6.5 cm hunting bullet.

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I'm building a 6.5 cm. I'm moving from a 375 h&h as my primary hunting rig to the 6.5. This is an all around gun, everything from deer to elk and bear. So what bullets are folks using. I'm not a real fan of the barnes, but if folks are using them and they are working.....Meh....so will I. I have been reading the accu bond thread, which is interesting. Just not sure yet.
 
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I've had outstanding luck with Barnes. I've been using them since the TSX came out. I plan on buying a 6.5 hipster in the next month and will use the 127 LRX provided it shoots well. I haven't had a gun yet where they wouldn't shoot MOA or less.


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I recently picked up some Nosler Partitions, 125 gr. to try out in my 6.5 Rem Mag. They get good reviews by folks that have used them and they are not the typical really long bullets used in long range shooting so they fit in the limited space of the Rem 660 magazine which will accommodate an OAL of slightly over 2.8". Haven't worked up any loads yet but may try some using RL17 to start with.
 

robtattoo

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I'm shooting the 140 Berger VLDs in my Swede at 2700fps I'd really prefer a lighter, faster bullet though. I'm seriously considering trying a few 120s.....
Terminal performance hasn't overly impressed me (although every thing I've shot with them died, so I guess they do the job!) with tiny entrance wounds & either zero or minuscule exit wounds. Internal damage has been consistently devastating, however.
I'm strictly a meat hunter, so I take heart/lungs rather than shoulder or neck shots. I never expect a bang-flop & with these I never get one.
Accuracy cannot be faulted though. If I could get Accubonds or Gamekings to shoot half as well I'd switch in a heartbeat, but I'll take a not great performer in the heart every time over a great performer in the hip!
 
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My thing with barnes is the fouling issues and with the slower velocity of the cm, I'm worried about expansion issues. I've been leaning toward the lr accu bond, but I've heard alot more mixed reviews than I would like. So, I'm gonna wait on that. With the reviews on the burgers, I don't think they are for me. I ahve used the sst, just not in a smaller caliber. I was wondering about the sgk. They aren't premium, but they are proven and the cost is right. I just don't know if any of those are stout enough for an all elusive all around bullet. Which brings me to the partition......... So, is premium as big of a deal as we all make it out to be?
 

EastMT

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I shot the LRAB. Highly recommend not using it. Shot an SST in a black bear, got him but not impressed. I'm over tipped bullets I think. I don't need expansion at 1300 fps.
 
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My thing with barnes is the fouling issues and with the slower velocity of the cm, I'm worried about expansion issues. I've been leaning toward the lr accu bond, but I've heard alot more mixed reviews than I would like. So, I'm gonna wait on that. With the reviews on the burgers, I don't think they are for me. I ahve used the sst, just not in a smaller caliber. I was wondering about the sgk. They aren't premium, but they are proven and the cost is right. I just don't know if any of those are stout enough for an all elusive all around bullet. Which brings me to the partition......... So, is premium as big of a deal as we all make it out to be?

Fouling issues, IME are a thing of the past. I have probably close to 100 rounds of Barnes TSX through one rifle without a cleaning and still sub MOA accuracy.

Barnes recommends 1800 fps for expansion on the TSX bullets, which a 6.5 Creed should deliver out to 500 yards. Past that you're looking at issues for the TSX. The LRX is supposed to expand at lower velocities, 1500 fps is what I recall. So, depending on how far you want to shoot it may or may not be a concern. For a 400 yard gun, I think the 127 LRX is a fantastic option.
 

KurtR

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i shoot the 143 eldx and before that the 140 amax and have not shot an animal twice since i got my creed 5 years ago have killed lots of deer still working on the elk so i will report back after this year if all goes right
 
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Maybe I will look at the 127 lrx. Push it a little faster than the 140s. The fact they they near 100% weight retention makes up for the lower weight. Still waiting to see about the game kings though. They are tempting.
 
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My 6.5 Creed likes the 143 eldx the best so far, I just got a box of 147gr Hornady to try a couple weeks back. Have not killed or hunted yet with it yet as Ive only had the gun a few months. Hoping on getting a tag for my daughter to try it out on, and maybe whack a cougar with it.
Based on what my 270 did with a cow last year with 130gr nosler accubonds, I have complete faith that this 6.5 will do whatever I want it to, if I do my part right.
 
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Fouling issues, IME are a thing of the past. I have probably close to 100 rounds of Barnes TSX through one rifle without a cleaning and still sub MOA accuracy.

Barnes recommends 1800 fps for expansion on the TSX bullets, which a 6.5 Creed should deliver out to 500 yards. Past that you're looking at issues for the TSX. The LRX is supposed to expand at lower velocities, 1500 fps is what I recall. So, depending on how far you want to shoot it may or may not be a concern. For a 400 yard gun, I think the 127 LRX is a fantastic option.
Agree and i have come to the same consensus after shooting a couple 100. I also find barnes are faster for weight then some lead counterparts.

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luke moffat

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Have only owned a 6.5 creedmoor about 2 months. Last month 2 of my friends used my 6.5 creedmoor I brought along on our caribou hunts for them to use since they didn't own rifles. Anyways the factory 143 eldx shoot .75" 5 shot groups or better at 2630 fps average for the 24" barrel. One caribou was double lunged at 250 yards and walked about 10-15 yards and fell over dead. 3 days later my brother in law shot a caribou at 180 yards and it was DRT.

5 shots factory ammo:


Today I worked up handloads with 143 eldx and was able to do this with 2812 fps average.....after I prove it up a bit more I think we will call it good there.

5 shots handloads 180 fps faster than factory (this was my buddy shooting the gun not me :) )


Dang them fliers ;)
 
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Nice. So it looks like the concensus is on all metal non-lead type bullets. I think I am going to have to revisit barnes. I was just worried about expansion. Think I am going to give the lrx a try since they have the largest velocity window. In the past I just had bad fouling with the barnes.
 

204guy

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Since barnes added the driving bands the bearing surface of their bullets is greatly reduced and fouling is no worse than other bullets. I've got some experience with the 6.5's. Maybe I missed it but how far are you looking to shoot? Out to 500 yds I like the 120ttsx. I've seen 2 elk killed with the barnes. A 130tsx and a 120ttsx. The 120 was a hard quartering to shot at about 60 yds that broke the leg bone went through the heart and ended up in the paunch. I've personally killed a grizzly with the 120 ttsx (90yds), mtn goat(400yds) and a dall ram (330yds) MV is 3000fps, performance has been very good across the board. I've killed deer and antelope with the 120 amax, 120 ballistic tip and 120 pro hunter, great deer bullets but I like tougher bullets for elk.
 

IanF.

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Accubond for the win in my .260 - 140gr

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I've taken mule deer, black bear, blacktails and a California bighorn with this combo, love it!

Very best,

Ian
 
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I've used my 260 to take animals with 120 GMX at 3050 fps (HOT), 130 Accubond (messy), and 127 LRX. I liked the 120 GMX but is only opens down to 2000 fps so that limited distance possibilities. I will say I never push the limits of expansion especially on mono bullets. The listed minimum impact velocity is to initiate expansion. That would be just peeling the tip back. 130 Accubond shot well and killed 3 animals but it reminded me why I started moving in the mono bullet direction in the first place probably 12 years ago. Accubonds for me just have too much bloodshot meat. I process my own animals and its just frustrating and annoying trying to remove bloodshot almost a foot from the entrance or exit even when you shoot for the lungs and go through the ribs I'm not even talking solid impacts like shoulder shots here those are far worse. Found a very good shooting load with the 127 LRX at 2860 and I haven't tried pushing that. I hit good accuracy and velocity was high enough. The accubonds above I was shooting at 2900 even. Only had a neck shot on a Mule Deer buck this year with the 127 LRX, he dropped of course but really I didn't have that much meat damage and normally neck shots will ruin just about all of the neck. I took all but a few inches either side of the hole.
 
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Thanks for the help guys, think I'm just going to order a box of the lrx to load up. I live in north idaho (south canada....lol). So my Shots are really close most of the time.....like handgun distance. However, I am looking at new areas. In fact I'm checking out a new area this weekend that has alot of old clear cut and one old burn. So that opens up distance quite a bit. Just planning for the future and the way things are changing here.
 

brushape

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I've shot a game with 5 different bullets from my 6.5 saum, they all worked about the same 120 ttsx did its job on a black tail at 30 yards with massive meat damage and blood shot and clean pass through with no blood trail on a lung shot elk at 225, favorite bullet so far is the 130 Berger or jlk both have done amazing work at 100-360 yards on deer and wild pigs passing through every time. 140 amax are great and cheap but closer shots are very very messy I would imagine the 6.5 cm velocity would be better with them and that's what I'll hopefully be shooting in my shorty creedmore I have on the way


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