6.5 elk bullet poll!

[sndmn11]

85gr Hammers = the lightning bolt of Zeus

 

[Mike D Texas]

If you don’t have a choice to use a .30 or larger cartridge then I would use a well constructed bonded or other type bullet. I’m a 6.5mm fan and own several 6.5mm based cartridges. I just believe that a larger frontal diameter is an advantage on elk and larger animals.

My current favorite bullet design is the Federal terminal Ascent. It’s a hybrid of sorts with a lead core front and solid copper base. I just wish they made them in a 140 class in 6.5mm.

One thing I can agree with buckeye rifleman is I prefer 2 holes leaking blood rather than one. If you are in open country and can watch an animal that runs that’s great. Often times that is not the case so I want a blood trail if they run.

I’m not opposed the Bergers, I use them in bigger cartridges, but a smaller diameter cartridge needs all of the help it can get making as large a wound cavity as possible with sufficient penetration.


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[Rifleman86]

If you don’t have a choice to use a .30 or larger cartridge then I would use a well constructed bonded or other type bullet. I’m a 6.5mm fan and own several 6.5mm based cartridges. I just believe that a larger frontal diameter is an advantage on elk and larger animals.

My current favorite bullet design is the Federal terminal Ascent. It’s a hybrid of sorts with a lead core front and solid copper base. I just wish they made them in a 140 class in 6.5mm.

One thing I can agree with buckeye rifleman is I prefer 2 holes leaking blood rather than one. If you are in open country and can watch an animal that runs that’s great. Often times that is not the case so I want a blood trail if they run.

I’m not opposed the Bergers, I use them in bigger cartridges, but a smaller diameter cartridge needs all of the help it can get making as large a wound cavity as possible with sufficient penetration.


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I will conclude with this… I agree with all of this. With a big 300 magnum or a 338 a Berger style will likely penetrate enough to perform reliably even on elk, AND get an exit wound. It’s the same reason Mk 262 (5.56 77 gr OTM’s) are considered excellent man stoppers… It’s going to penetrate deep enough to meet the FBI 12in requirement despite fragmenting on impact and not acting like a traditional bullet.

But in the 6.5 CM realm on large critters, traditional metrics of good bullet performance (good weight retention, reliable expansion, deep straight line penetration) are more critical.

I would also agree that the terminal ascent’s look excellent and I wish they came in a larger weight range. I actually think that bonded bullets perform the best, but I just couldn’t get them to shoot well in my rifle. I’d consider TA’s, but damn they make badlands bulldozers look cheap!

 

[xsn10s]

Berger, because monos suck, but you're skipping over a lot of proven elk killing bullets.

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

That link illustrated a bunch of killing 6.5mm bullets. Wrench's finding were pretty impressive. Exit wounds and serious fragmentation with cup and cores. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ianpadron]

If you don’t have a choice to use a .30 or larger cartridge then I would use a well constructed bonded or other type bullet. I’m a 6.5mm fan and own several 6.5mm based cartridges. I just believe that a larger frontal diameter is an advantage on elk and larger animals.

My current favorite bullet design is the Federal terminal Ascent. It’s a hybrid of sorts with a lead core front and solid copper base. I just wish they made them in a 140 class in 6.5mm.

One thing I can agree with buckeye rifleman is I prefer 2 holes leaking blood rather than one. If you are in open country and can watch an animal that runs that’s great. Often times that is not the case so I want a blood trail if they run.

I’m not opposed the Bergers, I use them in bigger cartridges, but a smaller diameter cartridge needs all of the help it can get making as large a wound cavity as possible with sufficient penetration.


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I'd recommend swinging by the ol faithful ".223 for deer, elk, bear" thread....if you STILL think small cup n core bullets struggle in the penetration category. Then maybe follow it up with the "why match bullets for hunting" thread.

Better than opinions and old wive's tales like this thread, those threads are packed full of photo evidence and data sets of what a bullet weighing less than 1/2 of the 156 grain EOL in question is capable of.

You'll find that those in disagreement have universally never used the bullets in question, and those who are proponents, kill a truckload of animals every season.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding!

 

[ianpadron]

That link illustrated a bunch of killing 6.5mm bullets. Wrench's finding were pretty impressive. Exit wounds and serious fragmentation with cup and cores. Thanks for sharing!

Insane to think that guys will read through threads like that and STILL believe that they are undergunned with a 6.5. Absolute carnage at all ranges.

Cognitive dissonance is a very strange phenomenon.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

Cleaned up this thread AGAIN, the original poster asked for opinions on 6.5 bullets, he/she did not ask for your opinions on 338 bullets, lead poisoning, copper poising, the FBI, how many gun shot wounds you have tended, your grandparents eating habits, anemia, water toxicity, what ammo cops carry, etc. etc. etc.

If you cannot recommend a 6.5 bullet or vote in the poll between the two the OP provided, move on and argue somewhere else please

 

[307]

Cleaned up this thread AGAIN, the original poster asked for opinions on 6.5 bullets, he/she did not ask for your opinions on 338 bullets, lead poisoning, copper poising, the FBI, how many gun shot wounds you have tended, your grandparents eating habits, anemia, water toxicity, what ammo cops carry, etc. etc. etc.

If you cannot recommend a 6.5 bullet or vote in the poll between the two the OP provided, move on and argue somewhere else please

Hahahaha.

Like herding cats!

 

[JakeSCH]

I've seen several cow elk get hammered by the 140 gr berger out of 6.5 SAUM's, all one shot kills that did not travel far. I've loaded up 140's and 156's in mine but have not used them on elk.

I also loaded up 124 HH at 3340 fps for a buddy last year who took a bull with it...but his partner used his rifle / bullet combo and made a poor shot, elk dropped and got up never to be found. This year his bought a 300 PRC shooting 225 ELDM.

I voted for the 124HH, but honestly both will kill when you put it in the lungs. Stretch both out 500 yards and shoot. See which one gives you more confidence in hitting the target, because that matters more then the bullet in this case.

 

[sndmn11]

I also loaded up 124 HH...but his partner used his rifle / bullet combo and made a poor shot, elk dropped and got up never to be found. This year his bought a 300 PRC shooting 225 ELDM.

I think that the poor shot part is the biggest thing to take away from this thread and all others like it. I am sure 99% of bullets will kill an elk just fine, but ~100% won't in the wrong spot.

I also think that the result of the shooter-missed buying a magnum to try and compensate is sadly too stereo typical and likely has the opposite effect of moving him closer to success.

How was the wound channel for the hammer that did kill?

 

[JakeSCH]

I think that the poor shot part is the biggest thing to take away from this thread and all others like it. I am sure 99% of bullets will kill an elk just fine, but ~100% won't in the wrong spot.

I also think that the result of the shooter-missed buying a magnum to try and compensate is sadly too stereo typical and likely has the opposite effect of moving him closer to success.

How was the wound channel for the hammer that did kill?

It was a classic double lung behind the front shoulder with exit on far side at ~400 yards...but I did not get any pictures of the would channel.

That was his first two experiences with bull elk being shot with a 6.5 and it was considerable different than his previous experiences with his dad's 30 Nosler and 215 berger...that is why he bought the 300 PRC.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I'd recommend swinging by the ol faithful ".223 for deer, elk, bear" thread....if you STILL think small cup n core bullets struggle in the penetration category. Then maybe follow it up with the "why match bullets for hunting" thread.

Better than opinions and old wive's tales like this thread, those threads are packed full of photo evidence and data sets of what a bullet weighing less than 1/2 of the 156 grain EOL in question is capable of.

You'll find that those in disagreement have universally never used the bullets in question, and those who are proponents, kill a truckload of animals every season.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding!

I’ve read them both. I don’t disagree almost any high velocity rifle cartridge CAN kill regardless of caliber; but I don’t agree they are the best choice.


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[woods89]

I've only killed 2 animals with them, so nothing I say approaches wisdom of the ages, but.....

The 156 Berger is very heavy for caliber. My experience was that it was less explosive than lighter Bergers. However, that was at Creedmoor velocities. I'd think you would see a lot of exits with them. The bull I killed had a nice 3-4" channel of destruction through both lungs, and exited. The range was fairly short, though.

If I had a 6.5 PRC that shot it well, it would be my bullet of choice.

 

[TristanJH]

After several years running the Hammer Hunter 124's, I've finally spun on a slightly faster twist barrel and started load development with the 135 Badlands SBD2's and, well, color me impressed.

Granted, I've not been using the 124's on Elk, but I would have had no hesitation to do so. Everything we've hit with Hammers has been quick & clean. They do grenade and at high impact velocities do a fair bit more damage than most monos. I'm trusting that the terminal performance of the SBD2's will be somewhere between a hammer and a Barnes-type projectile. It's the external ballistics though that really sell them: Out of my PRC, the stated minimum velocity required for expansion should be maintained to 1000 yards, and the higher threshold of 2000fps is held past 850. On paper, they'll buck wind 37% better than the equivalent 131 Hammer Hunter which itself is an objectively good copper bullet.

All told I think the Badlands offers a better analog to the EOL in terms of external ballistics, but if we're operating inside ideal hunting ranges, those metrics shouldn't matter too much.

 

[bjt307]

I’d recommend using Hornady 147 Eld murders. I have been shooting these for years at antelope, deer, and elk and it has killed them all very well.

 

[Bigborealaska]

124 hammers. This is my load build results.

 

[lsummey]

Taking the 6.5 prc elk hunting this year and I’m between these two bullets… help me decide. Max range for me is 500 yards. They both shoot about .3” groups at 100 and both fit in my mag. Thanks!

6.5 Creedmoor for Elk.............. CRINGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bigborealaska]

6.5 Creedmoor for Elk.............. CRINGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It says 6.5 PRC there is a big difference

 

[lsummey]

LOL Ok...............................

 

[Sykes]

Nevermind