6.5 PRC as a ELR antelope cartridge?

[Litehiker]

Just bought a 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro rifle (24" barrel version).

After having quite successfully used my 6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle at 1,100 yards on our club's steel range I now can say that the 6.5 PRC in my X-Bolt is even more amazing for shots over 1,000 yards as well as fighting our pernicious and unpredictable desert winds.

So... that said I'm thinking I can use Hornady's new 153 gr. A-Tip (machined aluminum tip) on antelope at over 1,000 yards. (IF I can ever find any, that is!)

Any comments on this round or Hornady's 143 gr. ELD-X ammo for ELR on antelope or coyotes?

Eric B.
BTW, The scope is a Bushnell Elite LRTS 4.5 - 18 x 44 W/G3 illuminated mil reticle.

 

[SwampDog13]

Just bought a 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro rifle (24" barrel version)

I wonder how many times you have typed this statement, it's got to be approaching 50

I can't say I'd advise sending an untested unproven bullet at an animal no matter how pumped I am about my new rifle.

 

[Litehiker]

Yeah, pretty pumped on the new Browning B/C I just had a great day at the range this morning and and amazed at how it handles the wind.

Being on a fixed retirement income means a nice piece like the Browning is a big deal for me. But I will back off to only mentioning it every other week. ;o)

Eric B.

 

[deerhunter64]

I imagine it would work quite well as a long distance antelope round. I am hunting antelope this month and my 6.5-284 will be out for its maiden hunting voyage . Nothing wrong with being super excited about that new rifle.

 

[codyadams]

I certainly wouldn't use an untested bullet at long range for it's first outing on game. If the bullet performs like a fmj, and you poke a 6.5mm hole through a goat at 1100 yards away, and it proceeds to run another mile or farther wounded, that would be a bad day.

If you want to use that bullet, that is perfectly fine, but please test it in closer on game first to see if it is even going to perform acceptably, or wait until several other people have done it. I know the extended range performance I saw on pronghorn with the 147 eldm was not good, it seemed to do well with impact velocities over 2200 fps or so, but beyond that, if heavy bone wasn't hit, it didn't expand well. From rumors (keep in mind, they are only rumors) I have heard, this bullet will expand even less than the eld-m. If that is in fact the case, I wouldn't touch it for long elr hunting, especially with the option of the Berger 156 that is proven to be capable of 3000 fps+ in the 6.5 PRC.

Time will tell, the bullet may do very well on game, but until it is proven at close range, where you can sometimes make up with quick follow ups, and carefully examined and stretched out farther, I wouldnt start out at extended ranges.

Just the opinion of some guy on the internet ;-)

 

[SwampDog13]

a nice piece like the Browning is a big deal for me. But I will back off to only mentioning it every other week. ;o

No need to back off, just ribbing you a little bit. All in good fun. I think pretty much everyone here understands being pumped for a new rifle.

I'll second the Berger 156gn recommendation. Although I haven't seen much of any actual results of using them on game we atleast know the round should work just based on design and the track record of the lighter weight elite hunters. I have pushed this bullet pretty hard out of a suam during testing and have got into the +3130fps with a 24" barrel and trust that you could get it to the 3000fps mark with little trouble. Now you're talking 1020ftlbs and 1765fps at your 1100yd mark. On top of that they're just over half the cost of the atip.

 

[lancetkenyon]

6.5PRC on antelope at 1000+ should work fine with the right bullet, placement, and impact velocity. Bulldozer hunting bullets use an aluminum tip, so not sure why the new As won't work.
I hope to be testing out the new Berger 156 Elite in my 6.5SS on antelope in a couple weeks, and big mule deer for my daughter late this year.

I know the 150SMK @ 3113fps MV works well on pronghorn too. I used mine last year. It was not a long shot, but I don't think another bullet could have performed any better. DRT without a single twitch or kick, golf ball sized exit, blood like a river, insides now on the outside. I know, test subject of one, but I was very impressed.

 

[Rhovee]

Since you can shoot 1,100 yards at your range, take 10 cold bore shots at a moa size plate and report back with first round impacts. I would be more worried about this then the type of bullet to use.

 

[BrentM]

I am not experienced with antelope and rifles but have seen several taken with 6mm 105's at 1000. 6.5 PRC should be excellent. I've been shooting 140 and 147's for several years and primarily the 147 for wolves. My longest wolf kill was 980 and impact velocity was around 1250. Super happy with the performance at that range and all the others. Leaning toward a wolf and pronghorn being similar in body make up.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I bought some 156 Bergers for my 6.5 PRC to test but haven't yet. I'd like to hear somebody who has shot them at game and thier load info. My barrel is. 1 in 8 so it's going to be interesting .

 

[Buzzsaw]

Since you can shoot 1,100 yards at your range, take 10 cold bore shots at a moa size plate and report back with first round impacts. I would be more worried about this then the type of bullet to use.

THIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rifle: fine
ammo: fine
accuracy at long range: fine

shooter: HUMMMMM?????

 

[Greyfox]

I have been using a 6.5x284, with essentially the same ballistic performance as the 6.5PRC for several years. I have very effectively shot a couple of dozen antelope from 350-1200 yards loaded with 140 class VLD's(Berger HVLD, JLK VLD) at 2975-3000FPS. The terminal performance of these bullets has been outstanding over a wide range of distance. The sectional density is more then sufficient to expand and penetrate an antelope at any angle. As others have mentioned, I'd surely want to test a target grade bullet before sending one into game at long range, the question being one of bullet expansion at reduced velocity. Having just built a good load for the 156 Berger, even though labeled a hunting bullet, I will want to test or hear about long range results on this bullet as well before LR use. Any added weight/energy is of little use if it doesn't expand.

 

[Bravo 4]

Good grief guys, this is the ELR forum is it not? If you don't want to hear about guys (or little girls) shooting (or wanting to shoot) game at over 1000 then don't look in this section.

Litehiker,
I'm with some of the other responders in that the cartridge is capable.
As far as aluminum tipped bullets go, they are not all created equal. I have been using the Chinchagas (cup-n-core) for a couple years and they are devastating on game. The Badland Bulldozer bullets are lathe turned copper- tipped projectiles, so again a different animal.

 

[codyadams]

Good grief guys, this is the ELR forum is it not? If you don't want to hear about guys (or little girls) shooting (or wanting to shoot) game at over 1000 then don't look in this section.

Litehiker,
I'm with some of the other responders in that the cartridge is capable.
As far as aluminum tipped bullets go, they are not all created equal. I have been using the Chinchagas (cup-n-core) for a couple years and they are devastating on game. The Badland Bulldozer bullets are lathe turned copper- tipped projectiles, so again a different animal.

I would like to clarify, I have no issue with anyone taking or attempting to take an animal way way out there, I was just wanting to point out bullet selection for doing so. Hopefully the A tips work great, I have just heard rumors about harder alloys and a lack of expansion, and for elr that isn't good, one would want to lean more towards a light built bullet that will certainly expand when you reach the minimum threshold of velocity. And I agree, tip material doesn't really mean anything, we as hunters know that aluminum tips work, they have used them long before long range hunting was really a thing. It's just the rest of the bullet design in question, for now. But hunting season is quickly approaching!! As of the 15th of this month, I have two doe pronghorn that will be test subjects for the 156 Berger. Hoping I can test them on one closeish and another going to try around 1000 or a little over to see how the bullet does. Then my wife has 2 more tags, and my niece has 2 more tags ha ha.

BTW Bravo, the offer on that hunt is still open, anytime your able to make it!