What’s the optimal bullet weight for the 6.5 Creedmoor?

[snox801]

I think it depends on your range. If you're shooting critters inside of 400yd, go with a lighter weight bullet and higher velocity. 120-130gr. If your trying to stretch the CM legs 300-600 yards I'd look at those ELD-M's... and switch to a PRC

Every barrel is different. While one bullet may be "the easy button" with good reloading practices you should be able to tailor your load to your preferences no matter the weight. I like high velocity, so I go to lighter weight bullets.

If the min FPS for the eld bullets hit before or the same as the lighter how will that help?
I think target is more dependent? Wouldn't you say. Don't need speed but bc to bang steel at farther out.

 

[ARlife4me]

If the min FPS for the eld bullets hit before or the same as the lighter how will that help?
I think target is more dependent? Wouldn't you say. Don't need speed but bc to bang steel at farther out.

BC for drop, but speed for drift. Bullet weight helps also

 

[davidheart]

BC for drop, but speed for drift. Bullet weight helps also

Speed for drop, BC for drift. The lighter bullets also drop less as well.

ELD-M bullets are not hunting bullets. So technically there is no "minimum fps" for them. I've also found in my ballistic gel testing that minimum fps claims are often exagerated. The only two which seem to perform down to and below their minimum fps (that I've tested so far) are the Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos bullets and the Nosler Accubond LR bullets. The problem with the CC bullets is the low BC, and the problem with the Accubond LRs is that they are not recommended at all for sub-300 yards according to Nosler.

Take whatever the minimum fps range is for any given lead bullet and add about 200-400fps for safety margin. Take whatever minimum fps range is for any monolithic Barnes style bullet (E-Tip, TTSX, CX, etc) and add 400-500fps for greater expansion. These are just general guidelines.

For match style bullets with a polymer tip expect dramatic expansion at high velocity and a gamble at lower velocities. For match style bullets with a standard tip it's best to use a nail or tiny drill bit to encourage the nose to expand.

As a note, since Steve is truly a nice guy and Hammer has a cult following here I'll say, the lowest velocity I've tested the Hammer bullets to has been only 2200fps and they still performed as designed. They corkscrew and don't track as straight at lower velocity, but they do perform.

 

[VTbluegrass]

If you can stomach the price the Berger ammo with the 135 classic hunter. My wife's Vangaurd Camilla will stack up 1/2 groups long as you keep the thin barrel cool. With that accuracy and deer gun volume (less than 40rds a year) it's not worth my time to load. Bonus I get to save Lapua Brass for when get a Creedmoor for myself.

I like the idea of the 130-135 especially for deer hunting because I get better velocity over the 140s but not giving up too much BC. If this was strictly paper I might go the other way.

 

[snox801]

Speed for drop, BC for drift. The lighter bullets also drop less as well.

ELD-M bullets are not hunting bullets. So technically there is no "minimum fps" for them. I've also found in my ballistic gel testing that minimum fps claims are often exagerated. The only two which seem to perform down to and below their minimum fps (that I've tested so far) are the Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos bullets and the Nosler Accubond LR bullets. The problem with the CC bullets is the low BC, and the problem with the Accubond LRs is that they are not recommended at all for sub-300 yards according to Nosler.

Take whatever the minimum fps range is for any given lead bullet and add about 200-400fps for safety margin. Take whatever minimum fps range is for any monolithic Barnes style bullet (E-Tip, TTSX, CX, etc) and add 400-500fps for greater expansion. These are just general guidelines.

For match style bullets with a polymer tip expect dramatic expansion at high velocity and a gamble at lower velocities. For match style bullets with a standard tip it's best to use a nail or tiny drill bit to encourage the nose to expand.

As a note, since Steve is truly a nice guy and Hammer has a cult following here I'll say, the lowest velocity I've tested the Hammer bullets to has been only 2200fps and they still performed as designed. They corkscrew and don't track as straight at lower velocity, but they do perform.

That's kinda what I'm saying. With the 123gr hammers out of my creedmore I'm able to be within 20 yards of either 147 or 143 eld m/x for max distance of functional FPS.
Hammers indeed work at the min 1800fps as advertised. I've done it many times in water which I know is not perfect but also animals.
I've also used a lot of eld. I agree with you add 200fps and your closer. But to be fair I need to use the manufacture mind FPS or we could just scew the results. So the higher bc means very little based on those max distance before hitting min fps.
But the hammers definitely will fall off as you get way out for steel or paper.
If OP is only hitting targets the 140eld would be great or the 130 atip even better.

 

[ARlife4me]

I

Speed for drop, BC for drift. The lighter bullets also drop less as well.

ELD-M bullets are not hunting bullets. So technically there is no "minimum fps" for them. I've also found in my ballistic gel testing that minimum fps claims are often exagerated. The only two which seem to perform down to and below their minimum fps (that I've tested so far) are the Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos bullets and the Nosler Accubond LR bullets. The problem with the CC bullets is the low BC, and the problem with the Accubond LRs is that they are not recommended at all for sub-300 yards according to Nosler.

Take whatever the minimum fps range is for any given lead bullet and add about 200-400fps for safety margin. Take whatever minimum fps range is for any monolithic Barnes style bullet (E-Tip, TTSX, CX, etc) and add 400-500fps for greater expansion. These are just general guidelines.

For match style bullets with a polymer tip expect dramatic expansion at high velocity and a gamble at lower velocities. For match style bullets with a standard tip it's best to use a nail or tiny drill bit to encourage the nose to expand.

As a note, since Steve is truly a nice guy and Hammer has a cult following here I'll say, the lowest velocity I've tested the Hammer bullets to has been only 2200fps and they still performed as designed. They corkscrew and don't track as straight at lower velocity, but they do perform.

Don't buy into that.

 

[cajun]

I

Don't buy into that.

Eldm 140 is a great hunting bullet in 6.5 creedmoor.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Based on case capacity alone 130 class bullets are best suited for the Creedmoor IMO.

 

[rlshrumva]

What a GREAT response!! Many thanks to all of you!!! In follow-up I did some more range work and now have tested the following loaded ammunition (unfortunately I'm not a reloader…):

1. Barnes with 120 ttsx
2. Hornady Superformance with 129 GMX
3. Choice Ammunition with 120 ttsx
4. Federal Premium - Trophy Copper 120
5. Winchester Deer Season - 125 XP

So far the Hornady's and the Winchester's are the clear winners. See 100yd target pic below - this is 4 shots each of the Hornady GMX and Winchester XP. Both are grouping at 5/8 - 3/4 inches. So for whitetail deer & antelope I'm thinking the Winchester's are a better bullet choice. What do you think?

However, I would be very remiss to not try the Hornady 140 ELD - M as strongly suggested by LR member Creedmoor Shooter. As he says "The 140 eld-m is your huckleberry. That's a very devastating bullet." Kinda hard not to follow that advice!!

 

[cajun]

What a GREAT response!! Many thanks to all of you!!! In follow-up I did some more range work and now have tested the following loaded ammunition (unfortunately I'm not a reloader…):

1. Barnes with 120 ttsx
2. Hornady Superformance with 129 GMX
3. Choice Ammunition with 120 ttsx
4. Federal Premium - Trophy Copper 120
5. Winchester Deer Season - 125 XP

So far the Hornady's and the Winchester's are the clear winners. See 100yd target pic below - this is 4 shots each of the Hornady GMX and Winchester XP. Both are grouping at 5/8 - 3/4 inches. So for whitetail deer & antelope I'm thinking the Winchester's are a better bullet choice. What do you think?

However, I would be very remiss to not try the Hornady 140 ELD - M as strongly suggested by LR member Creedmoor Shooter. As he says "The 140 eld-m is your huckleberry. That's a very devastating bullet." Kinda hard not to follow that advice!!

4/5 are solid copper bullets. Something to consider. For cheap factory ammo that shoots good the Hornady American whitetail 129 gr SP. works good.

 

[Hard rock]

Speed for drop, BC for drift. The lighter bullets also drop less as well.

ELD-M bullets are not hunting bullets. So technically there is no "minimum fps" for them. I've also found in my ballistic gel testing that minimum fps claims are often exagerated. The only two which seem to perform down to and below their minimum fps (that I've tested so far) are the Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos bullets and the Nosler Accubond LR bullets. The problem with the CC bullets is the low BC, and the problem with the Accubond LRs is that they are not recommended at all for sub-300 yards according to Nosler.

Take whatever the minimum fps range is for any given lead bullet and add about 200-400fps for safety margin. Take whatever minimum fps range is for any monolithic Barnes style bullet (E-Tip, TTSX, CX, etc) and add 400-500fps for greater expansion. These are just general guidelines.

For match style bullets with a polymer tip expect dramatic expansion at high velocity and a gamble at lower velocities. For match style bullets with a standard tip it's best to use a nail or tiny drill bit to encourage the nose to expand.

As a note, since Steve is truly a nice guy and Hammer has a cult following here I'll say, the lowest velocity I've tested the Hammer bullets to has been only 2200fps and they still performed as designed. They corkscrew and don't track as straight at lower velocity, but they do perform.

Sounds like a lot of opinion in this post , if a bullet corkscrews it's not stable , as far as minimum impact vel of the Hammer bullets they have been extensively tested down too 1800 fps impact vel as advertised as well as minimum twist rate for proper bullet stability.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

What a GREAT response!! Many thanks to all of you!!! In follow-up I did some more range work and now have tested the following loaded ammunition (unfortunately I'm not a reloader…):

1. Barnes with 120 ttsx
2. Hornady Superformance with 129 GMX
3. Choice Ammunition with 120 ttsx
4. Federal Premium - Trophy Copper 120
5. Winchester Deer Season - 125 XP

So far the Hornady's and the Winchester's are the clear winners. See 100yd target pic below - this is 4 shots each of the Hornady GMX and Winchester XP. Both are grouping at 5/8 - 3/4 inches. So for whitetail deer & antelope I'm thinking the Winchester's are a better bullet choice. What do you think?

However, I would be very remiss to not try the Hornady 140 ELD - M as strongly suggested by LR member Creedmoor Shooter. As he says "The 140 eld-m is your huckleberry. That's a very devastating bullet." Kinda hard not to follow that advice!!

Terminal performance of the 6.5mm 140 eld-match (pics)

I've decided to go ahead and post my experience with this bullet on whitetails and black bears. I've only fired this bullet out of the 6.5 creedmoor with velocities between 2700-2850. I've gotten much more into terminal performance over the past 3 years whether it's bullets or broadheads. It's...

www.longrangehunting.com

Here's a thread I made on the terminal performance of the 140 eld. We ended up killing another deer after I did that thread and it was another success story for the 140 eld-m.

 

[renagde]

For factory ammo, the best ammo I found for my factory Tikka T3x was the Berger 135 Classic Hunters. I like the bullet better than the Hornady offerings and had the smallest groups with that. Plus, they use Lapua brass so you can save it to reload down the road, or sell it and make back a chunk of your money to offset the ammo cost.

 

[huntinghuasna]

I have messed with many 6.5CM rifles and ammo...

Paper and steel waaayy out there:
MPA match rifle loves 140g Berger Hybrid reloads (bug-holes)
Wifes MPA loves 140g Hornady ELD-M (bug-holes)
Hunting:
All three rifles are set up with 124g Hammer Hunters, 3/4 moa (little better in WBY). Love the coppers for deep penetration, any shot angle, blood trail, usually easy on meat, and... oh yea, I live in Ca.
1. Weatherby Outfitter
2. Remington 5R Tactical
3. Tikka Roughtech

Hard NOT to find sub moa with a 6.5CM. Good enough for most hunting situations, you'll lose wallop before missing vitals with this cartridge (large game).

Even though you'll hit targets way out there, hunt withing bullet performance... impact speed depending on design.