These are the bullets I have on hand

143 eld-x
130 accubond
142 lr accubond
140 hornady sp interlock

I know, I know,

140 partition, Barnes 120 or 130, so on and so on.

I will be useing only what I have on hand but I do not wish to hinder any rifle loonies from commenting on there favorite bullet or what has worked for them. 😀 Please just remember to pick a recommendation for myself if possible from the bullets I have listed. ☺

I'm leaning toward either the 140 hornady sp or the 130 accubond in that order. Shots will likely be in the under 200 yd range probably closer to 100.

Thank you kindly fellas



Trystan

In the 140 grain range I would go with a bonded core bullet.

I have friends who use the 160 Gr RN from Hornady and had good luck with them, but that's not on your list

From your list, I'd probably go 140 gr. NPT.

My Swede loves the 139 gr. Scenar.

Looking at Pat (Scenarshooter) photo album of critters, I'd have to say that bullet will kill stuff.

DF

This is easy. the 140 Hornady first, then 130 Accubond.

Whatever shoots the best from your rifle would be my choice. Not a real bad pick in the bunch.

Without a doubt the Hornady, it will work fantastic at Swede velocities.

I am pushing the 130 gr AB in my Swede at about 2800. I must have some of the older ones,because they sure explode on antelope. I'd be warry of using on elk.I hear the new ones are tougher tough. That long AB sure matches that faster twist in the Swede though. Scary accurate.

Of the four you have, I'd go with the140 gr Hornady

Thanks for all the replies. Its looking like I will try the 140 Hornady based on recommendations so far. I haven't worked up a load yet but its a tikka so really not to worried. I'm thinking about trying Reloader 26 and see what happens. I'd like to see 2800 ish if possible

I already have a 130 accubond load with reloader 17 that worked great on 3 deer last year. All three passed through and offside hole were maybe a little smaller than a quarter so I'm assuming I have the tougher 130 accubonds. If the Hornady bullet for some reason doesn't pan out I will give the 130 accubond a try. There loaded to 2925 fps




Trystan

I've been mulling over a similar question for my 6.5 CM Montana. Wanting a tougher style of bullet for elk I decided to focus mainly on the 130gr AB, the 140gr AB, and the 127gr LRX. The 130gr AB didn't shoot that great in my rifle with H4350 and I can't get the LRX at my local SW, so I'm going to try loading the 140gr AB up with some of my newly acquired Reloder 16. Is there any reason you didn't look at the 140gr AB other than availability? The only elk I've shot was with a 140gr AB from a .270, and it worked well, so I figured the 140gr 6.5 AB might be a good option, but who knows.

My rifle really likes the 143gr ELDx both in factory guise, and in my handloads, but I'm afraid that if it's SST-like it might be a bit fragile for elk. I'd put one through a Muley or Speed Goat no problem though. What is the draw of the 140gr Hornady? Is it known as a fairly tough 6.5mm bullet?

Gtscotty,

I picked up my 6.5 swede last year and when I got online I found the 130 accubonds were available but didn't find the 140 accubond. I new I was only going to be hunting deer so I went ahead with the 130.

My decision to look into the Hornady SP interlock bullets came from my reading a lot of comments claiming they perform much like a Nosler Partition. When I saw the Hornady 6.5 140s were on sale for $23 per box of 100 at midway I decided I didn't want to go a lifetime without giving such a well praised bullet a go and the price was right.😀

I've already inquired awhile ago about the Hornady "SP" interlocks. This thread was to get a little more personal with the comparing of the 6.5 Hornady "SP" 140 for elk in particular. The replies were pretty much what I thought they would be but I wanted to be diligent non the less.

I've never taken an elk with a Hornady bullet so this is my chance to see what a well praised bullet will do. I've done my research and I'm confident it will end well....☺



Trystan

Choose any on your list and just plan on shooting the elk twice.......




Casey

I've used the 140g Interlock on deer from a 6.5x55, but not elk. I imagine if you place your shot well it will work as expected. But personally, if you already have a 130g Accubond clocked at 2,925 that's shown positive results on multiple deer... I think you're already where you need to be.

But elk season is a ways away and I wouldn't want to discourage a fellow reloader from tinkering with something new.

Took my elk this year with the 142 ABLR from my 264. First shot went through both shoulders. Had to give him a second one that nicked a twig and entered the ham, through the hip and stopped inside his left shoulder. What was left of the bullet weighed in a 59.9 gr.
Figured after traveling through about 4-5' of elk, that wasn't too bad.

Bbear,

As long as a bullet will penetrate shoulders I'm happy ☺

About how far away do you figure the elk was?



Trystan

Measured the carcass after it was down for good at 137.5 yards. Bullet went through the back of the blade of both shoulders. I was happy with the results.

I'll be using 127gr LRX.

When I posed a simialr question not too long ago, the 140 Interlock got a lot of votes. I also didnt have the LRX available at the time. If I didnt use that I took half a dozen deer this year with a 130gr Accubond, none of them took a step.

I took several deer last deer season with the 130 accubond and was pleased with the results. I have a suspicion I'd get a pass through on an elk useing the 130 accubond. I'm hoping to find the 140 Hornady in the hide on the offside of an elk this hunting season. I tend to subscribe to depositing all of the energy into the animal. Where I hunt elk however you have to shoot fast when you see them and who knows what angle the critter might be at. With the Barnes bullet worrying about angles is not as much of an issue. 😀



Trystan

I went to my local SW a few days ago to pick up some 140gr ABs, only to discover that they had just gotten in 3 boxes of the 127gr LRX. I picked up a box and will try pairing it with RL16. Alliant data shows a max for the 130gr TSX of 2,883 fps out of a 24" Creedmoor, so I'm hoping for a decent load at 2,850-ish fps out of my 22" barrel. I'm sure I'll wind up trying the 140gr AB a try as well, but with all the good things I've read about the 127gr LRX, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

A couple of links to the penetration tests of various 6.5 bullets fired from a Swede done by BCSteve from way back when, hope this helps.
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/4769172/1
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...s/4783400/Huge_.264_bullet_test_Part_Deu

All the bullets you listed should work fine and dandy on elk...
Back when I didn't hunt big game many a moon ago, I put in for and received a coveted Michigan elk tag. To make a long story short, I took a huge bodied bull(no mountains to climb and corn fields to raid at night) with a Hornady Light Mag 139gr SP out of my .280 with a 26" barrel. The distance was only about 100yds. Bullet ended up under the offside hide.
The point of this is if a SCREAMING 139gr. bullet of .284 can easily punch through both lungs of an elk, ANY of those 6.5 bullets with a higher SD and at a more modest velocity should punch through better. I wouldn't hesitate to use my 6.5x55 for elk if I couldn't pull the bowstring back.

Were I to use my Swede for elk, I'd have to go with my 140 gr partition load, it's very accurate and chronos just under 2800 fps, I'd want to keep my shots this side of 400 too.

200 and under, the hornady interloc
200-400 ELDX

Yep, putting mine through a22in tube as well. Hoping to hit he range this week with a few loads and the Magnetospeed. If all goes well and I find something in the .5 range I'll load up the other 200 and call it good.

Based on my experience with the 129 Interlock on deer, I would agree with this. I had almost identical results with it at over 200 and at 431 yards on two deer this last season. The bullet was found on the off side of the chest, nicely expanded. I have not used the Partition in my .260, as I do not need it for deer. From my experience with the 7 mm mag on elk, I would say that the Partition generally will penetrate a bit better than most standard bullets. The monos will be the best penetrators-generally.

As an update it just so happens that my 143 eld-x load is hitting same point of impact as my 130 accubond load out to 500 with the only difference being 1 click at 500 yds. I'm thinking I could load a mag with 130 accubonds and my spare mag with 143 eld-x just in case I am presented with a 400-500 yd ish shot. 😀

I am hoping the 140 Hornady will do the same. Finally got some Reloader 26 and my Hornady 140 sp interlocks came in so I'll find out what's what soon.

I've never hunted this way before but it makes sense as I realistically could see elk anywhere from 20 to 1000 ish yds. If I see elk at 1000 ish I will get closer.






Trystan

I wouldn't bother. That Accubond will do the job at all the reasonable ranges.

130 grain AB's shoot bugholes from my Sako 6.5x55 at a very sedate 2700. The only one I've recovered from a deer was a head on shot at 400 yards from above. It broke the spine wrecked the heart and lungs, exited the paunch and reentered to break the femur which is where I found it. I'd use it on most anything, but that's just me.

There are a lot of good 6.5mm bullets out there these days. I bought a box of the 142?gr ELD-X to try in my 6.5 Swede, if they shoot well, I think it would be fine for elk? Of course, the 140NP shoots well out of mine, so no need for another elk load, honestly.

agreed

140grn accubond at 2848fps muzzle, impact at 100yds into milk jugs filled with water, 18+ inches penetration into 4th milk jug
which caught it....ended at 85grn

So far i've had good luck with the 127gr LRX over RL16 in my Creedmoor Montana. Both 42.5gr and 43.5gr of RL16 are showing promise. While I only got to shoot one of each over the Magnetospeed, 41.5 was running ~2,840 fps, and 43.5 was running 2,890 fps out of the 22" barrel.

I've also worked on some loads for the 140gr AB, and 42.5gr RL16 will be the focus of my next test, velocites in the 2,750 fps range. I'll try to post some pics when I get back home from traveling this week.

I've had great luck with Accubonds, and even most cup and core bullets, but I've never hunted with a monolithic bullet before. If the 140gr AB winds up shooting as well as the 127gr LRX, i'm not sure which one would be the better choice for cow elk.

I took a 1000 lb bull at 400 yards this year with a 130 gr AB. Mushroomed perfectly and i recovered the bullet from under the skin on the far side. MV was 2820 fps crom my tikka. The bull made it about 10 paces and dropped. The bullet went in behind the shoulder and hit the lung.

I am very happy with the AB and the swede overall for accuracy and penetration.

Another vote for the accubonds. If those shoot well for you I wouldn't even bother with the ELDs.

Any 130 to 140 gain slug that is accurate.

140 Partition.

Sorry I didn't read the op before I posted above. Of the bullet choices 140 Hornady.

I've used the 130 accubond at 2850 fps for 3 cow elk, from 250 yds to about 350 yds. Always same result, bullet under hide on far side and one very dead elk, one ran 40 yds on a heart shot, the lung shots all dropped in less than 10 yds. The swede is easy on bullets, just pick one that's accurate, reasonably fast and go shoot your elk.

Have you had experience with the 140 grain Hornady? I have a bunch loaded, I'd sure like to hear your experience with them.

I'd personally have to see a decent sample size of high velocity impacts at closer ranges of, say 50-125 yards for me to be sold on the ELD-X. Not saying they won't be great, just unknown to me.

Accubond's are a proven killer.

right here, even if not on the list....automatic answer to that question...

Second choice for me would of course be the 140 Hornady, if it was on the list or not.

Why the need to reinvent the wheel, when there are decades long proven performers already available.

but best of luck regardless of your selection.

I thought you already had a load for that rifle that "shot too many 500-yard sub two-inch groups to count"?

Somehow, I hope your "elk hunt" goes better than "next week's shooting video"....

Not a big sample, but I know a guy that shot a big cow elk here in Nebraska at less than 100 yards. The ELD-X, from a 6.5x55 AI, exited the cow.

Skatchewan, sorry for tardy response, but yes lots lot experience with the 140gr SP Hornady. Some years ago I used it out of a 6.5x.06. I killed deer, antelope, and elk with it. I'd say took twenty or more animals with it. The bullets that I recovered all looked like the Hornady ads. What's more accuracy was great too. To be clear, today and for the past 10 years or so I've used the Nosler Partition for all of my hunting. Never the less, I consider, based on experience, the Hornady SP line to be fine bullets. BTW a younger brother of mine uses the 162gr Hornady SP out of an 7STW for all of his hunting. Which has been everything from moose to antelope. Just this year I saw him shoot a nice 6 point bull elk that went straight down at the shot. DRT The bullet broke the off side shoulder, exited and as far as I know it's still going. Hope this helps.

Thanks very much

Your dancing past the obvious choice just to be stubborn: the 140 Partition.

Why not use it and eliminate all the silly questions that are running through your head?!

You can buy a box or two of Partitions, get your load developed, then run it with 140 Hornadys for practice, as they will almost always track identical to 500 yards.

I used a 127 LRX Barnes in my 6.5-06 at 2950 fps on my BC Moose. I shot it in the head at 50 yards facing me. The bullet went thru the head under his right eye thru the spine and was found against the hide at his left shoulder. It had lost all it pedals two we found were it went thru the spine 1 was found at the shoulder with the bullet and the other penetrated between ribs and went into the lungs we didnt find it, I thought that was outstanding performance.