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

One more white-tailed deer doe. 81 lbs. 60 yard shot. Doe took the hit and stood a bit, loped a few strides forward, stood a bit, and fell over and perished in a few minutes.

Sierra 130gr tmk
43.5gr H4350
2795 fps
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0682.jpg
    IMG_0682.jpg
    69.9 KB · Views: 93
  • IMG_0681.jpg
    IMG_0681.jpg
    84.1 KB · Views: 94
  • IMG_0680.jpg
    IMG_0680.jpg
    70.8 KB · Views: 94
  • IMG_0679.jpg
    IMG_0679.jpg
    74.8 KB · Views: 92
Last edited:
6.5 PRC 140 TGK 2860fps. 138 yards slightly downhill shot. Bullet performed spot on how @Formidilosus said it would, about a 3-4" diameter hole of destruction that made for vital salsa. I chose this bullet because I take and eat all usable meat, the bloodshot on the edge of the shoulder was under the sinewy slime and cleaned right off, no actual meat damage. I couldn't have asked for better!
20231014_094558.jpg20231014_110047.jpg
 
I'm new to the 6.5 CM. Great thread - thanks everyone!

Am I correct that:
  • factory loaded 130gr TMKs are harder to find than factory 77TMKs?
  • that there isn't much discussion of 6.5 CM practice rounds because there is much less of a discount as compared to 223 prices?
 
fwafwow said:
I'm new to the 6.5 CM. Great thread - thanks everyone!

Am I correct that:
  • factory loaded 130gr TMKs are harder to find than factory 77TMKs?
  • that there isn't much discussion of 6.5 CM practice rounds because there is much less of a discount as compared to 223 prices?
Click to expand...
For 130 tmk factory the options are pretty much non existent. Federal loaded them but I think that stuff is supposed to be for military/police use so can be hard to find. Browning lists a load on their website but I’ve never actually seen any for sale. Unknown munitions or other custom loaders could make you some but it might be pricey.

As far as practice ammo I’ve been using freedom munitions 123 grain hpbt. It’s about a dollar a round and shoots 1 moa 10 round groups in my tikka super light.

The hornady match 140 eldm can be found for around 1.60 a round and is kind of the consensus for easy button practice and hunting ammo and probably your best bet if you don’t handload.
 
Rusty Shackelford said:
I’ve had a box of this in my safe for 5 years and never actually realized what it was until now.
Click to expand...

I got 10 boxes when they first released, they shot great
Haven’t seen them since, it’s still an active sku but not sure it’s a priority


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Formidilosus said:
I prefer the TMK wound profile slightly over the 143gr ELD-X, and I prefer both over Bergers. The 130gr recoul just a touch less than 140+, which is also good.
I prefer the bullet to start upsetting immediately (TMK/ELD-M/X) versus delayed upset of Bergers. There is nothing really wrong with Bergers- they kill well, just a preference.

Where the TMK differs from the ELD-X and M is that it has a slightly thicker jacket which slightly helps penetration, yet also has a markedly larger tip and nose opening which helps lower velocity impacts. Having said that, the 143gr ELD-X is probably the best all around mass available 6.5mm bullet on the market.
Click to expand...

So far haven't bought any TMKs...

Based solely on what I've read online as I haven't shot an animal with a 143 ELD-X, it seems like the 143 ELD-X gets mixed reviews (really the ELD-X line in general actually). Any thoughts as to why? Solely because more people are shooting them at game therefore higher number of people with poor experiences?

I shot a mule deer w/ a 308 178gr ELD-X a few years ago at 270 yards or so and he was down within 100 yards. Sample of 1 but no complaints from me so far.

From my 6.5cm I can stay at 1800 fps to 600 yards (at 800' elevation) with a 140 Berger, 143 ELD-X, or 147 ELD-M. I'd be happy to sell the bergers and buy more ELDs or TMKs as they're both a bit cheaper.
 
TX_Diver said:
So far haven't bought any TMKs...

Based solely on what I've read online as I haven't shot an animal with a 143 ELD-X, it seems like the 143 ELD-X gets mixed reviews (really the ELD-X line in general actually). Any thoughts as to why? Solely because more people are shooting them at game therefore higher number of people with poor experiences?

I shot a mule deer w/ a 308 178gr ELD-X a few years ago at 270 yards or so and he was down within 100 yards. Sample of 1 but no complaints from me so far.

From my 6.5cm I can stay at 1800 fps to 600 yards (at 800' elevation) with a 140 Berger, 143 ELD-X, or 147 ELD-M. I'd be happy to sell the bergers and buy more ELDs or TMKs as they're both a bit cheaper.
Click to expand...
Just as an example for the 143. I have shot 3 axis buck and 1 goat recently with the 143 ELD-X out of an 18inch barrel from closest being 30 yards and the other three being 120, 350 and 430 yards. Ive had no issues with them and dropped all animals on the spot.
 
TX_Diver said:
it seems like the 143 ELD-X gets mixed reviews (really the ELD-X line in general actually). Any thoughts as to why? Solely because more people are shooting them at game therefore higher number of people with poor experiences?
Click to expand...

It’s because Joe average has no idea about terminal ballistics. When he pulls a bullet out of an animal that went 0 feet from a lung shot, but the bullet doesn’t look like and Barnes it Accubond add, “bullet failure”. When that same person guts an animal that dies quickly yet there is “blood shot meat”- “the bullet came apart and failed”. People have no clue about what bullets do in tissue and what causes death.


All bullets and and will do weird things at times, however ELD-X’s are by and large one of the most consistent bullet lines available. The 143gr ELD-X might be the best most available all around 6.5mm bullet.
 
I don't have any good pictures of the damage but I shot an average six point bull elk in Wyoming yesterday. Two shots at 170 with 6.5CM and factory 147 eld-m. I believe the first shot hit the rib where it intersects the spine near the shoulder. He dropped. A second shot through mid shoulder finished him.

No exits. We didn't find many fragments and didn't notice anything in the offside.

Edit: cutting the far side shoulder I found the remainder of the one round's base embedded in the chuck. It looked about like many pictured im this thread. Bloodshot was slightly worse in the nearside shoulder but was mostly just in the viscera on both sides.
 
Last edited:
Formidilosus said:
The 143gr ELD-X might be the best most available all around 6.5mm bullet.
Click to expand...
Been meaning to ask you this. I’ve been shooting 147s for several years now and have had great success with them. But I have a short barrel and am having trouble finding 147s in town while 140s are staring at me on the shelves. I’ve found myself wondering if dropping down to the available 140s would help me pick up some speed, but not give up any lethality.

If you had to rate hornadys factory 140s, 143s, and 147s from most effective to least (relative), what would you say?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Field report
Replies
2
Views
181
Jmort1754
J
polishmanmike
30-30 Copper ammo (Barnes) penciled through Whitetail Buck this morning...thoughts?
2 3 4
Replies
71
Views
4K
juju
J
B
6.5 Creedmoor Penetration
4 5 6
Replies
101
Views
12K
emp1953
E
TradLife406
6.5 PRC Berger performance
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
83cj-7
83cj-7
TradLife406
6.5 PRC Berger performance
Replies
0
Views
186
TradLife406
TradLife406

Latest posts

Featured Video

Stats

Threads
358,213
Messages
3,787,429
Members
81,638
Latest member
IdGoldHunter

Latest Articles

Back
Top