Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Three 6.5mm bullets, head to head for elk/deer

I've completed my accuracy testing and all three are 1/2 to 3/4 MOA shooters. Velocites are similar for the first two, 2800 fps, but the third runs 2940 fps. Quary will be elk, whitetail or mule deer in Western Montana, 1st week of their season; 3rd Saturday. Any experience with the three? Good? Bad? Success or failures?

127 LRX, .468 bc
130 AB, .488 bc
130 VLD, .552 bc

Alan

Powder and primer?

I have a friend that has had good results with the 130gr VLD on WT deer, but no idea how they will act on an elk.

The 130 VLD works perfectly on Elk as well even with velocities up to 3200fps. Have a customer that uses them in his 6.5-06AI I built and his family takes 4-5 elk a year with that rifle using the 130 VLD from ranges of point blank to 800yds.

Varget n CCI BR.

Why?

700 yds will be my limit; maybe.

Alan

I've had good luck with 140 vld on deer size game. I'm sure the 130 would offer similar results.

One would be wise to take a hard look at the 130 gr. Swift Scirocco. Secant ogive, pure copper jacket bonded to a pure lead core. .571 BC ....

...especially if your target is an elk

This bull was taken with one 130gr VLD with my .260.

I'd be interested to know your load for the LRX.

Taken 1 antelope,1 big buck,& about a dozen hogs with the 130 berger all 1 shot kills.All with a 260,from 25yrds to 510 yrds.

RS

130gr Berger VLD, one shot from 320 meters.

If you can get them to group. They're COAL sensitive like the VLD, but IME, aren't as accurate.

DF

Pat,

Would you please take a few minutes and give us some details on those two animals you've shown us; angles, animal reaction, bullet terminal results, distances? What limitations did you place on your self and why?

Grand,

36.3 gr Varget, CCI BR primer, .030" off the lands, 2805 fps av, 15 es, 4 sd, 8 shots, .65 MOA group, 24.5" 8tw Broughton 5C barrel.

Rick,

I tested what I had on hand. Maybe the Scirroco someday. Have to get ready for two hunts as well as the Utah State Sniper Shoot.

Alan

I have tested the 130 ABs on horses and they work just fine. I would trust them more for close range work than the VLD but use VLDs for most of my hunting.

Just loaded up a bunch of 140 SGKs tonight for this weekend's bear hunt. Loaded some 140 TBBCs to use if I make a stand. I'm thinking that the 260 AI will push a 140 TBBC all the way through a blackie.

I will be using the 130 Berger Hunting VLDs this year as well in my Gap Nontypical 260. It seems to like them a little. These are the very first three rounds I put through this rifle...

Just curious, I am working on 260 loads with similar game in mind.

Has anyone tried the Barnes TSX 130gr yet ? I'm thinking I'll try them in my .264 Win. Mag this year. I've always used the 125gr Nosler Partitions, up till now. They ave never failed me so far, but my longest shot has been 250 yards.

Is that my load Jamie?

Yup it sure is Pat! Only thing I did different was a CCI 250. I haven't chronoed yet, but hope to this weekend. Everything else was the same including oal.

OK, spill it, man, I have a .260 barrel on order from Bartlein and I'll need to have some rounds waiting for it........

I used 43.5gr H4350 with the 130 Berger hunting vld and a cci 250. Lapua brass.

I am pretty sure this is the load,

.308(green rifle)
155gr Lapua scenar
Lapua brass
45.5grs Varget
Wolf(Tula)LRM primer
2.810" coal
2950fps.

.260(black rifle)
130gr Berger Hunting VLD
Lapua brass
44.2grs H4350
Wolf(Tula)LRM primer
2.810" coal
3000fps.

You live in Montana (USA) why not 350 yards ?????????

Hey Scenarshooter! (and all those challenged with handloading)
Here's what the 130 Swift Scirocco does out of my .264 Winchester Magnum...





I think this is a special bullet (as told to me by a good friend, and my experience confirms it) as its construction, BC, and devastation on meat is second to none!

If you are elk hunting or any other big game hunting, the .264 mm Swift Scirocco rules!

Thanks for the load info guys

Because he prefers it?

349.76 yards actually.

....and that's at 3250.

I wouldn't think of shooting any of the bullets mentioned here which all happen to be of lesser construction, into an elk at that velocity. At the anemic velocities produced by the 6.5x47 and .260 you could probably get away with shooting a tin foil bullet like the Berger

I can confirm that the 140 SGKs are pretty hard on bears. I shot one this morning. You do have to hit the middle and not the fringes though!

GSSP:

"36.3 gr Varget, CCI BR primer, .030" off the lands, 2805 fps av, 15 es, 4 sd, 8 shots, .65 MOA group, 24.5" 8tw Broughton 5C barrel."

What cartridge are you loading for? This load seems light for velocity?

6.5x47 Lapua; the BEST of the 6.5mm's out there!

Alan

Dennis! You can't leave us hanging with that -

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...Re_Bear_season_starts_Friday#Post6779623



Go back to the original thread I had on bear season opening. and see my follow-up. I don't want to post anything more here and ruin this thread.

Not to hijack, but... That's a great muley Pat. Love to see big Montana bucks. mtmuley

I'd trust the AB most for expansion w/penetration on all shots and distances in the 47L.

Just my thinking, the LRX should do fine, but perhaps it's better close/mid range vs. further out.

The VLD, I'd avoid large bones myself and go for lungs.

The SSII's have a great reputation on impact, accuracy depends on load/rifle it seems.

No doubt the 140 Sierra is a tougher bullet and good killer vs what some might think at these speeds. Bob Tomek has taken alot of deer and hogs w/this bullet.

I'd use a 130AB and not look back at these speeds on all game and distances, just me. Accurate and lethal, nice bc/sd. Not a trendy bullet but the old 129 SP is a great all arounder and performance similar to the 125PT from what I've seen. Less bearing surface than you might think speeds are good w/it also.

Whatever you shoot Alan, if you hit a nice elk, put another thru it quick if it's not going down fast just b/c, might as well shorten any tracking job.

Good hunting this season Alan!

I like the way you think grasshopper! And your opinion that mine needed to be seated at .060" off turned out to be entirely correct thus illustrating that even the master can learn from the student!

Tell me again why "devastation on meat" is a good thing?

Here are the results from my testing at 717 yds. Conditions were pretty decent. Nothing to light wind, coming right up the canyon in my face but mostly angling from 11pm. It's a down angle but only 2 deg. Target is a 15" wide x 27" tall LV steel 1/2 silhouette. With my MSA Sordin electronic ear muffs, I can hear the clang of steel well out beyond 1000 yds. I used this instead of a paper target so I could get immediate feedback so I can go ahead and shoot a group. You may note the two holes, about the belly button, I put through the steel with 180 TSX @ 100 yds some years back. My bad!

127 LRX, 5-shots.


I had tested the 130 AB two evenings ago; .010", .030" and .050" off the lands. One of them, I think, the .010" off the lands was a keeper @ .4 MOA. But I confused my notes and wasn't sure which was which. So I decided the test the three of them today. You'll notice their is one impact mark that keeps appearing near the center of the steel. I kept it their to use as an aimpoint. With my NF 5.5-22x50 I can easily see it. Oh, and I smartened up and placed a large cardboard backer behind the steel to catch any strays.

.050" off the lands. You'll notice I got two on and three off the steel, on the cardboard.



.030" off the lands



.010" off the lands. Three together and one low.



130 VLD; Four together and one high.

Very nice, now, why don't you plug weld the holes?

Uh, don't know how. Don't have the equipment to do so. Don't know anyone who could.

Alan

Well hell Alan, if I was 1000 miles closer I would drive out and do it just to watch you shoot.

I'll try and take some pics in the am of the canyon I shoot in and post them. Another month and the Gambel oaks and quakies will be turning. Down right purdy!

Alan

Good to hear it woods! You'll never learn as much from me as I have from you!



I might have gotten carried away with that statement.

I meant that from what I have experienced, the bullet stays intact well and penetrates well. I haven't killed anything larger than a small Barbary sheep and a few coyotes with it out of my .264, but from what I see I would have no problem using it on elk at the high velocities the .264 WM produces.

It has a better BC than the other bullets mentioned, better construction than the bullets mentioned with comparable BC's, and it actually expands and holds together mushrooming larger than the monometal bullet mentioned.

At the velocities we are talking about with the 6.5x47, a monometal is unnecessary and may pencil through.

I've shot the 130 and 140 accubonds and was disappointed.

The 140's have too much bearing surface. Low velocities when pressure is found. The 130's were fair but the Swift Scirocco blew them away with BC, construction, and accuracy.

Alan,
The Barnes look good out of your rifle. And for elk, given what you have on hand, are the one to stick with IMHO.

I don't doubt that the Scirocco's a good bullet, but just curious as to how you can conclude this:



In light of this?:



The reason I ask is that the 130 Scirocco is a bullet I'm interested in for elk, just couldn't get it to shoot as good as a 140 Berger in my last .264 WM. Maybe with the new barrel that's just about done I'll give it another go.

RC - have you shot game w/the 130 AB?

Looks like the concensus still is that some bullets are fickle - heard that about the 140 AB as well as the 130 SSII's.

I am sure chamber dimensions/throat leades, twist rates, etc. matter, as does how fast your rifle/round is pushing.

I like high bc's, but running the 'highest bc bullet' is never my end goal. If it works out that they are highly accurate and do well when impacting game i.e. expansion w/penetration, then that's great.

I am sure whatever Alan uses, his knife will see service.

My conclusion is from seeing the wounds in my animals. Also from a friends experience who is a guide on his own ranch. He shot a bull elk in the head to put it down after a tracking job. They recovered the Scirocco in the skull and it was a perfect mushroom. I also hunted Oryx with him and when we were processing his bull, a Scirocco fell out from under the skin. Again, a textbook mushroom with at least 80% weight retention.

I've found them to really like a certain seating depth so I would concentrate there on a few tests before you give up.

6br,
I haven't killed anything with the 130 AB, but I had 180 out of my .300 fail and schrapnel on a mule deer on a really close shot. Bow range. They work well at rifle ranges.

A side note: I heard that Nosler toughened up the Ballistic Tips. I had an experience that confirmed it. I bet they are close in performance now to the AB. It was a good change.

I have had fantastic results with the Scirocco out of my 260 Ack, but it took a while to find the seating depth it liked. I also shoot the Scirocco out of my 6.5 Creed and they shoot 1/2 pretty consistent and with the first load I tried, may have just gotten lucky with the right depth the first time.

I shot this buck with a 6.5 130gr Accubond. Hit him through both lungs and he ran maybe 30 yards before going down. Exit wound was maybe half dollar sized.



...and this pig.



with this 6.5 130gr accubond.



The pig measured 60" from the tip of his nose to the base of his tail and 30" from the bottom of his front hoof to the top of his shoulder. Recovered the accubond from under the gristle shield on the off side.

Shot this buck with a 6.5 130gr VLD.



Very slightly quartering away at 230 yards. No exit wound and he ran maybe 50 yards give or take.

...and this coyote with a 6.5 VLD.



He was quartering to me. Bullet exited and I found a chunk of lung the size of a card deck behind the song dog.

... and this bobcat with another 6.5 130gr VLD.



He was bout 130 yards. VLD left a baseball sized exit.

...and this pig with a couple of 6.5 130gr VLDs.

[img]http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n159/Hondo64d/35f1d3e2.jpg[/img]

He jumped up in the tall grass at about 15 feet from me and I was able to get crosshairs on him by about 25 feet and put one in him. Though poorly placed, that pretty much stopped him within a few feet and I put another in him to finish. Neither exited and I did no autopsy, but he was instantly too sick to keep moving.

John

RDW,

Here ya go. Taken this am.

Alan

I either sit to the left of the sage brush or go prone to the right of the sage brush.



My set up at 717 yds. I can get out to 950, may 980.



Looking the other way towards where I shoot from.

That is beautiful and depressing at the same time...

Unbelievably beautiful rifle range you got there Alan!

All Summer, while my 14yr old son has not been in school (sleeping in), I could run up while the roosters were crowing, and shoot some . Though I always had to be home by 9 since I have to get my wife, up, fed, dressed and off to dialysis. Most folks can't wait 'til schools back in session.....Not me! Now, I have to get him up by 6 or 7 am to get him out the door by 7:30 Now, I'll likely only get to shoot on Saturday mornings

Alan

Nice pics Alan, hate to know what your range fees are

Hondo- also great pics, my go to bullet is the 130AB, but I have a box of hunting vlds to try on a deer. Good reports on them for deer, esp. thru lungs.

Prob try VLD, 129SST after that, and 120 TTSX, just because I like to learn - and on deer I might add.

Still prefer the 130AB for all around, as I'd as soon hit deer at long range thru lungs (where you need expansion) or an elk at close range thru shoulder if necessary. A 125 Partition would also do fine, but AB might trump a little in stats.

No flies on the 130gr Accubond. On the same day I killed the animals pictured above, I also killed these:







Got pass throughs with about quarter to half dollar sized exits on them. That big black monster in my previous post was the only one to stop a 130gr Accubond, and he stopped two of them.

John

John, everytime I see those pics, 2 things come to mind, why I sold my 1885 in 243, and why I passed on a couple of beautiful 260s I could have had for under $700 yrs ago....

I think I hesitated b/c the Browning specs showed twist rates of either 9 or 10" though later found out they shoot fine w/129s and 130s, all you need.

Enjoy the pics of your hunts and rifle. They are handy deadly works of art, and hunting tools.

Wish Browning still mfg vs Winchester, and the wood quality was like the original. I could do w/a satin finish as the gloss is almost too pretty to hunt with

Surprised you needed 2 bullets on that hog, probably just to do the humane thing and finish the job fast, the right thing.

Actually used two accubonds on two of those pigs. One of them was not needed, but just insurance. That one (the top one in the above post) went down immediately for a few seconds then got back up and started running so I hit him again. He would have died quickly, had I let him, as I had put the first accubond through both lungs, but pigs are just dang tough...

The second shot on the black one was definitely needed. He was running straight away from me at 200 yards when I caught him directly in the poop chute. He went down in the hind quarters immediately, allowing me to catch up to him. When I did, he was up on his front legs popping his very large tusks at me and I put another through him broadside. That is the one I recovered.

Here's a couple of more I shot with 115gr VLDs from my .257 Wby. I hit the top one broadside through both lungs at (IIRC) a bit under two hundred yards. He went maybe twenty yards, leaving a massive blood trail. The other was running dead away from me at over two hundred yards and I put a 115gr VLD directly in her poop chute and she went down immediately. Very dead by the time I got to her...





John

Awesome pictures of all the animals!

Good luck GSSP, looks like your rifle is shooting really well! Good luck with it.

I didnt' like the 130 AB's so much. I used the 130 gr. Matrix Bonded FB last year to take a WT buck,MV was about 3050 and hit him inside 100 yards...two holes and good amount of damage (high double lung shot). Deer piled 20-30 yards away. This is in a 6.5-06 .

130's???????

Sorry. Yes, 130 gr.

Alan

Northcoast, like to hear about the game you have shot, where hit, and what the outcome was using the Accubonds.

John, I'd done the same thing, good on you for following up quick. No big love for hogs, but I don't watch anything linger after hit either. Nice scope, specs? Thanks.

Alan, hope all is well sir.

I dont' have a problem with AB's on game, my barrel just didnt' shoot them as well so they didnt' get to go on my hunting trip !

Cliff,

In a bit of a quandry. When developing my 130 VLD load this spring for the light Pierce in 6.5x47, I ran could not get the 130 Hunting so opted instead for the 130 Target version. That's what I've been shooting all Spring and Summer. Now, i'm getting advice to not use the Target version for hunting since the jacket is heavier (which I knew) and reliable opening at LR could be compromised. I've now got some Hunting 130's and a few more boxes inbound. Out of curiosity, I measure the bearing surface with two Horndady 6.5mm comparators and find that the Target version is .023" longer. I then measure from the base of the bullet to the front of the bearing surface and sure enough; .023" longer for the Target version. I'd read they were identical bullets but the caliper doesn't lie. In the next few weeks after I compete in the Utah State Sniper Shoot, 8-9 Sept, I'll see how my accuracy is. Might have to tweek the load/seating depth to regain the accuracy.

Alan

PS. How's the weather?

Thanks!!

I'm working on the 130 NAB for the 6.5X47L in my stable.

When it comes together it'll go Elk hunting.