Lighter or Heavier bullet

[dk17hmr]

As I previously stated I have 122s load for a 6.5 Magnum for this season. This will be my first time going this light but I have confidence in the setup. 550 yards is as far as I plan on shooting anyways.

My normal elk rifle depends on which tag I get. I have killed several with a 208gr amax at 2900fps and a pile with 160gr bonded soft points at 2800fps.

In general I like heavy for caliber although I wasn't as impressed with 300gr from my 338L as I was the 230s running as hard as I could push them.

Putting a good bullet in the parts that matter will kill them. I live in elk country and have 2 or 3 tags a year so I'm willing to test different setups. If I were on a once in a lifetime hunt I'd shoot heavy and fast either a 338 or 375.

 

[jessej]

This is gonna make some mad......don't get mad guys, it's just for fun........ mostly

 

[Goldengun]

Velocity, mass, and design all matter. Nothing dies by any one of these alone. The transfer of Energy alone will kill you, and many a speedy bullet failed to dispatch its intended target.

 

[Hoss50]

Get a good bullet and put it in the boiler room. Use an acceptable caliber and reasonable bullet weight. It isn't rocket surgery.

I haven't hunted bulls, but I have seen cow elk put down from 115gr bullet up to 275gr bullets.

 

[Starlite]

FWIW.

A GOOD READ.

Wound Ballistics: A Bullet’s Life on the Inside, By Mike McTee - Journal of Mountain Hunting

When you turn to shooting experts, they often cite personal experience and manufacturer testing. In some cases, they shoot bullets into ballistic gels or similar mediums intended to replicate animal ...

journalofmountainhunting.com

 

[ButterBean]

 

[dogz]

After watching the jugs being shot, just speed up to about the 5:19 or so mark..."don't worry about energy, concentrate on impact velocity"...........amen to that!

 

[Northkill]

I used to be a "light and screaming fast" guy. And never had an issue. But, they lose velocity a lot faster than a heavier driven at moderate speeds.

Not talking a 230 from a .308 Win, but like a 180 from a .280AI speed. Or a 156 from a 6.5SS. Give me a heavy for caliber @ 2900-3000+ over a light for caliber @ 3300 IF, and only IF, you will be using the load at 800+. If you limit shots to >700-800, then as long as you maintain minimum recommended impact velocities and your own criteria for KE, then the lighter bullets should do fine.

If using cup/core bullets, the other benefit to a heavier bullet that sheds mass is the added shrapnel an extra 40gr of bullet weight adds to destroy vitals.

Speed kills. But so does a freight train.

I'm playing with the 156 in a 6.5 Sherman Max right now. You likely have some experience with the Max on velocity potential and powder & charge? Also curious what you know or have experienced regarding minimum impact velocity on the 156. Some of the Berger's say 1800 fps, but I wasn't seeing it for the 156. If the tips are clean/open, I'm guessing they'd be ok a bit lower than that?

 

[lancetkenyon]

I'm playing with the 156 in a 6.5 Sherman Max right now. You likely have some experience with the Max on velocity potential and powder & charge? Also curious what you know or have experienced regarding minimum impact velocity on the 156. Some of the Berger's say 1800 fps, but I wasn't seeing it for the 156. If the tips are clean/open, I'm guessing they'd be ok a bit lower than that?

I always use 1800fps as my minimum impact velocity on cup & core bullets.

I use 2000fps on a mono.

As far as the 6.5MAX w. a 156, I would be expecting 3100+ in a 26" barrel.

 

[Northkill]

Appreciate it. Was running the 142 ABLR at 3,129 as a safe load with 67 gr of n570. Not sure how they typically compare for speed... Guess we'll see what happens.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Appreciate it. Was running the 142 ABLR at 3,129 as a safe load with 67 gr of n570. Not sure how they typically compare for speed... Guess we'll see what happens.

You should be able to get more than that if it is a 26".

In my 26" 6.5SS, I get 3035fps w. H1000 & 156s, not a max load.

In my 22" 6.5PRC/SI, I am running a 140 Elite @ 3091fps w. RL23. Again, not even mear max. I was 3167 .5gr below max.

N570 is pretty slow, but the MAX might work with it. I couldn't get enough N570 in my 6.5SS to get anywhere near pressure or adequate speeds. N565 was much better.

 

[Northkill]

24" tube here. That's all very helpful. Thanks for that.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

..well constructed !!

 

[Panhandle Pete]

This is gonna make some mad......don't get mad guys, it's just for fun........ mostly View attachment 302311

Thats what you call a squib load!!