This is from Terminal Ballistics Research when I was researching 35 Whelen A/I.
Performance varies with age. The older the projectile , the more it will have naturally annealed,while the core may have become somewhat powdery. It is quite common to come across such old projectiles for the .358's at auction because this caliber suffers from fad buying. Rifles are purchased on a whim,tried but not fully utilized and then cast aside,generally speaking,if the projectile packet is sun bleached and completely faded ,the projectiles will be akin to varmint bullets. Those who shoot the .356 Winchester should take note of this because these projectiles can be quit useful in low velocity rifles. But in the 35 Whelen ,aged projectiles can cause a great deal of disappointment.That said - results can go either way. Ahead I describe the 250gr interlock too tough for light skinned game but too soft for heavy game and best suited for larger deer only. Yet an aged 250gr interlock can perform very well on lean game-or abysmally on larger bodied deer.Therefore , these factors must always be taken into consideration.
The question after all of this is how anyone can say this while people will still shoot ammunition loaded to around WWII and earlier not to mention pulled bullets of the same age and older for good effect and tell others that there old ammo may have turned to powder inside of the copper jacket??
Or am I just all wet? Or to say is this really true?
And to this end it sure is nice to have real information from a site like this. And to be careful where one gets there information.