6.5 creedmoor ammo selection help TA vs TSX?

[tstaulcu]

Hey so I purchased a savage axis II (affordable entry level rifle) In 6.5 cm. I am using it to hunt whitetails, most shots would be under 200 yards but I want the option of reaching out to 300-350. Has anyone used the Terminal Ascents or Barnes TSX? If so how did you like them, accuracy? Blood trails? Issues with TSX copper and barrel fouling? Thanks

 

[Desk Jockey]

TSX worked fine in my tikka. I couldn’t find enough of Them so I switched to another brand. I would feel fine taking any shot under 400 on a deer or deer sized animal. With a decent hit they should do the job. None of the deer I have shot have gone far. The longest blood trail was less than 100 yards. Only issue has been some fragmentation due to hitting bone on the fire side of the animal (shoulder blade or front leg bone). It chews up some meat, but at least I don’t worry about lead contamination.

For those ranges I think you have a lot f latitude in bullet selection. I would shoot a box of each and go with what your rifle likes best.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Monos have terrible terminal performance compared to cup and core monos. The terminal ascent have a good reputation. Easy decision between those two.

Don't overlook the hornady eldm or eldx loads either.

 

[LightFoot]

Both will work great on whitetail. Barnes solved the copper fouling issue many years ago.

They key is understanding what each bullet does at the anticipated impact velocity.

I like the 143 ELD-X for deer, but I would use the TTSX, TSX, or Terminal Ascent without hesitation.

Let your rifle decide which bullet to shoot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[tstaulcu]

Both will work great on whitetail. Barnes solved the copper fouling issue many years ago.

They key is understanding what each bullet does at the anticipated impact velocity.

I like the 143 ELD-X for deer, but I would use the TTSX, TSX, or Terminal Ascent without hesitation.

Let your rifle decide which bullet to shoot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Both will work great on whitetail. Barnes solved the copper fouling issue many years ago.

They key is understanding what each bullet does at the anticipated impact velocity.

I like the 143 ELD-X for deer, but I would use the TTSX, TSX, or Terminal Ascent without hesitation.

Let your rifle decide which bullet to shoot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks I’ll buy a couple of different brands and go from there I appreciate it

 

[sconnieVLP]

Both will work great on whitetail. Barnes solved the copper fouling issue many years ago.

They key is understanding what each bullet does at the anticipated impact velocity.

I like the 143 ELD-X for deer, but I would use the TTSX, TSX, or Terminal Ascent without hesitation.

Let your rifle decide which bullet to shoot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I'm a fan of the 143 ELD-X as well. Shot two does this year with it, the first took one step and tipped over, the second went ~30 yards and crashed. Great blood trail and it turned the vitals into jelly.

 

[WMR]

Either would work fine. In fact, just about any bullet in the 130-140 grain range would work fine. Deer are not hard to kill. Shoot them in the hear/lung area and they will die quickly. Maybe base your decision on cost and availability. A few extra boxes burned up in practice will pay off more than very expensive ammo.

 

[godwinmt]

Both are excellent choices if they agree with your rifle. Don't overlook the Hornady Outfitter 120gr cx round as well.

I'm a very big fan of monolithic rounds for whitetail out of the 6.5 as the bullet is moving fast enough at close range that the added strength of the copper is extremely beneficial in putting animals down as it avoids fragmentation.

 

[doughnut]

I also like the Hornady 143g ELD-X for deer

 

[Scottf270]

If your just hunting deer. don't over think it. Any quality bullet of appropriate weight will slay any deer you put it thru. I use Barnes TSX for moose and brown bear. Makes me feel better about any situation I may encounter.

I like the Ballistic tip for deer and antelope. 270 Win 130 grain. Almost always two holes and drop within a small area. The ELDX is just a sleek Interlock bullet. Plain old cup and core construction.

Pick what you gun likes , what gives you confidence , and you can find and afford.

 

[Blong]

My rifle seems to like the Barnes 127gr VOR-TX long range ammo, so that is what I am using. Has worked perfectly on 2 mature bucks. I have also used the 143gr ELD-X one deer, and it worked fine as well.

 

[Ozarkansas]

I’ve used the barnes LRX in my 6.5 swede (identical performance to a creedmoor) and it was devastating on deer, but then again I would expect any 120-140 grain 6.5 bullet to be devastating on a whitetail. If it’s a hunting bullet and it shoots good in your rifle, I’d have no qualms about taking it hunting

 

[Macintosh]

TTSX is my personal preference. I hear good things about LRX but havent had a chance to use them. Some folks dont like monos b/c they have limited long range performance before dropping below velocity needed to expand (according to others thats about 350-400 yards with 6.5cm factory loads depending on how much velocity wiggle room you want), and they dont explosivly fragment the way some bullets do (especially some designed for longer range), which causes a narrower wound channel. But we also think nothing of archery hunting, and a mono will kill a lot faster than an arrow in my experience, of the nearly dozen deer sized critters Ive watched shot with 120gr ttsx, all but 2 were bang/flop and the others were down within 50 yards or so. we’re also talking about a whitetail at short range, not an elk thats going to dive 1000 vertical feet into some canyon hellhole if it runs a hundred yards. I dont have to deal with small properties, so maybe a deer running 50 yards is a consideration for you? probably you’ll want to hit shoulder or neck then anyway. My main reason for preferring copper is in my experience it destroys much less meat if you hit any muscle, thats very important to me.
Have not used TA but any expanding bullet will also kill deer fine.

 

[TheGreek]

I’ve had great luck out of my mossberg patriot in 6.5CM with the federal fusion in 140 grain on both a mule deer and an antelope.

 

[WCB]

Terminal Ascent > TSX....Realistically for deer at those distances an Accubond or Federal Fusion will work just as well.

 

[Wildone]

My 260 Rem ( ballistically very much the same) has dumped a lot of critters not just deer with a 120 gr ttsx. The 127 if you hand load is also good. I'd worry more about practicing with whatever you choose at your furthest distance, feeling confident that you can do it when the time comes. With the current shortages this could present a challenge.

 

[95huskers]

We worked up some hand loads using 130gr Sierra Tipped Gamekings and have been very happy with their performance on about a half dozen whitetails so far.

 

[35remy]

I haven’t had any 6.5 bullets fail to perform inside of 300 yards so far. 143 ELDX, 127 LRX, 129 SST, Factory Winchester Deer Season XP, 140 Speer Hot Cor, and some Midway Factory Seconds that I believe were Sierra Gameking 130’s. I did find a jacket separated inside a doe from an ELDX but she was still DRT.

I usually stick to 143 ELDX and 127 LRX for 6.5 Creed and PRC, and the 123 SST for the grendel.

 

[OFFSHORE]

I reload for a fella and his two sons, all 3 shoot the 6.5 CM. I load the 147 ELD-M (not X) over a healthy dose of H4831SC and they all love the bullet and from the pictures I receive from them it terns the innards to a bucket of grape jelly!!! Different cartridge, but I shoot the 178gr. ELD-M from my .308 Win. and the 208gr. from a .300 WSM with awesome results.

 

[swampy14]

Those are some very tough bullets and they will prefer high impact velocities, which shouldn’t be a problem at the ranges you’re looking at.

I use the Barnes 127lrx factory ammo, can shoot sub 1” at 100yds and the furthest Ive harvested game so far was 250yds on a feral pig.

I’ve had some bang flops and I’ve had some that run a bit before expiring. Just keep in mind these tough bullets usually behave like arrow broad heads, no dramatic entry or exits.

Here are some of the better exit wounds on whitetail deer. One went through the offside shoulder. One was perfect double lung. The one with my finger was the entrance of the shoulder shot.