6.5 Cal bullet for whitetail deer
- Thread starter kyreloader
- Start date
Better call Guiness
stacy
2 TIMOTHY 2 VERSE 15
Killed a LOT of deer and elk with a 140 Berger, never caught one in a deer and only not shot through one elk with them, see the 143 ELD not make the second lung on antelope. Had several reports of ELD blowing up from customers others thought they did well, just not as consistent as what we see from the 140 Berger.
The ELD-X is not designed to be a hand grenade. Personally, I don't look forward to digging out shrapnel, and removing a bunch of blood-shot meat, via a match grade bullet (ELD). The ELD and ELD-X are not one and the same
The ELD is a match grade bullet. The ELD-X is a hunting bullet.
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My daughter has been using the Sierra 120gr Pro Hunter in her .260 for about 5 years now with great results on whitetail deer. She's taken 14 deer with this bullet with her longest shot at 356yds. We've only recovered 2 bullets and both were under the skin after going through both shoulders and were in a nice mushroom. It is very accurate in her rifle with H4350 and it's on game performance has been excellent for her. I have no ideal what it would do at 600yds, that's way out there.
The ELD-X is not designed to be a hand grenade. Personally, I don't look forward to digging out shrapnel, and removing a bunch of blood-shot meat, via a match grade bullet (ELD). The ELD and ELD-X are not one and the same
Edit: Lack of penetration/failure is to be expected when using a match grade bullet on big game animals.
Sorry I missed the X, the 143 ELDX is a grenade sometimes, I only know of one guy who shot the 140 ELDM and two shots penciled unlike what we've seen from an AMax. The ELDX blows up far more violently much earlier right in the meat in comparison to the 140 Berger, I won't shoot an elk with the 143 ELDX but I've done it a pile of times with a 140 Berger.
See picture on post #19. The ELD-X is an interlock bullet, not a varmint bullet, doesn't blow up, and expands to a mushroom type configuration. It's understandable the ELD Match bullet penciled through. After all, it's a match bullet, and not designed for hunting. There is a real world article about the ELD-X in the American Rifleman magazine.
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WyleWD
Silver $$ Contributor
+1 on the 120gr Pro Hunter. It simply works. And dependably accurate too. WD
waverly
Gold $$ Contributor
I shoot 130 Scirocco's in my 6.5x47L. They shoot well out to 600(haven't shot any further). Longest kill is 387 yds. on a 190lb. 120class S.C. deer. High shoulder with pass through. Dead right there but did take a while to find him in cotton field. I had to keep ranging tower stand to finally find him, way too much white.
I shoot Hornady 140 bonded SST's in 6.5x284. I have also shot to 600 on target, and longest kill was 125 lb. doe on S.C. peanut field. a lot easier to find. Also high shoulder and dead right there also with pass through.
These are the 2 best shooting bullets in my rifles. I shot a doe this year with Hornady 95 grn. SST. at 268 yds. behind shoulder with pass through. She did run 60 yds. or so, but good blood trail. This rifle is 6x47L. This gun also shoots 90 grn. Accubond with good results.
Over the years I've shot a lot of different bullets, but have always shot deer with hunting bullets. I like to use bonded bullets, and have shot a lot of Accubonds, Barnes, as well just in different calibers than 6.5.
Good luck with your 6.5. This is what works for me.
Waverly
I shoot Hornady 140 bonded SST's in 6.5x284. I have also shot to 600 on target, and longest kill was 125 lb. doe on S.C. peanut field. a lot easier to find. Also high shoulder and dead right there also with pass through.
These are the 2 best shooting bullets in my rifles. I shot a doe this year with Hornady 95 grn. SST. at 268 yds. behind shoulder with pass through. She did run 60 yds. or so, but good blood trail. This rifle is 6x47L. This gun also shoots 90 grn. Accubond with good results.
Over the years I've shot a lot of different bullets, but have always shot deer with hunting bullets. I like to use bonded bullets, and have shot a lot of Accubonds, Barnes, as well just in different calibers than 6.5.
Good luck with your 6.5. This is what works for me.
Waverly
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All three hunting bullets will do the job; what is most important when you are considering taking shots at 600 plus yards is which bullet performs best in your rifle. Consistent tight groups are the key in long range shooting. If a bullet doesn't give you sub MOA performance it's simply not going to be accurate at 600 yards.
Test to see which bullet gives you the best accuracy and stick with that.
Test to see which bullet gives you the best accuracy and stick with that.
130HVLD, 3205 fps MV (6.5SAUM 4s)
Whitetail buck, broadside exit @ 655yds:
140JLK, 3080fps MV (6.5SAUM4s)
Whitetail doe, broadside exit @ 365yds:
Pick your poison...
Fredo,
Exactly what I was looking for sir, thanks for posting. Any more experience with the 140g JLKs?
"real" hunting bullets?
kyreloader, welcome!
Haven't killed but a few with the 140JLKs, but they all died well.
If my crew happen to get drawn for an elk tag this year, I will very likely have along the 6.5SAUM with 140s. Despite them somehow not being "real"...
500, I hope this was a typo!
I had a hard time getting the 120ttsx over 2700fps out of my 23" 6.5x47. Only tried RL 16. Shot a .1 group with them. Best group I have ever shot. I am going to try them with some other powders. I can push a 130 hvld over 2800 out of this rifle. Is this typical due to the greater bearing surface of the TTSX?
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