-range shooting because it requires fewer adjustments to compensate for bullet drop. The 35 Whelen doesn't have a flat trajectory when compared with long-range cartridges with bullets that have high ballistic coefficients (BCs). However, it does maintain a relatively flat trajectory out to 500 yards. If you sight in your 35 Whelen hunting rifle at 200 yards with a sight height of 1.5”, you’ll shoot ~2” high at 100 yards and have ~55” of bullet drop at 500 yards (though performance varies considerably by cartridge).

The following bullet drop chart provides a general idea of the 35 Whelen’s trajectory.

Note: The preceding chart is an example of one 35 Whelen load. Actual ballistic performance varies depending on bullet weight, lot, barrel length, and environmental conditions.

35 Whelen Muzzle Velocity

Muzzle velocity is the rate at which a bullet exits the barrel, measured in feet per second (fps). Typically, a longer barrel produces a higher muzzle velocity, as the extra length gives exploding propellant more time to exert its energy against the base of the projectile.

Expect 35 Whelen muzzle velocities to range from 2,400 fps to 2,910 fps. The low-BC bullets don't conserve velocity downrange very well. If a 200 grain TTSX bullet (0.369 G1 BC) attains 2,700 fps muzzle velocity, its velocity slows to 2,233 fps at 200 yards. At 500 yards, its velocity drops to 1,629 fps. A 250 grain PSP (0.409 G1 BC) that attains 2,400 fps muzzle velocity dips to 2,005 fps at 200 yards. By 500 yards, its velocity slows to 1,496 fps.

35 Whelen Muzzle Energy

Muzzle energy is the amount of force a bullet possesses the instant it leaves the barrel, measured in foot-pounds (ft-lbs).

Muzzle energy for the 35 Whelen typically ranges from 3,177 to 3,916 ft-lbs. The round's characteristically low-BC bullets don’t conserve kinetic energy well downrange. A 180 grain TTSX (0.295 G1 BC) with 2,900 fps muzzle velocity and 3,362 ft-lbs muzzle energy maintains 1,643 ft-lbs of energy at 300 yards; 959 ft-lbs at 500 yards. A 250 grain spitzer bullet (0.375 G1 BC) with 2,600 fps muzzle velocity and 3,752 ft-lbs muzzle energy conserves 2,169 ft-lbs of energy at 300 yards; 1,453 ft-lbs at 500 yards.

Weighing cartridges for a specific animal? Our hunting caliber chart lays out recommended calibers by game type.

35 Whelen Effective Range

The 35 Whelen's effective range for hunting applications is ~400 yards. It's great for big game like elk, moose, and bear within 300 yards, and deer out to 400 yards. At 500 yards or farther, the drop in kinetic energy reduces the likelihood of a clean, ethical kill. A skilled shooter can hit targets out to ~500 yards, but significant bullet drop makes it challenging to remain accurate much past that point.

For cartridge recommendations by species, see our guides to the best cartridge for elk hunting, the best moose caliber, and the best big game caliber overall.

How Do 35 Whelen Ballistics Compare to Other Rifle Cartridges?

If you are interested in learning which rounds outperform or exhibit similar ballistics to the 35 Whelen, then you’re in the right place. The team at Ammo.com has compared the 35 Whelen to several similar big game hunting cartridges.

We cover several other big game rounds the same way. Take a look at 45-70 Government ballistics, 350 Legend ballistics, and 338 Winchester Magnum ballistics.

35 Whelen vs. 30-06 Springfield

Don’t miss our in-depth look at 30-06 ballistics. You can also browse our full selection of 30-06 ammo.

35 Whelen vs. 308 Winchester

Don’t miss our in-depth look at 308 Win ballistics. Don’t forget to check out our entire ballistics database.

We stock a full range of 308 Winchester ammo, and our 308 vs. 30-06 comparison puts the two cartridges on this page side by side.

Written by

Wes Littlefield