Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Minimum velocity for Scenars

I am currently loading up some 139 Scenars in my 260 Rem. Looks like I can expect around 2700-2750 fps with my set-up. I am trying to get a handle on how far that combo will be lethal on whitetails. I know some of you all have shot Scenars a pretty far piece with good success. So where in your experience is a good place to put the minimum fps to still get decent expansion/ penetration?

I’d like to hear folks experience as well. Got 250’s in my 338. Be nice to hear where they stop expansion.

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Okie John

I'm curious about this also. I've taken mule deer and whitetails from 30 yds to +/- 300 yds with the 6.5/139 Scenar with excellent results. At 300 yds, I'm in the 2200 fps range at impact, but don't have experience further out at lower impact velocities.

I've shot a couple of truck loads of Whitetails and Pigs and Exotics with Scenars from the length of a corn cob to of a 3/4 mile, never had one fail me they kill like lighting, mine leave the barrel at 3050 fps I have no idea how fast they are going when they get they get there and i don't care as long as they do the job and they do.

You can analyze this Schitt to death, and never kill a thing, load up and go shoot something you won't be disappointed. Rio7

Not saying this isn't a good topic or thread, but if you go over to the "Deceased Via Scenar" thread, and look at Scenarshooter's photos and descriptions, it's pretty easy to deduce impact velocities with the information (cartridge, bullet, range) Pat provides. Ditto other's posts.

From guys experience with 139’s out of the 6.5x47 in New Zealand.

It’s strength is raw accuracy and toughness..

If I had to absolutely anchor a tahr at 250 yards or he’s gonna become unrecoverable then 139 is the call.. where in inverse at 600 I’m going with the 140eld

Where’s the crossover? Past history tells me that 2300fps range is the area..


Minimum velocity is a strange spot to accurately pin down without a fairly large sample size for that exact bullet

What the bullet hits plays some role in this figure.. probably so does twist rate and throat smoothness aka integrity or jacket and in general what that exact meplat looks like.


One part of your question gives pause tho.. you ask about minimum velocity for expansion/penetration..

There hasn’t been a time across a huge number of critters that penetration has been a problem with match bullets at distance. maybe the Amax, but getting good bullet upset is a lot more of a problem at distance then penetration. I haven’t caught a 108gr eld-m, 103gr eld-x, 200gr eld-x, 145gr eld-x, 208gr amax, 150gr eld-x, 162gr eld-m, 77gr tmk, 75gr eld-m, 130gr Sst beyond 350 yards. Critters include, mule deer, whitetail, elk, stag, tahr, antelope, chamois, goats, Sitka blacktail and some others I’m forgetting. I wasn’t the trigger puller on moose, caribou, black bear on longer shots but I was spotting shot and helped pack critter out.

That’s match bullet wise.. 130 core-lots. 180 accubonds, 165interlocks are even more problematic at distance.


That’s a dang long winded answer for a bullet I’ve never used, and don’t have an answer for where the bullet fails to upset.. But my surfing buddy in kaikoura New Zealand (a Māori guy) keeps his farm pest free with a 139gr scenar at 2675.. 500lb plus stags to pigs, goats and occasional mission to the main divide for cham and stag. It’s a good bullet, but tough. Aim accordingly. Aim in like an arrow up close, catch bone at distance. Eat venison

Good info ND. Thank you.

I had a 300 grain Scenar come unglued at 1980 fps estimated. So they work lower than you might expect

Recover any pieces of it? What did it hit?

Hit the top of the hind quarter of an elk and ranged into the chest. Lost about ¼ of the hind. I was surprised. Did not find anything.

Thanks for the info.