130VLD 6.5mm on Deer
- Thread starter Rtheurer
- Start date
Hi Roe, the question was to anyone actually with experience with a 140 gr Hornady Amax on deer. My understanding is that the Amax has a very high Ballistic Coefficient and that interested me a lot !
I am sorry to hear that the core separates from the jacket. That is a very bad thing to have happen in a projectile designed for medium on up game animals.
Hornady could alleviate the problem by "bonding" a portion of the bullet but I'm not saying anything they don't already know
I watched your Video about a dozen times and really enjoyed it. It simply amazed me how you were able to take such great videos at long range. What was the video equipment you were using (model numbers/etc if you don't mind my asking and the range/distance of the deer?
I would really be interested in any more of your productions in the hunting field, you Sir do a great job of it. 8)
I am sorry to hear that the core separates from the jacket. That is a very bad thing to have happen in a projectile designed for medium on up game animals.
Hornady could alleviate the problem by "bonding" a portion of the bullet but I'm not saying anything they don't already know
I watched your Video about a dozen times and really enjoyed it. It simply amazed me how you were able to take such great videos at long range. What was the video equipment you were using (model numbers/etc if you don't mind my asking and the range/distance of the deer?
I would really be interested in any more of your productions in the hunting field, you Sir do a great job of it. 8)
So far can not comment on the 140gr 6.5mm A-Max. Close friends tell me that with some smart well placed shots that the 140 A-Max works like what you see in the videos. These friends are not the keyboard commando types either and shoot quite a bit of game a year.
I am going to go out on a limb here and say in my mind shooting behind the shoulder for longer shots since a lot of velocity may have been shed might be a good spot to shoot and close shots that still have a lot of velocity and energy should be OK in the shoulder. That is based off what I have been seeing with the 7mm 162gr A Max I have hunting with for many years. Again not to say they (A-Max)react the same by any means, that is what I would do. I am real happy with them on all game below Elk.
Roe. Thanks for some actual data ( unlike mine above) Like Changeling points out. Nice footage...well done sir.
I am going to go out on a limb here and say in my mind shooting behind the shoulder for longer shots since a lot of velocity may have been shed might be a good spot to shoot and close shots that still have a lot of velocity and energy should be OK in the shoulder. That is based off what I have been seeing with the 7mm 162gr A Max I have hunting with for many years. Again not to say they (A-Max)react the same by any means, that is what I would do. I am real happy with them on all game below Elk.
Roe. Thanks for some actual data ( unlike mine above) Like Changeling points out. Nice footage...well done sir.
Changeling said:
Many thanks for that. There is another one here [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ekcJIp5sM[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ekcJIp5sM and the next couple of episodes from there. I try to put out perhaps 8 films on hunting a year.
I use Canon SX50HS and Canon G12 now G16.
DHD
Silver $$ Contributor
Changeling said:
I have shot quite a few 140 Amax's from our 6.5Creedmoor's, but not at deer. I have however, used the 123 Amax on deer and I found it works very similar to the Berger VLD's. Devastating like the Berger. Enough so I would pick my shots so you don't ruin too much meat. The good thing that I have found is, like the Berger's, they are accurate enough that you can pick your shots and know the bullet will be where you want it. One big reason I went to the Berger VLD's is that the 123/140 Amax was/is not available for a time, and my rifles seem to prefer expensive bullets........
Hi Roe, thanks for the link and Canon information it means a great deal to me.
In looking at the great picture of the Hornady bullet I could see the loose line around the bullet jacket area.
If you still have the bullet can you show a picture of the core and jacket separated so the rest of the guys know what we are talking about?
I bookmarked the link you gave me and am looking forward to viewing it.
Take care, Changeling
In looking at the great picture of the Hornady bullet I could see the loose line around the bullet jacket area.
If you still have the bullet can you show a picture of the core and jacket separated so the rest of the guys know what we are talking about?
I bookmarked the link you gave me and am looking forward to viewing it.
Take care, Changeling
No sorry, I lost that bullet years ago (alog with a lot of reloading tool) when I mistakenly threw out the wrong box...¨
Actually, when I tapped the bottom of the bullet jacket the lead fell out (didn't break, just a complete separation like two pieces of Lego pulled apart) and the lead could also be re-set into the jacket and looked exactly like the picture.
I really like the 6,5mm Amax for small deer as it behaves like you would expect a good big game bullet to do in a bigger game than small deer. For pronghorn and such, I would not hesitate to use it. I have shot perhaps 100 deer with the 123 Amax as well (and some with the 120 Amax and 120 Nosler BT). The 123gr is definitively more volatile in the game, but I suspect this is due the added V0 achieved - at range is does the same.
The Canon SX50HS is a fairly reasonable camera (about $475 when it was new) and it also doubles as a spotting scope. When I find something interesting in the binoculars, I just zoom in and snap a picture of it and examine that. The "record" this year was identifying a deer as a small buck at almost 1100 yds, saving me for a wasted approach/ stalk. Over several picures I could see his pixelated antlers when took the pictures at 200x digital and zoomed in when I examined the photo. Once I started using the camera like this, I also started eating a lot of battery so bring 1 or 2 extra. The batteries are expensive, but the camera + batteries are waaaay less expensive than a spotting scope.
Here is a review of the camera. http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-powershot-sx50-hs (I also have the SX40 in the review, the SX50 is a noticeably better camera)
I have developed a strong preference for Canon. Mostly because I recognize all the buttons over the years, but also because I often can keep using my old batteries.
Actually, when I tapped the bottom of the bullet jacket the lead fell out (didn't break, just a complete separation like two pieces of Lego pulled apart) and the lead could also be re-set into the jacket and looked exactly like the picture.
I really like the 6,5mm Amax for small deer as it behaves like you would expect a good big game bullet to do in a bigger game than small deer. For pronghorn and such, I would not hesitate to use it. I have shot perhaps 100 deer with the 123 Amax as well (and some with the 120 Amax and 120 Nosler BT). The 123gr is definitively more volatile in the game, but I suspect this is due the added V0 achieved - at range is does the same.
The Canon SX50HS is a fairly reasonable camera (about $475 when it was new) and it also doubles as a spotting scope. When I find something interesting in the binoculars, I just zoom in and snap a picture of it and examine that. The "record" this year was identifying a deer as a small buck at almost 1100 yds, saving me for a wasted approach/ stalk. Over several picures I could see his pixelated antlers when took the pictures at 200x digital and zoomed in when I examined the photo. Once I started using the camera like this, I also started eating a lot of battery so bring 1 or 2 extra. The batteries are expensive, but the camera + batteries are waaaay less expensive than a spotting scope.
Here is a review of the camera. http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-powershot-sx50-hs (I also have the SX40 in the review, the SX50 is a noticeably better camera)
I have developed a strong preference for Canon. Mostly because I recognize all the buttons over the years, but also because I often can keep using my old batteries.
Thanks Roe for all the information. I'm going to check it out now.
I'm a little late to this post but I loaded up some 140 VLDs in my 6.5x284 for deer season last week. Didn't get a shot at a buck but I dropped a coyote at 100 yards dead in it's tracks. Exit hole was the size of a baseball. My load is running at 2950fps out of a 26" barrel.
jonbearman
I live in new york state,how unfortunate !
Roe,how many deer are you allowed to shoot per year? Is the population of these small deer prolific like rabbits?
Someone asked about coyote/varmint. If your looking for a varmint bullet try the 6.5mm 95gr v-max I have shot them out of three different rifles in 260 rem...outstanding accuracy the only thing I can compare bullet performance to is jelly donuts.. between explosion and implosion. Varget works well I found no reason to drive this bullet to extremes just find a medium of the road powder charge/accuracy load and it's on.
I have always used the 129gr sst on deer, but from reading I may give the a-max bullets a try. I love me some 6.5mm best thing since rifled barrels.
I have always used the 129gr sst on deer, but from reading I may give the a-max bullets a try. I love me some 6.5mm best thing since rifled barrels.
@jonbearman they would like me to shoot 600 (sixhundred) which the area I hunt would support.
However, that is a completely unrealistic number. I shoot 40-60 a year as I'm only an extra hand. The fulltime hunter shoots roughly 150-200 ( mostly with 6.5mm 123gr). The rest is done by visiting hunters and the total cull is usually 4-500.
However, that is a completely unrealistic number. I shoot 40-60 a year as I'm only an extra hand. The fulltime hunter shoots roughly 150-200 ( mostly with 6.5mm 123gr). The rest is done by visiting hunters and the total cull is usually 4-500.
I've shot many deer with my 260 loaded with 130gr Bergers. They went anywhere from straight down, to 50-60 yards on the run. I don't shoulder shoot deer, I shoot them behind the shoulder, in the rear of the lungs, to mostly eliminate meat damage.
Have shot a couple of coyotes with them as well. Like GSPV say's, football sized exit wounds.
In more recent years I have been using 127gr Barnes LRX's, tried them just to try something different and liked them.
No complaints about the Berger 130's performance, dead is dead. Barnes do less meat damage however.
Have shot a couple of coyotes with them as well. Like GSPV say's, football sized exit wounds.
In more recent years I have been using 127gr Barnes LRX's, tried them just to try something different and liked them.
No complaints about the Berger 130's performance, dead is dead. Barnes do less meat damage however.
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