Best bullets for 6.5

26 October 2001, 09:51

<Mats>

quote:
Originally posted by bakes:
I was thinking A-max, but will this bullet be tough enough for donkeys and large boars?

There's no way on God's green earth that I would use that bullet for hunting big animals. NO way. In 140 gr weight, the only suitable bullet would be the A-Frame or the Partition, but my reccomendation would be to go with 155-156 gr pills instead, like the Norma Oryx.

-- Mats

26 October 2001, 02:06

denton

I'm relatively unburdened by any practical knowledge that would answer your question, but I do shoot a Swede, and love it. I can only pass along that you can safely load to 2800 fps with the 140, using RL=22. My investigation indicates that the Speer Hot-Cor is a good choice for "everyday" and the Partition is good for thick-skinned beasts, where slower expansion is better.

The 160 round-nose and fairly close-in shots have been recommended to me for larger animals like elk. ScottH posts here quite a bit, and has some actual experience. Maybe we'll hear from him on this.

26 October 2001, 07:32

<Scott H>

I don't have any experience with the A-Max at all. The 140 bullet has a good S.D. and should penetrate pretty well. Quite a few American big game, including elk, have been tipped over using the .264 and 140 grain bullets.

Other than some varmint shooting, I have only shot one mule deer buck with my swede (last Sunday.) I used a Speer 120 spitzer. It performed very well. The range was roughly 180 yards, the bullet took out heart arteries and and lung tissue and sailed on downrange. He made about six little hops and collapsed.

My experience with the swede has been for the most part punching paper and load experimentation. Yet, the more I use it the more impressed I am by its performance.

Playing with 160 Sierra and Hornady bullets, my swede has shot its tiniest groups ever. The magic powder for this is a case full of IMR 7828 (49.0 grains) This load clocks 2740 in my 29" barrel and the pressure signs are quite low. I believe this load would be effective for almost any big game within reason.

This said, I will defer to Mats's experience, since he has taken much more game with his swede than I. I have never shot a donkey and don't know what is the best medicine for them. For big boar, I would want maximum penetration and Mats's suggestion fits the bill here.

26 October 2001, 09:56

Deerdogs

Bakes - Like Scott H I used 120 Speer Spitzers to cull a lot a fallow in my case. It also worked fine on a rutting Sika stag he went 20 feet before dropping dead with one in the engine room. Range 30 yards. 45 grains of H414 2800 fps in my 22 inch Sako.

I am now in love with a 125 Nosler Partition load 45 grains Rel 19 giving 2665 in my 20 inch Stutzen. Nice and slow but accurate too. That load is with the small stuff in mind (sub 100lbs)

I am working up a 140 gr Barnes X load on Sunday which should work fine on big pigs. I intend to use it as a bushveldt round for plains game, if my 8x57 ever breaks down.

I have used the 160 grain Hornady but not often as I could never close in down under inch and a half.

If you are interested I'll post the results of the Barnes 140s.

------------------
Regards

Richard

26 October 2001, 10:24

Taos

I have used the Barnes X bullet quite a bit in a .264 Win Mag. No complaints in any department on a few head of elk and a bunch of mule deer. Before the X the partition was used with great results.

26 October 2001, 12:34

Bakes

Thanks for the replys guys

Mats - thanks I'll steer clear of the Amax, unfortunatly I've never seen Norma Oryx advertised in Australia, If I do find them they might prove a bit pricey!

Deerdogs- Love to hear the results of the X bullets. I also thought of the x but thought they might be too much for pigs. And they go for $50 a box!
Bakes