6.5 PRC Elk bullet

mzurovec

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Nov 19, 2019
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I'm going on a hunt in October in New Mexico, Unit 10. To say I'm excited is an understatement. I'm going to be carrying my 6.5 PRC with a 20" Bartlein barrel. I've been getting around 2830 with the Hornady factory 147 ELD-Ms with excellent accuracy. The rifle also shoots ELD-X's well, but it seems like there are many mixed opninions/experience on them for large game. I don't believe either of these to be an ideal elk bullet, and was wondering what everyone else has used with success?

My top considerations right now are partitions and accubonds, but would like to hear some experiences, positive or negative, on any of the other choices out there in this caliber. Thanks!
 
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I have been thinking alot about this, too.

I have a 6.5 PRC that I was planning on tqking on a mule deer & elk hunt. My focus is mule deer but i also have an elk tag in the area.

(If my focus was elk, I would probably take more gun)

I am planning on running the 143gr ELD-X.

Ibhave a friend that is encouraging me to use the 147gr ELD-M.

Interested to hear what others are using.

>>>----JAKE----->
 
Highly recommend getting some ammo in 127 LRX (if you reload try the 124 hammers). To many things can go wrong with the 143 and 147's on elk.



That being said, I am leaving my 6.5 PRC and bringing my 300 WM with 181 gr hammers for my elk hunts.
 
Highly recommend getting some ammo in 127 LRX (if you reload try the 124 hammers). To many things can go wrong with the 143 and 147's on elk.



That being said, I am leaving my 6.5 PRC and bringing my 300 WM with 181 gr hammers for my elk hunts.

I appreciate the response here. At face value 127gr seems mighty light, but I have read about quite a few hunters taking elk with these with great success.
 
If I find some time between September and December I’d like to try out the 127 for my late elk hunts. Finding temp stable powder is going to be the difficult part.


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I appreciate the response here. At face value 127gr seems mighty light, but I have read about quite a few hunters taking elk with these with great success.

For sure it is light, but it retains all its weight and penetrates better than the ELD-X / M. For well placed broadside shots the ELDs will work as intended, but if you need to do a quartering to shot, I want something that will break bone.

That being said I have a friend who uses the 140 Berger EH and drop a cow every single year. Just need to pick your shots.
 
These would all work very well and I would have complete confidence in any I listed here.

120 gr. Nosler E-tip
125 gr. Partition
130 gr. Accubond
140 gr. Accubond or Partition

My son and I have used the following to take elk with and the performance was very good.
6mm Remington 90 gr. Nosler E-tip. Son's first elk at 350 yards one shot. Went 20 yards and dropped.

300 WSM 180 gr. Accubond. My son shot his second elk with this combo. One shot 125 yards.

6mm Remington 100 gr. Nosler Partition. My 6mm and a spike bull at 30 yards. One shot and he was done but put one more in him to make sure he did not go down the hill we were on as I had to take him to the top as it was.

25-06 120 gr. Nosler Partition. I shot a spike bull at 350 yards. One shot. A young man used this to take his first elk. A nice cow at 250 yards. One shot.

280 Remington 140 gr. Nosler Partition. I've shot several elk with this load and bullet. Great results.

280 AI and 140 gr. Partition & Accubond. First elk shot with it was a cow at 450 yards with the 140 gr. Partition. One shot. My grizzly bear was 158 yards and a 140 gr. Accubond (1) and he died almost instantly.

30-06 - 165 gr. Accubond and Partition. Several elk with these bullets in this cartridge.
 
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I've had great luck with 140 Berger Elite hunters out of my 6.5-06 ackley improved (very similar velocities to PRC), on antelope, mule deer, and elk.

However, if your gun shoots the 143s or 147s well, then I would shoot either of those with little hesitation.
 
We have a podcast dropping tomorrow (The Hunt Backcountry Podcast, Episode 243) that discusses this. The guest is a gun writer and former hunting guide with a lot of experience/knowledge on bullets and ballistics. He suggests the 127 LRX. The 124 Hammer would be great as well.
 
We have a podcast dropping tomorrow (The Hunt Backcountry Podcast, Episode 243) that discusses this. The guest is a gun writer and former hunting guide with a lot of experience/knowledge on bullets and ballistics. He suggests the 127 LRX. The 124 Hammer would be great as well.

Is your guest Joseph von Benedikt? Lol he is the one who convinced me to step up to my 300 WM for bull elk.
 
We have a podcast dropping tomorrow (The Hunt Backcountry Podcast, Episode 243) that discusses this. The guest is a gun writer and former hunting guide with a lot of experience/knowledge on bullets and ballistics. He suggests the 127 LRX. The 124 Hammer would be great as well.

That's awesome! I've got a 5 hour drive to West Texas tomorrow so I'll keep an eye out for it. Appreciate the response!
 
My 6.5-06 with a 127 LRX worked great on the bull in my avatar. I now also have a 30-06 I take with 200 gr partitions for up close.
 
I watched an oryx get dropped by an eldx from a 6.5 prc this summer. Quartering to shot.

Oryx are tough animals no doubt. What was the range and caliber?

My concern with the ELD-X is getting meaningful penetration through major bone under 2-300 yards. That said, there is something to be said about the shock value it brings to the table.
 
Oryx are tough animals no doubt. What was the range and caliber?

My concern with the ELD-X is getting meaningful penetration through major bone under 2-300 yards. That said, there is something to be said about the shock value it brings to the table.

70 yards
 
That’s funny Mark, I just listened to this podcast this morning on my walk, very informative as usual. I was going to say listen to the podcast before I realized you’d already chimed in. Good stuff.


We have a podcast dropping tomorrow (The Hunt Backcountry Podcast, Episode 243) that discusses this. The guest is a gun writer and former hunting guide with a lot of experience/knowledge on bullets and ballistics. He suggests the 127 LRX. The 124 Hammer would be great as well.
 
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Curous on this as well as my 6.5 saum should be done in a month or so and if can get the 156 berger to shoot or something similiar may become my do all rifle and replace my 280ai with its 26" barrel but i doubt it. .
 
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