I'am wondering which would work better, the Hornady 129gr.
SST or the Sierra 130gr HPGK.?

Thanks,
jr1968.

You live in New York. Presuming you hunt North Eastern also that says woods to broken woods. 129 grain interlock will work just fine. You don't need fancy to kill a deer no matter what all the marketing hype says.

A bud uses both. Excellent results on our Midwestern whitetails.

100 grain Partition?

120 grain BT?

125 grain Partition?

130 grain AB?

120 Barnes

Any of them will work. I use 100 TTSX's out of my 6.5x47L and have great results.

My son is liking 142 grain bullets in his. I forget if they are ABLR or what but I think he is going to hunt deer with that load.

My preferred bullet is the 129 Interlock. It shoots 1/2-moa in my .260 and smucks deer. I would take the Sierra over the SST, though, I will not load SST bullets for anything but varmints.

It is hard to beat Nosler bullets also. I would definitely pick them over the Sierras, if they shoot OK in your rifle.

Nosler 120 gr BT

The 100 TTSX has provided better results for me in a 260 than the 120. Used the 6.5 100 TTSX on about 15 deer and pigs, and one coyote over two seasons. 100% have dropped where they stood, and all exited. The recoil is mild, but the animals look like they were struck by lightening. Most distances are 75 - 150 yards. The longest was 212, closest was 25 yards. Also, the TTSX's in either weight do not cause a bunch of bloodshot meat. This rifle and bullet combo is the one that usually is my first choice now. MV is 3100 fps from a 22", 1:9" 260.

Here is entry behind one leg, exit forward of the opposite leg for the 100 TTSX:

Let me tell you where you're wrong bro. You see you need that super $2 a shot bullet with its plastic tip, bonding and boat tail to kill a deer.

What you don't know is that the cup and core SP bullet that killed them fine for most of a century simply bounces off deer today.

4x4 pickup with all-terrain tires-$$$$$
Gas at 12 mpg to feed the pickup on hunting trips-$$$
Fancy rifle-$$$
Fancy scope-$$$
Fancy binos-$$$
Latest sooper dooper super dry/warm hunting clothes-$$$
Latest sooper dooper boots layered with fleece from the scrotum of a yearling camel-$$$

Extra 50 cents for a premium bullet--OH MY GAWD!!!!I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE WASTING MONEY LIKE THAT!!!!!

I hunt on the cheap. Same hunting clothes the last 20 years. Yes they are ragged but they still work. Regular truck I use all the time. Boots 8 years old. Batteries is about all I buy yearly. I do treat myself to a new rifle once and a while, like the 1895 Marlin I just got. Had it not been for Ohio changing the law I'd still be using the 870 I've used for 15 years.

Same batch of slugs almost as long. I scooped them up post season on sale and sat on them. I think I have 30 rounds left.


I admit, I'm a cheap bastard.

I use 130 AB in my 6.5x47 Lapua. I figure it will work for any BG I plan to ever chase with it (up to elk). KISS method of one load for it all.

I like the ttsx in mine.
And in my 35 whelen.
And in my 7mm rm
And in my 7mm-08.

Also the 127 lrx.

I have been using a Creed for deer for the last couple of years and have shot one with a 120 bt and a couple each with the 129 Hornady and 130 AB (both new and factory seconds). I haven't been able to tell the difference yet and haven't recovered one yet.

As far as the expensive bullet goes, price does matter if you are going to go through a couple hundred every year. I know you can shoot cheap and hunt with the top end bullet, but the change in POI can be a PITA ( especially if there are a half dozen rifles to rezero and confirm come september) and if you have one load every shot you take all summer long is validation you rig is all set to go for the season. I have shot northforks in a few rifles, super accurate, great terminal performance, but blowing through 300 during the summer would hurt. Of course with Nosler seconds you get the best both worlds.

Huh? When did interlocks start costing $2 a piece,BRO?

You forgot the 4-wheeler!! You can't hunt deer without a 4-wheeler!

I was being sarcastic. Interlocks go for about 28 cents apiece.
Fancy stuff going three times that.

Costs vary widely. A quick look at Midway, if I didn't overlook something, showed a lowest 6.5 bullet price of $.21 (Nosler Custom Competition, in bulk - on sale) and a highest of $1.22 (Cutting Edge Match Tactical). Something like the Hornady ELD-x is $.33. Something mid-range price wise for "300 during the summer" would be a difference of $36 between the ELD-x and cheapest. Difference between the cheapest and most expensive for that number would be $303.

I like one load and leave it for a rifle as well. Considering price and performance (especially on deer) I have a hard time not looking at Hornady first for most bullets.

The 129 SP not SST is a great gold standard, especially in short actioned rounds.

Penetration, expansion, and retention tests show its neck and neck with the 125 Partition. Very accurate. Deadly. Dual diameter can add less friction for a nominal increase in MV. Let's say up to 100fps for weight.

Personally I load 130 Accubonds in my 47 Lapua but the following are my next choices.

130 Berger
120 BT
100/120 TTSX

The first two might edge out a 129 in accuracy. The mono is unleaded.

In factory ammo, the 129 SP or the 140 Amax would be my choice.

In my 6.5x55 I've used a lot of different bullets for deer & pigs since 2004 starting with 120gr. NBT all the way up to 156gr. Norma RN and they have all worked.
Being frugal I have purchased bulk 140gr. Rem. PSP-CLKT and 140gr. Speer spritzers and they've been flawless.
I take full advantage of the SPS and procure my 120gr NBT and 130gr NAB when available.
I could hunt the remainder of my life shooting the 120gr NBT, 129gr Hornady Spire Point and the 130gr NAB out of my Tikka T3 Hunter in 6.5x55mm at deer and pigs and want for nothing.

StarchedCover

I've used 120 BT, 100 BT, 125 Partition, 140 Partition, 130 AB, and 129 Hornady Interlock on mule deer and whitetails. I have 500 Hornady Interlock bullets on my shelf. They are MONEY and both .260 Remingtons that I use prefer them to anything else. Terminal performance on game is perfection.

I go through thousands a year, bulk packaging, shooters pro shop, and powder valley are my friends. I bang away with ballistic tips, matchkings, or Amaxs/Vmaxs. I hunt big game with Barnes TTSX's or accubonds. I don't have a problem changing scope settings, that's what the twisty/clicky things on the top and side are for. I don't shoot my big game rifles that much though, the bulk of my shooting is .223, 22-250, and 6BR and those are cheap to shoot.

4-wheeler my a$$, gotta have a side by side now!

When I stop to buy gas at Bucee's in Luling, TX, during deer season, I am embarrassed by my 4 wheeler in the trailer. I see lots of side by sides that cost as much as my truck!

The looney in me likes to shoot and work up loads for the fancy ELD'S ABLR ect. But I realize that at the 400 yards maybe 500 in a perfect situation that I'll take a shot at game animals they really offer no advantage. There are however Campfire members that are excellent shooters and can really use the advantages those $2.00 a shot bullets.

Well, no one put in a plug for the 160gr Hornady RN Bet it would kill a deer! :-)

My experience exactly. Sub-moa at 200 yards @ 3010 fps in my .260.

28lx,

Where are you buying ELD's and ABLR's for $2 apiece?

Or are you using $100 a pound powder and primers that cost 50 cents each?

John

I'm not It was a tongue and cheek reply. I don't find the cost of the ELD-X bullets prohibitive in the 100 count boxes. It is true I don't shoot at 800 yards regularly but I'm currently working with the 162's in my 7 Rem Mag 143's in my 6.5-06 and starting on load work up with the 150's in the 7-08.

My long time favorite bullet in my 6.5x55 has been the 140 grain Sierra Gameking. Has been a very good bullet though I don't use it on elk.

I am a big fan of the 140 grain Gameking as well. I actually found that the 120 grain Pro Hunter shoots even better. This is in the 6.5x55 Swede.

28lx,

DUH! I should have guessed.

Just got in a bunch of different ELD-X's to try....

OK whats your loads for the 6.5 CM and 127 LRX please.

in my 260, the plain old 100 grain Ballistic Tip has worked just fine... bang flop...

and so was the Hornady 100 grain SP before they quit making that one....

also the Sierra 100 grain HP has worked just fine, kinda bang flop with those also....

all of those bullets have taken them down from 100 to 300+ yds....

some leaving the Muzzle at 2200 fps, and some leaving it 3350 fps....just depending on the distance I was hunting... woods or open country...

Are you hunting little southern tier banks or Canadian border docks?
Ive shot a lot heavy deer up north that just live long enough to get like that downstate. Big Bear upstate too. I call north upstate.

My CM is new project, 700 SA/#2 SS Shilen, no blood yet.

If it kills as well as it shoots, it'll do just fine.

Pat likes Scenars, this gun does, too.

We'll see what WT's and hogs think of them...

DF

I live and hunt in the southern tier.

jr1968.

Mine also is at its best with 123 Scenars and Varget, I load a bit more than you are using.

It's almost unbelievable how well my Creedmoor shoots the 123 Scenars, too. The 120 ScenarL is great, but not quite as good as the 123. I've not hunted any big game with the Scenars. Can't quite get myself to do it, at least at present. Speer Hot Cores work very well for my bg hunting with the Creedmoor. So do lots of options, really.

Well I been shooting a lot of deer over the years with 120 gr Speer SP's out of a 6.5 x 55 here in CT! Good accuracy and performs just fine on the local White Tails!

How much more?

DF

+1.

And I'd really have to have a grudge against the varmints.
Far too many options from which to choose to justify using an SST. OMMV.

I'm partial to the 130 Accubond.

For deer, pretty much anything suitable, right behind the front elbow.

I gave up on SST's several years ago. They were accurate but terminal performance was inconsistent. Sometime they'd blow up, sometimes they'd pencil thru. There are better choices, IMO.

DF

Do deer have a back elbow? 😄

Just shoot the front one...

DF

For years I shot 129 Horn. spire point, and 125 Nosler partition in my 6.5 swede.
The spire points had a slight edge on the Nosler, but both shot under an inch,
Both killed deer as dead as my .300 mag.
I think someone on here said you don't need to get fancy to kill a deer. Any modern 6.5 bullet placed accurately will kill deer like double forked lightin'.

+1 on the SST's if I really want to make a mess of something I will use SST's but if it's something I'm going to eat, not happening.

I like the 100 grain TTSX and Varget in the Creedmore for Deer.

Killed several pigs by the green feeder with the 120 Barnes. Blew through both shoulders.

I use 140 gr Hornady Interlock and never lost a deer with them. Always get a complete pass through so I've never recovered any bullets to check expansion.