6.5mm bullet for moose hunting

[triton]

For all the reloaders, what bullet type and grain weight would you use in 6.5 mm on moose? Mine would probably be a 140 gr nosler partition, or swift a-frame. What would you guys use, and why?

Dave.

 

[Northman999]

120gr TTSX, 120gr or 130gr TSX, 160gr RN would all work great.

I've got 140gr SST's in my 6.5x55 and I would not hesitate at all to shoot a big bull moose with that as well.

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Check out Swift , they have a bonded and an A-frame in 6.5mm

 

[mark k]

I shoot 140gr Barnes XLC's out of my Tikka. I shot a big doe faceing me at about 50m and had almost 4.5 ft of penetration. I blast Bullwinkle with that anyday.

 

[shredder0]

The Hornady 160 round nose has a reputation as a deep penetrator for game like moose. I would not hesitate to use it. Personally I have not shot a moose with my 6.5x55 (yet) but the bullets you mention are spot on. Hit em in the right spot and everything will be fine.

 

[bcsteve]

130 TSX will out-penetrate everything out there.

 

[Gatehouse]

130 TSX will out-penetrate everything out there.

How the hell would you know?

 

[todbartell]

my vote would be 120gr TTSX or 130gr TSX

 

[broadhead67]

there was an incredibly extensive set of tests done on the 6.5x55 by one of our members last year (?) think it was ,try a search . it was one of the best I have ever seen.I seem to recal the 140gr. being tops for penetration,it was right after I had bought 2 boxes of 160gr.... story of my life

 

[6.5 mag]

i have shot a bunch of moose & elk with the 140gr partition always flawless performance but not the most acurate.i now shoot berger 140vld very acuate & kill well, oh yah penitration isnt everything.

 

[burnt_servo]

there was an incredibly extensive set of tests done on the 6.5x55 by one of our members last year (?) think it was ,try a search . it was one of the best I have ever seen.I seem to recal the 140gr. being tops for penetration,it was right after I had bought 2 boxes of 160gr.... story of my life

those tests where made by the guy who did post #6

 

[ben hunchak]

The Swede made it's excellent reputation for kills on big game such as moose, with the 160 or so grain bullet, this goes back many years. The long soft point not only gives deep (usually complete) penetration but does it while offering good/reliable expansion and if I wanted to use the 6.5 for moose hunting, no doubt, I'd use the 160 soft point.

 

[mbogo3]

I have never recovered a 160 gr Hornady from any moose .Always an in and out hole and you can eat right up to the bullet hole.I use 42gr-IMR4350 or 42gr N204..........shoots through two moose and a fire hydrant!.............Harold

 

[bcsteve]

There, I found that test from that guy. Looks like the guy in post #6 was right.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162814&highlight=Test

 

[CV32]

I use a 140 gr Barnes XLC in my Remington 700 Classic. Virtual 100% weight retention. Take the blue pill, I say. (Wish I could find more of them).

 

[saskcop]

Any good quality 140 or 160 grain bullet would work. Ask any Scandinavian hunter.

 

[burnt_servo]

I use a 140 gr Barnes XLC in my Remington 700 Classic. Virtual 100% weight retention. Take the blue pill, I say. (Wish I could find more of them).

the 140 grain x bullet and it's variants was the perfect length for the 6.5x55 , as it was the same length as the 160 grain round nose and could easily be seated into the rifling if a person wanted to do that .

i haven't tried the 130 grain versions yet , but all of the 120 grain bullets i have all fail to even get close to the rifling in my rifles .

i wish barnes would make more of the 140grain versions again .

with that said , i wouldn't hesitate to use a any of the 120 grain bullets from barnes , or hornady's gmx ( nosler has a solid copper bullet out now too that looks promising ) on the largest of moose / elk .

large bears that want to make a snack out of me are another story . i'm sure they would work well , but i would be thinking in terms of several quick follow up shots and something to hide behind for the few extra seconds it might take for the bullets to work their magic .
i would definately be wishing to be carrying something bigger ( which is why i built a 45-120 ) .

 

[todbartell]

.i now shoot berger 140vld very acuate & kill well, oh yah penitration isnt everything.

nope, it isn't everything, but when your bullet pancakes on impact.............

 

[John Y Cannuck]

The Swede made it's excellent reputation for kills on big game such as moose, with the 160 or so grain bullet, this goes back many years. The long soft point not only gives deep (usually complete) penetration but does it while offering good/reliable expansion and if I wanted to use the 6.5 for moose hunting, no doubt, I'd use the 160 soft point.

When I started hunting moose I considered that bullet, and I agree, it's likely the best out of a 6.5. But it's velocity and trajectory suck compared to what can be achieved with the 140.
So that's what I went with, the Nosler partition in 140. The new fangled non lead stuff didn't exist back then. But the partition has always worked for me.
I'm usually a go big or go home kinda guy, but faced with the possibility of a fairly long moose shot with a 6.5, that's what I decided to do.

 

[Mur]

Any good quality 140 or 160 grain bullet would work. Ask any Scandinavian hunter.

Very true,the 6.5x55 is prefered by Scandinavian moose hunters,and they shoot a lot of them.The bullet they use the most is the 160gr roundnose,but that could be because they don't have access to the premium bullets we have.On the other hand why fix it if it ain't broke! Mur