Beretta28g Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 I have been reloading for a short while now, and have used my reloads to great affect on the range and on foxes. last night i shot my first deer with them. There was no definite exit wound, just a couple of small tears, and the insides looked like a bomb had gone off in them. I think i need to change the bullets that im using, so what do people use. I want a bullet that will stop a fox in its tracks, and will also stop a Red deer(Doubt these would have reached the vitals but he would not have felt well either) without too much bullet damage. Whats best? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 soft point of some description, I use 85's in my .243 with no too much meat damage on deer and no issues stopping foxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted June 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 Well before i used 140g Interlocks, they did stop a fox, but the 2 i shot with em ran. I handloaded 140g A-max, and they did stop foxes quick, they stopped the muntjac quick but with un acceptable meat damage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 Best ask the 6.5 users what they find best A max are still accepted as being pretty quick to expand. You may need two loads or to swap to a .243 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) I've used 140gn Sierra Gamekings in my 6.5x55AI for ages now. Running a tad under 2900fps they expand well, provide good stopping power with little meat damage, and very accurate. No problems with Munties, Fallow buck/doe or Red Hinds. They will also stop foxes very well indeed, although I tend to use the .223 with 55gn Blitzkings for most of my foxing. Edited June 20, 2012 by Browning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moor man Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 Well done on your first deer! Your round sound a bit too frangible, much meat damage? I use; Hornady sst 120g; good for roe and fox, speer hot cor 140gn (soft nose spitzer type) for roe + fallow, this round performs predictably well, holds together and mushrooms nicely.( I use Re22 for home loading.) Privi partisan factory in 156g £10/20!! heavy hitter and a good cheap back up round (not as accurate as home loads, but good enough in my rifle to 150m) All of these will do the business well if shot placement is good, (as always) Placement over power every time. You dont say what bullet or powder you are using? As a general guide, find something that performs on target, shoots well in your rifle and have a reliable source for, nothing more annoying than developing a good load then not being able to repeat it because you cant get same primers, powder or heads. Dont be tempted to try a mates home loads and use reliable manual/manufacturers data as a start. Cheers moorman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted June 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 I am using CCI200 RL22 47GN Hornady 140GN A-Max The Interlock bullets from Hornady were good through my rifle, on deer. They kill foxes quick enough for my liking(Only have one CF rifle it has to do both). Speer Hot-Cors are these any good? What about Seirra Gameking? It will be a 140gn offering i think. Those A-max were pretty frangible the biggest bit i recovered was the polymer tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted June 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 Has anyone any experience of the Speer Deepcurl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 140gn interlocks with n160, for me for roe, fallow and red stags, not used them on fox as yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordieh Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) Well before i used 140g Interlocks, they did stop a fox, but the 2 i shot with em ran. I handloaded 140g A-max, and they did stop foxes quick, they stopped the muntjac quick but with un acceptable meat damage Hi I think you may find A-max are illegal to use on deer they are a target round Geordie Edited June 20, 2012 by geordieh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 not this one again.... let's not start that whole silly debate all over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted June 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) Hi I think you may find A-max are illegal to use on deer they are a target round Geordie They expand, VIOLENTLY end of. Looking round for other options. Edited June 20, 2012 by Beretta28g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 some friends have moved from Interlocks to the Interbonds for that reason, especially when the fps were; so I've not tried them My x55 likes130s .. SSTs and Sirocco, so I do as it says. Though I may have to switch to Accubonds or Interbonds depending on availability. Fortuitously they all seem shoot pretty much to the same point as the 123 laps and Sierrra which I use for scope setting and perforating paper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dicehorn Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 I use Sierra Pro Hunters at 120 gr in my 6.5, very accurate and I usually shoot mainly reds, a few roe and fallow, They have the desired effect on the occasional fox I shoot also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted June 21, 2012 Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 140gn Nosler Partitions... do everything I need them to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordieh Posted June 21, 2012 Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 not this one again.... let's not start that whole silly debate all over Sorry consider myself told off didn't realise we were not allowed to debate siily things, having to use none toxic shot on ducks and geese inland is silly, but it is still the law, is it ok to break that one too Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 21, 2012 Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 Its all down to wording geordieh and the ultimate is it fits the criteria of being an expanding bullet of hollow nose or soft point construction. The only debateable bit is how predictable the expansion is and it is predictable that it expands violently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted June 21, 2012 Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 it's been debated to death on here, just do a search, that's all i was getting at geordieh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted June 21, 2012 Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 Im using Speer hot-core 120g at the moment. not happy with the grouping so im stepping up to 140gn hot-core. Just a little gutted as the bullet is very sweet. nice entry and only 1" exit on the last Roe. Varget 38gn, its at the top of the reload but there is no pressure sighs. I have 3/4 box left then i will move over to 140gn and start the reloading again. If you get to try the hot-curls please let us know how they behave. from what i have read i think they have a higher weight retention than the hot-cores so on meat damage it might be a good thing but for dropping foxes on the spot, im not sure. i see someone did a big bullet test on a forum showing before and after plus bullet weight retention. i have it here somewhere if you want it. all the best Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted June 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 Im using Speer hot-core 120g at the moment. not happy with the grouping so im stepping up to 140gn hot-core. Just a little gutted as the bullet is very sweet. nice entry and only 1" exit on the last Roe. Varget 38gn, its at the top of the reload but there is no pressure sighs. I have 3/4 box left then i will move over to 140gn and start the reloading again. If you get to try the hot-curls please let us know how they behave. from what i have read i think they have a higher weight retention than the hot-cores so on meat damage it might be a good thing but for dropping foxes on the spot, im not sure. i see someone did a big bullet test on a forum showing before and after plus bullet weight retention. i have it here somewhere if you want it. all the best Phil. Yes please, YHPM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 When I had my 6.5 I had two bullets that I could really recommend. First was the Speer Hot-Cor in 140gr and second was the Barnes TSX 130gr. Both were outstanding bullets, putting deer down fast and not making too much of a mess. The best of the two were the Barnes as they opened up very fast making them good for fox but then held together for near 100% weight retention making them good for deer too. They killed foxes better than the Speers and made less mess in the deer. Only down side was that they cost more for 50 than the Hot-Cor cost for 100. It depends how much you shoot? If you're willing to pay for something good and only shoot live quarry then the Barnes are worth the money. If like me you do a range day every month with it too the the Speers would be my first choice. Either way I'd say your powder choice is spot on so stick with it. On a side note I've used Hornady Interlocks in my 7mm's and find the SST a bit more splatty (although not excessive) than the Interlock sp. Both are good bullets so shouldn't be too much different in the 6.5. They may be worth a try if you can't get the two I've suggested locally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 When I had my 6.5 I had two bullets that I could really recommend. First was the Speer Hot-Cor in 140gr and second was the Barnes TSX 130gr. Both were outstanding bullets, putting deer down fast and not making too much of a mess. The best of the two were the Barnes as they opened up very fast making them good for fox but then held together for near 100% weight retention making them good for deer too. They killed foxes better than the Speers and made less mess in the deer. Only down side was that they cost more for 50 than the Hot-Cor cost for 100. It depends how much you shoot? If you're willing to pay for something good and only shoot live quarry then the Barnes are worth the money. If like me you do a range day every month with it too the the Speers would be my first choice. Either way I'd say your powder choice is spot on so stick with it. On a side note I've used Hornady Interlocks in my 7mm's and find the SST a bit more splatty (although not excessive) than the Interlock sp. Both are good bullets so shouldn't be too much different in the 6.5. They may be worth a try if you can't get the two I've suggested locally? Neil, I cant get any locally, all will have to be ordered. I do enjoy time on the range twice a month, so something cheap and effective would be good. It looks like im going to try the Gamekings, HotCors, DeepCurl(If they do a 6.5 offering) and TSX. I can see expensive months of testing coming up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbjones01 Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 i use nosler bt in 120 in my 6.5 for fox they expand quick and make quite an effective job tho i would never use them on deer as damage would be too great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 I'd hold back on the TSX if you range shoot a lot. Cost is one consideration but I also think that monolithic bullets are banned on most ranges? You'd probably get away with it but I'm not sure how seriously it would be taken if you were seen to be using them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted June 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 I'd hold back on the TSX if you range shoot a lot. Cost is one consideration but I also think that monolithic bullets are banned on most ranges? You'd probably get away with it but I'm not sure how seriously it would be taken if you were seen to be using them? Ive not been told their banned, a lot of people are using solid lead slugs there so............. I reckon ill try the Speer and Sierra. A question Speer list the Deep Curl in 6.5, but only give loading data for a .260 Rem, would they be OK to use in a Swede and what sort of load should i start with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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