Have a 6.5-06 with 26" barrel. Looking at either the Accubond or the ELDX for long range mulies and possible elk. In 142 grains, which is preferable. Any experience would be appreciated. Thanks.

Gary

I know my buddy is happy with the 140 accubond in his 264wmag

I'm probably gonna start having a 6.5-06 built. Are you liking it, what can you report from the bench?
Fast, accurate, awesome!

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
Have a 6.5-06 with 26" barrel. Looking at either the Accubond or the ELDX for long range mulies and possible elk. In 142 grains, which is preferable. Any experience would be appreciated. Thanks.

Gary

Gary Your ELDX may be fine for deer but for elk I would suggest you go to the 140 gr Partition.

I agree with Snowman. My Win 70 6.5-06 is accurate with the 140 Partitions, and kills very well. - dan

Thanks, gents! Appreciate the responses. TC98...I am just starting to load for it. It is a Pre-64 Win 70 action barreled with a 26" tube and a 1 in 8" twist specifically for the 140 gr bullets. Jim Kobe did the work for me. I am hoping to get near 3000 fps with the 140 gr pills...and think that's doable. Once I get some loads worked up I will post for you. I love the Partition bullets, but was looking for a more "streamlined" bullet for a 400-500 shot just in case. And yes, I can shoot...accurately...at that distance if absolutely needed. My 280 and 340 Weatherby have taken game lasered that far.
Thanks again.

Gary

I have a 6.5-06AI and it also likes Partitions better then Accubonds. I can get ~2900 fps with the 140s with Re19 if I want to push it.

Since I mainly deer hunt, I had mine throated for the 120 Ballistic Tip to touch the lands when the bullet base is at the neck/shoulder junction. With that combo, it is deadly on deer and, if I hold my mouth right, the most accurate rifle I own. Half inch groups are common, and I have a single group that measured .126" at 3000fps.

I have some 140 gr Partitions as well. The drop between the 2 isn't much as I just saw. Looks like they'll both get a tryout. Thanks.

Gary

Here's a couple thoughts Mr, GarBy. FWIW:

I've shot and seen shot about a half dozen antelope with the new 143 ELD-X but have never used a 6.5 with a partition or accubond but have shots TONS of them in other calibers. I would use the ELD-X only on perfectly broadside shots for elk, based off what I've seen (but I wouldn't bother with a 6.5 cal on elk since I have and like bigger).

I'm awaiting the reamer to build a couple 6.5X280AI rifles. They'll be just like the 6.5x06 AI with few differences but it makes some sense since we shoot a couple 280 ai's.

They should make a fine deer gun and a blast to shoot! You're in for some serious fun!!!

Zeke

Thanks so much. After review, I'm liking the Partitions but am going to try the Accubond as well. The partitions in both a 280 and 338-06 worked perfectly in Africa on plains game to about 320 yards.

Gary

I use the 120 gr TTSX Barns in my 264 Win Mag. DEEP penetration excellent mushroom and doesn't loose any weight like the other bullets mentioned. I will add I have used 160 gr. Nosler Partition's in a 7mm remington magnum on an Elk Hunt in Montana. I hit him quartered away at about 100 yards in the front shoulder.It had the worst case of blood shot meat i have ever seen. Other people have told me they also had blood shot meat when using partitions and quit using them because of it.

Thanks, Slider....I've had good luck with TSX bullets in other calibers.

Gary

You've gotten lots of solid advice.

You'll typically have less penetration at close range with a cup and core bullet because of the dramatic upset and they work at longer ranges.

I've loved the TSX or TTSX for several years and they seem to work "bigger" than their actual weight belies. Great penetrating bullet.

I've shot several elk with Partitions and Accubonds too so any and all of those would be my choice.

I had some old Fail Safe bullets kicking around so I loaded them in my wife's 300 WSM and she just killed an elk on Saturday. The front-end is like a TSX and I'm sure they perform similarly. We've killed a couple bears and 4 elk and a Canadian moose with them but that's just me flapping my gums since I'd go with Barnes again going forward.

Zeke

If you can find them the 130 grain Swift Scirocco is fantastic. they are tougher than the Accubond, start faster and maintain velocity better than the 140 Partition and Have proven very accurate in several rifles I shoot them in. They are very near perfect.

I've hunted with a 6.5x06 for deer for over 30 years. Many accounted for. All with the Nosler 140gr partition. I have hunted Africa using the 140 Accubond in a 6.5 x 65 RWS the accubond did it's job on fallow deer and Red Hartebeest.

The 155 gr laPUA MEGA TIP IS AWESOME.iTS MADE for moose and its accurate.It has a bc of .377 and is built tough.I have shot 3/8 inch group at 100 yards and 1.5 inch at 300 yards.It should shoot at least 2800 fps with your 6.5-06

Swift makes the 130gr Scirocco that shoots really well out of my 6.5x55. They have a pretty nice BC as well.

The old stand by is the 140gr Sierra Game King. meant for the 264 Win Mag velocities which your 6.5-06 should be pretty close to.
Those shoot really well from my 6.5x55.

I had a 6.5 Gibbs which is a 6.5-06 IMP to the hilt..I didn't care for it at all..Ive never been a 6.5 fan to start with..for deer they are OK, but I found them lacking on elk, I suppose I place more emphasis on cross section of bullet than some folks...

I tried the 143 ELD-X bullets in my 6.5-06 and the initial report is that they like speed. The max load of H4350 shot 3/4" on my first outing with the gun.

I'm going to try it with RL22 next and see how she shoots with that.

Tyler

Another vote for the 140gr Partition

In "66" I re-chambered a 6.5 Arasaka 30" barrel to 6.5 X .284. The bullets it preferred were the 156 Norma 156 Barnes originals and the 160 grain Hornady
( I think ). Fantastic mule deer slayer. roger

I like to shoot 120 grain bullets in my Pac-Nor 1-10, 24" 6.5-06. Elk? Depends on the shot. As has been discussed here many times, lots of folks don't like or approve of calibers below .338. Me, I have shot elk with other cartridges, and most of the time don't have a problem with it, and I don't see why the 6.5-06 wouldn't be fine in "controlled" situations. Lots of folks in Europe shoot moose with 6.5 X 55'S, to great success. FWIW!

Jerry

The 140gn Lapua Naturalis is the go!

Will out perform every bullet mentioned.

Jerry,
I agree in "controlled situations" as you stated..With those circumstances I would also add such calibers as the 257 Robt, the 250-3000 as well as the 25-06. I have used the 250-3000 on elk in the past, If one is careful and keeps shot under or around 200 yards it works. but if Im hunting trophy bulls in the Selway or Walsenburg Colo, I want my .338 Win.

Hell Ray, I'd want my 338RUM with 231gr Naturalis

In WA many of the elk units are for spike only, which means any bullet that works on a large deer will be fine for the small elk. As noted, anything from a 250 Sav on up can be used, but when a "permit bull" tag is drawn you rarely see anything less than a 300 Mag being used.

Another thing I should mention when talking about smaller than 338 calibers. Here in Arizona most of the shots, at least the shots I take are less than 150 yards, with most at less than 100 yards. Shot a cow on the muzzleloader hunt, and with a 300 grain 45 caliber XTP in a sabot, in front of 2 pellets of Triple 7. At 40 yards the bullet passed completely thru the neck. This load is about 1700 fps. Got a little carried away here. I would use my 6.5-06 in any of The "Arizona" condtions I mentioned.

Jerry

In elk country of any kind one can get 50 to 100 yard shots as a rule, its the exception that worries me ,and in any elk country you might get a 300 to 500 yard shot..I love to hunt elk and deer with my 24-35, 30-30 and 250-3000 but these days whereas elk being a lot smarter I want to be prepared, so opt for my .338 win. Be Prepared, that's the motto of the boy scout by the way..

North Fork 140 grain SS.

I took a bull elk with a .264 many years ago using 140 Partitions. I had just had the chamber leade lengthened but had not adjusted my load, so after the fact I discovered that the muzzle velocity was only about 2900 fps (about what you can expect from a 6.5-06) instead of the anticipated 3100 fps. The bull seemed not to know the difference. He maintained his feet long enough after the first shot into the thorax for me to get off another (slightly errant) shot just behind the diaphragm. But he was dead on his feet with the first one.

Your 6.5-06 with 140 Partitions (or similar) should be as good or better than about 75% of the loads used on elk each year. The Swedes have killed a jillion moose with their 6.5x55's generating less velocity than your 6.5-06.

Hunting moose or elk in the European countries it a whole nuther ball game, very controlled and shots are seldom beyond 100 yards, in which case a 30-30, 25-35 and 250 Savage are are all very good elk rounds..At 300 and beyond its time to use a 300 Magnum or larger caliber IMO..but to each his own on this subject.

quote:

Hunting moose or elk in the European countries it a whole nuther ball game, very controlled and shots are seldom beyond 100 yards,

My experience over the last 16 years is that shots while team hunting (95%) are nearly always moving, maybe at a full gallop and across a logging road. As ever placement beats all but it's generally not a clinical stalking situation.

I'm using the 142 NABLR in my 264 WM. Took a nice, older 5x5 elk this past fall. First shot knocked him on the ground. He stood back up but was dead on his feet.
I'd always been taught to keep shooting until they quit moving so I planted another one in him. That shot was with him facing away from me. Bullet entered the right ham, passed through the pelvis and stopped after passing through the shoulder blade. Bullet was found in the meat of that shoulder.
Distance for the shot was 137 yards (laser). The one bullet I found weighed in at 60 gr after passing through about 5 feet of elk.
A late uncle of mine hunted elk with a 256 Newton. Seldom had to shoot one twice. Velocity on the Newton is about the same as the 6.5-06. He used 140 gr Sierra's if I recall correctly.

Bottom line, put the bullet where it should go and get ready to pack out an animal.

Ive shot enough elk and witnesses enough elkshot to say if it takes two shots to get an elk down, he ain't dead on his feet the first shot, and Ive seen too many elk have to take two three and even more rounds to be put down..My choice today is a .338 Win.

I shot my first 4 or 5 elk with a 25-35, and some more with a 250-3000 and 30-30..If you can get within 200 yards and place the bullet they work, but at beyond 200 to 400 yards, the picture can change dramatically IMO..I love the 30-06 and have used it plenty on all sorts of game, but the simple truth is if you can handle the recoil and your hunting on foot the .338 is better...Horse back I use a 308 savage 99EG with 165 gr. Noslers at 2600 FPS, I won't shoot a bull beyond about 300 yards max and prefer to get much closer. The biggest mistake I see in elk hunting or big game hunting in general is "I shot and elk with my 6mm whatchamacallit and killed him dead" I suggest that's not a valid test of killing power, you need to shoot another bunch of elk with old Betsy to determine that. Most that do that lose and elk bfore all is said and done they go to a larger caliber..I did.

In my opinion the 30-06 with 180 or better yet 200 gr., Noslers is my chosen minimum, but the 7x57 with a good hand load has always impressed me, although I shot elk with several different calibers the bottom line is bullet placement combined with the right bullet..