Ammo Choice for Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor

[Trevor96]

I got some 129 American Whitetail when I got my Tikka T3x because it was cheap
I haven't found a reason to change. It shoots better than I do

 

[bow_hunt32]

147 ELD-M .43" out of my T3x 6.5 CM

 

[mstahlz]

I've read a bunch of reviews on various cartridges and used the ELD-X on 4 animals (pronghorn, wt doe, mule deer buck) in a 270WSM. From my experience I would not use them on Elk or anything bigger than a deer. Even on a deer they came fairly well apart out to 400yds. The whole 50-60% weight retention at close range thing is BS. They did the job on smaller big game but wouldn't risk it on something that might need to go through a heavier boned animal shoulder. Lots of guys like them though, YMMV.

 

[Lawnboi]

@FlyingScot have you had any issues with the SR primer Lapua brass in that Berger ammo?

Not who you were asking but I have over a thousand rounds of srp lapua brass through a tikka without any issues. Also fwiw tikka firing pins are the same in every chambering, Iv also got thousands through a 223 with no issues

OP if you can get Berger ammo at decent price you get lapua brass, which you can either load or sell to recoup some of the cost.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I am shooting 120 trophy copper from mine. 3 deer and two dropped with a couple of steps. One made it 60 yards or so.

 

[BAKPAKR]

If I do my part, the 135 gr Berger Classic Hunter, the 143 gr Hornady ELD-X, and the 147 gr Hornady ELD-M shoot an inch or less for five shots out of my T3X Superlite. The 127 gr Barnes LRX doesn’t shoot quite as well for me, but it isn’t bad.

I used 147 gr ELD-M handloads that were moving about 50 FPS faster than the factory rounds on a sheep hunt in 2019. My ram dropped in its tracks at a little over 400 yards. I was confident a ways beyond that. If they shoot well in your rifle, I suspect the factory 147s would handle the shots you described. BTW - I realize the 147 gr ELD-M is a “match” round.

 

[Sled]

I'm running eagle eye 135 berger classic hunters and 127 barnes lrx. Both shoot same poi out to 400 in my rifle and have sub moa accuracy. I haven't shot the lrx longer so I don't know if they'll continue to mirror the drop chart on the Berger's but I'm happy with the option they give me.

 

[Kimber7man]

Not who you were asking but I have over a thousand rounds of srp lapua brass through a tikka without any issues. Also fwiw tikka firing pins are the same in every chambering, Iv also got thousands through a 223 with no issues

OP if you can get Berger ammo at decent price you get lapua brass, which you can either load or sell to recoup some of the cost.

Thanks, I’ve got a bunch of that ammo and a new T3X 6.5 creed. Need to do some barrel break In!

 

[bow_hunt32]

If I do my part, the 135 gr Berger Classic Hunter, the 143 gr Hornady ELD-X, and the 147 gr Hornady ELD-M shoot an inch or less for five shots out of my T3X Superlite. The 127 gr Barnes LRX doesn’t shoot quite as well for me, but it isn’t bad.

I used 147 gr ELD-M handloads that were moving about 50 FPS faster than the factory rounds on a sheep hunt in 2019. My ram dropped in its tracks at a little over 400 yards. I was confident a ways beyond that. If they shoot well in your rifle, I suspect the factory 147s would handle the shots you described. BTW - I realize the 147 gr ELD-M is a “match” round.

I shot the factory Federal premium ammo loaded with the 135 hybrid hunter and could only get it to shoot around an inch. Same thing with the 140 ELD M but the 147's shot .43'' This was when the gun was brand new though, im hoping to work up a good load with the 135's thatll shoot sub .75" I really think that would make a great deer sized game load with a good mix of speed and good BC

 

[BigRutt]

Anyone have any 143 eld-x they want to sell? Or 140/147 eld-m ?

 

[EmperorMA]

I shot the factory Federal premium ammo loaded with the 135 hybrid hunter and could only get it to shoot around an inch. Same thing with the 140 ELD M but the 147's shot .43'' This was when the gun was brand new though, im hoping to work up a good load with the 135's thatll shoot sub .75" I really think that would make a great deer sized game load with a good mix of speed and good BC

Just a quick question: If you have the very slippery 147 ELD-M shooting 0.43” in your rifle, why on Earth would you want to work up a load for a Berger 135 that shoots 0.75”?

 

[bow_hunt32]

Just a quick question: If you have the very slippery 147 ELD-M shooting 0.43” in your rifle, why on Earth would you want to work up a load for a Berger 135 that shoots 0.75”?

Because you can’t find the 147’s and they’re $30 a box when you do, much cheaper for me to load my own and I can push the 135’s wayyyyyyy faster than I can the 147’s. Plus I’m not a fan of the eldm for a hunting bullet and sub .75” is plenty good enough for a hunting rifle at any distance I want to shoot a critter at.

 

[Motown]

I shot the factory Federal premium ammo loaded with the 135 hybrid hunter and could only get it to shoot around an inch. Same thing with the 140 ELD M but the 147's shot .43'' This was when the gun was brand new though, im hoping to work up a good load with the 135's thatll shoot sub .75" I really think that would make a great deer sized game load with a good mix of speed and good BC

Got any Reloader 26 on hand? I worked up a load last week with the 135 Bergers that is shooting 1/2” and at 2957fps across a 5 shot string out of my Tikka Wideland.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I got some 129 American Whitetail when I got my Tikka T3x because it was cheap
I haven't found a reason to change. It shoots better than I do

That stuff didn’t work well at all in my rifle. I actually thought my scope was broken or something when I ran a few boxes of that through mine. I was disappointed about it because I had several more boxes at the time.

 

[Antares]

I tested the 140 ELDM, 143 ELDX, and 147 ELDM in my Tikka. They all averaged less than 1 MOA, but the 140 ELDM was better by quite a bit.

I had a 0.44 MOA average across 9 consecutive three-shot groups at 100 yds with the 140 ELDM. Below is a 5-shot group. That load shoots better than I do, so I'm done looking.

 

[bow_hunt32]

Got any Reloader 26 on hand? I worked up a load last week with the 135 Bergers that is shooting 1/2” and at 2957fps across a 5 shot string out of my Tikka Wideland.

Thats awesome! Ideally thats where id like to be. If I can find some R26 ill try it out. I'm currently running H4350 with 140 vld hunting but this new Tikka is still slowwwwwwwwwwww. Hoping after a few hundred rounds it speeds up a bunch. I was only getting 2575FPS with the 147's!!!!

 

[fmyth]

I've read a bunch of reviews on various cartridges and used the ELD-X on 4 animals (pronghorn, wt doe, mule deer buck) in a 270WSM. From my experience I would not use them on Elk or anything bigger than a deer. Even on a deer they came fairly well apart out to 400yds. The whole 50-60% weight retention at close range thing is BS. They did the job on smaller big game but wouldn't risk it on something that might need to go through a heavier boned animal shoulder. Lots of guys like them though, YMMV.

According to Hornady the 145 eldx is leaving the muzzle of the 270wsm at 3100fps vs the 143 elx in 6.5C at 2,700. I am curious if this huge velocity difference is partially responsible for your experience. For what it's worth I killed a cow elk and a large bull last season with .300WM 178ELD-M's at just over 200yds. On both elk the bullet entered a few inches and exploded. According to Hornady's specs my .300WM 178eldm's were likely moving at the same fps at 200 yards as the 6.5C is at the muzzle.

 

[Motown]

It seems to be like magic pixy dust in multiple calibers. I had a pretty accurate load for my 280 Rem using a max load of H4831sc and 140 grain accubond, but was slow at around 2800fps. Switched over to Reloader 26 and can still maintain 1/2” groups but now at 3180fps just below max with no pressure signs.

 

[mstahlz]

According to Hornady the 145 eldx is leaving the muzzle of the 270wsm at 3100fps vs the 143 elx in 6.5C at 2,700. I am curious if this huge velocity difference is partially responsible for your experience. For what it's worth I killed a cow elk and a large bull last season with .300WM 178ELD-M's at just over 200yds. On both elk the bullet entered a few inches and exploded. According to Hornady's specs my .300WM 178eldm's were likely moving at the same fps at 200 yards as the 6.5C is at the muzzle.

I absolutely thought that until I read reviews for guys shooting the 200gr. out of 300wm around 2,800 fps and having the same issues you experienced with the ELD-M. They're probably just fantastic at 7-800yds+, but Berger already has the lock on those specialized shooters.

 

[kravguy]

That stuff didn’t work well at all in my rifle. I actually thought my scope was broken or something when I ran a few boxes of that through mine. I was disappointed about it because I had several more boxes at the time.

That's odd. I've had nothing but good luck in all the rifles I ran it through.