Best long range hunting 6mm bullet?

[B23]

Shot a variety of different Berger 6mm boolits, multiple different 105's, their 108 and 115, from 6-06AI during fireforming then final load development and hands down the best shooting one for me in my gun was the Berger 105 Hybrid Target. Never shot any 108 ELD-M and 110 A-Tip in it.

 

[Kimber7man]

So 108 eldm vs 105 Berger’s hybrid? Which one is your guys pick

I'd use whichever shot better in my rifle. IMO they'll both kill things as dead as you'd like

 

[justin davis]

I'd use whichever shot better in my rifle. IMO they'll both kill things as dead as you'd like

Yea. Been shooting the 108 ELDM since that post. Have killed elk, and a few antelope with it.

 

[khuber84]

Killed a few Antelope the other day with 108 elite hunter going 3050 from a 6cm. Distance were 530 and 610. Both high shoulder neck junction shots. Both bang flops. So far so good! Chasing cow Elk with those rifle in a few weeks.

 

[ThatDUDE]

108 ELD-Murder would be my choice.

I watched a lot of elk and black bears get shot with them.

I was wondering your thoughts on this @Ryan Avery. Inside of 600 yards would I give up anything by choosing a 6mm 108 ELD-M over a 6.5 140 ELD-M. I am currently stuck between these two options out of a 6 Creed or a 6.5 Creed/260 Rem.

 

[Ryan Avery]

I was wondering your thoughts on this @Ryan Avery. Inside of 600 yards would I give up anything by choosing a 6mm 108 ELD-M over a 6.5 140 ELD-M. I am currently stuck between these two options out of a 6 Creed or a 6.5 Creed/260 Rem.

No, plus you get a better hit rate all else being equal.

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

I was wondering your thoughts on this @Ryan Avery. Inside of 600 yards would I give up anything by choosing a 6mm 108 ELD-M over a 6.5 140 ELD-M. I am currently stuck between these two options out of a 6 Creed or a 6.5 Creed/260 Rem.

I did that exact thing, 6.5/140eldm's last year, 6/108eldm this year. So far the only thing I gave up is recoil.

 

[Jrkotz]

Anyone have thoughts on the 115 Berger Hunting VLD?

I have a short barreled 1in7" twist 6mm Creed I'm thinking of trying them in.

 

[khuber84]

Anyone have thoughts on the 115 Berger Hunting VLD?

I have a short barreled 1in7" twist 6mm Creed I'm thinking of trying them in.

It's a great bullet. Just not very easy to find last couple years. It'll shoot very well somewhere between 10-25k jump, depending on barrel length, the nodes are around 2950 and 3050. The saami 6cm freebore is about perfect for the bullet. 108 elite hunters have been eaier to get letely, and shoot very well too.

 

[khuber84]

I'm kinda curious if anyone has tested a 109eldm on game yet? Wonder how they stacked up to the proven 108? I should have loaded them up in my 6cm or 6gt this year VS berger 108eh and Barnes 112mb.

 

[Formidilosus]

I'm kinda curious if anyone has tested a 109eldm on game yet? Wonder how they stacked up to the proven 108?

Same/same.

 

[CJC73]

anyone have any experience with the 115 dtacs with the nose ring? having a 6gt built and this is what I plan on using.

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

anyone have any experience with the 115 dtacs with the nose ring? having a 6gt built and this is what I plan on using.

You might checkout the 6UM thread, the dtac is discussed quite a bit. It's in the long range subforum

 

[khuber84]

anyone have any experience with the 115 dtacs with the nose ring? having a 6gt built and this is what I plan on using.

Depending on barrel length, the dtac in the gt isn't always optimal. I run a 6gt in prs with standard 115 dtacs. From a 26" barrel the accuracy nodes at 2810-2820 and then again near 2900. The long bearing of the 115 at 2900 is up there in psi, nothing noticeable in good conditions, but in rain and dirty conditions, I have experienced random bolt lift on some rounds. So the all weather safe load is below 2860fps. Shorten that barrel up and the velocity starts to fall off even more. I have a 24" 6gt and can reliably and weather safe run 108-112gr bullets at the 2900-2920 range. I shoot 6cm, 6gt, 6bra. The only ones I don't have is a dasher, and br which bracket the BRA by about 50fps each. I do particularly like my 24" 6gt, it's a heavy lil thing with m24 steel barrel, in a Hnt26 chassis with scope is 12#, with supressor and bipod closer to 14# but is a total joy to shoot and very accurate. I had a 22" Bartlein carbon spun for hunting, but that tube has issues and sent it back to them.

 

[Bsnyder]

Depending on barrel length, the dtac in the gt isn't always optimal. I run a 6gt in prs with standard 115 dtacs. From a 26" barrel the accuracy nodes at 2810-2820 and then again near 2900. The long bearing of the 115 at 2900 is up there in psi, nothing noticeable in good conditions, but in rain and dirty conditions, I have experienced random bolt lift on some rounds. So the all weather safe load is below 2860fps. Shorten that barrel up and the velocity starts to fall off even more. I have a 24" 6gt and can reliably and weather safe run 108-112gr bullets at the 2900-2920 range. I shoot 6cm, 6gt, 6bra. The only ones I don't have is a dasher, and br which bracket the BRA by about 50fps each. I do particularly like my 24" 6gt, it's a heavy lil thing with m24 steel barrel, in a Hnt26 chassis with scope is 12#, with supressor and bipod closer to 14# but is a total joy to shoot and very accurate. I had a 22" Bartlein carbon spun for hunting, but that tube has issues

 

[Bsnyder]

Depending on barrel length, the dtac in the gt isn't always optimal. I run a 6gt in prs with standard 115 dtacs. From a 26" barrel the accuracy nodes at 2810-2820 and then again near 2900. The long bearing of the 115 at 2900 is up there in psi, nothing noticeable in good conditions, but in rain and dirty conditions, I have experienced random bolt lift on some rounds. So the all weather safe load is below 2860fps. Shorten that barrel up and the velocity starts to fall off even more. I have a 24" 6gt and can reliably and weather safe run 108-112gr bullets at the 2900-2920 range. I shoot 6cm, 6gt, 6bra. The only ones I don't have is a dasher, and br which bracket the BRA by about 50fps each. I do particularly like my 24" 6gt, it's a heavy lil thing with m24 steel barrel, in a Hnt26 chassis with scope is 12#, with supressor and bipod closer to 14# but is a total joy to shoot and very accurate. I had a 22" Bartlein carbon spun for hunting, but that tube has issues and sent it back to them.

So how does the bearing surface of the eld Hornady bullets compare to the dtacs being their bearing surface is extremely similar.

 

[khuber84]

@Bsnyder what I'm telling the OP: a 115dtac will not have the same velocity at safe pressures as many other available quality heavy for cal 6mm bullets. The gt case, unless running 26"+ isn't optimal for the 115dtac when terminal performace is the highest concern. If this is an inside 500y rifle, it'll likely work. Also keep in mind the 115 dtac in my 0.169 freebore starts robbing case capacity once I'm seated more than 35k off lands, as bearing is going below neck shoulder junction, 200k freebore would be better if the 115 is you're sole desire. A gt with 169 freebore utilizing 108 or 109 Bergers 109eldm, 112 match burners will all allow higher operating velocity at safe pressures than the 115. All these bullets have similar or better g7 than a NR cut dtac. If wanted a short action 473 bolt face cartridge designed around the 115dtac from a 22-24" hunting barrel while maintaining that 2900-3000fps mv, I'd go saami 6cm. I have a havak ph2 running them, rl26 in lapua brass will go 3200fps without psi. I have not tried rl26 in the gt with 115s, did however with 108 elite hunters and was able to hit 3140fps with a full case, this was in a 28" barrel however.

Comparing my 112mb load at 2905 from the 24" bbl VS a 115 dtac at 2820 fps which I would assume be optimal in equal length barrel, the 112 has half a mil less drop, a tenth less wind and have higher energy. This is using 314g7 on the 115(which is nose ring is closer to 295) and a 112 using a validated 311g7.

Avery has stated the NR cut 115 is more suited to elk than deer as it has more terminal performance in a larger/denser bodied animal. This is at 6um velocity. The gt will be nowhere close to that, probably greatly reducing the % of the bullet expansion, and more frequently just tumbling for terminal performance.

I would not shoot the NR dtac in a rifle with sub 3k mv(myself personally). I'd switch it up to a Berger hybrid/elite, eldm, or 112 mb. The gt is a fantastic case, but lacks the capacity to properly use the 115 at long distance. When your MV is 400-500fps less than what this bullet has been advertised to do in the 6um, it changes the greatly reduces the range of engagement that you'll see similar terminal performance at.

 

[khuber84]

So how does the bearing surface of the eld Hornady bullets compare to the dtacs being their bearing surface is extremely similar.

7gr less bullet weight, and a softer jacket allows it to be driven faster at similar pressures.

I've not played with the 108eldm other than shooting factory ammo, however I've shot quite a few the 109eldm, and the bearing surface is about 30k shorter than a dtac. I've shot 110atips as well, and they can be driven to notably higher velocity than a 115.

 

[CJC73]

I was asking more along the lines of performance on game. My chamber will be cut for the 115s to maximize capacity.

 

[Formidilosus]

anyone have any experience with the 115 dtacs with the nose ring? having a 6gt built and this is what I plan on using.

20’ish elk from 60 to 970 yards and close to a dozen deer. They are excellent elk bullets, however they exhibit relatively deep penetration before yawing (tumbling) which isn’t my preference for deer.

The 243/6mm for hunting and 6 UM threads have quite a bit of information on them.