I have used a number of bullets in my 6.5 jap carbine.It only has a 17" barrel so its not a speedster.I like the Lapula mega tip 155 gr for black bear and deer in the brush.I am going to try the Nosler blaistic tip 120 gr and see how well it does on deer.I took a doe with the serria 120 gr .It did a very fine job.It got her in her tracks running.I hope I get to try this gun on bears.I used that lapula 155 gr on deer and pronghorn in my 264 win mag it did well out to 350 yards.This is the funnest little gun to carry and hunt with like carring a 10-22 Ruger.It is alot more accurate than I would have ever thought.The lapula 155 grs shoot under an inch at 100 yards!!!

FWIW, I love the 120 gr NBT for deer and antelope. I keep wanting to try the 120 gr Barnes, but haven't had a need to. Forgot to mention that I am using a 6.5x55 SE and RL19 and H4350 to get about 3000 fps.

This is an easy one 129gr Hornady spire point

quote:

Originally posted by fgulla:
This is an easy one 129gr Hornady spire point

me too.

The slower 6.5s work good on deer with anything from 120 grains to 160 grains. The deer won't know what killed it.
The largest mule deer I ever killed was with a 6.5 Carcano and a 160 gr.( .264 dia.) Hornady or Norma.The Carcano is slightly less powerfull than the Arasaka. roger

I also suggest the 160 RN Hornady bullets for the 6.5 Jap. Hornady now makes them in .268 for the 6.5 MS and 6.5 Carcano cartridges. That diameter is best for the 6.5 Japs also and shoots very well in the 6.5 Swede.

Larry Gibson

DGR416 I shoot a little Mannlicher 6.5x54. I can't imagine a great deal of difference between our calibers.

Like you I've used the heavier bullets in the 160 Sierra Semi-point and Hornady round nose and they are both doozies. They kill amazingly well for fellas of my generation who have been taught they you need magnum speeds to get through deer hide !!

I too have used the 120 Nosler BT's and whilst they can be a pain to get to shoot well in the fast twist of the Mannlicher (designed for long 160 grain round nose ), once their it all works. I actually find the Nosler a good game bullet and it has performed well on a number of medium game animals, so much so that I've loaded up 60 odd and intent to hunt with them as much as possible this year and log the results.

I'm sure you'll be pleased if what I've seen is anything to go by. Good luck

I tried the 120 gr serria it shot and worked fine on deer.I wanted alittle more bullet for bears.That Lapula 155 gr mega tip is the most accurate bullet in my gun.My gun wont shoot both the double diameter winchester and remington 140 gr without pressure problems.The 155 gr lapula has two groves cut in it they must reduce the pressure.I have loaded them to the max with IMR 4350 with no problems.They outsot the Nosler 120 gr bt last night the groups were half the size.The Lapula at 100 yards shot 3/4" group and the Nosler Bt shot 1.5" at 100 yards.I wish I had one of these with the longer barrel rechambered to 260 rem might be a little barn burned.I really enjoy carring this little 6.5 jap in the mountains.It carrys so much easier through the bushes and trees than my 338 model 77 I love so much.I am rethinking the little 338 Ruger carbine in RCM .This little 6.5 jap is so fun to shoot.I had lots of pressure problems at first with those 140 gr bullets.Now I really like this little gun.I am probally to put a better scope on it.I have a older Burris 2x7 mini scope that is hard to make shots in the low light of the brush thick mountains.I just hate to put a big hudge clunky scope on it.My gun didnt like the box of older 130 gr herters bullets either.It sprayed them and some of the bullets even keyholed some.The lapula 155 gr and the hornady 129 gr and the serria 120 gr are the best loads so far.Maybe I need a better poweder for the 120 gr balistic tip.I would like a winchester 748 load so the powder would work better through my dillion .This gun is too fun I could shoot it 200 times a day!!!