6.5 PRC as a ELR antelope cartridge?

[LongProng]

The 143 ELDX are absolutely fantastic on antelope. I've been using them in my 6.5-06 AI which should have similar performance to your 6.5 PRC. I'm sending the 143's at 3150 fps. Super accurate and perfect terminal performance from 100 out to 450 (would be longer if the shot ever presented itself). I used to use the Berger VLD hunting, but expansion has been unreliable for me in the 100-300 range.

Cheers!

 

[Yeager]

Just bought a 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro rifle (24" barrel version).

After having quite successfully used my 6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle at 1,100 yards on our club's steel range I now can say that the 6.5 PRC in my X-Bolt is even more amazing for shots over 1,000 yards as well as fighting our pernicious and unpredictable desert winds.

So... that said I'm thinking I can use Hornady's new 153 gr. A-Tip (machined aluminum tip) on antelope at over 1,000 yards. (IF I can ever find any, that is!)

Any comments on this round or Hornady's 143 gr. ELD-X ammo for ELR on antelope or coyotes?

Eric B.
BTW, The scope is a Bushnell Elite LRTS 4.5 - 18 x 44 W/G3 illuminated mil reticle.

 

[Yeager]

I am currently shooting 110 Gr A-tip in my 6MM Creed, and it performs quite well. However, You might want to check terminal ballistic performance at 100 yds and 500 yards, or more, before using it for hunting. Some target bullets work well for hunting, others do not. If you find some ones study, that answers that question, please let me know. Have fun!

 

[Danehunter]

LongProng,
I've got 3 1/2 boxes of Hornady 6.5 PRC 143 gr. Precision Hunter (ELD-X) and my new rifle seems to like them even better than the 6.5 CM X-Bolt liked the 143 ELD-X 6.5 CM ammo.
Maybe its the faster 1:7 twist in the 6.5 PRC.
(Or maybe I'm just getting better and better... but not according to my wife, natch)

In any case your results with the 143 gr. ELD-X are encouraging so I'll try them.

Eric B.

 

[Bravo 4]

Thanks Cody, I wasn't referring to your comment. This is an ELR forum and guys are kinda crapping on his thread. Bothers me a bit is all, especially when one was just posted about a young lady taking an animal at quite a bit more range. Same guys didn't comment about that, got something against an old man (really old!) shooting closer?
He hasn't even attempted the shot, just asking about equipment.
I do agree about the bullet selection, but then again to prove something first you have to attempt. I will say that I won't be using them anytime soon.

 

[Kimber7man]

The GAP guys tested the Atip on several antelope last year. Worked well based on their pictures. Both the 6mm 110 grain and 6.5mm 135 grain.

 

[codyadams]

The GAP guys tested the Atip on several antelope last year. Worked well based on their pictures. Both the 6mm 110 grain and 6.5mm 135 grain.

Is there a thread or something on it? I would like to see it, that sounds encouraging.

To the op, the 6.5 PRC would be plenty for pronghorn way out there, according to my current atmosphere here in Wyoming, the 156 eol @ 3000 fps maintains enough velocity to properly expand out to between 1500 and 1600 yards. The 143 eld-x @ 3050 would run out of velocity between 1300 and 1400 yards, so plenty to really reach out and poke something!!! Go for it, but try to get a phone scope and video it, I love watching a bullet take one second plus to reach a critter!!!

 

[Gregg C]

I would like to clarify, I have no issue with anyone taking or attempting to take an animal way way out there, I was just wanting to point out bullet selection for doing so. Hopefully the A tips work great, I have just heard rumors about harder alloys and a lack of expansion, and for elr that isn't good, one would want to lean more towards a light built bullet that will certainly expand when you reach the minimum threshold of velocity. And I agree, tip material doesn't really mean anything, we as hunters know that aluminum tips work, they have used them long before long range hunting was really a thing. It's just the rest of the bullet design in question, for now. But hunting season is quickly approaching!! As of the 15th of this month, I have two doe pronghorn that will be test subjects for the 156 Berger. Hoping I can test them on one closeish and another going to try around 1000 or a little over to see how the bullet does. Then my wife has 2 more tags, and my niece has 2 more tags ha ha.

BTW Bravo, the offer on that hunt is still open, anytime your able to make it!

A quick question, please. Are those over the counter tags ?

 

[LongProng]

LongProng,
I've got 3 1/2 boxes of Hornady 6.5 PRC 143 gr. Precision Hunter (ELD-X) and my new rifle seems to like them even better than the 6.5 CM X-Bolt liked the 143 ELD-X 6.5 CM ammo.
Maybe its the faster 1:7 twist in the 6.5 PRC.
(Or maybe I'm just getting better and better... but not according to my wife, natch)

In any case your results with the 143 gr. ELD-X are encouraging so I'll try them.

Eric B.

Litehiker,

You aren't the only one getting good results from that ammo. My brother bought 5 boxes of it for his 28 Nosler just because he needed casings, and the price was right at less than $50 a box. It was shooting sub .5 moa so he quickly decided to just use them rather than working up loads.

 

[codyadams]

A quick question, please. Are those over the counter tags ?

Nope, all application. However for residents it's a 100% draw success for certain areas.

 

[Danehunter]

It will be interesting to see if Hornady's new 6.5 mm, 153 gr. A-Tip match ammo will work on light skinned big game like deer and antelope. It is reportedly very accurate.

Unlike the ELD-X (EXPANDING) bullets this e A-Tip bullets have no tapered jacket thickness nor internal cannelure to ****** expansion and retain bullet weight.

Eric B.

 

[can1010]

I have spent some time with the 153 a-tip working on expansion and seeing how they will hold together. running them between 2975-3050 in my 6.5 prc and expansion is not reliable only 2 out of 20 ever expanded even shooting through milk jugs filled with water. they penciled through the first and started to tumble in second and recovered from dirt mound the were bent and flat depending how they hit the mound but not expanding. the 2 that exploded the milk jugs looked like 143 eldx would.
even know they are very accurate I wont be using them for hunting

testing was done at 100 yds. as distance increases and velocity slows it will get worse

 

[Yeager]

I have spent some time with the 153 a-tip working on expansion and seeing how they will hold together. running them between 2975-3050 in my 6.5 prc and expansion is not reliable only 2 out of 20 ever expanded even shooting through milk jugs filled with water. they penciled through the first and started to tumble in second and recovered from dirt mound the were bent and flat depending how they hit the mound but not expanding. the 2 that exploded the milk jugs looked like 143 eldx would.
even know they are very accurate I wont be using them for hunting

testing was done at 100 yds. as distance increases and velocity slows it will get worse

 

[Yeager]

Thanks for the info. Now, if some one could do a 500 yd gel test, the info would become more complete. At this point, I will not use A-tip for hunting. Boy, do they shoot well in my 6MM. Maybe P-dogs??