Not happy with 156 EOL

[Don A Parsons]

I was planning on using 140 gr Hornady ELD-M'S on this year's hunt out of my 6.5/06,,, but my long time hunting partner shut that idea down...

I switched to 140gr Nosler Partions and couldn't be happier,,, they lay it out there at close range on out to 300 meters with plenty of Punch-Junk...

2980 at the muzzle seems to be enough to harvest the thick skins with in my shooting zone...

I'm sure that the triple shock bullets would be close to the same,,, another go performance bullet up here for the thick skins is the G-Max,,, I'm a big fan of bounded bullets...

Just me i guess,,, thanks for the heads up,,, I'll watch the thread to see what other folks mention...

I couldn't shoot the 156's any ways since my rifle only has a 1:8 twist...

Cheers from the North

 

[Dmagna]

I was planning on using 140 gr Hornady ELD-M'S on this year's hunt out of my 6.5/06,,, but my long time hunting partner shut that idea down...

I switched to 140gr Nosler Partions and couldn't be happier,,, they lay it out there at close range on out to 300 meters with plenty of Punch-Junk...

2980 at the muzzle seems to be enough to harvest the thick skins with in my shooting zone...

I'm sure that the triple shock bullets would be close to the same,,, another go performance bullet up here for the thick skins is the G-Max,,, I'm a big fan of bounded bullets...

Just me i guess,,, thanks for the heads up,,, I'll watch the thread to see what other folks mention...

I couldn't shoot the 156's any ways since my rifle only has a 1:8 twist...

Cheers from the North

I would switch bullets if I could. My barrel is about 3/4s of the way through it's life. I have a 140 hybrid load and 143 eldx load and also a 140 accubond. But I am going to bring out my 280ai for the rest of the season.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I can't wait to test mine out on deer. Maybe next week....

 

[matt_3479]

HVLD

did you ever try the hybrids on game. Have a load in both the hybrids and hvld that just flat out shoot but the hybrids seem to be less picky and more accurate

 

[laker]

did you ever try the hybrids on game. Have a load in both the hybrids and hvld that just flat out shoot but the hybrids seem to be less picky and more accurate

No I've never tried the hybrids as my hvld load shoots incredible

 

[CUTTER1]

Not sure why you have had these results? Elk and 2 antelope have been dead in their tracks! Plan on shooting one more elk(cow) with 26 Nosler and 156. First elk was massive chest cavity damage with 6.5 PRC!
Lesson I've learned is no one bullet always gives same or perfect results.

 

[Danny1788]

My only thoughts on this are maybe like the 230 vs 215. Less lead in the nose cavity just creates the perfect storm? Not that either won't kill but my 140 hybrids have a long list of kills and zero tracking shot close and far.....

 

[Msjwolfe]

My only thoughts on this are maybe like the 230 vs 215. Less lead in the nose cavity just creates the perfect storm? Not that either won't kill but my 140 hybrids have a long list of kills and zero tracking shot close and far.....

I lost a deer this year using the 140 elite hunters. I've been thinking about switching to the 140 hybrid. My shot was at 80-120 yards he was shot twice. 8 hours 4 guys and 2 dogs never found him or any reasonable blood trail. I'm confident the first shot was good placement. I don't have any way of verifying what happened.

it sounds like you have had good success at close range and longer range on game, I am definitely willing to try them as they are the same design as the elite hunter with a thicker jacket and the elite hunter shoots fantastic!

 

[codyadams]

After 11 pronghorn, 3 deer and 2 elk, I have liked the results, but then again I haven't had any performance like what you just described ha ha!! All the 11 pronghorn had exits from 150 to 680 yards, 2 of the 3 large mule deer didn't exit with quartering shots at 670 and 940, and the 3rd was at 840 was hit just behind shoulder on a slight forward quartering shot and exited. Neither of the 2 cow elk had exits shot at 840 and 865, one was DRT the other traveled about 8 yards and went down, and all of the other animals traveled less than 75 yards. This video is typically what I was seeing in critters, this was an elk taken at 840.



I run a wire drill through all my bullet tips to ensure expansion, I do it with all Berger bullets. What elevation are you at and what twist rate? Makes me wonder if you have an 8 twist and are at low elevation, if it would be possible that the bullet banana'ed and tumbled instead of properly expanded? I hunt from 6,500 to 11,000 ft elevation, so my sg plenty high even with an 8 twist. My muzzle velocity is 2940.

Anyways, more data is always good!!

 

[Msjwolfe]

After 11 pronghorn, 3 deer and 2 elk, I have liked the results, but then again I haven't had any performance like what you just described ha ha!! All the 11 pronghorn had exits from 150 to 680 yards, 2 of the 3 large mule deer didn't exit with quartering shots at 670 and 940, and the 3rd was at 840 was hit just behind shoulder on a slight forward quartering shot and exited. Neither of the 2 cow elk had exits shot at 840 and 865, one was DRT the other traveled about 8 yards and went down, and all of the other animals traveled less than 75 yards. This video is typically what I was seeing in critters, this was an elk taken at 840.



I run a wire drill through all my bullet tips to ensure expansion, I do it with all Berger bullets. What elevation are you at and what twist rate? Makes me wonder if you have an 8 twist and are at low elevation, if it would be possible that the bullet banana'ed and tumbled instead of properly expanded? I hunt from 6,500 to 11,000 ft elevation, so my sg plenty high even with an 8 twist. My muzzle velocity is 2940.

Anyways, more data is always good!!

I was at 4200 ft it is a 1:8 twist but I have never had any issues with stabilization with it. It is shooting 2750.

I run a small drill bit into all my Berger bullets. You are using the 140 hybrid though correct?

 

[matt_3479]

No I've never tried the hybrids as my hvld load shoots incredible
View attachment 158283

okay thank you! Maybe I'll just stick with the 140 hvld's then. I initially built up a load with the hybrids and fired my best group at distance with it (I'm sure it was just luck), then went on a hunt and was second guessing myself so worked up a load with the hvld's but never fine tuned it really.

 

[sturner]

Maybe run it through some ballistic gel or a five gallon bucket sand

 

[codyadams]

I was at 4200 ft it is a 1:8 twist but I have never had any issues with stabilization with it. It is shooting 2750.

I run a small drill bit into all my Berger bullets. You are using the 140 hybrid though correct?

I was aiming at the o.p., but At 4200 and an 8 twist you would be fine with the 156 then, not a stability issue for the 140's. No, I'm using the 156 EOL, in an 8 twist .260AI @2940 for most of it, a 7.5 twist .264 wm @3070 for one deer, and an 8 twist 6.5 cm @2630 for one buck pronghorn. I have used the 140 VLDH a good bit, probably 20-30ish animals, and the performance was very similar in my experience. Hopefully the o.p.'s issues he witnessed was an isolated one!!

 

[Dmagna]

I Am at sea level. I have shot these out to 500 yards. My gun is a 1-8 twist, shoots 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. Held tight groups out to 500. It's not a stability issue.