50-500y 6.5 Black Bear Bullet

[mopar411]

Hello! I'm currently deep down on overthinking bullet choice for my 6.5 PRC. I'm expecting 90% of my spot and stalk shots from 75 yards to 400 yards, however I also want to predator call. Which could be quite close range.

After reading through many 6.5 threads on here and listening to some Shoot2Hunt podcasts, I've whittled down to the 143 eldx, 147 eldm, and 156 berger. My first choice is the 156 berger, but my rifle shoots the factory ammo around 2 moa. I'm still dialing in reloading equipment, so I don't expect to have a load down by hunting season.

My rifle is shooting the eldm around 0.7 moa, and the eldx around 1.0 moa (both great). The eldm is shooting around 2700 fps, and the eldx around 2750 in my 21" barrel. Past 150 yards, it seems either bullet is great, however I haven't found much data < 150 yards.

Has anyone had much experience with the 147 eldm < 100 yards?

 

[Matt5266]

Any one of those bullets will work great. Just pick one

 

[bullmtn]

Don't over think it! (that is my job!) Flip a coin with heads ELDM tails ELDX, either way you win, and the black bear loses.

 

[mopar411]

Committing to the ELDM then! It shoots lights out, and the slow factory loading should help with close range shots. Can dial in the 156 berger as a pet load down the line. Thanks!

 

[Wrench]

As close as you are shooting.....I'd run a partition, accubond or swift myself. The extra .00003" drop difference will be less important than up close performance. I love match bullets, but you're pushing them hard and shooting close.....both of those work against you.

 

[mopar411]

That's quite true, and I think it's better if close range was only option. However until I start reloading I can't justify the cost for practice. I'm running through the Rokslide positional shooting and doing 300 y practice as well. I also need all the wind deflection I can get for the berry fields in the mountains

 

[Wrench]

500 yd impacts between a vld, accubond and partition are closer than most hunters can shoot......but the 50 yd performance is huge.

 

[mcseal2]

I've never shot a bear, so take my advice for what it's worth. I have shot a 264 win mag for over a decade and a 6.5 creedmoor for a little while before I went away from it.

The 143gr ELD-X killed all 4 deer I shot with it, 2 from a long barreled 264 starting it at 3250fps, 2 from the 6.5 Creedmoor starting it at 2550fps. The two bullets (one from each) that hit bone on entry did not exit and fragmented after impacting the bone. One shot was around 350 yards (6.5 Creed) and hit a rib, the other was 150 yards from the 264 win mag and it hit a shoulder in the heaviest bone possible.

The two bullets that did not hit bone early (quartering toward shot 330yds 264 win mag, and 200yds broadside 6.5 Creedmoor) exited and looked to have performed like I'd expect from any cup and core game bullet.

In comparison, the 140gr Accubond has taken a lot of deer at a lot of angles over the years. I've hit a lot of bone and recovered very few bullets. The few I have recovered penetrated most of the deer and stopped under the hide. I've had similar results with the 140gr Accubond in 270 win and WSM, and 7mm Rem Mag when I used each. I also took one elk with the 140gr Accubond from a 270 win and it performed well there too at extended range.

I've since went to the 140gr Berger VLD in my 264 win mag and it has worked very well too. The bullets seem to penetrate a bit deeper than the ELD-X before they begin expanding, which makes sense due to their design differences. This makes them exit more often than not from my 264 win mag starting them at 2900fps. If they don't exit, there is very little blood that escapes the small entrance wound. They have always put deer down fast enough a blood trail wasn't needed, but I have had some make it 80 yards or so after the shot. The ones that made it that far were ones where the bullet did exit, and the blood trail was dramatic, the ones that absorbed all the shock and fragments from the bullet (no exit) never made it more than 30 yards.

The deer I've hunted were all Midwest whitetail or Western muleys for size comparison. Fairly big bodied deer.

I now have a 300 win mag I shoot 180gr E tips in for hunts when I want a tough bullet and the 264 and a 270 win shooting 145 ELD-X bullets are only used on deer and antelope. Getting that 300 win mag was a big reason I went away from the 140gr Accubond in my 264 win mag for use on windy plains. I no longer need an "all around" bullet in that rifle.

I'm not going to try to convince you one way or the other, just sharing what I've seen hunting with similar bullets. All the animals I wrote about were killed so none of these bullets failed. The more fragile bullets just have limitations at close range that should be considered, same as a really tough bullet at long range. There is no perfect bullet for everything. FWIW when I head to Colorado after my first bear this fall I'll be carrying the 300 with the E tips.

 

[Dmoua]

Berger 140gr VLDH. I have killed bears at 50 yards out to 400.

 

[doepatrol]

After getting hands in experience with a bear over 500lbs this past season, Im not much on my 6.5prc for bears. At least not BIG bears like that, for the average 200lb or less it's not much of a problem but those big fat fatties are a different creature. Shooting close I would do a terminal accent, portion, scirocco 2, or barnes. 147s are like little grenades up close as long as you put them in the lungs it will be fine but a quartering shot maybe not be ideal.

 

[mopar411]

From everyone’s advice, I might run two factory loads then. POI between 147 eldm and 127 lrx is about an inch and a half. Gonna carry the Barnes for sub 150, and the eldm for anything beyond that

 

[Grundy53]

I wouldn't over think it. Bears aren't that tough. Any of the bullets listed would work just fine.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

 

[Ringbill27]

Strictly just reading the title and I only run coppers I’d be picking the 6.5 prc (which I’ve seen is the cartridge in question) and the 127LRX. Mind you I don’t have a 6.5prc or used said bullet.

I’d maybe look to see if hammer has a bullet with better BC as well.

 

[justin davis]

I’d think the 147 eldm would hammer them! Bears are thin skinned I’d go for what shoots the best in your rifle

 

[Marshfly]

I wouldn't over think it. Bears aren't that tough. Any of the bullets listed would work just fine.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

This.

Bears get tough to kill (like anything) when you hit them in the parts that don't kill them.

 

[Pdzoller]

Shoot what your rifle likes. The bear won’t care because he’ll be dead.

 

[Plague]

This.

Bears get tough to kill (like anything) when you hit them in the parts that don't kill them.

Truth! Gotta put the bullet in the right spot.

 

[Halibut]

I second the Berger 140 VLDH.

 

[Strider]

Personally I would lean away from solid copper bullets. Bears are very light skinned & their lungs are nowhere near heavy bone or muscle. Not a great recipe for copper bullets and good expansion. I want the largest hole I can make. All bullets kill. Know the possible failure points of your bullet selection and be realistic about what your primary hunting style will be.