Factory ammo 16” tikka 6.5 creed

[DangerRanger]

I’m tired of reloading, and work and kids means I have less and less time to do prep work. Ive come to the belief that I need to revamp my shooting life to prioritize time on the gun and deal with spending a little extra money (and planning to reduce my range I’m willing to shoot).

So. I have a 6.5 creed tikka chopped to 16” with a can.

Currently factory norma 143 match is netting me ~2450 fps and 130s are getting me ~2650. This seems about right for a 16” tikka to me for velocity.

I’m looking for suggestions for factory ammo for deer and elk inside 500 yards.

Elk will be at ~6-8k feet most likely, but whitetail at sea level.

My first thoughts are precision hunter 143 eldx but I wish I could bump up to slightly higher starting velocity with a lighter bullet. Most of the factory lighter options I’m seeing are copper like the sig 120 HT and I’m skeptical but not totally adverse to it.

The majority of my kills will be whitetail between 0 and 200 yards at sea level.

Most of my elk kills are historically between 100 and 400 yards.

I want to prioritize good accuracy, affordable ammo, and on target performance. I am not scared of match bullets, and have been using the 130tmk, but I think I would prefer a tipped bullet if I go that direction.

Thoughts? Just buy some 143eldx and go?

 

[Elite]

I’m tired of reloading, and work and kids means I have less and less time to do prep work. Ive come to the belief that I need to revamp my shooting life to prioritize time on the gun and deal with spending a little extra money (and planning to reduce my range I’m willing to shoot).

So. I have a 6.5 creed tikka chopped to 16” with a can.

Currently factory norma 143 match is netting me ~2450 fps and 130s are getting me ~2650. This seems about right for a 16” tikka to me for velocity.

I’m looking for suggestions for factory ammo for deer and elk inside 500 yards.

Elk will be at ~6-8k feet most likely, but whitetail at sea level.

My first thoughts are precision hunter 143 eldx but I wish I could bump up to slightly higher starting velocity with a lighter bullet. Most of the factory lighter options I’m seeing are copper like the sig 120 HT and I’m skeptical but not totally adverse to it.

The majority of my kills will be whitetail between 0 and 200 yards at sea level.

Most of my elk kills are historically between 100 and 400 yards.

I want to prioritize good accuracy, affordable ammo, and on target performance. I am not scared of match bullets, and have been using the 130tmk, but I think I would prefer a tipped bullet if I go that direction.

Thoughts? Just buy some 143eldx and go?

I seem to get 120fps faster from the 140 eldm vs the 143 eldx


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[DangerRanger]

I seem to get 120fps faster from the 140 eldm vs the 143 eldx


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Wow that’s a huge difference!

 

[khuber84]

Try the Berger 130otm ammo. Believe it's killed a fair amount of game, and should keep mv up, extending usable range. I think @Formidilosus has a fair amount of experience with this bullet.

 

[TxxAgg]

Tagged

 

[Hnthrdr]

I have the same set up, I’m getting 2470 out of factory 140 eld-m’s which are shooting great; they will take me out to 525 yards while maintain adequate MV to cause bullet disruption

 

[Formidilosus]

Try the Berger 130otm ammo. Believe it's killed a fair amount of game, and should keep mv up, extending usable range. I think @Formidilosus has a fair amount of experience with this bullet.

It’s good, but needs 2,050fps or above for consistent upset. Won’t make 500 yards with a 16” barrel in factory ammo.

 

[NSI]

It’s good, but needs 2,050fps or above for consistent upset. Won’t make 500 yards with a 16” barrel in factory ammo.

What’s the optimal MEV factory load in a 16” tikka? 140 ELDM? Assuming they all shoot well.

-J

 

[180ls1]

I seem to get 120fps faster from the 140 eldm vs the 143 eldx


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Have you compared Factory 140 vs 147? I've heard they shoot the same speed.

 

[Formidilosus]

What’s the optimal MEV factory load in a 16” tikka? 140 ELDM? Assuming they all shoot well.

-J

I would probably shoot the 140gr ELD-M factory load. Or the 143gr ELD-X.


Or, more likely the Federal Tru 140gr TMK.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Factory ELDM, ELDX, and SST are all killers. PM for photo comparisons if you need some carnage reports haha.

 

[199p]

Mine is the same 16" t3 doing 143eldx 2432, bullet performance has been amazing.

This combo accounts for about 10 or 12 red deer out to 320y with Significant damage to the offside shoulder.

 

[The Guide]

It’s good, but needs 2,050fps or above for consistent upset. Won’t make 500 yards with a 16” barrel in factory ammo.

Good to know as I was considering a purchase of the Berger loaded ammo with those bullets for my 260. Back to the drawing board since if I get true factory suggested velocity, it now becomes a 525 yard gun instead of the 700 yard gun I was hoping for. Factory Hornady 130 ELDM gets me to 680 yards @1800/fps with box velocity and UM's 147 ELDM custom loads will get me to 810 yards @1800/fps with their claimed velocity. The 260 is in a weird spot that even with a fast twist barrel, most factory ammo is made for slow twist rifles.

The 120 NBT loads that the rifle current shoot and I have a bunch loaded ammo alread made up hit 1800/fps at 550 yards so unless I'm seeing more range, no need to change. I'll see what the speed is on the box of 130 ELDM is and go from there.

Jay

 

[khuber84]

Browning makes a 130 tmk load at 2900fps, could give that a try, however I've never had luck with brownign ammo.

 

[DangerRanger]

I would probably shoot the 140gr ELD-M factory load. Or the 143gr ELD-X.


Or, more likely the Federal Tru 140gr TMK.

How do I get that? I’d start with that

Browning makes a 130 tmk load at 2900fps, could give that a try, however I've never had luck with brownign ammo.

I’ve never ever seen that ammo in stock, while I’m skeptical of browning ammo accuracy a 130tmk in loaded ammo is probably my huckleberry

 

[DangerRanger]

Try the Berger 130otm ammo. Believe it's killed a fair amount of game, and should keep mv up, extending usable range. I think @Formidilosus has a fair amount of experience with this bullet.

It’s good, but needs 2,050fps or above for consistent upset. Won’t make 500 yards with a 16” barrel in factory ammo.

The impact velocity needed is what pushed me away from the 130 berger, I get the mv bump but it’s immediately nullified by the terminal threshold needed compared to the other match options.

Which is a shame because it’s cheap plentiful and usually shoots really well

 

[ElPollo]

I would probably shoot the 140gr ELD-M factory load. Or the 143gr ELD-X.


Or, more likely the Federal Tru 140gr TMK.

Those Federal TRU TMK loads are a unicorn. I’m not convinced they actually exist.

 

[NSI]

Those Federal TRU TMK loads are a unicorn. I’m not convinced they actually exist.

Which is weird because the 308 loads are cheap and easy to get.

-J

 

[The Guide]

I ran both of those suggested loads through ammoseek.com for you and nothing came up as available. Seems like anything loaded right for what we expect for performance is never in stock or unobtainable.

Jay

 

[fwafwow]

Those Federal TRU TMK loads are a unicorn. I’m not convinced they actually exist.

I have a few boxes and was going to chrono them the other day, but got sidetracked.

FWIW out of 16.5” Tikka 24" Sako (edit for dumba$$ mistake) with a can:

• 140 ELD-M averaged 2621 fps MV
• 147 ELD-M averaged 2682 fps MV