Love the cartridge. I have a Ruger#1 takedown in 35 Whelen. Right at 6.75 lbs with a Leupold 1.5-5x20 and seatbelt nylon sling.

It is one of those rifles you love but shot like drak with almost very bullet/load, 2.5 moa. I was given some 225 Sierra boat tail game kings and it became a true 1 inch wonder. It has a 22 inch barrel but I can only get those 225gr loads up to 2450fps. With 250 keeping it above 2250fps is a problem. I'm using RL15, rem cases and Fed GM LR.

It's given good service over the years. A few little moose, a couple of caribou and a black bear. Very effective but I can't say it does anything better then a 30-06 with good 180gr. I think the reason it's still pretty obscure is that the 30-06 does almost everything a 35 Whelen can do and the 06 is easier to shoot, cheaper, and has the edge past 250 yards.

That being said I don't own an 06 but have a 358 Win, two 356Wins, 35 Whelen, two 338 Federals and a 9.3x62. Also a 9.3x74r on order.