120 Grain 6.5 Creedmoor Loads Whitetail?

[General RE LEE]

I was gifted some 6.5 mm 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. I was thinking about working up some loads with Superformance.

Anyone load and hunt with 120 grain class 6.5 Creedmoor bullets? I bet recoil is very light for spotting shots and I can get high velocity.

Good for thin skinned game?

 

[kota]

They will work. I shoot 120 BTs in my creedmoor over a moderate dose of H4895. Really accurate and almost non existent recoil, but I’m not pushing the envelope on the load either. I have taken some mature mule deer bucks without issue at reasonable ranges.

 

[RifleDisciple]

Fire away. I was wanting some 130gr class bullets for my Creed as well since I don't really need the BC for my ranges.

 

[N2TRKYS]

What grain NBT in the 6.5 is the equivalent of the tough 120 grain NBT in the 7mm?

 

[kota]

What grain NBT in the 6.5 is the equivalent of the tough 120 grain NBT in the 7mm?

If you are looking for a tough bullet in that weight range I would try the 125 partition. Similar weight, and no guessing about the construction.
I reload that bullet for a hunting partner’s creedmoor and he has taken both muleys and blacktails with it.

I haven’t had any bad shot angles or hit bone with the 120 BT, so I don’t have any experience to really know how tough of a bullet it is. All I can say is they have all produced exit holes, and they weren’t gory or softball sized.

 

[KenLee]

What grain NBT in the 6.5 is the equivalent of the tough 120 grain NBT in the 7mm?

I don't think any. The 120 gr 6.5 does more splattering, but kills fine.
As kota mentioned, I'd stay off bone at steep angles.

 

[N2TRKYS]

10-4. The 7mm 120 grain NBT is a tough bullet and has worked very well for me. Just didn’t know if there was a sleeper in the 6.5 version.

 

[KenLee]

10-4. The 7mm 120 grain NBT is a tough bullet and has worked very well for me. Just didn’t know if there was a sleeper in the 6.5 version.

Oh yeah, the 120 gr NBT 7mm-08 is my go to round.
On a couple youth 7mm-08 rifles, we run the 120 gr TTSX because the rifle love them and a few of these kids still get buck fever and the TTSX still get the nod on penetration with 2x expansion.