6.5 Bullets--Longer Better?

[Alderman]

I currently have a couple of 6.5s (6.5 X 55 and 264 Mag) and I am waiting for a 6.5 Creedmoor to arrive soon.
As I don't use these for anything other than Blacktail deer and Antelope, I have a couple of loads with 120-125 grain bullets that have worked well for me and have taken deer with the 100 grain BT as well.
Recently I started working with the 140 grain AccuBond and find these shoot decently.
I seem to gravitate toward lighter bullets in most of my guns with the exception of the 280 where the 150 grain bullets have done well.

Hoping to pick your brains here, do the 6.5s generally do better with the longer, heavier bullets? I'm not an accomplished target shooter but most of my shots will be at paper.

These represent some of my better. I'm happy with 1" or below but don't always get it.

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[DrMike]

I don't believe myself to be qualified to comment on whether the heavier bullets shoot better, though my impression in the two .264 caliber cartridges I own, they surely shoot acceptably. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the groups you posted. I'd say you are getting very decent accuracy. Either of those rifles, and the 6.5 Creedmoor you are anticipating, will work for the game you specified. I wouldn't feel particularly undergunned going after moose and/or elk with any of those rifles, especially if I take into consideration the ranges at which they work.

 

[HTDUCK]

I don't know either.
The only bullets I have experience with on game are 130 NABs and 130 Bergers.
The Berger exploded on contact which resulted in a four hour track to recover the animal.
Every deer I've shot with a 130 NAB collapsed in it's tracks and was dead before it hit the ground.

Either of those loads above should serve you very well

 

[hereinaz]

Depends on your twist in the barrel for heavier bullets.

As far as bullets go, the heavier and longer they are, the BC gets better, so in some ways they are "better" for some purposes like longer range shots.

So totally depends on your gun and your purpose.

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[Cleveland48]

I mainly use the 140's in 6.5's, but have taken several Deer with 120's and 130's. I honestly believe the 140 only hold edge over the lighter bullets at longer ranges. The lighter 6.5's still have a a good BC, but quite a bit more velocity. I assume it would take 500-600 yards before the lighter bullets gave up any ground to the heavies.


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[gerry]

I mainly use the 140's in 6.5's, but have taken several Deer with 120's and 130's. I honestly believe the 140 only hold edge over the lighter bullets at longer ranges. The lighter 6.5's still have a a good BC, but quite a bit more velocity. I assume it would take 500-600 yards before the lighter bullets gave up any ground to the heavies.


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I agree with this. For years I only used 140's in my 260's and 6.5x55's with great results on game but now I use a lot of 130's in my 260 and am happy with how they perform. Like it was said above you can get quite a bit more speed out of them compared to the 140's. The 130 gr AccuBond is a favourite but I also have had great loads with the 129 gr Hornady, 129 gr ABLR and 130 gr Sierra HPBT. In the 264 WM the 130 gr TSX and 130 gr Scirocco were standouts. In my wife's 6.5x55 we have a great deer load with the 120 gr Ballistic Tip but are still trying to come up with the perfect heavy game load. For 140 gr bullets I really like the Ballistic Tip in that weight, it is fairly cheap and works very well at the speeds typical of the 260/6.5x55 class of cartridges.

 

[Cleveland48]

I loved the 120 BT when I had my 6.5x55 and 260. I have never tried the 140 BT though, but I imagine it is pretty easy to find an accurate load. And I bet it is perfect for deer and such. I've never recovered a 120 BT and a lot of my shots are close, so I believe they are tough for that weight class. The 130 AccuBond may be about the perfect bullet for the 6.5's, good speed and BC and excellent performer. I had a custom turrent made for my 6.5 Creedmoor for 120 BT and I can not find any now. Midway has had them listed as out of stock, limited production for months now. Which figures since I had a turrent made for them lol


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[Bbear]

I believe the original bullet weight for the 6.5x55 was in the 155-165 gr weights. Seemed to work well for it's intended purpose.
With today's more improved bullets manufacturing, pretty much any of the different weights can work well for most of the thin-skinned game and definitely work for paper-punching.
One thing that will have an effect on your accuracy with the longer (and probably heavier) bullets is the rate of twist. In my two 6.5 cartridges (6.5x55 and 264 Win Mag), the 264 has a 1-9 twist and the 6.5 has a 1-8.5 twist. Both handle the longer 142 gr AccuBond Long Range quite well. I used the 265 to take my elk this past fall.
If your 'average' shot is only 300-400 yards, I doubt you'll see much advantage going heavier. If, on the other hand, you want to work on longer ranges (500 and up), you may be better served with one of the heavier/longer bullets available, PROVIDED your barrel has the twist rate to stabilize them.

 

[wildgene]

...heavier bullets tend to have less wind drift, & have better S.D.'s, wind is always the bugaboo, & better S.D.'s equal more momentum, penetration...