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

[BKM]

OK..

I have a question for the knowledgeable people here .

My 6.5 CM has been feed a diet of AR2209 ( 4350 your equivalent , I’m in Australia ) and 129gr Hornady SST projectiles .
Tikka T3x 20 inch barrel .
I found an accurate load with this combo very easily and so I just didn’t bother looking any harder .
My targeted species are

Chital Deer ( size and weight equivalent to a medium White Tail as bests as I can work out )

Pigs ( everything from tiny to big )

Wild Dogs ( Dingoes, your equivalent Coyotes )

I don’t shoot further than 350 yrds

The SST’s have worked well , but at times aren’t the best on the Wild Dogs with a few “ runners “ due to over penetration and not dumping enough energy in the small framed animals.

My question is because my supply of SST’s is starting to run low , I am considering trying a different projectile .
I see the 130 gr Sierra TMK gets a few mentions here and I was wondering if it might be a better choice if it’s a bit more fragile on the Dogs while still getting the job done on the bigger animals.
I realise I’m after a bit of a “ Holy Grail “ projectile, but what are your thoughts ?
If not the 130 TMK what other options would you suggest ?

Cheers

Ken

The sst is very good fragmenting bullet, I don’t see any other bullet doing any better at the distance you’re looking at.

 

[Stearinlys]

130/140 ELDM?

 

[Harronek]

130/140 ELDM?

I hadn’t considered the 130 eldm to be honest, anyone have a thought about it’s ability to perform the tasks I require ?

 

[ztc92]

130 TMK and 130 ELDM are all I’ve shot in my 6.5C since I started loading for it. The 130 TMK was devastating on a mule deer this past fall but that’s my only kill with it. I shared damage photos earlier in the thread, destroyed a large portion of the onside shoulder that I barely clipped the edge of. I’ve only shot steel and paper with the 130 ELDM so far but it shoots very well in my tikka. If your concern is “enough damage”, I can’t imagine that either bullet at the distances you’re shooting will be insufficient to kill dogs or deer. I would argue the main concern is likely “too much damage”. For this reason, I used a 223 with 77 TMK when I shot my whitetail this fall.

For your use case it would be hard to beat the 223 and 77 TMK combo but I think 130’s in the 6.5 will be more than adequate, and likely overkill.

 

[WoolyBugger]

I hadn’t considered the 130 eldm to be honest, anyone have a thought about it’s ability to perform the tasks I require ?

Unless you really want the 130, I would go to the 140 or 147 eldm or 143 eldx. Better BC and “heavy for caliber”. My results with the 140 on whitetail were outstanding.

 

[General RE LEE]

Unless you really want the 130, I would go to the 140 or 147 eldm or 143 eldx. Better BC and “heavy for caliber”. My results with the 140 on whitetail were outstanding.

I’ve considered the 130s myself, but not sure there is a meaningful increase over the 140s.

 

[swampy14]

1.
Large wild boar, ~2 inch shield, thin subcutaneous fat
135gr 6.5mm DRT Terminal Shock
2350fps broadside impact through shoulder
~3 inch wide max wound channel with no exit
Tungsten powder visible throughout wound channel
Copper jacket cornflakes in offside shoulder
Broken scapula with tungsten stains

Pig dropped upon impact.
View attachment 849240View attachment 849241View attachment 849242

2.
Medium wild pig sow, thick subcutaneous fat
135gr 6.5mm DRT Terminal Shock
2150fps quartering away impact through ribcage
~4 - 5 inch wide max wound channel with no exit
Tungsten powder and copper jacket recovered in offside shoulder

Pig ran ~15 yards before belly-flopping and dying.
View attachment 849245View attachment 849246

3.
Medium wild pig sow, thick subcutaneous fat
135gr 6.5mm DRT Terminal Shock
2350fps broadside impact through shoulder
~4 inch wide max wound channel with smaller exit
Tungsten powder and partial copper jacket recovered in offside shoulder
Broken/dislocated vertebra
Two holes in offside lung (looks like some fragments went lower, some higher)

Pig dropped upon impact.
View attachment 849247View attachment 849248

I have been eyeing this ammo, would love to try it. What distances were these? Have you gotten good accuracy?

What barrel length are you running and MV?

 

[180ls1]

I hadn’t considered the 130 eldm to be honest, anyone have a thought about it’s ability to perform the tasks I require ?

I don't think it'll make a difference. Even the 120 eldm going a little faster is likely not much of an "upgrade." SST are great killing bullets.


I would probably try the 100gr ELD VT and really stand on the gas.

 

[swampy14]

Whitetail doe. Not sure on distance but between 100-150yds
20” 6.5cm Barnes 127lrx factory ammo
MV- 2715

Entrance:

Exit

 

[Quercus]

I have been eyeing this ammo, would love to try it. What distances were these? Have you gotten good accuracy?

What barrel length are you running and MV?

180y, 290y, 180y
Hand load accuracy has been adequate, ~1.4 MOA 10 round groups.
24 inch t3x 6.5cm barrel, ~2670fps.

I haven't heard great things about the DRT factory ammo QC, so I stick to hand loads. I only use them in CA. I prefer to hunt with ELD-M for higher BC and availability.

 

[swampy14]

180y, 290y, 180y
Hand load accuracy has been adequate, ~1.4 MOA 10 round groups.
24 inch t3x 6.5cm barrel, ~2670fps.

I haven't heard great things about the DRT factory ammo QC, so I stick to hand loads. I only use them in CA. I prefer to hunt with ELD-M for higher BC and availability.

Fair enough. I personally like an entrance and exit, why I mainly use the Barnes lrx. I wanted to try the 156 Bergers but idk if the terminal performance would be what I want

 

[teph45]

6.5 Creedmoor is no problem for deer. My buddy dropped an elk at 750 yards with Berger 140s and no long blood trail. It will drop a deer without issue.

 

[swampy14]

I do plan on getting some other boxes of ammo and finding which one the rifle likes best.

 

[SeanM243]

Doggone, finally a thread I can potentially contribute something useful to. I hunt a bunch with a 22" 260 Rem, My girlfriend hunts with an 18" 6.5 Creedmoor, and I have a 16.5" 260 AI on the way.

Anyway, in my 22" 260 this year I used two factory loads.
#1 - 120 TTSX Barnes VorTx- 2820 fps at muzzle
One shot on a 180ish lb whitetail buck @ 75 yards, 30 yard dash and done. Unfortunately no wound channel pictures here but .264 entry, dime exit.

#2 - 140 Corelokt - 2600 fps at muzzle
I wanted to try a 140 out of my 260 and I found these in the back of the safe, no idea when they're from.
75 & 90 lb whitetail does @ 60 yards, bang flop, no exit. Behind shoulder quarter away on 75 lber, straight broadside on 90 lber. Good meat.
215 lb boar hog @ 186 yards slight quarter to. Entry center of onside shoulder exit just behind offside shoulder. Thought I somehow missed, no reaction to being hit except a walk away. Made it 65 yards and done.
21 lb bobcat @ 115 yards dead broadside. Hit just behind shoulder. This thing went absolutely ballistic when hit. Jumped 6+ feet in the air and took off. Ran 50 yards through thick briar and done.

Overall, fine performance. I'm going to try to load one copper to see if the rifle likes it, if not, thinking I may try something like the 140 Gold Dot or maybe a 140 Partition, not really sure yet.

 

[Castle Rock]

@Harronek The 100 grain ballistic tip is my choice for what you describe, shoots flatter and kills faster

 

[dirtshooter]

Found 15 boxes of 140gr AMAX Hornady match ammo for $30cad per box. Obviously bought it. Anyone hunting or has hunted with an AMAX?

 

[HGL]

Found 15 boxes of 140gr AMAX Hornady match ammo for $30cad per box. Obviously bought it. Anyone hunting or has hunted with an AMAX?

I used it a good bit years back in my 6.5-284, good bullet. It will kill just fine, similar to an ELDm.