6.5 CM whitetail bullet

[Ten_Ring15]

Curious what everyone recommends for a bullet to reload in my 6.5 creedmoor for whitetails. Average distance is 100-300 yards, give or take. Bergara b-14 hunter. I’m thinking I want a controlled expansion or mono bullet. The eld-m reloads shoot awesome out of it and they kill deer but I like to tinker. One of the accubond bullets or Barnes bullets have had my attention.

 

[Profiler]

143 eldx Hornady precision hunter

 

[Blacktail247]

Can’t go wrong with an accubond. I have used a lot of 180 and 165s in .30 cal and always liked them.

 

[Ten_Ring15]

143 eldx Hornady precision hunter

I’ve killed some stuff with that bullet but different calibers and had a few concerns. 7mm rem mag, 100 yard shot, bullet fragmented badly. Granted it obviously did the job because it was bang, flop. Raised some concerns on my end for bullet integrity on close shots. The second was with a 7mm-08. Wooded area, 40 yard shot on moving doe (herd control hunt for fish and wildlife), liver shot that did not pass through and was hung up under the skin on other side. The issue was 0 blood whatsoever. Actually thought I missed but looked anyway and stumbled upon her a couple hundred yards from the shot. These two scenarios have me questioning that’s the right bullet for me although it would be out of a different caliber. On a broadside shot that doesn’t hit heavy bone, I’d like a pass through.

 

[Ten_Ring15]

Can’t go wrong with an accubond. I have used a lot of 180 and 165s in .30 cal and always liked them.

For the accubond in the 6.5 CM, would you push for the 130 grain or 140 grain?

 

[hiker270]

Nosler Accubond has been my go to bullet in various calibers. As for 130 or 140 grain no deer is gonna walk away from either. Your rifle may be the one that decides which bullet it prefers.

 

[Blacktail247]

Like was said above. I would take the one that shot best.

Since you were thinking accubond or Barnes, the federal trophy bonded bullet may be worth a look. They are bonded yet have a solid copper shank. I used them for a couple season when accubonds disappeared for 300wsm. They performed similar to the accubond.

 

[Ten_Ring15]

I’m totally willing to try both but the guy who reloads for me doesn’t have either to test before buying a whole box.

 

[hiker270]

Like was said above. I would take the one that shot best.

Since you were thinking accubond or Barnes, the federal trophy bonded bullet may be worth a look. They are bonded yet have a solid copper shank. I used them for a couple season when accubonds disappeared for 300wsm. They performed similar to the accubond.

I have shot the Federal Terminal Ascent which is lead tip and solid copper rear shank and consider them one of the best hunting bullets. Frontal lead core expands and the rear stays intact.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

Seeing that the 223 thread is such a success, I thought maybe I would start one for the Creedmoor/260. Seems like people are asking a lot about using them and various bullets, especially for elk. I've used mine for the last few years almost exclusively. I have some pics of bullet damage, albeit...

rokslide.com

130+ gr eld, or the 130 tmk.

 

[FireDuck401]

I like 140gr Berger VLD Hunting out of mine.

 

[Ten_Ring15]

I have shot the Federal Terminal Ascent which is lead tip and solid copper rear shank and consider them one of the best hunting bullets. Frontal lead core expands and the rear stays intact.

I shot the terminal ascent factory ammo out of this gun and it didn’t group very well. I can’t find just the bullets for reloading.

 

[Vern400]

I spoke to a friend the other day. Together we've killed about 370 deer and unholy numbers of hogs. Our go-to bullet on deer is the Sierra spitzer boat tails. 6.5/140, 7.62/150 and 165. Very predictable consistent performance and near match accuracy. Just don't push them past 2900. A big deer here weighs 200.

The last deer I lost some years ago was with a broadside shot that just touched the flexible portion of the scapula. It pencil holed through. A Nosler ballistic tip 7.62/165 at 2450 fps impact. I replicated the shot a week later, same field, same gun, same size deer, same shot, same result. Except I had my dog ready and we found it.
I took the dog in a big 200 yd circle around the deer I lost previously. We found a few little pieces of the cape and a very thick briar patch in planted pines. That's what I get for screwing around with something that works.

My buddy heard the story and said " yep, you screwed up. I quit using those about 100 deer ago". Crap! I did too but I loaned out my deer rifle and took out another one that was set up with ballistic tips for targets. Figured it was be okay as long as I was careful.

Ballistic tips sure are pretty. There's that. Everybody makes bullets that work sometimes, most of the time, whatever. Crud- I probably killed 10 with a 45 caliber round ball. But, look for ones that don't fail. Talk to people who have been putting literally tons of game on the dirt for many years.

Btw the limit here is 12.

And I've heard tons of good things about accubonds. And very few bad things. I'm not above trying something new, but statistically I have very little reason to change.

 

[Ten_Ring15]

I spoke to a friend the other day. Together we've killed about 370 deer and unholy numbers of hogs. Our go-to bullet on deer is the Sierra spitzer boat tails. 6.5/140, 7.62/150 and 165. Very predictable consistent performance and near match accuracy. Just don't push them past 2900. A big deer here weighs 200.

The last deer I lost some years ago was with a broadside shot that just touched the flexible portion of the scapula. It pencil holed through. A Nosler ballistic tip 7.62/165 at 2450 fps impact. I replicated the shot a week later, same field, same gun, same size deer, same shot, same result. Except I had my dog ready and we found it.
I took the dog in a big 200 yd circle around the deer I lost previously. We found a few little pieces of the cape and a very thick briar patch in planted pines. That's what I get for screwing around with something that works.

My buddy heard the story and said " yep, you screwed up. I quit using those about 100 deer ago". Crap! I did too but I loaned out my deer rifle and took out another one that was set up with ballistic tips for targets. Figured it was be okay as long as I was careful.

Ballistic tips sure are pretty. There's that. Everybody makes bullets that work sometimes, most of the time, whatever. Crud- I probably killed 10 with a 45 caliber round ball. But, look for ones that don't fail. Talk to people who have been putting literally tons of game on the dirt for many years.

Btw the limit here is 12.

And I've heard tons of good things about accubonds. And very few bad things. I'm not above trying something new, but statistically I have very little reason to change.

That’s great info. I will look into that Sierra bullet. A friend of mine likes the Sierra Tipped Game King but from what I know, it’s a pretty rapid expander. I grew up in a shotgun only area until the last 8 years or so. Killed plenty of deer with the rifle now but have been trying several different bullets and would like to settle on one for each gun. I’m definitely more of a bow hunter but have gotten more into ballistics since I made the step from a pumpkin slinger to a rifle.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Please don’t be in a hurry to make a bad decision.

Listen here:

35. Bullet Ballistics: A Hunters Guide - Shoot2Hunt

Wound Channels, Bullet Energy, Magnums vs Average Cartridges, Ballistic Gel Studies and Much More. STAY IN TOUCH 🦻 ➡️SHOOT2HUNT 🖥️ Website: https://shoot2hunt.com/ 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoot2hunt/ 🚨Podcast Submissions...

shoot2hunt.com

 

[Ten_Ring15]

Please don’t be in a hurry to make a bad decision.

Listen here:

35. Bullet Ballistics: A Hunters Guide - Shoot2Hunt

Wound Channels, Bullet Energy, Magnums vs Average Cartridges, Ballistic Gel Studies and Much More. STAY IN TOUCH 🦻 ➡️SHOOT2HUNT 🖥️ Website: https://shoot2hunt.com/ 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoot2hunt/ 🚨Podcast Submissions...

shoot2hunt.com

I’m not in a rush. I’ll give it a listen.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Sierra Tipped Game King but from what I know, it’s a pretty rapid expander.

No. The bullet named tipped gameking is in fact a plastic tipped pro hunter, a relatively tough, slow expanding bullet with a thick jacket. The bullet named tipped matchking is in fact a typical gameking with a plastic tip, so it upsets rapidly and makes huge wound channels.

There are some really good bullet cutaway pictures on the lrh forum, but this site is the gold mine for info how bullets actually kill game and field necropsies.

 

[The_Whitetail_Kid]

143 ELDX or 140 Berger

 

[2PBC22]

143 ELDX or 140 Berger

I’ve shot both in 2 different rifles, Berger is slightly more accurate, but probably just me.

 

[DangerRanger]

I’m pretty sure the tmk is the real “tipped Gameking” if I’m remembering right from a cross section I’ve seen