6.5 Creed 129ABLR loads

[.300winmag]

Having a 6.5 Creedmoor built and am wanting to try the 129gr ABLR, wasn’t super thrilled with the 6.5 140gr Berger Elite Hunters my buddy used on antelope this year. This bullet intrigued me tho, anybody had any luck with it and H4350, H4831sc, or Varget? Thanks in advance!

 

[Cleveland48]

I’ve already got my loads set for this year using Barnes TTSX. I’ve decided next year to use the 129 ABLR. So please post your results when your rifle is finished. I think it will be a great bullet for good speed and a great bc.


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[gerry]

Can't help you with the Creedmoor but did try them in my 260 Rem just after they came out. With H 4350 I had no troubles getting them to shoot at over 2900 fps kept seating them deeper until I was .110" from the lands. In this gun the deeper I went the better they shot, that seems to be the norm with these bullets. I may try them again and liked how they performed but I just don't shoot at long range very often so use the 130 gr AccuBond and 140 gr Ballistic Tip the most. FWIW the 3 deer I shot were all under 70 yards with them and they held together and exited the small balcktails we hunt.

 

[Cleveland48]

Sounds like they worked pretty good to me. I’m sure I could get them to 2900 in the Creedmoor with RL16. I just messed around and plugged them into my ballistic calculator. The Barnes TTSX I’m using this year need 1800 fps minimal to expand. They also have a terrible bc for a 6.5 mm bullet. I’m running them at 2920 fps currently and run out of velocity at 475-500 yards. I plugged in the 129 ABLR at 2900 fps and they were chugging along to 750 yards before they dropped below 1800 fps, so they are definitely slippery! Which none of this matters since I don’t even have a place to shoot Deer that far anyways, are the expertise to even try it lol. I am a big fan of that 130 AB though, I ran them a lot in my old 260.


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[.300winmag]

Thanks for the info, and I will definitely post results. My experience with the 210gr ABLR showed me they’re sensitive to seating depth and they like a lot of jump, my gun shot them best with .100” jump. Doesn’t surprise me you had to jump them so far with your .260, thanks again!

 

[gerry]

Sounds like they worked pretty good to me. I’m sure I could get them to 2900 in the Creedmoor with RL16. I just messed around and plugged them into my ballistic calculator. The Barnes TTSX I’m using this year need 1800 fps minimal to expand. They also have a terrible bc for a 6.5 mm bullet. I’m running them at 2920 fps currently and run out of velocity at 475-500 yards. I plugged in the 129 ABLR at 2900 fps and they were chugging along to 750 yards before they dropped below 1800 fps, so they are definitely slippery! Which none of this matters since I don’t even have a place to shoot Deer that far anyways, are the expertise to even try it lol. I am a big fan of that 130 AB though, I ran them a lot in my old 260.


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They are pretty sleek, you should be able to break 2900 with them and the right powder, the Creedmoor doesn't have that much less capacity. It will be interesting to see how you like those TTSX this year.

Thanks for the info, and I will definitely post results. My experience with the 210gr ABLR showed me they’re sensitive to seating depth and they like a lot of jump, my gun shot them best with .100” jump. Doesn’t surprise me you had to jump them so far with your .260, thanks again!

Since you shoot a lot at long range those bullets should be perfect for you. Since they have been introduced it looks like Nosler has tweaked the design and they are performing well. Not all guns like to shoot them but I do think some people just don't experiment enough either with the seating depth. I'll be watching to see how they shoot for you, good luck.

 

[.300winmag]

Sounds like they worked pretty good to me. I’m sure I could get them to 2900 in the Creedmoor with RL16. I just messed around and plugged them into my ballistic calculator. The Barnes TTSX I’m using this year need 1800 fps minimal to expand. They also have a terrible bc for a 6.5 mm bullet. I’m running them at 2920 fps currently and run out of velocity at 475-500 yards. I plugged in the 129 ABLR at 2900 fps and they were chugging along to 750 yards before they dropped below 1800 fps, so they are definitely slippery! Which none of this matters since I don’t even have a place to shoot Deer that far anyways, are the expertise to even try it lol. I am a big fan of that 130 AB though, I ran them a lot in my old 260.


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They are pretty sleek, you should be able to break 2900 with them and the right powder, the Creedmoor doesn't have that much less capacity. It will be interesting to see how you like those TTSX this year.

Thanks for the info, and I will definitely post results. My experience with the 210gr ABLR showed me they’re sensitive to seating depth and they like a lot of jump, my gun shot them best with .100” jump. Doesn’t surprise me you had to jump them so far with your .260, thanks again!

Since you shoot a lot at long range those bullets should be perfect for you. Since they have been introduced it looks like Nosler has tweaked the design and they are performing well. Not all guns like to shoot them but I do think some people just don't experiment enough either with the seating depth. I'll be watching to see how they shoot for you, good luck.

Gerry, the 210 ABLR definitely impressed me on two cow elk I shot last year. I’d read they were fragile but I didn’t find that the case, the put the cows down hard last year and I pulled one bullet out of a cow at 688 yards and it was picture perfect. I hope the 129gr version does just as well. Im just sold on the 215gr Berger in my .300 Win Mag, it’s performed awesome for me close and way out there.

 

[gerry]

I would be surprised if you didn't like how the 129 gr ABLR performs especially at 6.5 Creedmoor speeds. Good to hear about the 210 gr ABLR, I wouldn't mind trying the 190 gr version in a 30-06 or 300 WSM. Should be a good match for both of them.

Out of curiosity what didn't you like about the 6.5 mm 140 gr Berger?

 

[rjm158]

I shot some with Varget but my groups ran in the .9's. My best results were with RL-17; 40gr got me .6 and .7 groups. Being the brilliant ballistician that I am, I can't find my notes on velocity, though. I used a proven SWAG method to select an OAL and used .025 shorter than book length. It seemed to work out not only with the 129's but 142's also. RL-17 has given me the best results overall with any bullet from my rifle.

My rifle is (was) a Weatherby Vanguard with 24 inch barrel. I used Hornady brass with Federal 210M primers. I say "was" because I'm picking up a new one today and my stepson is buying my Weatherby. I'm getting a Tikka T-3 from Cabelas , one of their exclusives with the camo stock and stainless action/barrel. :grin: :grin: :grin:

Hope this helps a little.

Ron

 

[Cleveland48]

RL17 is a great powder for the 6.5 CM. Great speed and seems always to be very accurate.


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[.300winmag]

I would be surprised if you didn't like how the 129 gr ABLR performs especially at 6.5 Creedmoor speeds. Good to hear about the 210 gr ABLR, I wouldn't mind trying the 190 gr version in a 30-06 or 300 WSM. Should be a good match for both of them.

Out of curiosity what didn't you like about the 6.5 mm 140 gr Berger?

Gerry, you probably know I am a huge Berger fan, but what I want really impressed with was I wasn’t convinced the 140 Elite Hunters were opening. The lungs weren’t soup, there was a single hole through the lungs and the exit was quite small. It put his antelope down, but I was wondering if the bullets were actually opening. The tips on those bullets were super small diameter compared to the 215 Berger’s, and I feel the smaller tips hinder expanstion.

 

[gerry]

Thanks, I was curious since you are known as a fan of the Berger bullets.

 

[.300winmag]

I shot some with Varget but my groups ran in the .9's. My best results were with RL-17; 40gr got me .6 and .7 groups. Being the brilliant ballistician that I am, I can't find my notes on velocity, though. I used a proven SWAG method to select an OAL and used .025 shorter than book length. It seemed to work out not only with the 129's but 142's also. RL-17 has given me the best results overall with any bullet from my rifle.

My rifle is (was) a Weatherby Vanguard with 24 inch barrel. I used Hornady brass with Federal 210M primers. I say "was" because I'm picking up a new one today and my stepson is buying my Weatherby. I'm getting a Tikka T-3 from Cabelas , one of their exclusives with the camo stock and stainless action/barrel. :grin: :grin: :grin:

Hope this helps a little.

Ron

!

Thanks for the info, Ron! I greatly appreciate it!