Best 6.5 CM Hunting Bullet for Moderate Long Range Distances

Peter Morton said:
How are you defining "point blank"?
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Just saying I've shot deer and hogs under 100 yards. An elk this year at 863. And mule deer in the 900's. I've never had bad bullet performance and everything has been a one shot kill, except the elk this year. He stood there long enough for me to put another one in him, both were double lung pass throughs.
 
Last season we lazed a bedded elk at 467 yards. I turned to my hunting partner and traded rifles - my 6.5 CM for his 6.5 PRC, both using factory 143 grain ELD-X. Waited the elk out and dropped it with no fuss, no drama.
 
MoreSalsa said:
I'm not currently handloading, so I want the bullet in a factory load.
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That's probably going to limit you to the Barnes LRX options and possibly Hornady Precision Hunter or Outfitter lines with the GMX or their newer bullet and possibly some offerings from Nosler and Federal.

There aren't just a whole lot of avialbable options in Factory Ammo using Lead Free bullets.

I have had good luck with Barnes Factory Ammo in the past shooting the TTSX but beyond 300yds I'd definitely prefer something like the LRX if you can find it.
 
MoreSalsa said:
For my 6.5 creedmoor, I plan to use some monolithic bullet loads as my go-to for medium big game (deer, antelope, hogs). My one concern is that it looks like below 2,000 fps, you start to run into expansion problems, and with my 24'' barrel, I'm guessing most loads will hit that threshold before 400 yards. So, I'm thinking about trying to decide on a (lead) option for longer ranges when I'm not in a lead-free-only area. I'd like it to be something with good weight retention, and definitely not anything prone to fragmentation (I like my meat without lead). High BC would also be preferable since this is longer ranges.

I have been able to get a few boxes of Barnes Vor-Tx LR, so maybe that drops the threshold down a few hundred fps. But from what I've seen, I'd still be reluctant to trust those bullets out much farther than 400 yards.

I won't be taking any super long shots, so this question is really about the 300-something to 500-something yard range. At that point, the bullet is running out of energy anyway.

I'm not currently handloading, so I want the bullet in a factory load.

I know that there are a lot of bullets that will do the job (ELDX, partitions to name a few), but not sure what the best options are for what I describe as of 2022.
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Buy hollow points reload them to max fps shoot anywhere you like...my dad did that and my 22-250 dropped deer drt.
WildRose said:
Real world testing on game shows that not to be accurate. In fact, they perform better beyond 250yds consistently as enough energy has bled off to keep them from shelling out inside or blowing up shallow.

They have the crimped in "ring" that is supposed to reduce or prevent bullet separation at high velocity on impact but it is nowhere near as reliable as
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N
WildRose said:
bonding the core to the jacket as with the Accubond and Accubond LR
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JAYgs8163 said:
He's not looking for a Lead free option as I read it. Quote below.

"So, I'm thinking about trying to decide on a (lead) option for longer ranges when I'm not in a lead-free-only area."
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You made me look again. Well done.

That takes me back to Hornady Outfitter or Precision Hunter but with the ELD-X.
 
MoreSalsa said:
For my 6.5 creedmoor, I plan to use some monolithic bullet loads as my go-to for medium big game (deer, antelope, hogs). My one concern is that it looks like below 2,000 fps, you start to run into expansion problems, and with my 24'' barrel, I'm guessing most loads will hit that threshold before 400 yards. So, I'm thinking about trying to decide on a (lead) option for longer ranges when I'm not in a lead-free-only area. I'd like it to be something with good weight retention, and definitely not anything prone to fragmentation (I like my meat without lead). High BC would also be preferable since this is longer ranges.

I have been able to get a few boxes of Barnes Vor-Tx LR, so maybe that drops the threshold down a few hundred fps. But from what I've seen, I'd still be reluctant to trust those bullets out much farther than 400 yards.

I won't be taking any super long shots, so this question is really about the 300-something to 500-something yard range. At that point, the bullet is running out of energy anyway.

I'm not currently handloading, so I want the bullet in a factory load.

I know that there are a lot of bullets that will do the job (ELDX, partitions to name a few), but not sure what the best options are for what I describe as of 2022.
Click to expand...
IMG_9781.jpg
 
John215 said:
Just saying I've shot deer and hogs under 100 yards. An elk this year at 863. And mule deer in the 900's. I've never had bad bullet performance and everything has been a one shot kill, except the elk this year. He stood there long enough for me to put another one in him, both were double lung pass throughs.
Click to expand...

863 with a Creedmoor at what elevation?
 

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