When I first went to 6.5 CM I started shooting Hornady 147g ELD match cartridges. You could well make the argument that for out to 1000 yards the 140 or 120 or even lighter bullets would be a better choice and I would agree with you.
But I stay with the 147 g for a few reasons (Some of which is being lazy, some more if it ain’t broke don’t fix it)
1. I never had a miss I would blame on the bullet
2. Factory ammo is consistent in performance and I have no problem using them in a match and have done so
3. I have a recipe for hand loading the same bullet that in my rifle performs the same. My first match I shot half the match with factory and the second half with hand loads using same dial up data.
4. When it is time to go hunting, I can move to the Hornady 143 grain ELD-X hunting bullet, and out to 250 or 300 yards I can use the same dial up data as the 147 g target ammo. The little difference in point of impact ( inch or two) doesn’t matter to a deer (I’ve taken three now from 150 to 200 yards)
so I’m good to stay with 147 grain ammo. However yesterday I added one more reason to the list. I had just shot a 5 shot group on a 12” wide steel plate ( with fresh paint) at 500 yards with the147 g match. About a six inch group. The group was about as high as it was wide, and in spite of holding .7 or .8 mil into wind I hadn’t landed a shot on windward half of plate so group was no more than 6” wide
So as I was going into ammo box for more ammo, I saw a box of the 143 hunting ammo, and had the bright idea to try it at 500 yards with the same scope setting I just used with the 147 grain bullet to see how much it missed by. (Since I can’t see a deer past 300 yards where I hunt and a shot past 250 is unlikely, I have never tested it past 300 yards)
So I film the attempt thru my spotting scope and a guy at the range is spotting also. I send it and dang if I didnt hit the steel. Sent another, and same thing. The two shots hit at same elevation to each other, about three inches apart, about two inches below bottom of the other group at 500 freaking yards. Makes me wonder if the ammo was engineered that way.
The only way I’m ever going to change my loads is if they discontinue it
But I stay with the 147 g for a few reasons (Some of which is being lazy, some more if it ain’t broke don’t fix it)
1. I never had a miss I would blame on the bullet
2. Factory ammo is consistent in performance and I have no problem using them in a match and have done so
3. I have a recipe for hand loading the same bullet that in my rifle performs the same. My first match I shot half the match with factory and the second half with hand loads using same dial up data.
4. When it is time to go hunting, I can move to the Hornady 143 grain ELD-X hunting bullet, and out to 250 or 300 yards I can use the same dial up data as the 147 g target ammo. The little difference in point of impact ( inch or two) doesn’t matter to a deer (I’ve taken three now from 150 to 200 yards)
so I’m good to stay with 147 grain ammo. However yesterday I added one more reason to the list. I had just shot a 5 shot group on a 12” wide steel plate ( with fresh paint) at 500 yards with the147 g match. About a six inch group. The group was about as high as it was wide, and in spite of holding .7 or .8 mil into wind I hadn’t landed a shot on windward half of plate so group was no more than 6” wide
So as I was going into ammo box for more ammo, I saw a box of the 143 hunting ammo, and had the bright idea to try it at 500 yards with the same scope setting I just used with the 147 grain bullet to see how much it missed by. (Since I can’t see a deer past 300 yards where I hunt and a shot past 250 is unlikely, I have never tested it past 300 yards)
So I film the attempt thru my spotting scope and a guy at the range is spotting also. I send it and dang if I didnt hit the steel. Sent another, and same thing. The two shots hit at same elevation to each other, about three inches apart, about two inches below bottom of the other group at 500 freaking yards. Makes me wonder if the ammo was engineered that way.
The only way I’m ever going to change my loads is if they discontinue it
