Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters What's the difference 6.5mm .264 123 gr A-MAX and the 120?

This one made me laugh. Thanks.
As I have always said. "If you aim at nothing, you will probably hit it."

I have set a goal. It may be achievable. To me it's worth trying. At this point I'm gathering information and I'm not willing to settle for 5 out of 6.

I'm asking for a lot and I'll have fun achieving it.

Thanks for adding perspective.

Jim

Disintegrating NBTs are what got me onto this quest. I am running 120NBTs just a touch over 3000 and shot three deer this year without an exit. Got the deer ok but I want an exit.

Jim

Succinct articulation. Thanks.

I'm making up a small poster with those words and putting it over my reloading bench. That would normally take about a hundred words or more for me to say. Your question encapsulates all that I'm looking for in this project.

Thanks
Jim

Pefacing this by saying I haven't used them.
My thought is that the Amax isn't the right bullet for your project. I base that just on what I've read about them.

Though it isn't exactly the same, I've had good luck getting exits on deer and antelope with the 100gr interlock in 25cal out of my 250Savage at 3000fps. Occasionally, after hitting bones, I've had them separate from the jacket and not give exits but it's the exception not the rule. And, that has always been on a hard angle shot. For what it's worth.

The lighter weight 6.5s lack BCs, toughness or both. It's a missing niche. No other small calibers have such a dearth of low SD big game bullets.

Nosler took the 7mm 140 BT jacket and used it in the 120 BT, just wishing they'd do the same in 6.5mm. Use the 6.5mm 120 BT jacket and make it a 100-108 using the ABLR nose and tail profile. They could bond it but it wouldn't be necessary. The BC could be in the low to mid .4 range.

I bought the 260 for versatility but I rarely use the long range potential other than reaching across clearcuts. Most of the time I'd settle for emulating the 250 Savage or Roberts with a good BC, tough 100 ish gr bullet.

I'll be ordering some 108 Scenars and see how they do on blacktail.

You may want to consider the 123 gr SST. According to their website, the "interlock" feature and tougher jacket might do what you are looking for. They also offer a 6.5 120 gr GMX you may want to consider. My experience with their GMX bullets is with the 139 gr 7mm bullet in my 7mm08. I wish I could show a perfect mushroom with one....but all animals shot were complete pass thru's with good size exit holes...even a 290 lb feral hog shot with a quartering away shot behind shoulder and thru the off shoulder...a pretty tough penetration test :-)

Scott

Just know that the 123 SSTs only Interlock is in the cannelure. The jacket is thin, straight, untapered. Now Hornady does know how to make tough bullets in this style so the proof is in the shooting but I wouldn't describe this 123 as being "tough".

Because of the high BCs either one would make great practice bullets for the 129 ABLR. And at over a hundred yards if you have time to drop one in the chamber you can save a few pennies with one. The SST expands and penetrates very well at Grendel speeds, the A-MAX will work slower still.

I have a box of the 123 SSTs, they are cheap. I think I'll load some at 2700ish and see how they do. Heck I might even use em all up that way.

I would look at the 129 grain interlock. You may give up a little velocity, but it will expand and exit for you, I
bet. I think it would do very well for your hunting conditions.

Lot of options and only you know what appeals to you. do you shoot through the shoulders or only take double lung shots? That makes a difference choosing a bullet.

I've had good luck with the 100g Partition. About 3,300 fps, quarter size entrance hole and holf dollar exit hole......and you always get an exit (at least I've not seen on stopped).

For 120g bullets, the 120g Nosler BT worked well on the deer I've killed with it. Like you mention, you don't always get an exit.

Drop your velocity expectations by 75fps and shoot the 125g Partition. I've hear some describe it as tough though (I've never used it).

I also like the 120g ProHunter from Sierra. Similar to a BT but cheaper, accurate too,.....and maybe a hair tougher. I've had it exit most of the time. Not a boattail bullet so BC drops a little but won't shed it's core as easily as a boattail.

I'm going to try the Nosler LRAB just to see how well they work. Hoping the jacket that upsets at lower velocity works ok at close range (where the bulk of my shots are). I'm guessing it will at 2,900 fps from my 260AI.

I've not tried the Nosler 100g BT on deer except in a reduced recoil load for my daughter (2 deer). It seems tough for low velocity. After reading Barsness opinion about the 25cal 100g BT performance out of the 25-06, I'm thinking the 100g BT would work great out of a 260 Rem. He said most of the weight is in the jacket of this lighter bullet so even if it sheds all it's core it typically retains enough weight to exit. I'll bet that's true of the 26 cal version as well. 100g BT at 3,200-3,300 fps should be good double-lung medicine (shot I usually take).

For standard cup and core bullet, what's wrong with the 129g spire point from Hornady? Shoot it at 2,850-2,900 fps instead of 3,000......big deal. For that matter, what's wwrong with the 129g SST?

Hogwild

As Azar noted:



That's my goal.

I don't specifically NEED each of these to kill deer. There certainly is a plethora of bullets to choose from which would work just fine. However, I have a particular goal. I was not expecting this volume of response when I began this thread. For sure, the input is appreciated.

So, how do I reach the goal?

Thanks
Jim

Try the Sierra 120g Pro Hunter.

SuperT already told you.

120gr TTSX = Exit

Here are some thoughts from a .260 Rem fan. I've been using it exclusively on deer for the last several years and have been very happy with it. I started with the 120 gr. Nosler BT at close to 3000 fps. Killed a couple, one near (100 yds), one far (over 400). Got an exit on both, very dead deer, more meat damage than I really wanted. Next year I tried the 130 AB, killed a couple, again, more meat damage than I wanted, exits on both. Next year I tried 140 gr. Partition. Made two less than ideal shot angle, one head on, one cleaning up my brother-in-law's botched shot. Both around 200 yds. Head penetrated through and through, the other was severe quartering away - in one ham, recovered bullet in the neck, running deer piled up instantly. I had one more bullet I wanted to try, the 129 gr. Hornady Interlock SP. Here is the Goldilocks favorite. Velocity at 2850, accuracy consistently around 1/2 MOA in two different guns - Ruger M77 and TC Encore pistol (17" MGM barrel) with the exact same powder charge - 44 gr. IMR 4350. I've used it the last two years and have killed five deer ranging from 125 yds to 453 yds. All one shot kills. I've "caught" two of them, but both shots were over 300 yds out. Otherwise full penetration and a blood trail that a blind quadripalegic could have followed. BC isn't the highest out there, but the terminal performance is stellar. My dad watched four of the deer get shot and just shakes his head in amazement when he watched the on-game performance and then upon skinning, we discover that the meat damage is very, very minimal. He's a .30-06 guy, thinks it is a minimum for deer, unless you're using a .308 or .243 for kids or women. He poo-pooed my .260 Rem choice at first - it was driven by shoulder pain that I ended up having surgery on - but I liked the performance and lack of recoil so much that I've stuck with it. Give up the 3000 fps goal (or get a different 6.5mm chambering) and try the 129 gr. Interlock. It has been stellar for me, though I'll be using the 120 gr. Nosler BT next fall out of my pistol to see if it does better at the lower velocity (2650 fps instead of 2950).

Hey, hold on! You changed it! You snuck another qualifier in there.

I think you may have painted yourself into the proverbial corner. Asking a 120g 6.5mm bullet to reach 3,000 fps out of 6.5x55, be a non-premium, and always exit is asking a bit too much IMO. You are asking for performance so specific out of a specific cartrdige that I don't think you are going to find a single poster that has had this exact experience.

If it must be a 120g C&C that always exits there is no other path to take but that of personal trial and error.

You have various 120 grain cup and core 6.5mm bullets:
120g Remington Core-Lokt
120g Speer HotCor
120g Sierra ProHunter
  OR If you want to try a target bullet (I'd imagine even less chance of exit with these than a regular big game bullet)
120g Hornady A-Max
120g Sierra MatchKing
120g Berger Target
120g Lapua Scenar-L
  OR with a 123g bullet
123g Hornady SST
123g Hornady A-Max
123g Lapua Scenar
123g Sierra MatchKing
123g Nosler Custom Competition

Personally, I'd imagine the first three typical C&C hunting bullets would be the most likely to give you exits (no bullet is going to exit 100% of the time though).

Start loading! Let us know when you find the right fairy dust holy grail bullet.

Azar

Thanks again for checking in again.

I don't remember saying "always." In fact I intentionally avoided it. Know better. There are not many absolutes in this hobby. "Always" is not something that could be guaranteed from my 300 Win but it could be expected. It would be the norm. I'm betting that the old Sweed can do it too. With CC.

120 qualifier;
At this point when I get above 120 - 125 then I can't reach the 3000fps without running up the pressures beyond where I'm comfortable.

120g Remington Core-Lokt!
Duhh, Why Not. I never gave it a bit of consideration. Didn't even think of it. That old bullet has been whacking them for years. It's the classic CC. I load them in a 308 for a friend who prefers them.

I think my goal is doable.
I think that I'll "find the right fairy dust holy grail bullet."

Appreciated.

Jim

Good luck! Let us know what you find.

Yep for your parameters, I'd look a the 120CL,I'm thinking it was developed for the 6.5 Rem Mag. It's not a fancy boutique, but it's always worked and exited for me when I've used them.

AJD

OOPS!
I forgot to ask Azar where to buy the 120grain Remington Core-Lokt .264 (6.5) bullets. HMMMM?

Jim

Well?