6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

[nm.otter]

As for why with the ELD-X- again, it just seems to be tied back to the material the tip in Hornady ELD-M and X are made from. It’s brittle and seems to every once in a while break off creating what is functionally a FMJ… sort of.

A possible side effect of the higher melting point resin they chose for DVRT. The A-MAX tips were made from a different resin.

 

[Formidilosus]

A possible side effect of the higher melting point resin they chose for DVRT. The A-MAX tips were made from a different resin.

That is correct.

 

[LBennington]

I still have a hard time completely switching to a smaller caliber, and use a 6.5-284 or 7mm rem mag for most hunting, but with everything I keep reading on here I’ve had to try some things out for myself. After really good results last year on a cow elk with the 95 nbt I had to try the 95 tmk and see if it lived up to the hype. No good pictures of this one, but 330 yds on a cow from 243 ai 19” barrel, impact velocity should have been about 2450. No visible entrance, broke the shoulder on entry, on exit of onside shoulder was about 1.5-2” hole. Entity back into body cavity was about the same size. Broke a rib entering body, half the heart was basically gone, jelly out of where it met the lungs,,broke a rib leaving body cavity. Didn’t recover the bullet, but I didn’t see where it exited the offside hide. I assume it got caught in the offside hide and was lost while quartering in a hurry. I can’t argue with that performance. And it’s a lot nicer to shoot than the 7mm.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Fawn killer down. 6GT drew its first blood with the 95 TMK moving at 2845. Ran about 40 yds and piled up. Insides were mush but no necropsy.

Exit about quarter sized


Entrance caliber size.

 

[omicron1792]

Fawn killer down. 6GT drew its first blood with the 95 TMK moving at 2845. Ran about 40 yds and piled up. Insides were mush but no necropsy.

Exit about quarter sized
View attachment 988336

Entrance caliber size.
View attachment 988373

View attachment 988374

I don’t necropsy yotes either. Let the buzzards do it.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I don’t necropsy yotes either. Let the buzzards do it.

Agreed. My kid got a life lesson about why we kill them and don’t eat them today. She assumed we were eating it cause we eat the deer we kill.

 

[liv3mind]

Yes. But with the deflection causing the nose to close up or slightly fold over generally.



Yes- but with angle causing the nose to close up or slightly fold over generally.




No, not usually.





All pointed bullets yaw in tissue unless they expand and create a relatively wide and flat front to stabilize themselves. The CG is past midpoint on the bullet (rear end weighs more), so they want to yaw and travel base forward. Yawing bullets generally create excellent wounds, however yawing is unpredictable at times. Rapid fragmentation from the front is about the most consistent and repeatable way for a bullet to upset.





It happens with all bullets at some point. Monos like Barnes TSX/TTSX, and Hornady CX this happens relatively often to. Most don’t see it when it happens because those bullets don’t fragment so they tend to exit. That’s generally where the larger than thumb size wounds from standard monos come from.
As for why with the ELD-X- again, it just seems to be tied back to the material the tip in Hornady ELD-M and X are made from. It’s brittle and seems to every once in a while break off creating what is functionally a FMJ… sort of. Now most of the time even when that happens, the bullet still upsets or yaws and good damage is created; sometimes not though.

Again this happens with all bullets at some point. The only reason this is being discussed more in this forum recently, is because tipped match bullets did not historically show the behavior. ELD-M’s do show it once in a while, and it appears that if everything goes right (wrong), then ELD-X too.

For those reading: don’t think your -insert whatever- “hunting” bullet doesn’t do it; the vast majority of “hunting bullets” are far worse in this behavior. Which is why those shooting at distance tend to favor “non hunting bullets”. When you actually see legitimate terminal ballistics testing conducted with large sample sizes, bullet failures are nearly always a failure to upset at all- not “blow up” and fail to penetrate.

Thank you for taking the time to write this out, fantastic information, I very much appreciate it

 

[mattminative]

First animal with 108 ELD-M out of Tikka 243. Didn’t get good pictures of entrance or exit. Shot was 330 yards. Buck went about 30 feet downhill. Great blood trail. Definitely a highly effective setup. This thread is a big reason I’m hunting with a 243
again.

 

[Gstew1930]

Shot a nice buck at 130 yards with my 16" 6GT & a 95 TMK. The damage was pretty brutal. That might be to much bullet for these little whitetail

 

[TxLite]

Shot a nice buck at 130 yards with my 16" 6GT & a 95 TMK. The damage was pretty brutal. That might be to much bullet for these little whitetail

I’d be interested to hear more. This is pretty much exactly what I’m working on. How’s your velocity?

 

[Gstew1930]

It was 2900 at the muzzle. Im not the best at remembering to take photos. Tennis ball size entrance going into the rib cage. Bullet caught in the offside. I hit the shoulder. Here's a photo I took when boning in out

 

[Bater]

Damn, that is cruising from a 16”.

 

[HighUintas]

It was 2900 at the muzzle. Im not the best at remembering to take photos. Tennis ball size entrance going into the rib cage. Bullet caught in the offside. I hit the shoulder. Here's a photo I took when boning in out View attachment 989876

Hmm. Do I really want or need 107 & 116 gr tmks....

 

[Gstew1930]

Hmm. Do I really want or need 107 & 116 gr tmks....

I thinking the 107 won't be as rough. At least thats my plan. Ill slow it down to around 2700 as well

 

[Gettincloser]

Hmm. Do I really want or need 107 & 116 gr tmks....

Yes! Yes you do!

 

[Gettincloser]

I am waiting on a 6cm barrel as my bear rifle. I know the 223 can do it... buthaving never hunted bear, I want the extra insurance!

 

[TxLite]

It was 2900 at the muzzle. Im not the best at remembering to take photos. Tennis ball size entrance going into the rib cage. Bullet caught in the offside. I hit the shoulder. Here's a photo I took when boning in out View attachment 989876

Any issues finding an accurate load with the tmk?

 

[Gstew1930]

Any issues finding an accurate load with the tmk?

I havent messed with it a ton. Did forms painless method. Hit pressure, backed off & loaded 10. It shot those into 1.5. More than good enough for where I was hunting this weekend.

 

[Formidilosus]

I thinking the 107 won't be as rough. At least thats my plan. Ill slow it down to around 2700 as well

Haha. Good luck.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Hmm. Do I really want or need 107 & 116 gr tmks....

There will be plenty of 95’s once the heavier offerings come out, if I can get them to shoot I’ll load up and let everyone fight over the new stuff