Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Which 6.5CM Bullet Do You Trust....

Those weren’t as accurate in my 26 Nosler. 127 LRX was more accurate, 120 TTSX and 120 E-Tip even more accurate. The latter two were about the same at the range and on critters.

DF


Edited to add, I have not tried them in the Creed or Swede. I settled on Scenars for those two, never looked back. There were some 26 Nosler shooters here on the Fire working with Scenars. After my 240 Wby experience with the 90 gr Scenar, I was concerned about too much speed. IIRC Scenarshooter shoots the 139 Scenar around 3,200 fps with good results. That may be getting close to the max for them; I don’t know. He would.

I had excellent results with the 129 LRAB on 4 bucks last year. Closest one was probably 75+/- yards. None of the bullets were stopped, closest and biggest buck was through a front shoulder and exited on the opposite side. Nice blood trails on those that had short runs, exits looked great. Also took a coyote at probably 50 yards, it didn't move. I'm using that bullet again this year.

~125 yard exit from the 129 ABLR

Looks great JCM. Thanks.

I like 140 Ballistic tips in my 26 Nosler, they do well on deer and pigs.

At CM speeds? Dang near all of them.

Agree. Unless you really stress bullets at mega velocity, most will work OK at Creed and Swede speeds.

The 26 Nosler and 6.5-300 Wby aren't as forgiving...

DF

holy fudge, tgaht should be like tossing a hand grenade in one. I thought JB said 120 BTs where tougher than the 140s at one point. But that might have been 7mm come to think of it.

Stil dont' have a use for BTs unless driven really slowly. Like well under 3000.

Never tried the 140 NBT, but the 140 NAB works very well in the 26 Nosler.

I really like a fast mono, 120 E-Tip at 3,450 fps. It’ll go 3,500, but my rifle is near half MOA at 3,450.

It’s pretty destructive on critters at that speed, about the same damage as 140 NAB at 3,250 fps, which is almost as accurate as the 120 E-Tip. 120 TTSX has identical performance with 120 E-Tip.

DF

The one your rifle likes the best.

In my 6.5 CM, I shoot Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELDX. Incredibly accurate and deadly on game.

Reportedly the X bullet is tougher than the 140 and 147 M versions, the latter very good on WT’s.

DF

Here’s a 143 ELD X and a 147 ELD M, both out of my CM. The jugs were at 25 yards. The 143 X was 2753 start speed and the 147 averages 2775 from my gun. Both penetrated the same amount of jugs.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

143

[Linked Image]

147


[Linked Image]

I use the 147’s, but I’m just hunting deer and whatever else around here. I’m not sure I’d pick the 143 and think I’m getting a much superior bullet myself. Probably step up to something else like a Scenar or LRX.

I'd not fret the 129 LRAB a bit, and have seen nothing but good results with it, even at 2,900fps MV. A MV of 2,780 would probably stress it just a bit less. They hold together well enough for me.

Like others in the thread have said, the 143 ELD-X is showing me good things so far this year. Looks to be holding together pretty well at 2,750 but I haven't caught one yet. Damage is not excessive and is about like other makes of cup/cores at that speed, with is on par with typical 7mm-08 and .308 performance.

Another vote for the ELD-X.

I love these threads where someone asks which one of two bullets and at least half of the responses are anything but direct responses rambling all over.

JG, I loaded up some of the Scenars in my 6.5 Creedmoor, came on down to your great state and shot a very nice Axis deer. Shot him right at 100 yards. Ran a bit, but expired. Good chance when my 6.5 SAUM is done, I’ll run them in there also as my primary hunting bullet for deer, elk, etc.

May have chased a few rabbits. But, I learn stuff, even info that deviates from the straight and narrow...

When I start a thread, I don't mind some deviation for the above reason.

DF

Thanks AK. Gotta love them Axis, especially on the dinner table! Nothing better in my book. Thanks for the first hand report, as it seems to be consistent with what others have said about this 139 Scenar. I killed a few whitetail does with them last year, but nothing under 200 yds.

Johnny.... here’s a pic of a fat mule deer doe one of my boys shot with a 139 Scenar (via .260 Rem) at about 2750 fps. Shot was inside 50 yards, right through the ribs. You can see the exit in the pic, it was about the size of a quarter. Doe bolted at the shot, made it about 75 yards and piled-up. Damage to the lungs was pretty severe.

Of the two listed, I'd tend to Scenar, though I've never shot them.

We killed a Sheep, Caribou, Moose and Goat with the 143 ELDX in the this year, and I was pretty happy with the bullet performance.