123 eld-m on deer, anyone use them?

[MachV]

The 123eldx has put down a few antalope over 400 yards out of the CZ527 in 6.5 Grendel. The 6.5 Sweede has done just as well with the 143s. The Sweede however bucks the wind better and packs more punch.
Have some 110GS bullets that have yet find a load good enough to hunt with

 

[Flatbow]

Have any of you tried reloaded 16? Supose to be very temp. Stable. Its burn rate is around that of R15 and 17 so probably not considered a cool powder?
I have been trying it out in my CM and so far very happy with the limited time I have had with it.

Lapua sp brass, 43gr R16 behind a 143 ELDx.
2800 fps through a 22 " tube. Sub moa and still fine tuning.
This is through a 4lb 13z kimber mtn rifle. 7lb total wt. With scope sling and cheek pouch with 6 extra rounds of amo (10 total).

 

[smokey3]

It a comes Down to a ethical kill . Not the kill you intend on but the one you don't , like if the animal takes a step at shot break or the bullet glances of a stick half way between you and your target that you didn't see and hits the deer 6-8" OR MORE over from your point of aim . If you end up hitting the deer in the shoulder or hip bone unintentionally, you need to have a primium bonded or solid hunting bullet that will hold up , not a lite target bullet with a very thin jacket . ELD-m is a target bullet , ELD-X is for hunting although they don't make a hunting x that lite. There are other premium bonded or solid Bullets in that weight range that are good hunting Bullets , the lighter bullet for hunting you use , the better it needs to be !! I'm guessing your not looking for a high BC bullet or you would be in the heavier bullet range. I had a 10 year disagreement with a very close friend about nosler balistic tip Bullets . They shoot VERY well and that's really attractive but then there is the moral side but they are JUNK for hunting . He shoots factory Ammo w/Nosler balistic tips and I put him on his biggest mule deer at 75 yards with a rem 7mm , he got buck feaver , made a HORRIBLE shot and hit the deer in the right hip , the deer flopped around for 1 min before we had a angle on a CLEAN ethical shot that I made to dispatch the animal and end its suffering !! It looked like u put a M -80 under its skin and blew out meat the size of your fist onlybout 4 " deep , didn't even break the bone ! I made it very abrupt and told him THAT's why you shoot a primium Bullet or solids ! He has ever since . The primium hunting bullet in a tragic shot would have went all the way threw cousing fatal damage although not ideal of course . We were lucky we were able to get a follow up shot and the deer didn't run off and take days to die if it was not trackable ( It can and does happen ) I'm not trying to tell anyone what is rite or wrong , I'm just telling you becouse it was a terrible thing and absolutely unintended and I'd like to minimize that situation all I can by spreading the word . It's troubling how much is said on this site alone about guys using target Bullets for hunting , even worse , light target Bullets on bigger game like elk .....

I used Nosler BT bullets years ago, until I had a bad experience on black bear with 140 gr out of a 7mm. I still have some ballistic tips but only punch paper with them now. They tend to blow up in my experience and waste a lot of meat.

 

[257Tony]

I have family over there. Do you hunt out on the Bookclifs?

We hunt out in Nine Mile.

 

[Flinginlead]

So turning a 6.5x47 into my dedicated deer gun for back home when I visit in SC. I am wanting to run a lighter bullet as this is a 21" barrel for running a can. Was thinking at heaviest 130 Berger hybrids but would like to run the 123 eldm for the speed. Just a guess but 350 yds would be pushing it as it's a pretty thick place where I hunt and most shots are 100 yds and in. Anyone used the 123 eldm on deer? Thanks fellows.

What do you figure your velocities w would be

 

[Remmy700]

Don't really know I would think I should be able to at least break the 2900-2950 mark.

 

[Tikkashooter]

Don't really know I would think I should be able to at least break the 2900-2950 mark.

My 20" barrel 260 rem shoots them at 2960 just fyi

 

[.300 Dakota]

I cannot speak for 123gr ELD-M, but I can say that 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tips have proven unbeatable in 6.5x47, 6.5x284, and 6.5x55 on whitetail in the types of areas you speak of. Slightly less BC than the Hornady, but will be slightly faster to make up for that at the ranges you speak of. I have yet to have a whitetail or mule deer get out of it's tracks more than 5 yards between the ranges of 50 - 150 yards. All one-shot stops. They always travel all the way though both shoulders and either exit or lodge under the skin on the off side. 50% or better weight retention. Velocities between 2800 and 3300 fps at the muzzle shows no difference in performance.

 

[Jared2700]

We hunt out in Nine Mile.

Great to hunt in untell it get wet then you have one sloppy mess. I pulled quite a few trucks out of mud holes over there. Have you ever been out to wood tick point?

 

[cajun]

If I'm not mistaken the 123 gr sst was made specifically for the grendel. So I personally would not use either bullet at 2800-3000 fps. The 129 gr sst is a little tougher bullet and would be more appropiate for the velocity.
This is a long read but excellent info. Scroll down to the hand loading section.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/6.5x55.html

 

[Benman73]

Have any of you tried reloaded 16? Supose to be very temp. Stable. Its burn rate is around that of R15 and 17 so probably not considered a cool powder?
I have been trying it out in my CM and so far very happy with the limited time I have had with it.

Lapua sp brass, 43gr R16 behind a 143 ELDx.
2800 fps through a 22 " tube. Sub moa and still fine tuning.
This is through a 4lb 13z kimber mtn rifle. 7lb total wt. With scope sling and cheek pouch with 6 extra rounds of amo (10 total).

I use RL-16 almost exclusively in my 6.5x47 when shooting 147 ELD-M's. 39.2 grains push them a bit over 2700 out of my 24" barrel. Low ES and they consistently group around 3/4" at 100 yards for ten shots. (I know this is not bugholes, but they are very good to 1000 and are always in stock at the local Sportsman's Warehouse, and I am not a benchrest shooter.) I have not noticed any temp inconsistency with RL-16 but I don't shoot much, if any, in the summer. This combo had a lower ES than H4350 with about the same accuracy. I have no idea if the powder burns cooler than others.

I recently began experimenting with the 123 ELD-M's in the 6.5x47 because I now have access to a private 500 yard range, and the 123's are good enough for 500 and they are easier to spot impacts and misses with versus the 147's. Varget worked well, but I found that anywhere between 37.5-38.0 grains of RL-15 is even more accurate and I happen to have an 8 pound jug of it sitting around. Velocity is 2875-2950 depending on how much is used. It was interesting to read the hunting results here. I dug through the soil where I was missing a golf ball at 500 this weekend and managed to recover four of the 123's. There was no lead to be found, only crumpled jackets, but I guess hitting dirt can do this, even if they are only traveling about 2100 feet per second at that point. I think I would choose the 147's over the 123's if I were to ever take this 17 pound chassis rifle deer hunting.

 

[CaptainBLW]

tt

 

[ncwg2boatguy]

I Have a 16.5" Heavy barrel 6.5x47L with a can.
I am shooting A 123 eldm for hunting.
2795 fps with 38.3 gr varget with cci 450 primers,
per my labradar. (This is my rifle so proceed carefully)
Avgs. less than .4 moa.

Deer and hogs are DRT.
Of course I break their spines.

Capt Ben

Old thread Capt, but I am in same mind set. Retired 28.5 yrs Military. 18.5" suppressed 6.5 lapua. How much jump did your like with 123s?
Jim.

 

[Benman73]

So turning a 6.5x47 into my dedicated deer gun for back home when I visit in SC. I am wanting to run a lighter bullet as this is a 21" barrel for running a can. Was thinking at heaviest 130 Berger hybrids but would like to run the 123 eldm for the speed. Just a guess but 350 yds would be pushing it as it's a pretty thick place where I hunt and most shots are 100 yds and in. Anyone used the 123 eldm on deer? Thanks fellows.

I shot one doe in the backyard with the 123 ELD-M using my 6.5x47. Range was around 80 yards or so. Muzzle velocity is 2950ish. Deer made it about 20 yards and dropped. Massive damage inside the chest cavity.