Time for a change

[chrispbrown27]

For the past 4 years I have been shooting Hornady 100 gr Interlocks in my model 600 6mm because the gun loves them, the price is good and they are easier to get a hold of locally. Last year I had two deer run off after hitting them at no more than 100 yards. The first was a yearling doe broadside. I held behind the shoulder and at the shot she jumped and ran off. After waiting for around 5 mins I walked to where she stood and saw a single tiny spot of blood. As I walked in the direction she had ran looking for more blood I saw her standing roughly 80 yards from where I had shot her. She ran off again without any sign of being hurt. I backed off and then went back and found no more blood and no deer. The second instance I had a forkhorn standing at about the same distance broadside with the same shot placement. This one kicked at the shot and ran off over a hill and out of sight. Never found a drop of blood on that on and it showed no sign of being injured. It is completely possible the bullet is not to blame....I am human after all, but I know the rifle was dead on and there was no brush in the way because I hunt a wide open field.
I am torn on which bullet I should give a try now. I have loaded up 100 gr partitions but the accuracy was less than stellar out of my rifle. I have not tried anything smaller than the 100 gr, mostly because I can't get past thinking anything smaller would be enough for a deer. I have read that the smaller gr. partitions are more than enough, but I just have a mental block on anything smaller. I have almost talked myself into using straight on shoulder shots and barnes or e-tips for the shock power of hitting bone just so this doesn't happen anymore....talk me out of this, please. I have heard stories of the partitions just punching straight through without expansion......anyone care to comment on that?

 

[Rem Jim]

For Deer the 95 gr Nosler BT would work well or you could go to the 95 gr Nosler AccuBond - both will KILL deer good with a well placed shot and so should HAVE the Hornady Interlocks too ! RJ

 

[Guy Miner]

People sometimes think that the Partition doesn't expand, because the exit wounds are typically small.

That's because the front end is very soft, and expands very rapidly, often fragmenting, coming apart, or folding back alongside the bullet shank. There's often dramatic damage inside the animal, within a few inches of the entrance wound. I haven't seen a Partition make a big exit wound. But.. if the accuracy isn't what you're seeking, don't use them.

Instead take a hard look at my absolute favorite 6mm hunting bullet, the 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

The B-Tip suffers still, from a bad rap that came about when they were introduced in the 1980's, but the B-Tips offered today, including the 95 grain Ballistic Tip, are very stout bullets, with an exceptionally heavy base, and really, not all that much lead in them.

The 95 B-Tip is the single most accurate bullet I've ever used from my 6mm Rem Model 700. It routinely prints about a 5/8" group from the 1974 vintage sporter barrel and has taken quite a few deer out to about 300 yards or so. Penetration and expansion are both stellar.

Finally, this past season, my son managed to recover a bullet from his whitetail buck! Most have penetrated through, after causing tremendous damage inside the chest cavity. Last year, he shot the buck as it faced him head-on at about 70 yards. The bullet went in the neck, glanced downward off the spine, and was found well back in the deer, just under the hide. It penetrated about 3' of deer from what we could tell.

Here's the photos of that bullet, the only 6mm, 95 gr Ballistic Tip we've ever managed to recover. Pretty beat up, but what a deer killer!





Now, though it's but 95 grains, it's a pretty long bullet with that boat tail base and pointy plastic tip, so, if it's too long to stabilize and shoot well from your rifle, simply give the 90 grain version a try instead! Either way, it's an accurate, rapid expanding deer bullet that's more than tough enough for deer.

Nice to see another 6mm Rem here on the forum. They tend to do a mighty fine job.

Regards, Guy

 

[chrispbrown27]

I agree the Interlocks should have done the job and they have in the past, but something went wrong. I was shooting from a solid rest and had a clear shot, so I really don't think the shot was off but ya never know. Unfortunately, these two instances has soured me to the bullet. I have considered BT's, but I just wonder how they would handle a dead on shoulder shot. If I were to hug the shoulder too much (or one of the kids I take hunting do) will the bullet hold together well enough to get through the bone to some vitals?

 

[PJGunner]

I've seen 6 deer killed with the 100 gr. Interlocks from a .243 Win. I took 6 different kids out for their first deer hunts and they all used my Kodiak Mauser .243 with my handloads using the Hornady bullet. At the time I had access to a private ranch and I only had one kid with me at a time. The area we hunted was a large open field with strips of willows, otherwise being a fairly open piece of ground. All 6 deer were well hit in the chest cavity with mixed results. One deer was drop dead, DRT bang/flop. Quite impressive, Others ran from any 20 yards to 50 yards or so before dropping but one deer cover 250 yards until hitting a fence. He then back up, hit the fence again and and tried again but finally expired. Before I let the kids go for their deer, on the ones that ran at all, I made them look for a blood trail All were sparse and I do believe that the one that covered all that distance before expiring would not have been recovered had the cover been more dense. I did have my 30-06 on hand as back up but never could get a clean shot at the runner.
Paul B.

 

[cloverleaf]

I guess my experience with the .25 BT would give me great confidence in the90 gr 6mm. You aren't driving then that hard and the BT is tough enough in my experience. They do their work,, by coming apart in the boiler room. My .02 CL

 

[chrispbrown27]

Since I started using the Interlocks 4 yrs ago I have killed my share of deer, including a small buck around 150 yards at a trot last year just a few days before I had the two run off. The only thing I can figure is that for some reason they didn't pass through those deer. As I think it over the deer were probably slightly quartering away and it is possible I hit the offside shoulder on them both. To me this shouldn't have stopped the bullet and certainly should have wrecked the lungs, but I have seen deer hit in the lungs with shotgun slugs go a fairly long distance. Of course in those instances there was a good blood trail because the slug blew through the other side.

 

[super-7]

Once again I'm on repeat and guys are going to tell me to shuddup!!! But here it goes;
Over the last 5 years or so I have loaded for both the 6mm rem and the 243 win. I am a big advocate for the 100 gr PT, why? Cause it simply works flawlessly every time. I know there are many other well built and accurate 6mm cal bullets but for me the PT is king in this cal letting it punch above its weight class so to speak.
If you want to put in the time and humour me this load is used in 5 243 win rifles all with acceptable accuracy for hunting MOA or better.
I use once fired Rem or win brass, WLR primer, 41-44 gr of Hy- brid 100, and a 100 gr Nos PT.
Oal is set at the mag length of the 3 savages and works just aswell in the Remmy and Weatherby Vangaurd.
This powder works very very well in both the 243 and 6 MM, giving excellent velocity and low ES over the chrony.
I believe in your description of the above events that both deer died and probly within 250 yrds of your shot. A jump and kick sounds like a classic lung shot problem may be the interlock went in with a small entry and did not exit leaving a small to non exsistent blood trail. A deer can go along ways on a double lung surprisingly. We have with the younger shooters been taking the front shoulder shot , while there is some meat loss it's less then losing a complete animal and with the PT we are not worried about a lack of penetration or Splash.

 

[JD338]

Take a look at the 243 95 gr BT. It has a lot of history as a quick killer on deer sized game.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

Take a look at the 243 95 gr BT. It has a lot of history as a quick killer on deer sized game.

JD338

It is a GREAT bullet. Works well on deer, opens fast and penetrates like Guy said. It is a really good pill in the 243/6mm.

 

[chrispbrown27]

Super-7, I agree it is possible that the bullet just punched a 6mm hole straight through both lungs and if I had been able to track further (crossed onto other property I do not have permission to cross onto) I might have found more blood as the chest filled up and reached the hole. I have seen this happen before. I am leaning toward the Partition but so far I have yet to get good accuracy out of my rifle with the 100 gr. Off the top of my head I can't name the powders I have tried, but I know I have not tried the one you mentioned. I am thinking I might end up dropping to an 85 gr. and see if that flies better than the 100's. Had some disheartening news on some property we were in the process of buying today so bullets haven't been at the top of the list in my mind. ha ha
I am going to be honest here.....I have no desire to even try the BT's. I know there are many people that sing their praises and have had wonderful results, but I want something that will pass through and leave a hole on the other side to leave a blood trail. Sure BT's will wreck the vitals, but I have seen deer without lungs go long distances. I may really be missing out by not giving them a try, but just can't do it.

 

[Guybo]

My daughter harvested her first two deer at age 8 with the 95gr BT and the .243, it done an excellent job and there was no tracking required. One shot was about 125yds and the other 150yds with no bullet recovery. Also very accurate!

 

[Guy Miner]

I am going to be honest here.....I have no desire to even try the BT's. I know there are many people that sing their praises and have had wonderful results, but I want something that will pass through and leave a hole on the other side to leave a blood trail. Sure BT's will wreck the vitals, but I have seen deer without lungs go long distances. I may really be missing out by not giving them a try, but just can't do it.

I understand your reluctance about the Ballistic Tips. You did understand that of all the deer my son and I have killed with Ballistic Tips, that one in the photo is the only one we've recovered?

Typically they go right on through, and typically we're hunting mule deer. I'll be counting on the little 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip again this fall on two mulie hunts and pronghorn as well, using my .25-06 Rem. I do tend to favor the shoulder shot, and the BT's blast 'em just fine through the shoulders. I'm trying to remember game we had to track following a hit from a Ballistic Tip.... The only one was a buck of John's, at real close range with a 165 Nosler from the .30-06 rifle. It went 30 yards, spraying blood all over the snow - but that could have been an old lead-tipped Nosler Solid Base, predecessor to the Ballistic Tip...

No sweat though - the Partitions are the bullet Nosler built their reputation on and they work great. I just happen to have a few ready to load myself, from 85 - 300 grains. :mrgreen:

In the 6mm Rem, I was really impressed with the accuracy I got from the 100 gr Partitions & RL-22, up near max charges, running about 3,000 fps from the 22" 700 BDL. Great combo. Well under 3" groups at 300 yards. I can live with that for hunting.

H4350 did real well too, come to think of it.

Regards, Guy

 

[Rem Jim]

Well Chris - just load up the AccuBond- it will get the job DONE ! :grin: RJ

 

[6mm Remington]

I started hunting when I was a kid with a Remington Model 600 Centennial model in 6mm Remington. It now belongs to my son. What a great little rifle!

I have shot nothing but 100 gr. Partitions in that rifle except for the very first year before my dad got reloading equipment. That was my first and only year hunting with factory loads! The Partition has NEVER let me down on deer, antelope, coyotes, or elk in the 6mm Remington. It kills very well.

If you cannot get the 100 gr. Partition to shoot very well, sometimes a small change to the 95 gr. or even the 85 gr. Partition and you might find something that shoots very well for you. I would feel comfortable shooting deer sized game with either of those two bullets.

I agree with the others that the 95 gr. BT had a bad reputation at first but these guys sure have showed me that they have greatly improved them. I think those would be a good pick if your rifle shoots them. I have also had great success with the 90 gr. Etip in my son's other 6mm which is a Ruger MKII. (You can never have too many 6mm Remingtons!!) The 90 gr. AccuBond would be one that really deserves a hard look as well. I sure have been impressed with the Accubonds!!

David

 

[chrispbrown27]

I was waiting for you to weigh in on the debate David! You and I talked model 600's a few years back and I remember very clearly how much you loved those little rifles. A very good friend of mine and long time hunting buddy keeps telling me I need to not let the sentimental side of the rifle (it was my Dad's who passed away 5 yrs ago) and step up to a bigger caliber. He has a love affair going on with his .300 RUM and says I need to get something with more umph. Now, I am not against big calibers by any means, but I know this rifle can handle deer just fine.....I have seen it drop more than one where it stood. I have just lost confidence in the bullets I had been using. I just can't see myself sitting this rifle in the gun cabinet and letting it gather dust. So that is why I am looking to change it up this year. I am definitely leaning toward partitions and thinking I should try another powder with the 100 grs. and see if I can get them to shoot a bit tighter. The problem is I have been unable to find anything other than 85 gr bullets right now. But I have some time and will keep my eyes open. Thank you to everyone for weighing in on the post.

 

[FOTIS]

For Deer the 95 gr Nosler BT would work well or you could go to the 95 gr Nosler AccuBond - both will KILL deer good with a well placed shot and so should HAVE the Hornady Interlocks too ! RJ

Yes, good advice however he AB's would be 90 gr in 6mm.

 

[chrispbrown27]

After a lot of time thinking about it (probably more time thinking about it than some things I should be thinking about) I am reconsidering the BT's, but I have a few questions. Has anyone seen any dead on bone shots with the bullets? I just keep thinking about my nephew or I pulling the shot slightly and nailing a leg bone or directly into the shoulder joint and a badly wounded deer disappearing on us. So has anyone seen the results of BT's hitting thicker bones dead on?

 

[chrispbrown27]

What about Combined Technology BT's? Anyone tried them?

 

[SJB358]

If your keeping them under 3000FPS impact speed with higher SD'ed bullets you'll have no drama.