6.5 Shooters Favorite Reload Bullet For Hunting Deer and Elk?

[hunter67wa]

Hey, great post. I am just looking into this for my 6.5cm that is being built.

I am interested in cup and core bullets to keep the cost down for hunting. It seems the Berger bullets are roughly the same costs, regardless of whether they are hunting or target specified. I am looking at their 135 classic for the hybrid design which is more forgiving.

Sierra tipped game kings are very low cost... mixed feelings on them. Regular game kings are priced well.

Nosler 120 and 140gr ballistic tips as well, but not much info on them but no doubt will work on deer.

Good things about the 130 accubond but cost is way up there as a do it all bullet along with the Barnes lrx. which also are highly rated and the swift s2 for aerodynamic bullets that hold together.

Your having a rifle built but are worried about the cost of a bullet for hunting?
Buy a shelf rifle and shoot the best bullet.

 

[Macchina]

Been looking to load up the new Sierra Gamechangers (tipped Gamekings) as soon as I can get some. Any experience with them?

 

[lancetkenyon]

I have shot so many different 6.5mm bullets in so many different 6.5mm cartridges, hard to pick a favorite. I think it totally depends on case volume. For cartridges like 6.5x47L, 6.5CM, .260 Rem, etc. I like 120-143gr bullets. Bigger cases like 6.5-06, 6.5SS, 6.5SAUM, .264WM, I like the 140+ bullets.
124HH, 127LRX, 131HH for monos.
140 Hyb, 144 LR Hyb, 150 SMK, 156 Elite for cup/core bullets.

 

[weatherbee]

143 ELDX, 3500 FPS. Mule deer and Aoudad DRT. have not tried on elk

 

[LISBON]

143 ELDX, 3500 FPS. Mule deer and Aoudad DRT. have not tried on elk

What cartridge and load for 3500?

 

[aaronmcoleman]

Been looking to load up the new Sierra Gamechangers (tipped Gamekings) as soon as I can get some. Any experience with them?

I have not used them in. 6.5 but I shot a bull and a cow elk this year with them in 30-06. Cow dropped instantly with a neck shot from about 200y, Bull I hit a bit high from 375y but follow up shot he was down for good. I like two shots two kills but 3 shots 2 kills is ok considering the bad shot was user error that no bullet would have helped with

overall very accurate up to the 500y I've shot them (clover leaves at 100y and 3-4" groups at 500y). And that is all out of my old 20" barrel savage 111 with a $190 Nikon scope.

accuracy is good, internal construction is not as heavy as an accubond. I'm no. Expert but the tipped GK seem to be much thinner copper and just feel "cheaper" if that makes sense. No recovered bullets so no real idea how expansion etc has been. All in all I'd hunt with them again. No questions asked. And for the price they are wonderful to practice wirh.

 

[Jerry D]

Your having a rifle built but are worried about the cost of a bullet for hunting?
Buy a shelf rifle and shoot the best bullet.

Lots of guys look into good cup and core bullets for long range hunting. Deer and antelope dont take fancy bullets to kill.

Who wants to shoot an expensive accubond or barnes for practice when a gamechanger or eldx is about half the cost and are excellent choices for dual purposes.

 

[iclick]

Cutting Edge Laser 125Gr. In both my 6.5 CM's and both the three 6.5-284 Norma's that I have. Extremely accurate and very deadly.

 

[hugheserj]

Has anyone tried Berger 153.5 hybrids on game? I'm going to try some in my 6.5x284 and I'm hoping they will perform like the 215s.

 

[Starlite]

6.5 CM; Sako finnlight,20" SS Barrel.
Alpha SRP, CCI 450, 39.5 H4350 topped by a 160 Hornady RN.
2326FPS at the muzzle.
My go-to Bullet for Hunting Moose, Bear and WTD here in the dark thick forest of north eastern Canada. (Like in northern Maine).

 

[Raudy707]

Not a real big fan on my 6.5 for elk, but I love the 130 Accubond for blacktail and mule deer. Once California switched to lead free I like the 124 Hammers.

 

[warboar21]

I've used the old 140gr Remington Core-lokt bullets, Swift Scirocco II, and the Sierra 140gr game king. My CZ shoots the Swift the best and since I get them for as cheaply as I do, it's what I prefer to use.

 

[Pat Byrne]

130 NAB's kill stuff .... I'm sure the 140's do also, but I have no experience w/140's.
Also had excellent luck with 120NBT's.. Killed a lot of critters with these 2 bullets.

These are hunting bullets, not target bullets pressed into service..

 

[Husky user]

Now that the 6.5 Creedmoor has been used awhile for hunting and the 6.5 PRC has been on hunter's lists of favorites for a year, I am wondering what hunting bullets being manufactured today have etched their way into becoming a favorite. I'm sure many of us who reload this caliber have only loaded one or two brands and weights of this caliber as we dialed in a load on paper but, didn't see how it's terminal velocity interacted with an animal because, they didn't shoot one or get to hunt this past season. So, feel free to inform those of us how, what and why you think a particular bullet coupled with your caliber shoots with the best hunting performance. This will help some of us to try something different that will be better than what we are presently using.

140 gr Accubond in 65.Weatherby RPM ,going to try 142 gr Accubond LRs loading 7828 cause thats the best I have,can't buy RL25.