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35 Whelen Ammo 2026: Big Game Loads From the Makers

By , EditorUpdated How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 4 current .35 Whelen loads on Federal's, Remington's and Hornady's own product pages on November 5, 2026: 1 from Federal, 2 from Remington and 1 from Hornady. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 3 makers, not every .35 Whelen load sold.

Grouping follows the usage label Federal and Remington print on their own pages. Hornady is listed in its own table, because Hornady prints no usage label. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Hunting loads

These are the loads Federal and Remington label "Big Game" on their own pages. Figures are copied from each maker page.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Federal Fusion Rifle35 WhelenF35FS1Fusion Soft Point2,800 fps3,481 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Currently Unavailable
Remington Core-Lokt35 Whelen21495Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt2,675 fps3,177 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Available
Remington High Performance Rifle35 Whelen21499Pointed Soft Point2,400 fps3,197 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Available

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line, such as Superformance. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table, and the test barrel is the one the table names.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Hornady Superformance35 Whelen81193200 gr SP Superformance®2,910 fps3,760 ft-lb24 in20Not listed on maker page

Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each maker's ballistics table. Test barrel is the length the maker lists. "Box" is the round count per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it changes daily. All pages checked November 5, 2026.

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Loads in our tables run from 200 gr to 250 gr. The lightest are Federal Fusion Rifle 200 gr (F35FS1), Remington Core-Lokt 200 gr (21495) and Hornady Superformance 200 gr (81193), and the heaviest is Remington High Performance Rifle 250 gr (21499). The fastest listed muzzle velocity is 2,910 fps, Hornady Superformance 200 gr (81193), tested on a 24 in barrel. The highest listed muzzle energy is 3,760 ft-lb, Hornady Superformance 200 gr (81193), tested on a 24 in barrel. Because test barrels differ or are not listed, compare across makers with care.

The makers label loads for game or for target use. They don't tell you one weight is right for a species. The right choice depends on bullet construction, range and your state's rules. Check your state hunting rules and your state wildlife agency before you buy.

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 4 loads, 3 list no test barrel, 1 list 24 in. The loads with no test barrel are from Federal and Remington. A rifle with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for the .35 Whelen is 24 in.

No barrel-length-velocity page exists yet for the .35 Whelen, and we have not charted one. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers other cartridges, so do not read those numbers as .35 Whelen data.

.35 Whelen: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "35 WHELEN [35 WHELEN]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge drawing was issued 01/08/1988 and revised 07/28/2022. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 62,000 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 620 in psi/100). SAAMI also lists a crusher maximum average pressure of 52,000 CUP (the table shows 520 in CUP/100). Cartridge overall length runs from 2.970 in minimum to 3.340 in maximum. Case length is 2.494 in (−.020), and bullet diameter is .359 in (−.003). Bore is .349 in and groove is .357 in, with 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 16.00 in, right-hand (marked optional). SAAMI reference velocities are Not yet verified, because the PDF text does not clearly pair each bullet weight with its velocity. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF. The .35 Whelen MAP row is also on our SAAMI maximum average pressure table (Z299.4, 62,000 psi / 620 psi/100).

SAAMI says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in long and that exterior ballistic data for centerfire rifle cartridges is based on that length. Its listed exceptions (7.62x39, 277 Sig Fury, 30 Carbine, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM'R, 350 Legend, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend and 44 Remington Magnum) do not include the .35 Whelen, so SAAMI measures it on a 24 in barrel.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Rifles for .35 Whelen

The .35 Whelen is a rifle cartridge, and the loads in the tables run from 200 gr to 250 gr. See also new rifle releases and the new hunting rifles of 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal and Remington show availability on their own product pages. Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .30-06 Springfield ammo, .270 Win ammo, .338 Win Mag ammo, .375 H&H Magnum ammo, .300 Win Mag ammo, 45-70 Government ammo, .450 Bushmaster ammo, the SAAMI maximum average pressure table, the barrel length vs velocity data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .35 Whelen?
SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 62,000 psi for .35 Whelen, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 (the table shows 620 in psi/100).
What grain is .35 Whelen ammo?
In our tables the bullets run from 200 gr to 250 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.
How fast is .35 Whelen ammo?
In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 2,400 fps to 2,910 fps, and muzzle energies from 3,177 ft-lb to 3,760 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.
What does test barrel mean?
It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box.
Do you list prices or stock for .35 Whelen ammo?
No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 5, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

  1. Federal: Federal Fusion Rifle .35 Whelen Fusion Soft Point, item F35FS1 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  2. Remington: Remington Core-Lokt .35 Whelen Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt, item 21495 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  3. Remington: Remington High Performance Rifle .35 Whelen Pointed Soft Point, item 21499 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  4. Hornady: Hornady Superformance .35 Whelen 200 gr SP Superformance®, item 81193 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  5. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 centerfire rifle standard, .35 Whelen drawing (checked Nov. 5, 2026)

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