New 6.5 PRC - Factory ammo recommendations to try? Eld-x or Terminal Ascent?

KSBackCountryHunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 16, 2017
Messages
144
Location
Colorado
Looking for recommendations -
Just ordered a Tikka T3x lite 6.5 PRC for a new deer setup.
What is everyone having good luck with in regards to factory ammo (not a reloader)
Seems like the two more popular options are Hornady Precision Hunter Eld-X and Federal Terminal Ascent - I already picked up a box of each to try. Terminal Ascent does wonders out of my 7 mag so guessing they'll preform very well in 6.5 but curious if anyone has any other recommendations I should try or have had good luck with in their Tikkas!
TIA!
 
Joined
Jun 27, 2022
Messages
1,264
I would try the Federal ELD-X load too since their ammo tends to be more consistent, especially not to lot. Barnes LRX is also a great bullet.
 

B23

WKR
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Messages
1,025
Location
NW
My 6.5 PRC is a CA Ridgeline not a Tikka but it shoots the Hornady 147 ELD-M and 143 ELD-X ammo extremely well.

Mine shoots the Hornady Match 147 ELD-M stuff in the 3's and 4's. The Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X ammo doesn't shoot quite as well as the other but it still shoots that stuff in the 5's.

My Ridgeline is just a standard off the shelf CA rifle with their standard 24 in. barrel. It shoots the Match 147 ELD-M ammo just a tick over 3000fps and the Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X ammo shoots just a tiny bit slower at just under 3000fps.

From talking with a few different folks with off the shelf 6.5 PRC rifles that shoot factory ammo it sounds like the Hornady Match 147 ELD-M stuff typically shoots the best of all the different factory ammo in these things and even though the ELD-M technically isn't considered a hunting bullet I think it's proven to perform pretty well on game.
 

rrbailey

FNG
Joined
Jan 29, 2024
Messages
42
Location
Bozeman, MT
Looking for recommendations -
Just ordered a Tikka T3x lite 6.5 PRC for a new deer setup.
What is everyone having good luck with in regards to factory ammo (not a reloader)
Seems like the two more popular options are Hornady Precision Hunter Eld-X and Federal Terminal Ascent - I already picked up a box of each to try. Terminal Ascent does wonders out of my 7 mag so guessing they'll preform very well in 6.5 but curious if anyone has any other recommendations I should try or have had good luck with in their Tikkas!
TIA!
Which ammo did you end up selecting? How did your 6.5 do this past season with it?
 
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