Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Crazy good accuracy w 123 Amax, 6.5 SAUM

I loaded up about 6 or 7 123 Amax bullets w 61 gr H1000, pushing them 3130 fps in my SAUM. This bullet shot so tight, I am tempted to hunt smallish Alabama whitetail with it. Sub 1/2” groups at 100yrds. 6 of 7 went .360”
Any one here deer hunt w 6.5 cal, 123 gr. A Max bullets?

I have shot several Coues bucks here in Arizona with 123 gr. Amax bullets started at about 3050 fps from my 6.5- 06. Now that they are discontinued, I have had the same great results with 130 ELDs. It takes a lot of distance before the 140s will beat them in either velocity or wind drift.

As far as i know, The ELD-Match is nothing more than the old Amax with a new more temperature resistant plastic tip replacing the old Amax tip... So the 6.5 123 gr Amax = The 6.5 123 gr ELD-Match, save for the tip...

I believe you are correct about that. I switched to the 130s because that's what Brunos had in stock and they shot at least as well as the 123s did.

My son has killed a couple of really nice mule deer bucks with his 260 Rem and 130 ELDM's, which are practically the same thing without Hornady's mystical melting tips. Muzzle velocity almost 2800fps. My pea sized brain says to be skeptical of these types of bullets at closer ranges with hyper velocity cartridges. I have no evidence to back that up.

When using target bullets for hunting go heavier. The 140 amax,eld is a known killer. The 123 is pretty lightly constructed and more suited for grendel velocities imho. It doesnt take 3/8 moa to kill a deer so don't get hung up on that.

I have a pair of 260 AI's that I shot quite a few deer and antelope with using the 123 A-MAX and 123 SST.

They work very well and I never could tell any difference in the way they took game. No difference in accuracy either, both shot well under MOA and could mix and match as they shot to the same POA.

I believe there are far better bullet options. I’d pass on the 123 Amax at that velocity even if it was a one hole shooter.

Terminal performance always trumps a slight edge in accuracy.

A lot will depend on the operating distance and deer size. It took a large Coues buck to stop this one under opposite hide at a distance of about 350 yards. Several other bucks had pass troughs. 6.5-06 MV 3050fps.

I never saw a problem... but I sure saw a major increase in the bullet price, when they came up with a solution to a problem I never witnessed...

Funny how that happens...

hmm, I bet they would be a laser on coyotes. I might have to try some in my SAUM.

Likely wont be too kind to the Pelts, If that's a concern...