6.5 for deer...2600 fps <<< VS >>> 2800 fps...???

[Beeman]

Always check that the tips are open on your Bergers. I do with all my hunting rounds and have always had them open up. For a 6.5 bullet I have had great luck with the 130 gr Berger Hunting VLD. At 2950 fps out of my 6.5X47 it's a deers worst nightmare.

 

[WEL]

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/6.5x55.html

Lots of good data here. Read down in the hand loading bullet section. Interestingly the 140 gr Amax ie eldm gets high marks. Also the Nosler partition. Quite possibly the best hunting bullet ever. The sst gets decent results as well. Getting drt from a rib cage shot is a crap shoot. I’ve shot em with a 140 7mm barnes at 3200 fps and had em run a ways. You need a lot of velocity and or a bullet that expands rapidly. The lower the velocity the more lightly constructed the bullet needs to be. This is why I believe the amax work so well at longer ranges ( lower velocity). In your case starting out at 2600 they should work fine for a rib cage shot. Hit the shoulder and is a different story. I’m going to try the 140 eldm in a 6.5 creed at about 2750. The 129 hornady sp had mixed results last year. My creed likes the eldm and shoots insanely small groups with them.

 

[daniel brothers]

I'm going to look into the ELDM bullets.... thanks..

 

[Northridge]

I do not mind a 50 yard run. Which you can often get when you shoot for the heart and lungs. A heart or lung shot is humane, doesnt ruin meat, and doesnt have them sucking air with 2 broken shoulders and a lot of wasted meat. I think the high shoulder shots became popular because its good TV. It looks like they died instantly.

I agree Alex, go for the biggest vital area is the correct shot placement if loosing the animal is your concern why would a person opt for a smaller more problematic vital or non vital area.. doesn't make sense and i'm not impressed if it dropped in its tracks.

Shawn Williams

 

[Pyscodog]

A friend told me a long time ago that with a solid lung shot, you could count to ten and go get your deer. I never try a head/neck shot or even a shoulder shot. Hit them in the lungs and they're going to die.

 

[sbhooper]

Here is a blood trail from a deer my buddy shot with my Creed, using a 147 eldm. The doe was only about 70 yards away and at the shot, ran about another 60-70 yards. The shot was a clean lung shot.

 

[daniel brothers]

WOW... what a blood trail... nothing DRT about that shot...LOL.

 

[hogpatrol]

A friend told me a long time ago that with a solid lung shot, you could count to ten and go get your deer. I never try a head/neck shot or even a shoulder shot. Hit them in the lungs and they're going to die.

Agree. I NEVER aim for the shoulder. Double lungers. If they can't breathe, they're going to die. On the other hand, on three legs, they can run in to the next county.

 

[Outside]

Agree. I NEVER aim for the shoulder. Double lungers. If they can't breathe, they're going to die. On the other hand, on three legs, they can run in to the

 

[Outside]

The question from the original poster was the 140 SST and what speed it should be going in the 6.5. Have shot a few whitetail and mule deer with that particular bullet @2600, 2700, 2800 with all the same results under 300 yards. Placement means more than speed. Above the shoulder broadside shots between the top of the shoulder and the spine = instant death. With behind the shoulder shots through the lungs 50 to 100 yard runs are common.

 

[fredo]

Here is a blood trail from a deer my buddy shot with my Creed, using a 147 eldm. The doe was only about 70 yards away and at the shot, ran about another 60-70 yards. The shot was a clean lung shot.

Broadside vitals (lungs) is where I like to shoot my deer, too! But, I can't help but SMH at when a bullet get some praised (or chastised) for blood trail, or lack thereof...

Weird thing is, ya can never rely on a blood trail always being there, simply because we can't control if & how blood leaks inside or outside the body. Hair / fat or other organs can shift & plug a hole. If you guys never dressed a farm fed whitetail, you might be amazed at how much thick fat they've got on em! Also, angle of travel after the shot can allow blood to pool inside the cavity, as opposed to leaking out bullet hole(s). Neither of the above are the 'fault' of the bullet, it just happens...

Great photo of what we all like to see after poppin' the balloons! But, just know that the very same impact from the very same bullet might not yield that same amount of sign, all the time, every time. Happily, that very same shot will result in a very dead deer, every time, all the time! Someone mentioned above "count to 10, and go get your deer"...I'd say that's being generous...

 

[fredo]

Above the shoulder broadside shots between the top of the shoulder and the spine = instant incapacitation and eventual death

Fixed that for ya

 

[sbhooper]

Broadside vitals (lungs) is where I like to shoot my deer, too! But, I can't help but SMH at when a bullet get some praised (or chastised) for blood trail, or lack thereof...

Weird thing is, ya can never rely on a blood trail always being there, simply because we can't control if & how blood leaks inside or outside the body. Hair / fat or other organs can shift & plug a hole. If you guys never dressed a farm fed whitetail, you might be amazed at how much thick fat they've got on em! Also, angle of travel after the shot can allow blood to pool inside the cavity, as opposed to leaking out bullet hole(s). Neither of the above are the 'fault' of the bullet, it just happens...

Great photo of what we all like to see after poppin' the balloons! But, just know that the very same impact from the very same bullet might not yield that same amount of sign, all the time, every time. Happily, that very same shot will result in a very dead deer, every time, all the time! Someone mentioned above "count to 10, and go get your deer"...I'd say that's being generous...

I never said that it would always produce a trail like that and most shots don't allow a blood trail, as the deer is laying right where it was shot. I have shot close to 300 deer and have seen all kinds of blood trails, or lack thereof, from several calibers. The consistent thing is that there is no consistency. The 147 has worked as well for me on deer, as any other bullet in any caliber.

 

[fredo]

I have shot close to 300 deer and have seen all kinds of blood trails, or lack thereof, from several calibers. The consistent thing is that there is no consistency.

Eggs axe Lee...
Thank you, Sir!

 

[sbhooper]

Not a great shot, but the 130 eldm works, too!

 

[daniel brothers]

an animal on the ground is always a great shot...LOL

we need to hear more about that success story

 

[sbhooper]

an animal on the ground is always a great shot...LOL

we need to hear more about that success story

It was a tough hunt. The second week of season, on public access is no joke! I found this group about 1.4 miles from my truck and after an epic stalk-much of it on hands and knees- I was able to close the distance to 280 yards. I ranged them at 280 yards and hoped that I did not just range some grass. It worked out and she rode back to the truck boned out in my back pack. The shot was not all that great. It hit just below the back strap and at the back of the lungs. She was drt and no meat was lost.

I tried another shot on another one a bit longer and biffed that one. Gee, I can't figure it out. Those are chip shots at home on my range! lol. I went home without filling my second tag, but had a great trip, overall, and did lots of sight seeing.

 

[daniel brothers]

too bad about that Biffed shot... it happens...LOL. Did you see any coyotes.... I love shooting them long range. I hunted West of Valentine for the last two years after those critters... thinking about heading out that way again....soon.

 

[oregonshooter]

Here is a blood trail from a deer my buddy shot with my Creed, using a 147 eldm. The doe was only about 70 yards away and at the shot, ran about another 60-70 yards. The shot was a clean lung shot.

Ray Charles could follow that blood trail!

 

[sbhooper]

too bad about that Biffed shot... it happens...LOL. Did you see any coyotes.... I love shooting them long range. I hunted West of Valentine for the last two years after those critters... thinking about heading out that way again....soon.

I saw only two coyotes in all of miles that I covered. I did see an occasional fresh track in the mud.