140 gr 6.5mm Hybrid for hunting?

6.5x47
28" Bartlein
.198" FB
140 Hybrid @ 2925

I used this combo as a cull rifle for WT Deer this summer. I shot over a dozen with ok results. The #1 criteria for my task is superior accuracy with adequate performance. I wish I could tell more about performance but often times they are taken just before dark and quickly boned, if they are field dressed I didn't inspect much. Expansion has been less than preferred, most broadside hits exit out to 600+ and usually dime to nickel size. I shoot over field so I can watch them until they drop. The harder hit ones on the shoulder produced better exits quarter size. Had one lung hit at 500 ish run about 100 yard another hit at 800 ran 40-60 yards and piled nicely.

So without bullet recovery and based on my opinion / experience (for what its worth) my experience tells me they are on the hard side and inconsistent expansion depending on what you hit.

The plus is they are dead nutz accurate in my rife.
 
Sorry for the abbreviation, the only reason I posted it is because I listed the cartridge and speed with the 140 hybrid. I usually get flamed and hear the usual about how I'm running it too hard. So by listing the Looooong free bore and barrel length it usually heads it off. Alan it sound like yours is set up similar based on your fps.
 
figured since you guys turned me on to the 142 gr Matrix VLD I'd give a little report.

Killed a nice little bull the other day @ 950 with the 142 gr Matrix VLD out of my 6.5x47 Lapua. Only had 6 minutes of legal light left at the shot. I should say shots. First range using my Leica 10x42 HD-B's was 1020 but by the time I got set up he'd, unknowingly, moved in to 950 and I shot clean over his back. Ranged again, redialed to 20.75 moa, held 1/2 moa for a 3 mph full value wind and killed him, quartering to me. Used Rel 17 for a 2917 MV. Sorry, no pics; dark, cold and a bunch of work to get done. Bullet entered above and just in front of the right front shoulder, dropping down through his chest cavity. I did a gutless breakdown job, eliminating having to get too messy so I don't have much to report on what the bullet did.

Alan
 
figured since you guys turned me on to the 142 gr Matrix VLD I'd give a little report.

Killed a nice little bull the other day @ 950 with the 142 gr Matrix VLD out of my 6.5x47 Lapua. Only had 6 minutes of legal light left at the shot. I should say shots. First range using my Leica 10x42 HD-B's was 1020 but by the time I got set up he'd, unknowingly, moved in to 950 and I shot clean over his back. Ranged again, redialed to 20.75 moa, held 1/2 moa for a 3 mph full value wind and killed him, quartering to me. Used Rel 17 for a 2917 MV. Sorry, no pics; dark, cold and a bunch of work to get done. Bullet entered above and just in front of the right front shoulder, dropping down through his chest cavity. I did a gutless breakdown job, eliminating having to get too messy so I don't have much to report on what the bullet did.

Alan

That is impressive Alan! Congratulations.........Rich
 
Nice shooting Allan!! I've been following this thread since it started and it seems most folks don't like the Berger 6.5-- 140gr Hybrid for hunting, so I thought I would tell you guys about four hunts that one of our customers has done this year with his 6.5 BPX and the 140gr Berger Hybrids. This cartridge will give you about 3025 to 3050 fps out of a 26" bbl. Craig was running his at 3025fps. The rifle was built on a Extreme Titanium action with a 1 in 8 Proof research bbl, a McMillan A3 sporter w/edge technology, and Jewell trigger. Weighs 7.6 lbs. with VX6 scope.

First hunt was a cow elk at 947yds quartering to him. One shot on the point of the shoulder and she was down after a few wobbly steps. The exit wound was 4" behind the off side shoulder with a exit hole just smaller than a golf ball. Massive damage inside.

Hunt #2 and #3 were one doe Pronghorns. The first was broadside at 938yds and shot in the crease . The bullet hit a rib going in and out with exit wound about the size of a fifty cent piece. Again massive damage inside. She was DRT. The second doe was almost broadside at 862yds and shot just behind the shoulder. This time the bullet missed hitting a rib in and out but still produced the same size exit wound and internal damage. Another DRT.

The last hunt was a 381 Bull Elk at 638yds Broadside and was shot centered in the onside shoulder and broke the far shoulder but did not exit. The landing gear came up and the Bull dropped without so much as a twitch. Massive internal damage again.

It seems that there is allot of different stories and outcomes with this bullet, makes you think that there are some material variables from lot to lot???? Craig is very impressed with the performance of 140 Hybrids and yet there seems to be a bunch of guys with the opposite experience, so who knows what the truth is with this bullet. ------ RHB
 
Nice shooting Allan!! I've been following this thread since it started and it seems most folks don't like the Berger 6.5-- 140gr Hybrid for hunting, so I thought I would tell you guys about four hunts that one of our customers has done this year with his 6.5 BPX and the 140gr Berger Hybrids. This cartridge will give you about 3025 to 3050 fps out of a 26" bbl. Craig was running his at 3025fps. The rifle was built on a Extreme Titanium action with a 1 in 8 Proof research bbl, a McMillan A3 sporter w/edge technology, and Jewell trigger. Weighs 7.6 lbs. with VX6 scope.

First hunt was a cow elk at 947yds quartering to him. One shot on the point of the shoulder and she was down after a few wobbly steps. The exit wound was 4" behind the off side shoulder with a exit hole just smaller than a golf ball. Massive damage inside.

Hunt #2 and #3 were one doe Pronghorns. The first was broadside at 938yds and shot in the crease . The bullet hit a rib going in and out with exit wound about the size of a fifty cent piece. Again massive damage inside. She was DRT. The second doe was almost broadside at 862yds and shot just behind the shoulder. This time the bullet missed hitting a rib in and out but still produced the same size exit wound and internal damage. Another DRT.

The last hunt was a 381 Bull Elk at 638yds Broadside and was shot centered in the onside shoulder and broke the far shoulder but did not exit. The landing gear came up and the Bull dropped without so much as a twitch. Massive internal damage again.

It seems that there is allot of different stories and outcomes with this bullet, makes you think that there are some material variables from lot to lot???? Craig is very impressed with the performance of 140 Hybrids and yet there seems to be a bunch of guys with the opposite experience, so who knows what the truth is with this bullet. ------ RHB

Good data and very interesting! I guess one thing is for sure; you can't argue with those results......Rich
 
You might try the 142 JLKs. They are made with the same J4 jackets the hunting Vlds are made with.

I have shot numerous antelope and deer with this bullet between 50 and 1000 yards. Half inch enhance and 1-5" exit with lots of damage and DRT. It's also exceptionally accurate. I'm running them at 2965FPS. Curious what G7 BC you are using. I'm using G1 of .640 which works well for me out to 1000 yards. Can't find any G7 value for this bullet.
 
I still stand by they are on the hard side. With that said I will continue to use them, they are super accurate in my rifle. I get better expansion when they hit something on the way in. From what I'm seeing I wouldn't be surprised if they worked well on heavier bodied animals. I wish I had some hogs to test them on.



In the rib and out the shoulder approx. 500 yards



Broadside don't remember 600 or 750 yards.
 
I still stand by they are on the hard side. With that said I will continue to use them, they are super accurate in my rifle. I get better expansion when they hit something on the way in. From what I'm seeing I wouldn't be surprised if they worked well on heavier bodied animals. I wish I had some hogs to test them on.



In the rib and out the shoulder approx. 500 yards



Broadside don't remember 600 or 750 yards.

What did the shoulder wound look like with the hide off?........Rich
 
Sorry Rich, the hide never came off. These were crop damage tagged, so a quick field dress and donation. The shot was hard quartering and I put back far through the rear rib. The internal damage looked good, lungs were pretty torn up. If I get some time to go out soon I'll bring a camera and document performance a little better.
 
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