6.5 prc elk bullets

[coop2564]

These bullet post are always fascinating in that so many people have bad luck with the same bullet that so many people have good luck with!
For Elk my theory is use controlled expansion bullet and shoot until they fall or are out of site. And if later you should have exit for blood trailing.
Per OP 500yd limit. I would use 140gr. Accubond or LRX127 Barnes

 

[Joefrazell]

II's. I have even more kills with them where they performed flawlessly but those three, especially the last one turned me off of them permanently.

Do you think it was a bad run of them?

 

[WildRose]

Do you think it was a bad run of them?

Honestly I had the same problem with 3 different SiroccoII's fired in the 300wm, 7mm STW, and 260 Rem.

I had never seen a bullet flatten out like that and turn 90 deg or better in my entire life till then.

I hit a little WT buck at 200yds with the .260AR running about 2750mv. I shot a tad low right below the heart, the bullet flattened out like a half dollar when it hit the top of the sternum and went spinning up through the heart/lungs and stuck in the spine.

We never recovered the bullet from the Blue Wildebeest because it shot out the top of his left shoulder after being put low into the crease as his body was angled slightly away but his head turning towards me.


What it did to the Wart Hog is still completely inexplicable, but it looked like someone had run a knife down her length after it contacted the shoulder.

My friend/PH took my rifle, dumped the ammo on the ground and said, "Tomorrow we'll get you some ammo with proper bullets, that thing is going to get us killed with these".

I haven't shot them since at anything but coyotes and smaller hogs just to burn off my remaining stock.

 

[Joefrazell]

Honestly I had the same problem with 3 different SiroccoII's fired in the 300wm, 7mm STW, and 260 Rem.

I had never seen a bullet flatten out like that and turn 90 deg or better in my entire life till then.

I hit a little WT buck at 200yds with the .260AR running about 2750mv. I shot a tad low right below the heart, the bullet flattened out like a half dollar when it hit the top of the sternum and went spinning up through the heart/lungs and stuck in the spine.

We never recovered the bullet from the Blue Wildebeest because it shot out the top of his left shoulder after being put low into the crease as his body was angled slightly away but his head turning towards me.


What it did to the Wart Hog is still completely inexplicable, but it looked like someone had run a knife down her length after it contacted the shoulder.

My friend/PH took my rifle, dumped the ammo on the ground and said, "Tomorrow we'll get you some ammo with proper bullets, that thing is going to get us killed with these".

I haven't shot them since at anything but coyotes and smaller hogs just to burn off my remaining stock.

That's wild! Great info though

 

[laker]

We've killed quite a few cows and bulls with 140 grain Berger vld with zero drama. One killed with a 156 Berger as well and no issues.

 

[Txcowboy50]

Has anyone loaded the 129 absolute hammers or the 131 hammer hunter for elk? They booth look like a good choice?

 

[Hard rock]

Has anyone loaded the 129 absolute hammers or the 131 hammer hunter for elk? They booth look like a good choice?

They should work well , make sure you have the right twist rate for those bullets .The 131 gr needs a 1-7.5 twist rate I'm not sure about the 129 of the top of my head , but look up any hammer your going too load and it will specify the recommended min twist rate , go by the recommended twist and your good too go The most popular 6.5 Hammer is the 124 gr Hammer Hunter it is a proven bullet that's taken many different species of game recommended twist 1-8 . They will penetrate flesh and bones on some tough game most of the time they will exit at a minimum of 1800 fps impact vel.

 

[Txcowboy50]

They should work well , make sure you have the right twist rate for those bullets .The 131 gr needs a 1-7.5 twist rate I'm not sure about the 129 of the top of my head , but look up any hammer your going too load and it will specify the recommended min twist rate , go by the recommended twist and your good too go The most popular 6.5 Hammer is the 124 gr Hammer Hunter it is a proven bullet that's taken many different species of game recommended twist 1-8 . They will penetrate flesh and bones on some tough game most of the time they will exit at a minimum of 1800 fps impact vel.

Thanks, I have a 1-7.5 proof barrel and have been shooting Barnes 156. Would like to try the 129 absolute hammers but can not find any starting load data. From hammers website these are running 200 ft/sec faster than the standard hammers...I am an experienced reloader...but would still like a starting point.

 

[VO2MaxFF]

All of the Hammer bullets I've tried have all been accurate . So far I've loaded them in both of my 6.5-284s 1-9 twist 121gr Hammer Hunters , The 131gr Hammer in one of my 6.5PRCS 1-7.5 twist , the 124 Hammer hunter 123gr absolute and the 109 gr absolute in my 1-8 twist 6.5 Prc . I have also loaded the 90 gr absolute Hammers in my 25-284 .The all are shooting under .75 on a bad day . There is a lot of load info on this site , look up the Hammer Hunter and the Absolute Hammer load data the members here have compiled over several years .I've been loading for 60 yrs and have never seen another bullet easier too work a load for .

Have had the same experience loading Hammer bullets… not nearly as sensitive to seating depth as a Nosler ABLR or Berger VLD in my experience

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

My hunting partner for over 20 years carried only one rifle and we hunted Canada- Alaska- US Mid-west and NE . Did Elk, Rams, Goats, Mule deer, Moose, Caribou, and all the other's in the states. His was a Win Model 70 Westerner in 264 Win mag using Nosler 130 and or 140 gr. and he cleaned house with that round one shot one kill and I seen some super shots he took with it. and how the bullets performed. I finally went out and built a 264 and love it.