Sierra TMK vs MKX

[Okie-hunter]

Interested in this thread and peoples experiences with the 147eldm compared to others. My gun shoots them great getting right around 2700fps & was considering making it my go-to bullet out of that gun. I had a bad experience with 135gr Berger Classic hunters on a whitetail (it seemingly penciled through both lungs @230 yards).

 

[AlaskaRed]

Buy Gold Medal Sierra Tipped MatchKing 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak Ammo | 153 Grain, 2900 FPS | Federal

Shopping for the Gold Medal Sierra Tipped MatchKing, 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak, 153 Grain, Sierra Tipped MatchKing, 2900 fps - Learn more about the latest Gold Medal Sierra Tipped MatchKing and other hunting or shooting gear at Federal Ammunition.

www.federalpremium.com

Probably the new answer.

 

[Okie-hunter]

Buy Gold Medal Sierra Tipped MatchKing 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak Ammo | 153 Grain, 2900 FPS | Federal

Shopping for the Gold Medal Sierra Tipped MatchKing, 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak, 153 Grain, Sierra Tipped MatchKing, 2900 fps - Learn more about the latest Gold Medal Sierra Tipped MatchKing and other hunting or shooting gear at Federal Ammunition.

www.federalpremium.com

Probably the new answer.

Prc velocities out of the creedmoor. Thats appealing.

 

[Jordan Smith]

Form mentioned in the recent Exo podcast (and I paraphrase...) that the tip and cavity on the 147 ELDM are relatively small compared to the bullet size when compared to the tip/cavity on a 130 ELDM. This may explain rare examples of 147 ELDM penciling through game.

Thank you. Yes, that's true about the tip and cavity size in the ELD-M. The larger tip/cavity in the TMK sounds much closer to the ELD-X.

It really just depends what type of terminal performance you want to optimize for. If using a tipped C&C, you can either optimize for moderate expansion and deep penetration, and risk the rare case of less-that-ideal expansion, or you can optimize for aggressive expansion and more shallow penetration, with the risk of the rare case of superficial wounding. While I understand that many guys on this site optimize for the latter case, I prefer the former. I haven't seen any expansion issues with the 147 ELD-M, but I don't doubt that it happens on rare occasions. Similarly, the odd complaint about the 143 ELD-X is that it results in superficial wounding and a lack of penetration. Pick your poison.

and he has stated before that TMK are very consistent on game because they are designed and tested for expansion in ballistics gel for law enforcement use, despite Sierra stating that they are "not hunting bullets."

Much like the ELD-M.

147 gr ELD® MATCH TAP PRECISION® - Hornady Law Enforcement

...

www.hornadyle.com

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Interested in this thread and peoples experiences with the 147eldm compared to others. My gun shoots them great getting right around 2700fps & was considering making it my go-to bullet out of that gun. I had a bad experience with 135gr Berger Classic hunters on a whitetail (it seemingly penciled through both lungs @230 yards).

Small sample size but a few cow elk on mine and have no complaints, nothing went more than 35 yards and I'm shooting around 2600 fps factory ammo up until this year.

 

[Okie-hunter]

Small sample size but a few cow elk on mine and have no complaints, nothing went more than 35 yards and I'm shooting around 2600 fps factory ammo up until this year.

Any other notable info? Pass throughs? Jello lungs? Decent size exits?

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Any other notable info? Pass throughs? Jello lungs? Decent size exits?

Lungs were damaged and bruised but I wouldn't say jello and lots of "bruise" looking damage where there were no fragments. All projectiles caught in the offside skin. Son also used on a cow Elk but his was a neck shot so not much to report there aside from a bang flop. I'm reloading now but performance has been good enough I'm not looking at any other projectiles, if that means anything. One of the cows was an absolute specimen too, had to stretch the game bags over her hinds like stuffing a tent back in a compression sack. Those same bags fit my son's bull in them without much issue.

 

[Jordan Smith]

Any other notable info? Pass throughs? Jello lungs? Decent size exits?

After killing and seeing killed everything from gophers to moose with high-SD ELD-Ms in various calibers and chamberings (6CM, 6.5CM, 7WSM, 7RM, etc.), I've observed the following trends:

- Generally exit on animals smaller than elk with ~1.5" exit wounds, on average. When they don't exit, they're usually under the offside hide.
- Moderate wound channel and significant damage, not lung soup.
- Deep penetration, even on hard-angled shots with heavy bone in the bullet's path. I've honestly been surprised at the amount of penetration I see sometimes, even with bone being smashed in moose, elk, BH sheep, large MD, etc.