Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Which 6.5mm bullet for bear?

Not speaking for Pat but what I have noticed with the Scirocco is that if you have projectiles from different lot numbers you pretty much have to rework load/seating depth to get your accuracy back... It's usually not much but a PITA none the less...

With the Scenar I have experienced that projectiles from different lot numbers have very lil change in accuracy if any at all... They seem very consistent from lot to lot...

After spending some time at the range today, I came to the conclusion that the 156gr Sako Deerhead (norma oryx I believe) shot much better groups than the 140 gr accubond. Even the 139 gr PPU cheap stuff was outshooting the accubonds. I was more than happy with them and my nine year old was too. He is quite excited to chase moose next month and black bears next spring with it. I'll probably limit him to inside 100 yds and a broadside shot, but if that shot presents itself we'll be cutting one up.

Well, bring sharp knives.

I haven't used the 156 6.5 Oryx nearly as much as the 7mm version, but the 7mm (and 180 .30) work well enough that I certainly wouldn't hesitate to head into the bear woods with rounds loaded with the 6.5 Oryx in the magazine.

And, I've noticed SSII's can be COAL sensitive, seem to do better jumping a good bit. I've had groups shrink from 1 1/2"-2" to sub MOA by adjusting (increasing) jump.

DF

That's one of the things that's fascinating/frustrating about handloading. Few absolutes exist.

It's variables and unexpected stuff that keep Loonies going...

If it was easy, anybody could do it...

DF

Agreed.....I've found through the years, that the higher BC match bullets kill plenty well for me. A lot of this stuff is over engineered, and discussed through opinions without actual experience....Shot placement still trumps all of the other factors everytime in my humble opinion.

This thread reminds me of the common evolution of so many threads as it winds into a "this can, if" thread, where the many variables so often present in the field get 'played' by the trump card of bullet placement. What isn't so well communicated are the differences which various individuals might be exposed to and have to negotiate with varying degrees of experience and judgment. Stuff is only over-engineered if you can overlook these details.

Shot placement might be the hunter's trump card, but we don't hunt as if there are no other players at the table. Time, terrain, weather, and quarry also share the same card table, and they also hold trump cards - and none of them blink. Every hand is different, but a good hand is never a bad thing.

I like this!

The original post also specifically asked about being attacked by a bear, a situation which doesn't always allow precise bullet placement, or (perhaps) sufficient penetration with a lighter-jacketed bullet.

Thank you Mule Deer for resurrecting that part of my original question; being attacked by a bear. If i'm going after a grizzly on purpose i'm likely using my 9.3x62 though I could be persuaded to use a 6.5 with a properly constructed bullet and conditions more akin to my liking. But, when suddenly confronted by a big bear I want a bullet that is going deep and breaking stuff as it goes through.

Alan

He's as bad as a damned lawyer……sheesh, focusing on the question at hand. Thread-killer!

Geez, just because I can remember the main question in a post from almost three weeks ago....

Or was it three days ago? And what was the question again?

Guess I AM getting old!

Yep, you have a bad habit of messing up a perfectly good thread with FACTS...

Hmmm...

DF

My daughter will be shooting a moose this year with the 156 gr Norma Oryx at 3500 fps, should be a pretty good test for these tough bonded bullets, originally I had worked up a load with the 160 gr Woodleigh Weldcore at 3440 fps but the Oryx was a more accurate bullet in my 6.5 Prometheus, not concerned about bears on this hunt as it's a draw tag for cow moose in Nov Dec...... but due to the velocity of the cartridge I had to select the heaviest and toughest bullet available... I wish Swift Bullets would make a 150 gr Scirocco or a 160 gr A-Frame in 6.5mm ........

This photo does not show all available 6.5mm bullets, just some of what I have on my bullet shelf, figured I'd post it here so y'all can see the difference between the bullets.......... I did not include the HP target type bullets from Berger, Sierra, Hornady etc... Due to the nature of the original question




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Great pic.

When mono bullets are available, you don't have to worry about how tough a bonded one might be...

You also don't have to worry about them "opening too wide". (I realize that, based on my sometimes opining, that could be taken as a bad thing, but it isn't meant that way. )

LOL. I was fishing, seems like I had a bite. LOL

Hear tell it froze a bit south of you the other morning for the first time this fall. Means you've been seeing that a bit already.