Really now, what bullet?

[cornstalker]

The more reports I read the more confused I become.

To start with, I am shooting a 6.5x284. At this point I have never shot anything but a prairie dog at more than 450 yards. I plan to practice a bunch at 500, then move to 600, and so on.

I still know how to sneak up on animals and enjoy doing so, so short range shots are a possibility.

The longer range shots on game really wont happen soon, but I don't want to spend a lot of time developing loads that don't lend towards my goal.

I have 139 Lapua Scenars and 140 Hornady Amax in stock. The Scenars shoot good but performance on game has been unsatisfactory. Haven't tried the Amax yet.

So far I have steered away from low BC mono-metal and bonded bullets.

My only concern with Berger is showering my meat with lead particles, but I have not tried them.

Is there really a bullet that I can use on animals from 100 to 700 yards and still be able to afford to ring steel with them? Am I stuck with trying to find two different bullets for the different ranges?

I tried the Lapua Scenars based on recommendations I got on another site. The results were so poor I will be more careful this time.

Please help me out guys.

 

[barnesuser28]

although i am a fan of Barnes Bullets for hunting i think the A-max will do all you ask of it and more. they are very accurate in my 7mm-08

 

[CliffM]

I shot the 6.4-140 Bergers for the first time this year on animals from 250-600yds. They performed perfectly on each one.
If you don't shoot them in the meat it is not likely that you will have lead in the meat.
Cliff

 

[D.ID]

I love the bergers but based on my experience the so called high shoulder shot is so horrible as to be offensive in it's waist. Did it once and will never do it again. Like any other bullet punch it threw the lungs or heart and they are outstanding. Shot placement rules. I expect the a-max would do the same.

 

[woods]

The 130 gr Scirrocco II has an ADVERTISED BC of .571 and they are the only Scirrocco's I ever got to shoot well

Shooting mine out of a 6.5 rem mag at ~3200 fps with RL17 and have only shot hogs with it but they have been DRT

Should be a good performer close range, long range, through bone or through meat

Seat off the lands about .060"

 

[johnnyk]

cornstalker,
Even though they seem to have "fallen from grace" the Nosler Ballistic Tip get's my nod. I have used the 120gn Ballistic Tip in my 6.5-284Norma with terminal results every time. They are always accurate and consistent and with proper placement will get the job done. JohnnyK.

 

[Greyfox]

I have tried several bullets and found the 6.5, 140 Berger Hunting VLD gives the best performance from 50 to 1000 yards. I don't push them much past 3000 FPS MV. From my experience, most bullets capable of cleanly killing an animal at 700+ yards will destroy meat with a close range high shoulder shot. Shoot them in the chest with this bullet at the closer ranges. They will be dead in very short order. iMHO.

 

[cornstalker]

Woods,
I haven't ruled out the Scirocco II's, I just don't believe the published BC. From what I understand the real world BC is below the threshold of where I want to be.

johnnyk,
The NBT's will never fall from grace for me. Nearly half of the animals I have killed from deer down have been with the NBT's. I bought the 6.5x284 for long range and I want high BC to make my job easier in the wind at distance. The Ballistic Tips are below my minimum for this.

Based on the input from the rest of y'all, I almost think I should load test the Amax and the Bergers and run with the one that shoots the best. Sounds like both will work, just be sure and lung 'em.

 

[cornstalker]

FWIW
I just loaded the first round of test loads for the 140 Amax and Berger Hunting VLD's.

I seated them with a Forster Ultra Seater.

Measuring them with a comparator the Amax varied as much as .004", the Bergers were less than .001".


Not sure it matters a lot, just thought I would mention it.

 

[rscott5028]

LRH and minimal meat damage aren't necessarily congruent.

If you get close enough to shoot an animal in the head, you'll have minimal meat damage.

Conversely, the high shoulder is going to waste some meat.

Whatever your bullet and bullet placement strategy, it helps if you hit what you're aiming at. And, BC is a huge factor for a long range cold bore shots in real world hunting conditions.

-- richard

 

[Max Heat]

cornstalker,
Even though they seem to have "fallen from grace" the Nosler Ballistic Tip get's my nod. I have used the 120gn Ballistic Tip in my 6.5-284Norma with terminal results every time. They are always accurate and consistent and with proper placement will get the job done. JohnnyK.

+1, my cal is 7RM (currently working on a 7RUM build), but I do plan on sticking with the NBT120's (in 7mm). They've had MY nod for many years. Check this out:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/nbt-120s-anyone-else-sold-them-89687/

Seriously, does ANY more need to be said?

 

[Greyfox]

I have had great performance with Ballistic Tips out to 500 yards or a little more in my 270WSM and 308. 140's in the 270 and 165's in the 308. in my 6.5x284, the 140 Hunting Bergers will get me terminal performance at 1000 yards that the Ballistic Tips in 120gr max out around 600 yards. Nosler doesn't seem to produce them in heavier weights than the 120-123gr. I think that even if they did, the shape of the BT's have a form factor that still wouldn't give the ballistic performance of the Bergers. It's probably the reason they don't offer them.IMHO

 

[rscott5028]

I have had great performance with Ballistic Tips out to 500 yards or a little more in my 270WSM and 308. 140's in the 270 and 165's in the 308. in my 6.5x284, the 140 Hunting Bergers will get me terminal performance at 1000 yards that the Ballistic Tips in 120gr max out around 600 yards. Nosler doesn't seem to produce them in heavier weights than the 120-123gr. I think that even if they did, the shape of the BT's have a form factor that still wouldn't give the ballistic performance of the Bergers. It's probably the reason they don't offer them.IMHO

All that, and many believe that 300yds is LRH. As such, almost any bullet will do.

The farther you go, the smaller the market and the less business opportunity.

-- richard

 

[Michael Eichele]

Woods,
I haven't ruled out the Scirocco II's, I just don't believe the published BC. From what I understand the real world BC is below the threshold of where I want to be.

johnnyk,
The NBT's will never fall from grace for me. Nearly half of the animals I have killed from deer down have been with the NBT's. I bought the 6.5x284 for long range and I want high BC to make my job easier in the wind at distance. The Ballistic Tips are below my minimum for this.

Based on the input from the rest of y'all, I almost think I should load test the Amax and the Bergers and run with the one that shoots the best. Sounds like both will work, just be sure and lung 'em.

1: You are right. The 130 Scirroco is not in the .570 range. More like .5-.515.

2: The BT's being too low for what you want to do only leaves you with VLD, AMAX, SMK, SCENAR and similar. Every thing is a trade off. High BC with OK terminal performance or lower BC with designed terminal performance.

That said, I have found the terminal performance of the AMAX's more than adequete for small to medium sized critters.

Have you ran the numbers of the 140 SST at 3000-3100 FPS in the 6.5? Out to 700 yards, they look pretty good. I know their not as sexy as the VLD but are more than adequete. Nosler has come out with a 140 BT which will have a much higher BC than the previous 120 grain BTs.

If I had to shoot a big mature mulie buck through the shoulder, I would rather have an SST, Ballistic Tip, ACCUBOND etc...Than a 140 VLD or AMAX.