6.5mm copper monos for Elk - LRX vs CX vs E-tip vs CEB vs Hammer vs Lehigh

[sable tireur]

They are made to mushroom not shed. Which is not quite as good.

While you may have killed 100 head of game a year and me not so many usually, 10's of 1,000's of us have been using mushrooming bullets for more than a century with excellent results.

I've had the pleasure of using Barnes, Badlands, Hammer, Cutting Edge, Maker, and a host of others even those no longer available. When I add in the cup and core selection, the range is even broader, all without a lost animal. Bullet selection and shot placement have always been the hallmarks of a good kill.

Like many other discussions, Swift vs Partition, etc. I find it difficult to analyze all the variables which would point out the best of any of all of these. I attest to the performance in the situations I've been a part of and find very few if any that might get to that elite platform of 'best'. All have done their job satisfactorily.

Enjoy the hunt!

 

[snox801]

While you may have killed 100 head of game a year and me not so many usually, 10's of 1,000's of us have been using mushrooming bullets for more than a century with excellent results.

I've had the pleasure of using Barnes, Badlands, Hammer, Cutting Edge, Maker, and a host of others even those no longer available. When I add in the cup and core selection, the range is even broader, all without a lost animal. Bullet selection and shot placement have always been the hallmarks of a good kill.

Like many other discussions, Swift vs Partition, etc. I find it difficult to analyze all the variables which would point out the best of any of all of these. I attest to the performance in the situations I've been a part of and find very few if any that might get to that elite platform of 'best'. All have done their job satisfactorily.

Enjoy the hunt!

That is true. But I think I was trying to convey that I've personally seen better performance from others over a wide array of critters. Remember we also rode horses around for centuries and as things slowly get better we move on. In my experience much better bullets have come about. Not that doesn't mean Barnes won't slowly adjust. Whether that change will mean anything who knows. A well placed shot is always gonna be best no matter what. So it's not like they don't work.

Someone like you does go a long way. You kill your far share of critters.

 

[HARPERC]

Someone like you does go a long way. You kill your far share of critters.

Always good thoughts well articulated from @sable tireur

Like many other discussions, Swift vs Partition, etc. I find it difficult to analyze all the variables which would point out the best of any of all of these. I attest to the performance in the situations I've been a part of and find very few if any that might get to that elite platform of 'best'. All have done their job satisfactorily.

Enjoy the hunt!

Like top level athletes all can perform at a high level. Sorting the micro variables to obtain the last few per cents to elite performance is shaving a stride here and there. We won't get perfect, but the quest remains.
Best Wishes whatever you choose.

 

[huntingskydiver]

I want to pick a 6.5mm copper mono for elk and I'd like to stay under 1.42" length for 1.5 Sg in 1:9 twist in 264 Win Mag at high-altitude (6000 to 9000 feet). So that is the pre-determined criteria: .264", 1:9 twist, copper mono. I'm not considering anything outside those parameters.

There appears to be two designs: copper expanding bullets (TTSX, LRX, CX, e-Tip) and copper fragmenting bullets (Controlled Chaos, CEB, Hammer).

Because 6.5mm is regarded as marginal on elk and I'm necessarily choosing lighter bullets due to my twist rate's length limitations, I'm inclined toward the expanding bullets that retain the weight. Perhaps the shank of the fragmenting bullets maintains a sectional density equivalent to the heavier but expanded projectile. I don't know how that translates to actual results.

I see that Hammer claims on their website that their bullets need 1.5 Sg calculated at sea-level for effective terminal performance even if they're used at higher altitude. So, without more spin, does the bullet yaw and fail to open or the shank yaw and fail to exit? It looks like their adamant their bullets won't perform in my twist rate, so I'm disinclined towards the fragmenting type.

I'm inclined toward the Barnes 127 grain LRX because it has a shorter length (1.402") that will comfortably meet Miller-formula Sg of 1.5 at my altitude (I live at 5000' but the game is even higher), even in sub-zero temps, and because it's a proven-performer on elk. I already have them on back-order, but could cancel.

I used 127 grain LRX in my 6.5 creed Remington XP 100, my reloads are fairly mild, only 2500 fps out of 16" barrel. And this young cow didn't make a single step. Bang flop with behind the shoulder shot at 230ish yards. Complete pass through, massive damage. I used it on antelope at 440, another bang flop. 1600fps is minimal velocity needed for 1.7 diameter expansion. For 2.0x diameter expansion about 1800 is needed.

 

[cabelasken]

I used 127 grain LRX in my 6.5 creed Remington XP 100, my reloads are fairly mild, only 2500 fps out of 16" barrel. And this young cow didn't make a single step. Bang flop with behind the shoulder shot at 230ish yards. Complete pass through, massive damage. I used it on antelope at 440, another bang flop. 1600fps is minimal velocity needed for 1.7 diameter expansion. For 2.0x diameter expansion about 1800 is needed.

I used that same bullet for a nice wyoming buck this past season. Impact velocity was close to 2300 FPS and the buck took about 5 steps and dropped. Shot location was approximately the 2nd rib from the shoulder, just above mid section. Sta - bil 6.5 provides good velocity with the creedmore and this bullet.