Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Bullet Opinion? .264 129 sp or SSR 130 TGK

I used to believe that and was a big fan until I realized they change them dramatically from lot to lot over the years. We sanded a few different lots down and they had totally different jacket thicknesses and the interlock rings were in completely different places. I used to load them for different friends for a cheaper all around hunting bullet.

Then about 15 years ago SPS had nosler partition seconds for cheaper than I could buy interlocks. Since then if a friend wants me to load them some hunting ammo for up to moderate range I just load them the partition 2nds. I've mostly used higher bc stuff for myself over the last few decades.

I was working up some loads for my new to me m70 30-06 last night and almost loaded some 200g partitions. But I compromised and went with 200g accubonds to pick up a little bc and some 190g ablrs for even a bit more bc.

Bb

Ditto.

When I got my 6.5CM I tried most of the plastic tipped bullets at the range (100/120gn Ballistic Tip, 123/129gn SST, 130gn Sierra Gamechanger, 130gn Accubond etc.). However, when I went to take it out after a fallow deer I chose the 129gn Hornady SP. They are a good reliable hunting bullet on medium deer and pig sized game.

I've used them a lot on deer. The largest mule deer I've taken so far was a DRT, after taking one of those through the boiler room. What the 130 grain.277 will do so will the 129 grain .264 do. Same, same.

The 140 TGKs worked great for me for broadside shots on whitetails. I used HSM’s 6.5 CM factory load.

Expat

I’m a bit surprised nobody has mentioned Barnes LRX yet. I live in California, so had to come up with a new bullet for my .264, since we have to shoot lead free bullets. I was shooting Nosler ABLR’s but switched to the 127 grain Barnes LRX. My load is 65.0 grains of Reloader 26 which gives me 3,220 fps. In my rifle I get groups of 0.35” and excellent performance on game.

I bought a bunch of pulled 127g lrxs from our firemember in Arizona that sells pulled bullets. I've been thinking about trying them in my 700 cdl sf 264 win mag. They probably hit pretty hard at those speeds. I once loaded 120g nbts in it over 7828 and had them going 3450. I took them rock chuck hunting and it was like fireworks.

Bb

Let us know how the 127 LRX works. Barnes specs say 1:8" twist or faster. If the Remmy has a 1:9.25, you may be outta luck.

I've settled on the 130 grain AB as my medium game bullet of choice in the 260 and 6.5 CM.

Barnes twist suggestions are like those of other bullet manufacturers--they're for the "worst" conditions, such as cold temperatures at sea level. Higher altitudes make a BIG difference.

Plus, some twist calculators count the length of plastic tips in overall length, and it's been demonstrated many times that such tips have very little effect, since they're so light. JBM Ballistics' formula takes that into account.

The 129 grain SP I have used over the last 30+ years took a caribou at 415 yards in the early 90's and it expanded out there pretty well when started at 2900fps in a 6.5 Rem Mag. It also killed very well with caribou at closer range right down to 50 yards. In my newest Remington 600 it shoots better groups than anything else and is averaging well under MOA out to 425 yards at the range. Only 2775fps in the 18.5" barrel but it shoots really well. I haven't tried the 130 Tipped Game King the original poster talked about but 130 grain Sierra HPBT hunting bullets shoot almost as well as the Hornady with the same powder charge of IMR 4831. I am less confident in the ability of the Sierra HPBT bullet to open up consistently at long range based on previous use however. The 140 grain Speer Hot Core is also a shooter. Twist is a relatively slow 1-9" in the old 600 but those Remington barrels seem to shoot really well from that era! It isn't doing as well with anything with a plastic tip but I think that has more to do with rifle variability than twist rate, as some of these bullets worked well in other 6.5 Rem Mags in 600 and 660's and a Ruger from the past. You have to try them and see it seems.