VLD Pilot
Well-Known Member
No such thing as overkill.
6.5 bullet for Prong Horn
- Thread starter Short Case
- Start date
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Agreed. You can't make something more or less dead. Do you ever get to a point where meat damage is just too excessive, or is the goal to get them dead fast and carcass be danged? I see the advantages to both view points, but I sure hate to lose that off shoulder.
VLD Pilot
Well-Known Member
Shot placement certainly matters in meat preservation. Pronghorns may be easily killed BUT they sure can cover many football fields before expiring. Many don't like that long distance travel after the shot so shoulder shots are common. For me, especially on flat ground where goats roam and are mostly harvested, that long death run isn't a concern. There small deer and landscape is easily traveled. Meat loss vs walking for a recovery is an easy pick for me. Now if it was mountainous country and Mule deer was on my harvest tag, it'd be the shoulder shot for instant kill and recovery. Also many pronghorns are shot at distance. The lung area rib cage tend to be a larger bullseye.
Me too! I will be loading the 156 on my .264 WM. As far as overkill, no, it is not as noted by @hunter67wa. I have harvested antelope with 175 Matrix (.270 AI), 200 NAB (.300 WM), 215 Berger (.300 WSM), and 225 NAB (.338 WM) with minimal meat damage.
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
I used a 110 grain Hammer Hunter this past season at @ 500 yards for my Lope. My 6.5X47 pushes it at 3048 FPS.
Short Case
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Where was that Lope taken, he's nice, tall and wide
Having now shot antelope and deer using 140.HVLD and 156 Berger's, I have found that the performance is quite similar, as is elevation and windage when driven at 3000(140gr) and 2950(156gr) out at 1000 yards. . There is a difference in energy with the 156 generating an additional 150 ft#'s energy at 1000yds, that difference, IMO, being academic on medium game at practical max ranges. My choice of which of these bullets to use on medium sized game is not based on simply the weight difference of the bullet, but more dependent on the accuracy/ES/powder choice for the paricular 6.5 rifle I'm loading for. Of my three 6.5x284's one runs the 156, two, the 140.
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
Santa Rosa, NM
Absolutely beautiful buck... I too plan on running the 110 HH except in a .260ai I am waiting on. Will be my deer/lope rifle bullet combo
Litehiker
Well-Known Member
Your 6.5/270 WSM is equivalent to my 6.5 PRC in ballistics. For antelope try to find the flattest shooting accurate re-load (or factory brand) you can that is accurate at up to 900 yards. I like Hornady 140 gr. MATCH (ELD-M) cartridges. Good enough for antelope.
For deer and elk I use the heavier Hornady ELD-X hunting cartridges.
Eric B.
For deer and elk I use the heavier Hornady ELD-X hunting cartridges.
Eric B.
Short Case
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I been told that NM is the place to go if you can get a tag. That is one nice Prong Horn
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
I went through an outfitter who has landowner tags. Going again this year.
VLD Pilot
Well-Known Member
Your 6.5 PRC is more ballistically equivalent to my 6.5-284 than the 6.5-270 WSM. 68 vs 78 grain case capacity isn't very ballistically equal in comparison. Anything from either cartridge is gonna be very flat with 140 class low drag bullets but the 6.5-270 WSM will be considerably flatter, faster and hit with much more energy than the PRC. Both are plenty of cartridge for Elk with heavier bullets. Both cartridges are excellent antelope cartridges also with any hunting bullets offered in that caliber.
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