Barnes VOR-TX 35 Whelen 200gr TTSX FB – Rugged Big Bore Load

Description

The Barnes VOR-TX 35 Whelen 200gr TTSX FB is the heavier of the two Barnes copper loads for a cartridge that has quietly outlasted most of its competition. An all copper Tipped TSX leaves the muzzle at roughly 2700 fps carrying about 3238 ft-lbs of energy, with a 0.369 G1 ballistic coefficient. Big frontal area, deep penetration and enough energy for anything on this continent short of the largest bears. Each box holds 20 rounds.

• Barnes VOR-TX 35 Whelen 200gr TTSX FB Overview
• 200 Grain TTSX Flat Base Performance
• Why Hunters Choose 35 Whelen Big Bore Ammo
• Specifications
• Range Notes For This Polymer Tipped Copper Bullet

Barnes VOR-TX 35 Whelen 200gr TTSX FB Overview

The projectile is turned from solid copper, so there is no lead core to shed and no jacket to peel off a core. A polymer tip caps the hollow nose, survives magazine recoil in a heavy recoiling rifle, and drives rearward on impact to start expansion immediately.

The nose opens into four sharp copper petals that reach roughly double the original diameter and stay attached to the shank. On a 35 caliber bullet that is a very wide wound channel, and recovered bullets typically retain close to all their original weight.

200 Grain TTSX Flat Base Performance

At 200 grains this is the heavier option in the Whelen line and the one to pick when penetration matters more than trajectory. Sectional density is high enough to drive through a bull elk shoulder and keep going, and the extra 20 grains over the 180 costs very little velocity.

A flat base is a deliberate choice. With a 0.369 ballistic coefficient this is not a long range bullet, and virtually every shot the Whelen takes happens well inside the distance where a boat tail starts to earn anything. Barnes also machines relief grooves into the bearing surface of the Barnes VOR-TX 35 Whelen 200gr TTSX projectile, which lowers pressure and cuts copper fouling.

Why Hunters Choose 35 Whelen Big Bore Ammo

The 35 Whelen is a 30-06 case necked up to 35 caliber, which means it runs in any standard long action and feeds from an ordinary magazine. You get big bore frontal area and energy without a belted case, a magnum length receiver or a punishing amount of recoil. For elk in timber, black bear over bait, moose and big northern whitetails it is very hard to beat.

Factory support for the cartridge has always been thin, so a premium copper loading genuinely matters here. This 35 Whelen big bore ammo gives Whelen owners a serious option off the shelf instead of a handloading project.

Be realistic about range. With a 0.369 ballistic coefficient the bullet sheds velocity quickly, so this is a 300 yard cartridge in practical terms, not a 500 yard one. Recoil sits between a 30-06 and a 338 Winchester Magnum.

Specifications

Range Notes For This Polymer Tipped Copper Bullet

A polymer tipped copper bullet normally prints to a slightly different point of impact than lead core ammunition, so zero with the exact load you plan to carry. Foul a clean barrel with a round or two first, then shoot your group and leave the turrets alone.

Copper needs impact velocity to open. Because this bullet sheds speed fairly quickly, expansion is reliable out to roughly 300 yards in most barrels and becomes less certain beyond that. That covers essentially every shot the cartridge is asked to take.

Barnes packs the Barnes VOR-TX 35 Whelen 200gr TTSX 20 rounds to a box, enough for a zero check and a season. Buy two boxes from the same lot if you plan to practice, and keep them cool and dry so the zero holds year to year.

Lead Free Elk And Bear Ammunition Availability

Elk, moose and bear hunters running a classic American big bore, timber hunters who want frontal area over trajectory, and anyone hunting where non toxic projectiles are required will get the most from this lead free elk and bear ammunition. Full factory ballistics for the Barnes VOR-TX 35 Whelen 200gr TTSX are published by Barnes Bullets.

Shop more rifle ammunition, compare it with the lighter Barnes VOR-TX 35 Whelen 180gr TTSX, or browse the full ammunition selection at MAG5 Firearms.