Planning to jump on the 6.5 Creedmoor ship with one of the Tikka T3x Lites. For hunting, what ammo have you found to work well on deer and be accurate in these T3's? Hunting range is up to 350 yards. Also, what factory ammo have you found to be the most accurate at killing paper?

Thanks

I have only tried the Hornady GMX load in mine, and it was sub MOA. Everything else I have hand-loaded. I have read a good bit about the factory offerings. It's really no different from any other chambering. You'll have to experiment with a few to find one that your gun loves. With the Tikka and the Creed though you probably won't have to experiment much. Pick any of the hunting loads for hunting and target loads for target shooting and prepare to be thrilled with the performance.

I bought one of the Tikka rifles from the Whittaker pre-sales but had little time to shoot it before season. I bought some of the Hornady American Whitetail factory ammo and used on a pretty good buck. Sample of one but when zeroed before hunt it shot well. I'll try some handloads later but think this Hornady 129 load would be one I would be satisfied with…don't think the Tikka will disappoint. Bruce

I’d try the least expensive ammo that uses good deer bullets and shoot whichever your rifle likes best.

The aforementioned Hornady American Whitetail 129gr, the Winchester Deer Season XP 125gr (apparently performs very much like the 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip on game) and the Federal Fusion 140gr (apparently performs very much like the 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tip on game) would be where I would start.

Then find a target loading that closely matches the ballistics of whichever deer round your rifle likes and rock on.

Hornady eldx 143gr precision hunters.

I received my 6.5 creedmoor about a week before deer season, ended up using the Hornady eldx 143 precision hunter as the accurcy was all you could expect from any rifle at a 100yds. Shot two bucks at 190 & 240 yds, both one shot kills. My best reload
was IMR 4350 & 140gr Sierra Gameking. will next try 120 gr bt, don,t think I can improve upon Hornady.

I bought some cheap WW 125 grain XP hunting ammo and was surprised to see that a bunch of the bullets went through one hole out of my CTR at 100 yards. I attribute this to the NF 2.5-10 with parallax correction and the solid badger mounts, no way those cartridges could be that good on there own.

I have hunted mine a little but haven't connected on anything but a coyote at 550. I have 300 rounds or so through it and Most everything shoots well (1/2-3/4 MOA for five shots with most loads and they are holding that to at least 500). The worst for me has been Hornady American Whitetail, which is doing 1-1.25 at a hundred for five shots, which would be more than acceptable for your parameters and I would think the 129 Interlock would be a good deer bullet. 143 ELDX factory loads have been spectacular as have handloads with that bullet and 140 Bergers.

I am not sure what bullets will perform best once they hit hide yet.

Haven’t loaded for my kimber 6.5 creed yet so for deer season I bought a box of the hornady American whitetail. 129g interlocks

Couldn’t be more pleased with the performance. I shot a buck at 150-175. Right behind the shoulder, complete pass through. Never took a step.
Few days later shot a doe quartering towards me at 90 yards, entered her chest, exited left shoulder....same thing. Never took a step.

I'm using 147 ELD-M factory ammo in mine, at least for now.

It reportedly has some very good terminal performance on WT's and such.

DF

^^^This^^^

My el cheapo Ruger American Predator loves that stuff. Sub 3/4" five shot groups at 100 yards are easy to do with it.

Can someone answer me 3 questions?
#1Why did Hornady make a 143 as well as a 147gr bullet?
#2 If the M stands for match, how is it working as a game bullet?
#3 Is the Precision Hunter bullet different from the ELD X?.
powdr

Powder's post and questions got me to thinking. So in looking back. I quoted the wrong poster.

The load I'm shooting is the Factory Hornady Precision Hunter Ammo with the 143 ELD-X bullet.
Sorry for the confusion

The CM loves this ammo. I haven't had to load for mine yet because every type of ammo I try in it shoots great.

I don't have much experience other than loading and shooting them.

I'll take a shot at what I've heard. The X is a game bullet, the M, a match bullet.

I've read claims that the 147 ELD-M actually opens better on WT type game, which is what I mostly hunt.

The heavier jacketed X may perform better on bigger, tougher critters.

You can go on the Horn web site and see sections of both.

They're accuate and have good B.C's.

DF

What he said...

Do you think the ELD-X would work well on the shoulder of a WT? I like this shot on a whitetail.

Another question. I do have bear in my parts and the season does overlap a little with deer season. Will the 6.5 CM have any issues in this situation?

Any good 6.5mm hunting bullet should work on the shoulder of a Whitetail.

I’ve been hearing really good things about the 125gr Winchester Deer Season XP, the 129gr Browning BXR Matrix Tip and the 140gr Federal Fusion. I’d happily use any of these if my rifle liked them to the tune of 1 MOA.

There are many good reports on the 143gr ELD-X over in the elk hunting forum. I’m thinking a Whitetail shouldn’t be much trouble for it, nor a bear.

If you’re really worried about penetration, just shoot the Barnes 127gr LRX and be done with it.

I prefer chest shots and think the M is perfect. The X may be better with shoulder shooting WT's, although the M has good terminal performance.

Theoretically the X would probably be a better bear bullet.

If I was going to encounter a bear, I may consider the X, maybe TTSX, NPT, SSII, etc...

I'd be interested in hearing the experiences of those who have been there, done that.

DF

I've used the Hornady Superformance 129 SST on one whitetail buck at about 175 yards, tight behind the shoulder, deer went 40-50 yards.

My hunting partner has shot closer to 35-40 deer (some bucks, most doe culling) with that load out to 450 yards or so, with no problems.

He switched to the 143 ELDX and has killed about 20 more with that combo, also no problems.

Other hunting partner has killed 7 or 8 deer with the 140 ELD-M bullet with no problems.

I have a Savage BA Stealth in 6.5 and a new Remington ADL Tactical also. The Hornady Whitetail 129's didn't shoot well in the savage but will shoot MOA for 5 shots out of the Remington. Haven't killed any with this bullet yet, but have with 150 grain .308's and 130 gr in .270. Just a good all around bullet in my opinion.

I'll be hunting with the 140 ELD-M ammo as it shoots slightly better for me than the 143 ELD-X in the factory loaded ammo, but will be handloading with both of those as well, although I don't expect to better the performance I'm getting with the factory ammo. 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards with the match ammo.


For Paper, my remington shoots the Hornady Black 140 bthp ammo to the same point of impact (at 100 yards) as the 140 eldm ammo and is half inch accurate for 3 shots. I shot a 10 shot group with Hornady Black when the temps were in the low 80's and shot a quarter sized group.

Bob.

That's funny. Wonder if the rifle attributed equally...

My buddy used my rifle to take a grizzly with a 143 eldx…worked just fine…zero issues. Also worked fine on 7 caribou and 9 deer. All but 2 of the caribou where shot with hand loads, the hand loads and factory loads both shoot 5 shots into a 1/2" but the hand loads pick up another 200+ fps in velocity which stretches out how far out the bullet will still have velocity to expand.

I thought the same thing. Hell, if the cartridges weren’t “that good on their own,” no scope, mounts or rifle would be able to make them that good.

Only have used Prime ammo in mine so far. Accurate to 1000 yards for me, only taken a mule deer buck at 226 yards so far. 130 Berger OTM behind the shoulder through the heart and quarter size exit off side. DRT!

My Tikka SL does not really like the factory 143 ELDX. I’m loading for mine but they sell a 140 Accubond I think from Federal. I handload that bullet and it shoots tiny groups with it.

I like the prime ammo for shooting.

Tried it on a pig and deer. Was a little high on the pig. Broke the spine. Fell in its tracks.

Shoot the deer behind the shoulder. It ran. Zero blood. Found it by luck in a briar thicket. Not sure how it ran, after pulling the hide down. Pass thru. Jellied the insides. Still don’t understand the no blood.

So for me, no more prime for hunting

Picked up a couple of the factory barnes vor-tex LR in 127gr to try. I prefer Barnes’s ttsx in what i shoot.

So you're stopping the use of Prime for hunting after a test case of 1?

I've had strange things happen with every bullet I've ever fired at a deer. If I stopped using a bullet after 1 strange incident, I'd be out of bullets to try.

I’ve had good results with Ttsx in 7 RM. 7-08 and 35 whelen. I like a blood trail.

I’m not knocking the prime one bit. I really like them for shooting. Used them out to 1300yds. I’ll save them for that.