Which 6.5 bullet?

[viking499]

Getting ready to load some rounds for my Tikka 6.5x55 for general hunting and target shooting. Finishing up some Wolf Gold 140 SP I bought awhile back, but want something better for the Swede.

What bullets do you recommend for hunting and targets?

Any good recipes?

 

[Captcurt]

I used to shoot the Speer HotCor 120gr. Worked swell but Speer dropped it. Speer still makes a cup and core 120gr that would probably work well at Swede velocities. I shot the 130gr Nosler Accubond in my Creedmore last year and will stay with it.

 

[horsey300]

Getting ready to load some rounds for my Tikka 6.5x55 for general hunting and target shooting. Finishing up some Wolf Gold 140 SP I bought awhile back, but want something better for the Swede.

What bullets do you recommend for hunting and targets?

Any good recipes?

Hunting what exactly?

 

[Water-Man]

I had ammo made for me awhile ago using 130gr. Barnes TSX bullets. Good accuracy and velocity (2950). I'm using a Tikka 6.5x55 SE Hunter.

 

[redbullitt]

What barrel twist are you working with? I have an 8 twist, so I usually use the heavier bullets.

For hunting deer and similar I like the 140 Berger hunting from my 260 at about 2800 FPS. Heart and lung shots are killer. I would avoid shoulder shots; tuck them in right behind and you will be golden. I have just transitioned over to this bullet last year for hunting. A couple deer so far from 80 to 515 yards. All shots were into the lungs and did just what they were supposed to. Much more internal disruption than the AMAX I was using before.

Prior to the Berger i used the 140 AMAX at 2750 FPS. Very good price (the new ELD should be similar on game, but I cannot personally confirm yet) and did well on deer. Probably 15 kills with the amax from 20 to 550 yards. Some head shots on the close ones and all others were lung/heart shots. Past 200 yards generally gave a quarter sized wound track and a slightly larger exit. Bullet was effective and accurate, so no complaints. Kinda nice to use the same bullet ALL the time.

For targets I would have to give hornady ELD bullets the nod. They are affordable and seem to shoot well like the AMAX. The sierra 142 seems to do well too, but I have not shot nearly as many. The Berger target bullets seem to be VERY consistent, though I have not followed that rabbit down the hole simply due to cost.

 

[viking499]

Hunting what exactly?

Mostly deer and a few coyotes.

 

[627PCFan]

120gn Flat base Speer SP will serve you well enough unless the deer are getting over 200lbs.

 

[jmr40]

I've had good luck with Hornady 143gr ELD-X bullets in my Creedmoor. They are reasonably priced and proving to be effective hunting bullet. I've not tried them but the 147 gr ELD-M target bullet is supposed to be good too.

 

[MCMXI]

The Sierra 140gr Game King might be worth looking at. I was given a couple of boxes of a factory load from Buffalo Cartridge Company and the bullet seems to be capable of outstanding precision. They have a good reputation for performance on deer and such.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...t-load-from-buffalo-cartridge-company.827352/

 

[Bbear]

For deer and coyotes and targets any of the 120-130 grain should work. If you have a faster twist (ie. 1-8 or 1-9) you may find the heavier 140 class bullets do quite well. Nosler does the Accubond Long Range in both 130 and 142 grains. They are a bit harder than their ballistic tips but still softer than the regular accubonds. I've had very good luck with the 142's and IMR4350 in my Swede. I also use the 142's in my 264 WM.

 

[Sunray]

The AMAX is not a deer hunting bullet. It's a match bullet that's is suitable for hunting varmints like Wiley, only. Otherwise, any 130 or 140 grain hunting bullet will do.
If you're hide hunting Wiley, I'd look at a Sierra 107 grain Matchking. Hornady makes a 100, 120 and 123 grain ELD match bullet too. If you have an organ to spare, Brownell's shows Lapua 144 grain FMJ's at $39.99 per 100.

 

[azar]

viking,

I like the 129g Hornady Interlock in my 6.5x55 for deer sized game. It's a great deer bullet and works perfectly at the speeds a Swede shoots them. As for match or varmint bullets, I don't have a recommendation there.

Good luck.

 

[Water-Man]

http://www.bullets.com/products/6-5mm-264-108gr-HPBT-Bullet-Scenar-Box-of-100/BL11085
I have these loaded. 2950-2090

 

[41 Mag]

The AMAX is not a deer hunting bullet. It's a match bullet that's is suitable for hunting varmints like Wiley, only.

I can assure you that some 50+ feral hogs ranging from around 50 to around 250#, and a half dozen or so real nice deer would argue otherwise....

At Sweede velocities of around 2700 or less it does a very formidable job on plenty of stuff. In all of the above most were 100yds or less, but when I was initially testing the load I reached out well beyond that on hogs and anchored them just as easily.

 

[LoonWulf]

I ran 123max @2500 from my grendel and got text book performance for a hunting bullet. I have also run 162 Amax and TMKs from my 7mms upto 3200fps, and that is beyond the performance window on game as far as im concerned. 3000fps muzzle velocity is about where i consider them maxed out.

So the Sweed puts the 120-140s in exactly the right velocity range for any cup 'n core, including the tipped match bullets.

Right now im realy liking the 143 Eldx tho i sti have a few 123s

 

[Captcurt]

I've had good luck with Hornady 143gr ELD-X bullets in my Creedmoor. They are reasonably priced and proving to be effective hunting bullet. I've not tried them but the 147 gr ELD-M target bullet is supposed to be good too.

I have only taken 2 deer with the 143gr ELD-X. One at 35 yards and the other at 275. The bullet worked fine in both cases. Good expansion and complete pass-thru.

 

[Captaingyro]

For target shooting I've found the best value to be Nosler Custom Competitions. If you wait for sales they can be had for not much more that twenty cents each, and I find them to be very accurate...maybe not "Match" accurate, but "Going Home from the Range Feeling Pretty Good" accurate.

 

[blue32]

I managed half inch groups with the Hornady 160 gr RN at 2550 fps. The Sierra 85 gr HP does really well but flies high in my 260. The Hornady 129 gr SP gave decent accuracy and is the cheapest I've found. I would get the lowest cost bullet you can find in each weight and go from there. I settled on the Hornady 140 gr BTHP for my 1:8 barrel .020" off the lands.