sumpnz
Member
I'm essentially out of 6.5mm projectiles (these would be for my 6.5x55mm CZ). I've got a few 140gr XLC's left that I can't get any more of anyway, and not quite 15 left of the 140gr Hornady Spire Points I deer hunted with this year. And they are all already loaded into cartridges anyway.
The 140gr Spire Points were certainly more than good enough for me for accuracy. With 38.0gr Varget (WARNING: THAT IS OVER BOOK MAX - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK) it puts 3 shots into less than 1" at 100 yards from sandbags. Can't ask for too much more than that, and its not like the deer would notice any improvement in accuracy anyway. Didn't chrono it, but MV should be pretty close to 2700fps.
My issue with the SP's is that I got a LOT of blood-shot meat from my deer, and the bullet must have fragmented. Range was maybe 50 yards. There were 4 exit holes from one shot. Some of that could have been bone fragments though as that bullet pulverized about an inch or more of leg bone on both the entry and exit sides. Needless to say he didn't go very far.
I hadn't intended to hunt western WA blacktails with that load, as I'd had eastern WA mulies in mind for it. But I didn't get a deer during early season on the east side of the state, so I met up with my FIL for the late season on the west side. It seems like that load was a bit much for such close range on a small blacktail.
But the eastern WA mulies, at at the spot that seems like about the best for the area, typically present opportunities for minimum 150 yard shots. 400 yards would certainly be a distance one could have a clear shot for.
So what would everyone here recommend I shop for for bullets? I need something that can handle the long range opportunities for mule deer (they can get as large as 300# out there, 150-225# is typical), while not destroying half the meat on the off side for short range blacktail shots. Just stick with the 140gr SP's and just live with the blood shot meat if I get another blacktail? Switch to the SST's (for those that have shot both SP's and SST's in the same rifle, how do they compare for POI if the rest of the load formula is the same)? Something other than 140gr Hornady's?
I'm tempted to either stick with the Hornady SP's or switch to the Rem Core-lokt's as they are both about the cheapest options and the Rem's can be bought in lot size increments.
I'm not made of gold, so as much as I'd like to try to the TSX's and Partitions they're not in my price range at the moment. Maybe in a few months if the economy improves. So if those really are the best options I'll just hold off on buying them until money isn't quite as tight.
The 140gr Spire Points were certainly more than good enough for me for accuracy. With 38.0gr Varget (WARNING: THAT IS OVER BOOK MAX - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK) it puts 3 shots into less than 1" at 100 yards from sandbags. Can't ask for too much more than that, and its not like the deer would notice any improvement in accuracy anyway. Didn't chrono it, but MV should be pretty close to 2700fps.
My issue with the SP's is that I got a LOT of blood-shot meat from my deer, and the bullet must have fragmented. Range was maybe 50 yards. There were 4 exit holes from one shot. Some of that could have been bone fragments though as that bullet pulverized about an inch or more of leg bone on both the entry and exit sides. Needless to say he didn't go very far.
I hadn't intended to hunt western WA blacktails with that load, as I'd had eastern WA mulies in mind for it. But I didn't get a deer during early season on the east side of the state, so I met up with my FIL for the late season on the west side. It seems like that load was a bit much for such close range on a small blacktail.
But the eastern WA mulies, at at the spot that seems like about the best for the area, typically present opportunities for minimum 150 yard shots. 400 yards would certainly be a distance one could have a clear shot for.
So what would everyone here recommend I shop for for bullets? I need something that can handle the long range opportunities for mule deer (they can get as large as 300# out there, 150-225# is typical), while not destroying half the meat on the off side for short range blacktail shots. Just stick with the 140gr SP's and just live with the blood shot meat if I get another blacktail? Switch to the SST's (for those that have shot both SP's and SST's in the same rifle, how do they compare for POI if the rest of the load formula is the same)? Something other than 140gr Hornady's?
I'm tempted to either stick with the Hornady SP's or switch to the Rem Core-lokt's as they are both about the cheapest options and the Rem's can be bought in lot size increments.
I'm not made of gold, so as much as I'd like to try to the TSX's and Partitions they're not in my price range at the moment. Maybe in a few months if the economy improves. So if those really are the best options I'll just hold off on buying them until money isn't quite as tight.