Plains Game Bullet Choice 35 Whelen & 25 Ackley

[quandary]

I am in the process of booking a PG hunt in Namibia in May of '27, Kudu and Eland will be on the list. While this is long range planing as difficult as it is to find some bullets I thought it best to start acquiring now for load development. My plan is to take my 35 Whelen and my my 25-06 Ackley. In the Whelen I don't have a know load as I just put this rifle together. However it shoots the 225 SGKs extremely well. In the 25 Ackley my load is 133EHs at 3,250fps.

What bullets would you suggest I test in my load development for each the Whelen and the Ackley?

 

[jbirdwell]

I had good luck with the 225 grain Barnes TSX on plains game with my 35 Whelen

 

[quandary]

I will modify this with a more leading post.

For the 35 Whelen I was thinking -

North Fork Semi Spitz 225 or 250
Woodleigh PP SN 225 or 250
Partions 225 or 250
A Frames 225 or 250

For the 25 Ackley;

A Frame 120
Partion 120
North Fork Semi Spitz 120
Berger 133EH (my standard load, shoots great 3,250fps)

I would prefer not to buy a bunch of different bullets, I'd rather get one develop a load and if it shoots great go with that, if not move on to the next bullet. So in that vane what bullet would above, or something else, would you all suggest. I am not a big mono metal bullet fan other than CEB Lazers which they don't make in a 358.

 

[Fatback]

For the 35 Whelen you’d be well served with the 225 AFrames or Northfork SS. Either of those bullets would be great on any PG you’d encounter in Namibia, including eland. Good luck of getting something put together for your hunt.

 

[318AE]

If you are trying to keep things simpler, just bring the 35 Whelen. I would not bring two rifles on a plain game trip to Namibia.

 

[Surgeon1]

I would forget the Berger. They make great long range bullets. I've shot lots of big game with them but for the 25-06 use the NF or if you can get them Swift 120 A-frame (they are my go to in a
25-06 Ackley for deer and antelope). Almost anything can be taken smaller than Eland with that combo.

In the 35 Whelen use the A-frames or NF, and I tend to use heavy for caliber.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I am in the process of booking a PG hunt in Namibia in May of '27, Kudu and Eland will be on the list. While this is long range planing as difficult as it is to find some bullets I thought it best to start acquiring now for load development. My plan is to take my 35 Whelen and my my 25-06 Ackley. In the Whelen I don't have a know load as I just put this rifle together. However it shoots the 225 SGKs extremely well. In the 25 Ackley my load is 133EHs at 3,250fps.

What bullets would you suggest I test in my load development for each the Whelen and the Ackley?

@quandary
With eland on the list I would forget all about the 225gn game kings far to soft
My choice would be either the 225gn Barnes TTSX loaded to 2,800-2900fps.

Or the 250gn Speer hotcore or Nosler partitions
These can be loaded up to 2,700 fps with 65gn of CFE 223.
Either of these loads will work extremely well on ANY of that walks.

For the 25 Ackley I would load the 100gn Barnes TTSX to 3,400-3500fps. This will give you all the range you need with a very flat trajectory and plenty of penetration.

I do love the Whelen paired with a fast 25. That's the set up I use.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I will modify this with a more leading post.

For the 35 Whelen I was thinking -

North Fork Semi Spitz 225 or 250
Woodleigh PP SN 225 or 250
Partions 225 or 250
A Frames 225 or 250

For the 25 Ackley;

A Frame 120
Partion 120
North Fork Semi Spitz 120
Berger 133EH (my standard load, shoots great 3,250fps)

I would prefer not to buy a bunch of different bullets, I'd rather get one develop a load and if it shoots great go with that, if not move on to the next bullet. So in that vane what bullet would above, or something else, would you all suggest. I am not a big mono metal bullet fan other than CEB Lazers which they don't make in a 358.

@quandary
As you have narrowed it down
For the Whelen the only projectiles I personally would choose are the Woodleighs.
As eland are on you list I would go the 250gn PPSP. Loaded to around 2,700fps it will take any of the game on your wish list

For the 25 it would be a toss up between the A frame and the North Fork. Loaded to 3,100 fps they will give you all the expansion and penetration you need. I would also be suitable for game upto kudu with well placed shots
Personally I would just tat the Whelen and call it done. Less hassle.
Murphy is a right bastard. It would be just your luck to come across the eland of you dreams and have the 25 with you. If you only have one rifle life is simple.
The Whelen is fine to 400 yards but you won't need to take a shot that far out. My longest was 275 on an impala. Everything else was less than 150.
Bob