6.5 prc elk bullet poll!

[Hard rock]

That's funny. We spend several years here listening to people complain Berger's failed to expand and went through like an ice pick, or just blew up shallow failing to enter the body cavity with lot's of good documentation, photos, recovered bullets etc.

A properly constructed bullet used as intended will do it's job and kill effectively as long as you use them as designed and intended barring some sort of QC issue.

Understanding how bullets are designed and constructed along with understanding the characteristics of your target and it's anatomy when deciding on an intended point of aim eliminate most of those issues.

If mono's were inferior at killing, they would not be so popular with professional dangerous game guides and hunters.

From what I've seen looking at literally thousands of carcasses is that most people either don't understand the anatomy or can't hit their desired aimpoint when they are guaranteeing, "I hit him dead on the shoulder".

A little too high hittig only the top of the scapula there's just not enough tissue to damage, too low and a bullet is likely to just pass through doing very little damage and may miss the lungs entirely.

Put it through or at the top of the heart and base of the lungs or through the spine with any quality bullet and they'll drop in their tracks or move less than a hundred yards.

It always cracks me up watching "shoulder shot" videos and seeing that if anything was hit at all it was just ribs high on or even missing the lungs which can result in even a deer running a very long way or just through the meat a little forward of the heart in which case they may well survive never to be seen again.

Most hunters need to spend a lot more time studying their prey and they bullets they choose to shoot at them so they can better understand how to be effective with them.

Yes sir you are so right

 

[RogerE]

To the OP @djprice91

Would it had been a better poll if you had the Nosler 130 Accubond, Swift 130 scirocco or Sierra 130 TGK and the 123 Hammer for under 500 yds? As the Berger and Hornady are clearly designed for longer shots past 500 yds where they can take advantage of their high BC, I'm not saying they wouldn't perform at close range but it would make a better apples to apples comparison. Also I'm not saying anything negative about any of the bullets because they're ALL great bullets just designed for different applications…. this is just my opinion.

I

 

[okie man]

Partition.

 

[WYO300RUM]

You are right people think they are tanks or something. People rarely admit misses, bad shots, or bad bullet choice. A elk's shoulder blade is very thin around 2/10" thick or less depending on the size of the bull elk. I heard all the time how tough elk are. Yet with a good bullet and shot placement they go down hard and fast every time.

Every one I've shot in shoulder is DRT.

 

[WildRose]

The more I've pondered this topic the more convinced I am you need to focus on a tough, well constructed bullet designed for penetration and controlled expansion along with high retained weight.

That being the case look at any of the expanding mono's, bonded bullets like the Interbond or Accubond or compartmentalized bullets like the Swift A Frame and Partition, thence something like the old Remington Core Loct or Hornady Interlock.

Go that route and keep your shots within a reasonable range and do the best job you can of placing the shot where it will hit the most vital structures and you will have no worries.

 

[RogerE]

Assumption without any supporting evidence.

I sincerely doubt the ELDX has been the premier elk killer

 

[WildRose]

I sincerely doubt the ELDX has been the premier elk killer

It hasn't been around long enough to be.

If I were going to bet on a single bullet with that distinction it would have to be the Nosler Partition.

 

[huntsman22]

keep your shots within a reasonable range and do the best job you can of placing the shot where it will hit the most vital structures and you will have no worries.

Said every rifle hunter for the last 200 years that had to suffer round balls, conicals, plain lead, corelocts, sivertips and every other cup and core bullet invented before the advent of expanding mono's, bonded core and those vaunted compartmentalized super bullets. But I reckon all these highly evolved elk have become immune to the affects of regular, plain bullets.....

 

[WildRose]

Said every rifle hunter for the last 200 years that had to suffer round balls, conicals, plain lead, corelocts, sivertips and every other cup and core bullet invented before the advent of expanding mono's, bonded core and those vaunted compartmentalized super bullets. But I reckon all these highly evolved elk have become immune to the affects of regular, plain bullets.....

Pick a quality bullet, understand how it is designed and it's intended use, then put it in the right place with enough retained energy to do the job and they go down just fine.

Do otherwise and you're like the guy who uses a hammer for a screwdriver and then complains about the outcome.

 

[General RE LEE]

I sincerely doubt the ELDX has been the premier elk killer

That wasn't my point. I never said the ELD-X was the all time leading elk killer. I was saying the ELD-X has likely killed more elk than the Hammer Hunters or 156 EOL. A lot more people hunt with factory ammo vs handload and the Precision Hunter in 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC is way more common and available than any factory ammo offering by Berger.

 

[RogerE]

That wasn't my point. I never said the ELD-X was the all time leading elk killer. I was saying the ELD-X has likely killed more elk than the Hammer Hunters or 156 EOL. A lot more people hunt with factory ammo vs handload and the Precision Hunter in 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC is way more common and available than any factory ammo offering by Berger.

I agree with you. I was not impressed with the ELDX performance on my bull this year at a bit more than 300 yds. The cow went down satisfactorily at approximately 250 yds with no hesitation...I watched the same bullets and rifle on 2 buck WT with no complaints. I have knocked down more than several elk...a few bulls and several cows with a 6.5 .284 using the accubonds and long range Accubond with much more effective results.

 

[WildRose]

That wasn't my point. I never said the ELD-X was the all time leading elk killer. I was saying the ELD-X has likely killed more elk than the Hammer Hunters or 156 EOL. A lot more people hunt with factory ammo vs handload and the Precision Hunter in 6.5 CM and 6.5 PRC is way more common and available than any factory ammo offering by Berger.

Unless you're comparing equal points of impact and impact velocities you don't have much to go on there.

Where a bullet hits and at what velocity makes a huge difference in terminal performance.

 

[dm406]

absolutely not the 143 ELDX

 

[General RE LEE]

Unless you're comparing equal points of impact and impact velocities you don't have much to go on there.

Where a bullet hits and at what velocity makes a huge difference in terminal performance.

Did you mean to quote my post? I wasn't making a comparison of terminal performance