6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....
- Thread starter woods89
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Just an FYI…I traded emails with Sierra regarding the BC listed by Federal being overly optimistic based on my shooting these a while back. They gave me a BC of G1 = .563
YMMV
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That’s good to know
Mammoth Steppe
FNG
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Has anyone chrono'd various loads in a 20" barrel? Curious if there is much benefit stepping down to a 130gr or 120gr over the 143s.
swampy14
Lil-Rokslider
I will still be shooting my 6.5cm. Want to try some different bullets as well. I’ve been using the Barnes lrx but will be trying the federal TAs, fusions, Norma bondstrike, and some bergers.
I've been enjoying hog hunting with a 6.5 grendel shooting 123gr ELDM at 2422 fps. Headshots obviously cause bang-flops, and there's enough oomph for an 80 yd quartering away in-the-shoulder-out-the-neck spine shot on this 147lb sow (first two photos. Super easy shooting and deadly accurate for this use scenario.
Edit: adding a 200 lb boar headshot (in the eye) at 80 yds with bullet recovered under the skin of the same side jaw. I was surprised by how the both 123 eldm held together, and that it did not exit, though this boar had a massive neck.
Edit: adding a 200 lb boar headshot (in the eye) at 80 yds with bullet recovered under the skin of the same side jaw. I was surprised by how the both 123 eldm held together, and that it did not exit, though this boar had a massive neck.
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About two years late, but what was your opinion on the 156 Bergers. Have you used them more extensively than this?
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Typical Berger- penetrate a few inches, yaw and/or fragment.
I wish there were factory TMK loads. I want to switch so much and I’m not set up to reload, which is a bummer. Some day!
omicron1792
WKR
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Same for me. I would love the new 153 tmk in my 6.5prc.
Keep an eye on Barnes Harvest. I wouldn't be surprised if they do it.
Undrgrndprdcts
Lil-Rokslider
They would use TGK's, they don't believe in using "match" bullets in a commercial hunting load.
Federal TRU 140gr is a TMK, or similar to a TMK. Can be hard to find at times though.
And at that point why not use the readily available 143 ELD-X. I really would love a commercial 130gr TMK load
If you have future plans to reload and a friend that reloads, I would buy all the components, bullets, primers, powder, die set, and save your own brass. Take it to the friend and ask them to teach you. They don’t have any money into your stuff, and I’m sure they would load however hot you want. I would (and do) reload for a friend like that, no questions asked. If they say no, you need all that for your own reloading in the future anyway.
I hate when people ask me to reload for them, but they don’t have their own components and expect me to use mine for them.
I’ll be getting there eventually. I’ve got a press, no dies yet, and I’ve been saving brass for years. Space is largely the confining factor, I just don’t have the ability to set up a bench where I’m living at the moment. Tis crap.
I was in the same boat. Had a press for 6 years without opening the box. Either you want to do it or you don’t. Start easy, a sleeve of 100 primers, a pound of powder, 100 bullets and a die set. Take it to a friends house. That’s half a case of ammo (that you can’t buy), for about $2 a trigger pull. The second 100 will be around $1 a trigger pull.
Chris in TN
WKR
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FWIW, if space is the biggest hurdle....
When the wife and I first got hitched, we had one of those kitchen tables that would stretch out and you could add a leaf in the center. We didn't ever use the leaf because it was too big for us to walk around that way, but when I wanted to make ammo, I had my press mounted on an oak board, and I'd spread the table wings out, put the press and board in the gap between the wings, and C-clamp the board to the tabletop on either side. It worked plenty well enough as long as I was careful not to drop spent primers in the dining room floor.
Cost was one 1x8(?)x24" oak board from Lowe's and two c-clamps and a couple of bolts to attach the press to the center of the board.
