Tikka 6.5cm with ELD-X question

[CjMelendrez]

I just drew a bull elk tag. I currently have an old 7mm mag that I've killed cow elk with but it's a cinder block on my back. Last year I picked up a Tikka 6.5cm and it's a dream to carry and I'm very comfortable shooting it.
It loves to eat 143 grain ELD-X bullets.

Question: from y'alls experience, what is the max affective range with this factory round? 350+? 500 max?

Thanks for the help, and not trying to open a can of worms....

 

[deerhunter628]

Hornady claims you get expansion down to 1600 fps. Just put your velocity and elevation into a ballistic calculator and see where you get to the velocity you want.

 

[CjMelendrez]

okay thanks!!

 

[Dbevans]

I shot an alaska brown bear at 520 yards 140 eldm just fine


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[BKM]

At 7,000ft starting at 2600, slower than you will be, your good way past 500

 

[nobody]

I suggest doing some reading here:

6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

Seeing that the 223 thread is such a success, I thought maybe I would start one for the Creedmoor/260. Seems like people are asking a lot about using them and various bullets, especially for elk. I've used mine for the last few years almost exclusively. I have some pics of bullet damage, albeit...

rokslide.com

The short answer is that it’ll be deadly way beyond your personal effective range as a shooter.

Minimum expansion velocity for the ELDX is +\- 1800 FPS per Hornady. The bullet’s max effective range is whatever distance it drops below 1800 FPS. Idk about the ELDX, but my Tikka with 140 ELDM’s drops below 1800 FPS around 850-900 where I elk hunt. I would bet the ELDX is similar, assuming similar velocity.

I sold my 7 mag and use a factory Tikka in 6.5 creed for all my western big game, no matter the state or animal or terrain. There isn’t an animal I would hesitate on within my own personal effective range, and I’m a better shooter and rifleman since foregoing the magnum cartridges because I practice more and have improved my fundamentals, and the rifle itself is more shoot able.

Put a solid scope on that tikka, but a thousand rounds down range in real world practice (NOT on a flat range) and go kill some stuff this fall and never think twice. It’s what I’ve done, and it’s improved my hunting experiences exponentially.

 

[gtriple]

Hornady claims you get expansion down to 1600 fps. Just put your velocity and elevation into a ballistic calculator and see where you get to the velocity you want.

I'd stick to 1800 fps to be safe and roll with it. That's still way further than most people should shoot

 

[deerhunter628]

I'd stick to 1800 fps to be safe and roll with it. That's still way further than most people should shoot

What made you decide 1800 fps was your minimum?

 

[nobody]

What made you decide 1800 fps was your minimum?

Direct from hornady. They recommend 1600 FPS as a minimum, he’s saying 1800 to account for a little fudge factor.

 

[deerhunter628]

Direct from hornady. They recommend 1600 FPS as a minimum, he’s saying 1800 to account for a little fudge factor.

I understand that hornady recommends 1600 fps, thats why i posted that earlier. Im just trying to understand why 1800 fps. What does the”fudge factor” mean?

 

[nobody]

I understand that hornady recommends 1600 fps, thats why i posted that earlier. Im just trying to understand why 1800 fps. What does the”fudge factor” mean?

1600 FPS is their bare minimum recommendation. There’s surely some sort of tolerance in there with regards to hardness of raw materials and such, so let’s say +\- 50 FPS, or 3.125%, of variance in actual minimum expansion velocity variation from projectile to projectile. Add to that potential errors in ballistic calculators (as our inputs aren’t always exactly perfect), and the various tolerances potentially can stack 100 FPS pretty quickly.

If you just use 1800 FPS of calculated impact velocity to set your distance limit, you’ll theoretically never run right at the ragged edge of the bullets “guaranteed” performance threshold, and thus should minimize expansion issues.

Also, there’s argument to be made as to whether or not that additional 200 FPS gains any actual additional performance in field. I know for me, my Handloaded 140 ELDM through my Tikka runs at 2665 trued MV. At a DA of 10500 and at 45 degrees (my favorite elk spot), I cross below 1800 FPS per my ballistic calculator at about 950 yards. Pushing my minimum velocity to 1600 FPS, my effective range would be right at 1200 yards. I know that, personally, that additional 250 yards is well beyond what I would ever shoot, so 1800 FPS still gets me far enough on game and all but “guarantees” proper bullet performance.

I can’t speak for everyone else, but I know I never enjoy pushing anything right to the ragged edge of performance thresholds in any facet of my life. I (along with many people on this forum and in my every day life) apply that same line of thinking to projectiles and never think twice.

 

[Duh]

I posted this a little earlier today and it’s only a sample size of 1 but I shot an antelope last year and the impact velocity was right at 1667, based on my data. The 143 eldx did not open at all. I believe it tumbled inside the antelope and it killed the antelope.

After that experience, I’m a little hesitant to shoot anything at that speed again.

 

[Formidilosus]

ELD-M’s and X’s need 1,800fps minimum to reliably upset. Marketing is marketing. 1,600fps impact and most of your bullets aren’t upsetting- even at 1,800fps there are position that show limited upset.

 

[deerhunter628]

ELD-M’s and X’s need 1,800fps minimum to reliably upset. Marketing is marketing. 1,600fps impact and most of your bullets aren’t upsetting- even at 1,800fps there are position that show limited upset.

Would you say that a hunter should add 200 fps to all manufacturers minimum recommendations? I can see where these manufacturers would let say stretch the truth of their bullets performance for marketing, but that makes it hard for an average hunter. Even at 1800 fps, it is farther than i am capable of shooting. Is there reference material for a more accurate minimum velocity available?

 

[Formidilosus]

Would you say that a hunter should add 200 fps to all manufacturers minimum recommendations?

In general- that’s a good idea. Monos, add 400+ fps to what they state.

Is there reference material for a more accurate minimum velocity available?

Few and far between- for now.

 

[CjMelendrez]

Thanks for all of the explanations, guys! Sounds like I am the limiting factor in this scenario, not the factory hornady load. Time to start shooing more

 

[WPFY543]

Further than I can shoot an animal. Keep in mind that banging steel at 800 yards doesn't mean that is your range on a critter. Figure out what you can hit consistently at the range and then half that. Practice shooting off your pack, tripod, laying down, etc. A 6.5CM is a fine cartridge for elk and generally will allow you to be more accurate due to the lower recoil, but it will be less forgiving if the shot doesn't end up where you expected.