Hornady 6.5 mm Creedmoor for bear

Killed bears with all the above. I try to use as much of the animal as possible. Shots up to 200 yards are easy and bears die very quickly when shot with anything in the vitals. I personally prefer the monos because I can get a decent amount of meat recovered from the ribs. Not a fan of biting into bullet fragments either.

With that said, it’s more important to make sure you have proper shot placement than to worry about what bullets you are using.
 
I took this Boone and Crocket bear weighing just under 400 lbs. 6.5 Creedmoor 143 ELDX bullet. Entry wound just behind front shoulder, no exit. Bear ran about 75 yds. Lots of blood but was coming out of mouth. Can't complain with end results but wouldn't have minded an exit wound. I think the bullet severed his windpipe at front of lungs and hence the blood from his mouth. I think I would use my 3006 next time. However I am thankful for a nice bear...
 

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If I were to use a 6.5 crd again for bear, I'd use the federal fusion 140 gr. Plenty of weight and will hold together much, much better than the 143 eldx. The bear I took (picture in above post) had no exit wound and bullet fragments everywhere...
 
If I were to use a 6.5 crd again for bear, I'd use the federal fusion 140 gr. Plenty of weight and will hold together much, much better than the 143 eldx. The bear I took (picture in above post) had no exit wound and bullet fragments everywhere...
Looked into the ELD-M? Would hold together better then the X.
 
Looked into the ELD-M? Would hold together better then the X.

They are both meant to come apart. Both kill well, but neither would be my choice if I wanted an exit wound.


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Last year I chose the 147gr eld-m and glad I did. 350 yards, quartering to, pencil hole entrance right behind front leg, pencil hole exit right in front of opposite rear leg, instant death in her tracks from massive hydrostatic shock.
 
I'd go with the 143 ELDX. Have had good outcomes with the 140 ELDM at creed velocities at closer distances. I like the quicker upset and the mess it makes in the vitals. I'm not super concerned about exits or how the bullet looks after though!
 
We had multiple bear kills with a 6.5 Grendal and 123 ELDM this year. We got exits through the ribs but not if the shot hit the shoulder bone. One exit on a 5 ft 11 in bear waa very bloody. Honestly for a rib shot I'd be nervous a copper bullet would not open much. They just seem a lot tougher but I never used them except on a moose (and Cutting Edge bullets are different). I'd use the ELDX.
 
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