Hornady Match - grains vs recoil for 6.5cm

[stephane]

Recently starting shooting my new 6.5cm tikka with Hornady Match 6.5cm. Being fairly recoil shy, I’m wondering if the 120grain rounds would have less recoil? If so, would it be a substantial difference?

 

[wind gypsy]

Recently starting shooting my new 6.5cm tikka with Hornady Match 6.5cm. Being fairly recoil shy, I’m wondering if the 120grain rounds would have less recoil? If so, would it be a substantial difference?

Firearms Recoil Calculator

Calculate the recoil for a rifle based on its weight and ammunition

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With a 9# rifle it takes it from about 11.7 to 11.4 ft-lbs of recoil energy. So not a ton.

 

[Formidilosus]

Recently starting shooting my new 6.5cm tikka with Hornady Match 6.5cm. Being fairly recoil shy, I’m wondering if the 120grain rounds would have less recoil? If so, would it be a substantial difference?

The 100gr ELD-VT ammo is noticeably less recoil. And, so far is shooting very well out of guns I have seen it in.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

The 100gr ELD-VT ammo is noticeably less recoil. And, so far is shooting very well out of guns I have seen it in.

View attachment 746332

I've been patiently waiting for some terminal reports of this bullet. If it performs well terminally I might not 'need' to rebarrel my 6.5 to 6 creed.

 

[stephane]

The 100gr ELD-VT ammo is noticeably less recoil. And, so far is shooting very well out of guns I have seen it in.

View attachment 746332

I assume you have no concerns with hunting with this round either? I’m halfway through your podcasts with the Exo guys so still learning!

 

[Safety_3rd]

I would shoot whatever groups best. If your recoil sensitive make sure you get a good brake and add some weight to your rifle.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Recently starting shooting my new 6.5cm tikka with Hornady Match 6.5cm. Being fairly recoil shy, I’m wondering if the 120grain rounds would have less recoil? If so, would it be a substantial difference?

To me, the 120gr is noticeably less recoil than the 140 or 147. Both of my kids started out with 120s when they were 10 yrs old. The 120s are killers too, we have had great success with them.

 

[Formidilosus]

I assume you have no concerns with hunting with this round either? I’m halfway through your podcasts with the Exo guys so still learning!

I need more data before I would say “no concern”. Deer, yeah probably no issue. Elk, I want to see them used quite a bit before I say. ELD-VT’s are violently fragmenting bullets, and regardless you will want to keep them in the lungs. Hit bone and meat damage will be excessive.

 

[fwafwow]

Thanks for this post. I thought I was aware of the fully panoply of 6.5 CM murder ammo options. I have Federal 140 TMKs, 140 and 147 ELD-Ms and had on my “to get/try” list the 143 ELD-Ms. I wasn’t aware of the other two 100g or 120g Hornady options, but I didn’t bother to look either.

In addition to recoil, would either of the lower weight options reduce damage (which given what I’ve seen with 223 TMKs on whitetail, I had assumed would be much more material)?

 

[Unckebob]

Thanks for this post. I thought I was aware of the fully panoply of 6.5 CM murder ammo options. I have Federal 140 TMKs, 140 and 147 ELD-Ms and had on my “to get/try” list the 143 ELD-Ms. I wasn’t aware of the other two 100g or 120g Hornady options, but I didn’t bother to look either.

In addition to recoil, would either of the lower weight options reduce damage (which given what I’ve seen with 223 TMKs on whitetail, I had assumed would be much more material)?

I recently was told (could be bad info) that the original bullets used in the 6.5CM were in the 120g class to keep recoil down at matches.

 

[Formidilosus]

In addition to recoil, would either of the lower weight options reduce damage (which given what I’ve seen with 223 TMKs on whitetail, I had assumed would be much more material)?

No. The 100gr ELD-VT creates very large wounds. The 120gr with higher impact velocities at most range also creates larger wounds.

 

[LostWapiti]

Can't speak to 6.5 Creedmoor but I can notice a big difference in my 300WSM between 180 grain and 215 grain. It goes over a level I tolerate no problem to a level I don't like.

 

[RyanT26]

This thread peaked my interest with phrases like “violently fragmenting” and “very large wounds”.
Is the advertised velocity of 3200 relatively accurate?

 

[fishdart]

No. The 100gr ELD-VT creates very large wounds. The 120gr with higher impact velocities at most range also creates larger wounds.

Any experience with the 100gr. Eld-M? Similar construction to VT without the void behind the plastic tip insert?

 

[Fever Buck]

Dang, thought I was going 6CM for sure. Now I’m thinking of just going to a lighter weight 6.5. Anyone have experience with the 120s or lower? Would prefer to keep an exit velocity close to 2900 out of a 20” barrel.

 

[Dobermann]

No. The 100gr ELD-VT creates very large wounds. The 120gr with higher impact velocities at most range also creates larger wounds.

Could the 129 gr SSTs be closer to what @fwafwow seeks?

 

[xsn10s]

Could the 129 gr SSTs be closer to what @fwafwow seeks?

That bullet worked well for Wayne Van Zwoll on a 600 yard bull. I was pretty surprised. It's on a YT video.

 

[Hydra6]

Could the 129 gr SSTs be closer to what @fwafwow seeks?

Or Nosler 129 Accubond Long Range as a lighter 6.5 projectile that fragments?

 

[Dobermann]

That bullet worked well for Wayne Van Zwoll on a 600 yard bull. I was pretty surprised. It's on a YT video.

From memory, the SST's BC is nowhere near as good as the ELDs.

@fwafwow - maybe keyword my searches for SST, as I've asked Form about them here before.

Hornady does a 130 gr ELD-M projectile, but not readymades ... Frank has said a lot on his podcast that Tikka 6.5's seem to do well with a 130 g projectile. He's not always clear what he's basing that on, but from memory, he might have mentioned high speed a couple of times. So only one part of the puzzle for hunting, but with more mass than the 120 gr and less recoil than the 140, I personally wish it was a factory offering.

 

[xsn10s]

From memory, the SST's BC is nowhere near as good as the ELDs.

The 129 gr SST has a BC of G1 .485 compared to a 130 gr ELDM with G1 of .554. But generally speaking the ELDM/ ELDX do have higher BC's. Here's Wayne Van Zwoll's video. I shoot ELDM's and other bullets. But I won't argue with his success.