Best whitetail bullet for a short barreled 6.5 CM?

H80Hunter

WKR
Joined
Sep 26, 2020
Messages
896
Great luck with the 147 ELDM out of an 18” sig cross barrel (it’s new this year so when I say “great luck” I mean “I expected it to be great based on internet hype and it performed very well on one buck”).
 

BrentH

WKR
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
901
Location
WA
My son shoots a Ruger American compact (18” barrel), and 143 ELD-X’s going a whopping 2460. He shot his whitetail this year at 430 yards. Turned his lungs into jello and ran/tumbled 60ish yards.
 

mi650

WKR
Joined
Dec 19, 2021
Messages
1,727
Location
Central Michigan
6.5 CM CVA Scout 20” Barrel

140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
Lapua Brass SRP
CCI 400’s
Viht N555

One buck ran 10 yards and dropped. The other buck ran 49 yards and dropped.
That’s a piece of lung from the second buck. Blew out on the exit.
Blood trail on the buck that ran 49 yards you could follow standing upright.

View attachment 640040View attachment 640041
Hmm... I have 4 or 5 cases of 120 gr NBTs, just because they shoot 1/2 MOA in 1 of my rifles. Considering the short distance my dad will be shooting, I'm sure they'll do the job. I have some 143 grr ELD-X and 129 gr Interlocks, too. I'm sure I'm overthinking it, any of those will kill a deer, and should give a good blood trail if not DRT.
 
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
1,754
Location
Indiana
Hmm... I have 4 or 5 cases of 120 gr NBTs, just because they shoot 1/2 MOA in 1 of my rifles. Considering the short distance my dad will be shooting, I'm sure they'll do the job. I have some 143 grr ELD-X and 129 gr Interlocks, too. I'm sure I'm overthinking it, any of those will kill a deer, and should give a good blood trail if not DRT.
Don't fret, the 120 NBT kills very well...
 

Long Cut

WKR
Joined
May 24, 2019
Messages
449
Hmm... I have 4 or 5 cases of 120 gr NBTs, just because they shoot 1/2 MOA in 1 of my rifles. Considering the short distance my dad will be shooting, I'm sure they'll do the job. I have some 143 grr ELD-X and 129 gr Interlocks, too. I'm sure I'm overthinking it, any of those will kill a deer, and should give a good blood trail if not DRT.

All my Nosler Ballistic Tip blood trails have been phenomenal (if the deer even ran far enough to need one).
 
Joined
Dec 28, 2019
Messages
1,973
My son shoots a Ruger American compact (18” barrel), and 143 ELD-X’s going a whopping 2460. He shot his whitetail this year at 430 yards. Turned his lungs into jello and ran/tumbled 60ish yards.

I’ve already got a good 143 ELD-X load for this rifle I’m getting cut to 16.5”.

I’ll just run Magnetospeed numbers and dial if needed.
 

SloppyJ

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2023
Messages
1,812
If it were me I'd try the Berger 130 VLD or the 135 Classic Hunter. The 168 classic hunters out of my 20" .308 are just nasty.
 

Schwarz06

FNG
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
11
I've had really good luck with the 129 Nosler ABLR. Haven't recovered a bullet yet. Plenty of punch at close range but still do the job out at distance too. I run them out of an 18.5 inch sig cross.
 

rabbithuntr

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 13, 2023
Messages
269
Got a creedmore a couple years ago with a 19” barrel been using 147 eldms, they kill great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

mkk

FNG
Joined
Oct 11, 2022
Messages
63
Barnes 127 LRX
Berger 130 VLD
Ruger American Predator 18"
 
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