6.5 prc elk bullets

[Hard rock]

This past year I've started shooting the 121 and 131gn Hammers in my 6.5 Swede (9:1) and 6.5 Creed (7.5:1), and both bullets shoot great in both guns. The 121 is great on deer and antelope, and the 131 performed great on a cow elk at 478 yds. I've used 140-170gn Bergers and AB's for the same in the past. I'm loving these hammers!

Hammer bullets are the best of both worlds ,as they shed the petals and the shank penetrates through muscle and bone . There will be minimal blood shot or loss of meat , no matter where your shot is with the same terminal performance from point blank too 1800 fps impact velocity. Another plus is you can order them today and get them in a few days . I would like too know the availability of all above mentioned bullets out of curiosity. I have most of those bullets before the component shortage 143 gr eldx 129 gr ablr accubonds etc , discovered Hammer bullets and everytime I ordered a bullet I decided on , they were at my door step in a few days , and it is still that way . I don't know how they keep up with the supply and demand . My next choice would be the Accubond then the ELDX.

 

[Damage Inc.]

Seen a few elk killed with 127 LRX via .260 and 6.5 Creed from 60 to 500+ yards… none of them took a single step after impact. The big cow at 500+ dropped in her tracks, after that bullet went through about 4' of elk and exited for parts unknown.

I've been impressed with the LRX on everything from coyotes to elk.

 

[bigngreen]

Last guy we allowed to shoot an elk with a 127 LRX through the lungs was at a couple hundred, finally killed her after she made it almost a 1000 yards around a basin, she held the LRX like a boss, not so much a 215 Berger!!
That was the final straw with the 127 had a couple good ones but the average was not good.
Went a dozen straight single shot clean kills with the 140 Berger that were loaded for that rifle on elk and a few deer.

 

[dogz]

Hey all,
I'm new to the forum and new to reloading. I just bought a proof MPR in 6.5prc with a 24" barrel and 1:7.5 twist. I have all the components to reload my own stuff. I'll be hunting mostly mulies but also would like to be able to hunt elk. The biggest question right now is what projectiles to load to make effective and ethical kill on elk. Max effective range I'm looking for is probably 500 yards and under. I have a bunch of Berger 156 EOL. Should I look for something with a bonded core? Thoughts and experiences welcomed. Thanks!

Lots of good bullets to pick from so I'd give a few a try and let the gun tell you what it likes...

 

[Hard rock]

Last guy we allowed to shoot an elk with a 127 LRX through the lungs was at a couple hundred, finally killed her after she made it almost a 1000 yards around a basin, she held the LRX like a boss, not so much a 215 Berger!!
That was the final straw with the 127 had a couple good ones but the average was not good.
Went a dozen straight single shot clean kills with the 140 Berger that were loaded for that rifle on elk and a few deer.

Not knowing the details , my analogy would be it was a high lung shot ,with a impact velocity too low or right on the edge of being too low for that bullet too have good terminal performance . If that 140 gr Berger was shot into the shoulder of that elk you might not ever find it . Personally I don't like lung shots on any game animal , but if you do be ready for the animal too run until the lungs collapse.

 

[bigngreen]

Not knowing the details , my analogy would be it was a high lung shot ,with a impact velocity too low or right on the edge of being too low for that bullet too have good terminal performance . If that 140 gr Berger was shot into the shoulder of that elk you might not ever find it . Personally I don't like lung shots on any game animal , but if you do be ready for the animal too run until the lungs collapse.

No speeds were just fine just normal function of a Barnes, I've seen cow elk hold their feet for 45 min before laying down when shot through the lungs with them. Same shot with a 130 or 140 Berger will yield death in seconds, same results with a 124 Hammer.
Percentage wise I've had a higher percentage of Bergers make it through an elk front shoulder than Barnes or Accubonds. I've shot enough elk with higher velocity 6.5s and 140 Bergers right through the heaviest shoulder bone to know they'll do it fine.
I used to shoulder shoot with Barnes, after two years shooting elk on an open field we found its actually a much lower percentage of recovery per shot than a cup and core through the lungs. I've seen as high as 30% of shoulder shots with hard monos or bonded bullets will fail to penetrate into the chest of an elk when hit in the shoulder.
By far the most common wounding we'll see on elk coming out of the mountains will be the shoulder shot.
I'm confident in a 338 of the RUM+ size and a 300 gr bullet if needing to consistently roll elk by hitting them through the shoulders.
The softer monos like Hammers or Cutting edge get through at a very high percentage as well.
The reason to change from shoulder to lungs is when they go down they go down because they have no blood to run on and you can see it happen. A shoulder shot you don't know why they went down, I've wacked elk in the shoulder had their feet come up to their bellies and bounce them of the ground only to see them fighting to their feet 20 min later. We used to carry 22lr pistols to dispatch elk when we got to them and they were just broken in the front end or spine, bulls are a little sketchy to do with a knife, even a cow will smoke you hard with their head if your not careful when dispatching them.

 

[cjl2010]

Wife shot a bull at 670 last year with 140 Berger hvld at 2830 fps. Both bullets behind the shoulder. Both bullets exited. We also killed 5 deer with the 140. Pretty deadly bullet for us.

 

[bigngreen]

Wife shot a bull at 670 last year with 140 Berger hvld at 2830 fps. Both bullets behind the shoulder. Both bullets exited. We also killed 5 deer with the 140. Pretty deadly bullet for us.

We've caught a couple, one in an elk I hit running on a hard quarter dead through the center of the shoulder, wrecking the whole front of her chest cavity and ending up half way up her neck on the of side. The other two were a frontal shot on an Alaskan bull moose that we found in the back flank and on the same moose on the of side of the neck after smashing through it.
The 140 Berger is in my top 5 for best hunting bullets I've seen!

 

[Hard rock]

We've caught a couple, one in an elk I hit running on a hard quarter dead through the center of the shoulder, wrecking the whole front of her chest cavity and ending up half way up her neck on the of side. The other two were a frontal shot on an Alaskan bull moose that we found in the back flank and on the same moose on the of side of the neck after smashing through it.
The 140 Berger is in my top 5 for best hunting bullets I've seen!

We've caught a couple, one in an elk I hit running on a hard quarter dead through the center of the shoulder, wrecking the whole front of her chest cavity and ending up half way up her neck on the of side. The other two were a frontal shot on an Alaskan bull moose that we found in the back flank and on the same moose on the of side of the neck after smashing through it.
The 140 Berger is in my top 5 for best hunting bullets I've seen!

Sounds like you have had plenty of experience and knows what works best I've only used the Hammers on deer , so far so good ,

 

[WYO300RUM]

I'd never use a 6.5 Berger bullet 140 to 156 on an elk. I don't want to take the chance. I've killed them with 7mm and 30 cal bullets of different kinds. Barnes and Nosler. I'd have no problem shooting a 30 cal. 215 Berger on an elk. Maybe 6.5 156 but a shot at heart. Barnes or Hammer will penetrate shoulder into lungs and bust shoulder down and they are down right there. I like Bergers but I know what I want an elk to do when I hit it. DRT. And yes Berger blood shot a lot of meat in calibers below .284. I know. Been there done that. Only Berger if use on elk is 185 to 215 .30 cal. If I got bone. I know at least I have some penetration. I don't like to hope that with 6.5 mm. I'd never rely on a 140 gr. Berger on elk. Marginal.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Elk have big lungs and big heart . They can go quite aways when shot there. Bust a shoulder they they are done right there. Dirt knap. I'm not woried about losing a pound of shoulder compared to track and pack an elk farther . Those who like the"crease" shot on elk have fun with that.
I should post when drinking... Crease shots are great too. Done many . On deer and lope.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Sounds like you have had plenty of experience and knows what works best I've only used the Hammers on deer , so far so good ,

 

[bigngreen]

I used to have a set of pics just of 140 Bergers through elk shoulders but I lost a lot of my photos on a drive I can't access to anymore, they work just fine I still am always ready for a second shot regardless of what I'm shooting but my confidence is high with the 140, more so than the 215 honestly but similar to the 230.

Elk do not get far with a shot to the crease mid way up or lower, that's where we have kids shoot elk with a 223, they are not very tough to kill with a lung hit, they need a LOT of air to move that much body. I've tracked down a lot more elk shoulder hit than I have lung hit!!

 

[WYO300RUM]

I used to have a set of pics just of 140 Bergers through elk shoulders but I lost a lot of my photos on a drive I can't access to anymore, they work just fine I still am always ready for a second shot regardless of what I'm shooting but my confidence is high with the 140, more so than the 215 honestly but similar to the 230.

Elk do not get far with a shot to the crease mid way up or lower, that's where we have kids shoot elk with a 223, they are not very tough to kill with a lung hit, they need a LOT of air to move that much body. I've tracked down a lot more elk shoulder hit than I have lung hit!!

I'll take a 30 cal 215 hybrid over a 6.5 140 VLD any day.