6.5CM deer bullet choice

[bdbrown66]

So, I have a Browning X-Bolt Medallion in 6.5CM. My intention for it is mostly just to punch targets, but I'd like to work up a good deer load for it, just in case I ever want/need to use it for that.

I've got 2 bullet options available: the 130gr Sierra Game Changer and the 140gr Speer Gold Dot. Anyone have a recommendation of one over the other? Any experience on deer with either (good or bad)? Any good loads with either?



Cheers,
Brian

 

[Blkram]

While I have only used the 143 gr ELD-X on a moose to date out of my 6.5 CM, I have used 140 gr bullets from various makers on deer out of my 6.5x55 with great results. And I have used SGK's in various calibers and weights on deer and other larger game for years with great results. I believe that the 130 gr Game Changer would work well on deer out of your CM.
My experience with Speer bullets has been limited to the Hot-Cor bullets out of the .358 and has always performed well on large game, so I have no doubt that the Gold Dot will work on deer from the 6.5 CM too.
At the end of the day, it will be determined by which shoots best in your rifle.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Go over to the next page and you'll see a couple of posts that my son Ben did on the Sierra. They have worked well for him from his 6.5 CM. Dan.

 

[bdbrown66]

While I have only used the 143 gr ELD-X on a moose to date out of my 6.5 CM, I have used 140 gr bullets from various makers on deer out of my 6.5x55 with great results. And I have used SGK's in various calibers and weights on deer and other larger game for years with great results. I believe that the 130 gr Game Changer would work well on deer out of your CM.
My experience with Speer bullets has been limited to the Hot-Cor bullets out of the .358 and has always performed well on large game, so I have no doubt that the Gold Dot will work on deer from the 6.5 CM too.
At the end of the day, it will be determined by which shoots best in your rifle.

Let me push back just a little on this. I'm hoping to avoid wasting powder and primers doing load development for both, given that this is a "maybe" proposition to begin with. I would like to pick one, work up a load, and as long as it has acceptable accuracy, go with it. All of my deer hunting right now is in wooded country, so 100 yards or so is about the max distance.

So, given all that, which bullet would you pick as your first choice?

 

[xphunter]

Typical distances killing deer?

 

[bdbrown66]

Typical distances killing deer?

Where I hunt right now is wooded, so 100 yards or so, max.

 

[JD338]

My wife has a Kimber Hunter in 6.5 CM. I worked up a load with the 129 gr ABLR and RL17 that shoots sub MOA. She has made hits on the 800 yard gong with it as well.
On WT deer, it's awesome.Her first deer kill was a big dry doe that ran about 50 yards. She has shot several more out to around 300 yards and they have all dropped in their tracks.
This is the only bullet that we have used in her 6.5 CM.

JD338

 

[Slimfinn]

For whitetails at under 100yd I think either bullet would work just fine.
I have some of the gold dot but not loaded yet. Some of the research I have done on them(gold dot/deep curls) is they can have some pressure issues so be sure you use Speer load data.

 

[bdbrown66]

For whitetails at under 100yd I think either bullet would work just fine.
I have some of the gold dot but not loaded yet. Some of the research I have done on them(gold dot/deep curls) is they can have some pressure issues so be sure you use Speer load data.

Yes, I have heard the same.

 

[hunter24605]

Either will do fine, I used that gold dot in my 308 for deer and a couple of hogs and it expands wide and causes a lot of trauma and holds onto it’s weight pretty good. My daughter and brother are using them in their 6.5 Grendel’s, and the deer all expired quite fast.

 

[noslerpartition]

Under 100y I would take a tougher bullet,too.
If I wouldn't have to hunt lead free, the above mentioned gold dot would be my first choice.
If it doesn't group, any 140 gr, preferably bonded.
The Creed isn't laser fast, but I assume a fast 120 gr or less in simple cup and core might damage more meat that necessary.
On the other hand - if the brush is thick, you might reconsider
Cheers Frank

 

[xphunter]

Given the short shots, I would go with the GD

 

[bdbrown66]

Given the short shots, I would go with the GD

Yeah, I'm leaning that way, as you and some others have suggested. I was impressed with the performance tests of the Sierra that Dan's son did a little while ago, that looks like a real good deer bullet. But I'm thinking that the GD will be the better option for this short -range stuff, so long as it shoots ok. I'll save the Sierras in case I ever do something out West where the ranges are longer, like a pronghorn or muley hunt.

I'll work up a load and test it on some jugs and report back with the results. Thanks for the feedback!!

Brian

 

[xphunter]

You are welcome.
Looking forward to the range report.

 

[gldprimr]

So, I have a Browning X-Bolt Medallion in 6.5CM. My intention for it is mostly just to punch targets, but I'd like to work up a good deer load for it, just in case I ever want/need to use it for that.

I've got 2 bullet options available: the 130gr Sierra Game Changer and the 140gr Speer Gold Dot. Anyone have a recommendation of one over the other? Any experience on deer with either (good or bad)? Any good loads with either?

View attachment 17083

Cheers,
Brian

Brian,
I’ll be the outlier here and say that I’d go with the lighter & faster bullet. I too hunt where there’s a lot of brush and have pretty well settled on 120 gr. bullets whether in my 7mm-08 or 6.5 Creedmoor for deer hunting here. I like the bit of additional speed and have found that I get quicker kills which is a real plus in recovering the deer I shoot. So I would say use the the 130 gr. Sierra. Either is more than tough enough for deer which really aren’t that hard to kill. Recovery can be a bit of a challenge if they run and I’ve had shorter death runs with the lighter bullets.
Norman

 

[Heavy Barrel]

Let me push back just a little on this. I'm hoping to avoid wasting powder and primers doing load development for both, given that this is a "maybe" proposition to begin with. I would like to pick one, work up a load, and as long as it has acceptable accuracy, go with it. All of my deer hunting right now is in wooded country, so 100 yards or so is about the max distance.

So, given all that, which bullet would you pick as your first choice?

While I haven't had the opportunity to harvest anything with these loads. These are both from my Savage 10 Storm loaded strictly by both Nosler's and Hornady's manual.

This was with 129 SSTs and Superformance.


This was with 130gr Accubonds and RL 15.

 

[JD338]

My wife has a Kimber Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor and shoots the 129 ABLR. It just flattens deer.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Accuracy is definitely there in either of those loads.

 

[hunter24605]

A guy in our group shoots that SST and it really dumps deer. I can’t imagine an AccuBond not performing excellent. Either of those should handle deer with outstanding results.

 

[Jimbeaux82]

I have used both 140 gr BT as well as 140 gr SST with complete satisfaction