I will be hunting pronghorn in 2006 and was contemplating what bullet to shoot in the .260

I am worried the 100 gr. Nosler BT will cause too much meat damage. How about the Partitions in 100 or 125? Maybe the 120 TSX?

I was loading the 129s for mulies. Should I stick with that?

A TSX or Partition for pronghorn??? Remember, they weigh all of 100 pounds. You could get by with any of the 120s, and the 120 grain Ballistic Tip would be my choice, but the 129 grain Hdy you are shooting would do just fine. Actually, my favorite bullet weight in the .260 and 6.5x55 is 140 grains, and I tend to use them on everything, but I must admit that a lighter projectile would be just the ticket for those 'lopes.

You could do a lot worse than the 129 gr for antelope. I don't think you need a partition or a TSX on smallish animals like antelope. Suggest you try the 120 Nosler BT.See which shoots the best groups in your rifle out @ 200 and 300 yds,the 120 or the 129.

If your rifle shoots 129 SPs well, I would use them.

What would be the maximum effective range for the 129 gr? I am waiting on a .260 and want to get an idea of its limits. Thanks.

I'd shoot the 100 grain BT and forget about meat damage.....you'll have some no matter what bullet you use.....shoot for the lungs and the damage won't happen.....

I have had great luck with 120 gr. Nosler BTs out of my 6.5x55. No real meat damage, except one shot that hit a shoulder. Lou

My daughter who will be 13 will be hunting with me and I can't guarantee she will have the ideal shot placement i.e. behind the shoulder. I was thinking if she hit the shoulder the Partition or 129 SP would be better for her. The reason I mentioned the TSX is because it is a lightweight bullet and it worked on her deer this year. The 100 gr. BT was screaming out of the rifle around 3200 fps if I remember right and should fly out there for long range. Guess I will see what shoots best at various ranges. Anyone tried the 100 gr. Partitions on game?

129 SST would work just fine, brother-in-law killed one at 378yds with my 223VS loaded with 53gr. MKs, bang, few seconds later, tipover. DRT. Jay

I'd go with the 100 partition at 3100-3200 fps. Antelope have this habit, at least in my experience, of being rather far away when it comes time to shoot.

I load 129 Hornady Spire Points at around 2900 fps (45.8 grs of H4350). I wouldn't hesitate pulling the trigger on a goat 350 yards away unless the wind was howling.

Being not difficult to kill....far more difficult to hit. Shoot what is most accurate in your gun. I like 140 gr. SSTs....again not because they are a bigger bullet.....because my .260 shoots them well.

Antelope don't take a lot of killing. And they certainly don't require a magic bullet. Any standard 120-140 bullet will work. I lean toward the 140 because I like to work up a good load for a rifle and use it on everything I hunt with that rifle. Over the years, I have shot one (1) goat at 380+ steps (I ranged him at 400 using the plex on my scope), the rest have all be shot within my 300 yard comfort zone. My point is that if you want to make a "hunt" of it, you don't have to make those poke and hope shots folks talk about.
Spend a lot of range time, especially practicing field positions, and I'm sure your daughter will be fine.

I have used the 100,120 gr Bt and 140 rem factory,and 140 gr partion to take deer with my 260.The best bullet I have found for deer is the 120 gr sierra BTHP.Have shot several deer with it and it doesn't waste much meat.Just took a doe with it tues @442 yds,went about 15 yds and dropped,complete pass through.

racklover-there are lot of good sugegstions here. Really with lopes it is not really a question of using this or that bullet. IME they are not that tough to put down so just about any bullet you would want to toss at them would work just fine.

Personally I use the TX brand of of bullet anymore for all comers.

Why, well they shoot well in all of my rigs.

Then I don't mess with the game of using this bullet for this game and that bullet for that game. Boy is that ever a pia...

I also like the harder bullet as there is not quite as much meat damage, not that I've ever worried about that tons. But to me the critters are a bit cleaner of bullet channels and not as much goo and jelly. Kind of a stupid thing to worry but most all of this is just micro mgt anywho.

If I need a bit more bullet I have it (IE need to go thru more critter). Out here we can go on a lope hunt and end up taking a elk or a bruin.

I would suggest that you get her a good 9-13" Harris cheater. I would also suggest you get her used to shooting in field positions. And I would suggest you outfit her to stalk lopes.

This is a great hunt for her and she should come away with a very good taste for hunting. And as well she should love the taste of the lope chops after the hunt.

Good luck to you.

Mark D

On a side I would go with the 120 TX (for where I live) and be done with it. I would also get her 500 of the 120 R-P's and have her practice with those b4 the hunt. And come to think of it that is a bullet that would work just fine for her as well. Too darn many choices, just get out there and do it.

Thanks for the help guys! Keep the info comming! This will be a guided hunt for both of us and our first guided hunt so I don't want to mess it up and cover all the angles. I just got 500 pieces of .260 brass. I have a bipod she can use.

Racklover: I am glad you are getting lots of tips from folks that have actual Anteloping experience with bullets that they suggest!
I want to give you some 260 Remington Antelope bullet advice even without actually having killt an Antelope with the bullet I am going to recommend to you.
I have a wonderful Remington 700 VLS (Varminter with Laminated Stock) in 260 Remington. I have had it for several years and it has always been my and my partners "back up" Antleope Rifle when in Antelope camp.
It is a VERY accurate and flat shooting bullet I chose for Antelope in my 260 and that bullet is the 100 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip!
The last two five shot 100 yard sight verification groups I made with this Rifle, before it went on Antelope Hunts (again as the back up Rifle!) measured .451" and .544"!
The 270 caliber Nosler 130 gr. Ballistic Tips are sensationally lethal on Antelope and I have killed 6 of them in the last several years all with one shot apiece - through the heart/lung area (NOT through the shoulders!)! I am VERY impressed with the accuracy and lethality of the 130 gr. 270 Nosler Ballistic Tips and I am sure the 100 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips in your 260 would be an excellent choice!
Good luck with whichever you choose!
Do NOT shoot the Antelope through the shoulders and you won't waste any meat to speak of at all.
The Antelope prospects in Montana sure looks good for 2,006 as of right now! We had an excellent season and population this year and the winter so far has been mild!
Best of luck in 2,006!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I like heavier bullets in the NBT so I would vote 120gr, but nothing wrong w/ 140grRCL or 129gr Hrdy. As has been said, killing them isn't a problem. This year I used my .280 & 145grSpeer because they shot so well. Dead lope for sure but @ 150yds it made quite a big exit hole & I was glad it wasn't through the shoulder. The 100grNBT may be sim. if you get lucky & get under 150yds.

Thanks again guys, this is the best forum I have found for .260 related info.

If your 260 shoots good groups with the 129 grain Hornady, I'd stick with it. If you're going to laser the exact range to the target and will be beside her coaching, what sort of "real" advantage will a few fps provide? My neice has shot a few 100 to 125 lbs. does with my 22-250 and the 60 grain Partitions out to 250+/- yards without any trouble.

Jeff

260Rem-the 129 Horn is one good bullet. I used it a fair bit for lopes to elk out of an 6.5/06.

Good round and a good bullet fo sure.

Mark D

Well, after scanning this thread... I didn't see where anyone listed a few other 100 grain bullets that are on the market, but are often overlooked...

I have dropped the hammer on a few Oregon Blacktail at long range with 100 grain 6.5 mm bullets... and they did just fine...

The old 100 grain Ballistic tip will give you some bloodshot meat if you crank up the velocity above 2700 fps MV... but I have found it actually more lethal than the 100 grain Partitions.... No offense to the Partition crowd... but I really think that that particular bullet is better suited for heavier game that offer more resistance when the bullet hits.. otherwise a smaller animal it will just pass thru before it gets a chance to do its intended mission...At least in all of my experience... I'd recommend it for a 200 lb whitetail or mule deer but not a 90 pound or less antelope or blacktail....

Two overlooked bullets by some of we 6.5 guys... that are excellent in both accuracy and lethality... are the 100 grain Hornady SP... and the 100 grain Sierra HP.... I have taken deer with both of them... each at close range ( under 50 yds) and at over 300 yds....

With my 260's 100 grain Load: IMR 4064/ 43.5 grains and any one of the 100 grainers, I get 3350 fps at the muzzle of a 22 inch Ruger's barrel... yet recoil is low enough that at 4x power on the old 3 x 9 Leupold.. I have watched the deer bite the dust in the scopes site picture.. never loosing site picture at all...

Both the Hornady and the Sierra are as accurate as the Ballistic tips any day ( which I also shoot a lot of).....

Although listed as a varmint bullet.. I am going to give honorable mention to the Speer 90 grain TNT also....

cheers
seafire

The 100 gr Hornady at Nosler BT are also excellent choices, but be a bit wary of shoulder shots at closer ranges. I used 100 grain Hornady on a small whitetail doe at about 75 yds. I had expected performance more like the excellent 25 caliber 100 Hornady, but the 6.5mm 100 gr defintely expanded more aggressively than its 257 counterpart.

A 100 or 105 Accubond might be a nice 6.5mm addition...

I vote for the 120gr Nosler Ballistic tip and don't look back. I shot my 86lb couse deer at 401 yds with my 6.5-284 using 120 gr Nosler B.T.

John

I only have one bullet worked up in my newly acquired 260 Rem, the 129 Hornady SP, it is very accurate. I would also consider If I were you, the 120 TSX, 125 Partition, or the 100 gr Hornady SP. As someone who just recently started playing around with the 260 Rem, all I can say is, it is one underrated cartridge. I love what I see in mine.

quote:

With my 260's 100 grain Load: IMR 4064/ 43.5 grains and any one of the 100 grainers, I get 3350 fps at the muzzle of a 22 inch Ruger's barrel... yet recoil is low enough that at 4x power on the old 3 x 9 Leupold.. I have watched the deer bite the dust in the scopes site picture.. never loosing site picture at all...

Funny before I built my 6.5/308 months before Rem. launched the 260, my buddy had an MOA converted to Carbine 22" in 6.5BR

That gun shot 1 hole groups with 100 btip, and I think it and the other 100's would be perfect as they would expand quick and TRANSFER/EXPEND a lot of kinetic energy INSIDE the antelope, but any 6.5 bullet will work if you hit them good and I doubt in the open country they are hunted in finding one would be a problem as you can watch where they fall often.

They will also have least recoil.

Through the lungs would be quick death and no meat loss.

Mark D., I like your idea regarding the 500 Remington 120 gr. bullets! I will do that next time I place an order.

Have a safe and Happy New Year everyone!

I agree with most here that Antelope do not require tough bullets. I have used the 120BT on AR Whitetails that were alot bigger than Antelope. I killed one big Hog with this
bullet in a 6.5x55 but I do not advise that, it was what I had while Deer Hunting & I made it work. I heard him crash before I climbed down to look, I can tell you that!!
Another bullet you could look at is the 130GR.
Swift Scr., not to get a bonded bullet, but
because the BC for this bullet is through the
roof, as high as a good 140, therefore as flat
shooting as it gets in 6.5. I especially like
how this reduces wind drift, a big deal in
Wyoming!

I have never shot a Pronghorn, but I have shot several deer with the 260 Rem. with the 120 gr. Sierra ProHunter, and the 120 gr. Nosler B.T. The Nosler runs 3017 fps avg. with 46.0 gr. of H4350 in Rem. brass with a CCI BR-2 primer. The Sierra runs at 3024 fps avg. with 41.4 gr. of IMR 4064 in Rem. brass with a Fed. 210M primer. Accuracy for both loads will average .5 MOA or less in the 24" 1 in 8 twist Kreiger barrel. Two of the deer have smallish does that field dressed in less than 90 lbs. so I would think that would be similiar to the body size of a Pronghorn. Penetration has been complete on all the animals with double lung shots from a stepped off 61 steps, to a lazered 294 yards in a cornfield. I would probably choose the Nosler load for Pronghorns due to the higher BC and slightly less wind drift. Other than that both bullets have performed very well for me.

PaPa 260

The Hornady 129gr. PSP does very well in my Remington Classic in 6.5x55, grouping at .6" (5 at 100yds.). It's not a pretty, or even an exceptionally well shaped bullet but it sure does the job. Just one mans opinion. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

I've only shot one pronghorn, but this is my experience with 120 gr. Nosler BT's out of my Winchester M70 Classic Featherweight in 6.5x55. I hit my buck quartering towards me in the shoulder at about 150 yards. The bullet smashed through the shoulder blade and exploded inside the ribcage. I found the expanded jacket under the skin on the far side of the animal. The buck jumped about 10 feet and gave me the same shot so I took it and the second bullet struck about 1" above the first busting throught the spine. The jacket was found under the skin next to the first one. Because of my shot placement, I probably damaged more meat than desired, but I can't complain about the bullet's performance. 100% of the energy was expended in the animal, and the vitals were complete mush. I should add that the 120 BT's shot consistently under 1 MOA out of my rifle using RL-19 powder @ 2880 fps even though the bullets were seated way off the lands. Just my $.02.

This is exactly what I was looking for, real world application. Kinda like e-autopsy. Speaking of which, anyone have photos of their antelope taken with the 6.5mm?

This one my son shot ....his first big game animal...got it this year right off the winter wheat. With his -
.260 Rem
Remington 700 Mtn. Rifle
shot at 247 yds
140 gr. Hornady SST
healthy dose of RL-15
lit with a CCI 200

[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=331391&c=500&z=1"] [/url]

Awesome! Well done! My daughter shoots the same rifle.

Yea sometimes he even lets me use it........

I shoot a 14" 6.5 JDJ...120 BT @ 2400

1st Antelope, 292 laser'd yards 1 shot drifted high in the wind blowed a hole thru the spine the size of a juice can. Bang...flop lost about 2" back straps each side.

2nd Antelope, 235 laser'd yards shot #1 frontal into the shoulder, it didn't drift with the wind stopped in shoulder joint, Buck took a few steps and turned broadside @230 yrds. Bang...flop shot #2, just behind shoulder 4" exit on off side...lost 1 shoulder and 1/4 of the ribs.

3rd Antelope, 130 yards 1 shot just behind shoulder. Bang...flop. 4" exit lost 1/4 of the ribs.

Well, I thought I'd show some pictures of the meat loss.

as I said, I thought I would...

The BT sound pretty destructive. I worry about hitting the shoulder or bone with it...