Any one have experience with either one or, better yet, both of these? I'm looking at them in 127 grain and 130 grain for the 6.5 PRC, first in factory loads and eventually in reloads. Use case would be for killing game up to, but not including, elk sized game at up to 650 yards. My main concern would be weather or not they would open up well at the further portion of that range. Of course accuracy would be a concern but I'll sort that part out.
I've also considered the hammer bullets.
We shoot mono by choice, and fully understand their shortcomings.
We use the gmx bullet for a bit with fine success. No extravagant wounds, or blood trails,.or flops, but all animals (pronghorn and mule deer) died within a stone's throw within a minute. All shots under 300yds.
One mule deer kill with a 6.5creed at maybe 2700fps and the 120gr Nosler Etip and it was a sidewalk wide swath of blood and 40-50 yard pile up. I have worked up a load in 6.5prc to 3200fps and I am thinking about having my brother shoot it this year instead of the berger eol.
85gr hammer in a creed last year that was a bang flop slide down hill, zero blood and very small holes. That was 3430fps, I have a load for the prc at 3700fps.
@Ucsdryder is going to have his daughter use that bullet this year for deer so we can see what happens.
The last few years I have loaded the 168ttsx in a 30-06 and it was fine in a pronghorn at 174yds, with a shoot and flop that caused a lot of damage hitting a rib and sending bone pieces everywhere. I shot a cow elk last year at 425ish, knowing it was getting close to my preferred 2250fps, but I knew the area well and everything seemed perfect. She walked off uphill slow about 15s behind the rest of the herd into some sparse timber 60yds from the impact. I found zero blood anywhere at all, and found her 15yds into the trees with my nose. No blood anywhere, and cutting her open it seems I cut the diaphragm more so than popped the lungs.
That last bit has me thinking about bergers/sierras/elds.
@KickinNDishin has a good deer tag this year and is loaded up with 145lrx in her 7-08. I don't have a rifle tag, but do have the 168ttsx load and came up with a 175lrx load if I do get one.
My math with that 120gr Etip at 3250fps from the prc has got it at 2230fps at 650 yds and elk elevation. That's a long way, and I bet it could work. I'd much rather stay inside 400yds, and my brother won't shoot past 300, so that's why I think it'll get to hunt over the berger eol.