Monolithic in 6.5

[Desperatezulu]

@Elton - I assume you're in RSA? If so, then bullet availability now and going forward needs to be factored into your selection. Peregrine get the nod over Barnes and Hornady/GMX because they're local and thus better availability. Pricewise they've got just as expensive as Barnes, so you're not going be choosing between them based on price.
Other local monos are worth a look - Ballistix and Kriek come to mind. They're a bit cheaper.

While 6.5CM needs all the help it can get to kill game (manbun joke alert!) I do have a fair amount of experience with the Swede.
A bit of history on the Peregrine and 6.5mm bullets - initially they made 140gr spire point bullets and these failed to stabilise in most Swedes. So Peregrine dropped the weight (or more accurately, reduced the length) and ended up around 124gr if I'm not mistaken. I think there might have been an attempt around 130gr too, which also didn't stabilise reliably IIRC.
Peregrine did (maybe still does?) make a 'flat nose' 140 gr, the VRG-3, which does stabilise fine in 1-8" Swedes due it being a bit shorter. Not the most aerodynamic bullet but works extremely well, especially on tough game.

The Kriek and Ballistix options are also around 120-125gr and work well. One non-negotiable if you're going to use monos in your 6.5 is to shoot them with some speed. The Swede can obviously do good work with the heavier 156-160gr lead core bullets at 2400-2600f/s but if you launch your light monos at that speed then your bullet placement better be perfect because the monos aren't going to expand fully and reliably at longer ranges. The ~125gr monos lend themselves to being shot at 2800-2900 f/s which should ensure adequate impact velocity to expand.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

If anything, I’d say a monolithic is ideal for the the smaller calibers. If you are using a 375 on plains game, you’ve got a lot more wiggle room on bullet quality than you have with a 6.5.

I can attest to the effectiveness of the TSX from my son’s 243. I’m not sure if it met the minimum required energy but we didn’t have a chronograph, scale, or game warden with us at the time. The kills were clean.

 

[Thedoveshooter]

When I was 12 years old, my dad bought me a Ruger M77 Mk.II in 6.5x55mm. The only bullet I've ever used in it is a Barnes 120 gr. at about 3000 fps. It just works. I catch flak for always shooting my game in the shoulder, but Barnes bullets cause immense damage when they hit bone. Not many animals go past a couple steps.

As others have said, you can usually go with lighter bullets. The monos hold up well and hit hard for their weight.

 

[Elton]

When I was 12 years old, my dad bought me a Ruger M77 Mk.II in 6.5x55mm. The only bullet I've ever used in it is a Barnes 120 gr. at about 3000 fps. It just works. I catch flak for always shooting my game in the shoulder, but Barnes bullets cause immense damage when they hit bone. Not many animals go past a couple steps.

As others have said, you can usually go with lighter bullets. The monos hold up well and hit hard for their weight.

How is the meat damage compared to lead core?

 

[Thedoveshooter]

How is the meat damage compared to lead core?

Usually pinky finger entrance wound and nickel to quarter exit wound. Usually some blood shot meat on the exit shoulder, but maybe only a few inches at most.

 

[shark_za]

What is your plan with the 6.5 overall?

I see the 6.5 as a small to medium game round on the plains that can handle larger game in the bushveld.
A 156gr Oryx or 140gr Rhino will sort out any shoulder of a Kudu or Wildebeest at 100m, no need to goto Mono.
Shooting far out to say 300m you often fall into the borderline performance speeds of the mono bullets, Id rather hit a Blesbuck with a 125gr Partition at these velocities than a hard mono at the same speed. If I was forced to use monos it would be Peregrine though.

 

[Desperatezulu]

A 156gr Oryx

He's using a Creed - unless it's got a longer than standard leade, the 156gr isn't going to work without serious compromise on seating depth and powder space. I agree the Oryx is a great short range bullet in a 6.5 that can cope with them.

140gr Rhino will sort out any shoulder of a Kudu or Wildebeest at 100m,

As long as it's not used on anything smaller or at any longer range Hands down the most inaccurate bullet (140gr Rhino in a Swede) I have ever had the misfortune of using in any centrefire rifle. My 2c.

Shooting far out to say 300m you often fall into the borderline performance speeds of the mono bullets,

Disagree - obviously it's possible to down-load a mono to low velocities (which would be nonsensical) but assuming a sensible load for a 120-125gr mono being launched at >2800f/s, impact velocities will be above 2200f/s at 300m, which is above all of the guidelines I've seen for the usage of monos for hunting.

 

[Nhoro]

I use Peregrines in my 458- I like the bullets, they are well made. As for using lighter monos 'because they are better and you can afford to use lighter bullets'-I think that is a load of...... marketing hype- shall we say.

Monos are produced lighter because the material they are made of is lighter. So 'normal' weight monos do not stabilise in most barrels-twist rate is wrong- as said above. So you are forced to use lighter bullets and people like to make up a fancy story to cover up.

With that off my chest, I think Peregrine softs are pretty much as good as Swift A frames-which I think are the yardstick that all other bullets are measured. If you can get them to group accurately in your rifle then use them. That said, my 30-06 is currently loaded with PMP cup and core so what do I know ?

 

[shootist~]

He's using a Creed - unless it's got a longer than standard leade, the 156gr isn't going to work without serious compromise on seating depth and powder space. I agree the Oryx is a great short range bullet in a 6.5 that can cope with them.

What do you base this on? (Serious question.)

My Tikka T3X allows a 155 gr Lapua Mega to br seated way out and still be .030" off the lands. No issue with powder volume or mag length. and getting >2,600 fps. This is the advantage the CM has over the 260 Rem.

I don't know if this applys to other manufactures, however.

 

[shark_za]

I guess the Howa 6.5 Creed is the issue with leade, my Tikka SE is the exact opposite of this. Noted.
Rhino QC is very spotty yes, I get around 1MOA in my rifle but I bought a lot of a particular batch and they seem to all weigh the same and have similar tip shapes. Unlike some others I have seen.

I just dont see the point of monos at range when even cup and core bullets perform well. A denser lead bullet will fly better and hit harder.

 

[Red Devil]

ID like to load some TSX or the new Hornady in my 6.5 PRC but I want a heavier bullet for both accuracy and hunting. I want to go heavier than the 143g ELDX in the current Hornady loads. In time with the popularity of the 6.5 there will be more bullet choices.
What am I missing here?

Came across a coupla boxes of .264"/130 gr. TSX-BT for the 6.5x55.

Even at ~ 2800 fps. (24" Bbl.), it should be more than enough bullet, even for elk and moose.




Red

 

[Esoteric Junkie]

Norway allowed a little while ago 120 Mono bullets in 6,5x55 for large game, the energy requirement on 100 meters as before applies to that . 2700 joule.

Seen somewhere Boddington used Selous .256 with a 160 mono solid CEB on a hunt one time.

It was Bill that used the .256 Mannlicher in a single shot Holland. The bullet was a 155gr Cutting Edge #13 solid. I loaded the ammo for Bill. Before Bill left on the hunt, I warned him to be careful as that bullet would penetrate through a buffalo. Bill did not belive me and sure enough it went through the buffalo with ease. Everyone on the hunt became a believer in the little .256 Mannlicher aka 6.5x53R and the Cutting Edge solid. The buffalo went about 40 yards and fell over.........
EJ

 

[PerH]

It was Bill that used the .256 Mannlicher in a single shot Holland. The bullet was a 155gr Cutting Edge #13 solid. I loaded the ammo for Bill. Before Bill left on the hunt, I warned him to be careful as that bullet would penetrate through a buffalo. Bill did not belive me and sure enough it went through the buffalo with ease. Everyone on the hunt became a believer in the little .256 Mannlicher aka 6.5x53R and the Cutting Edge solid. The buffalo went about 40 yards and fell over.........
EJ

I would like to read whole article of that hunt, read a little about it and it was interesting.


I saw Cameron shot a couple of the Solids in this episode,and årobably far deep in backstop they went.

Good performance of the little Flanged. If Selous had known about them,he sure would liked tem a lot.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Correct, I built a .280ai because I do like 7 mil's. and I read lots of good stuff.

I think a .260 would be great in a lightweight and because it's a slightly larger case than the Creedmoor and I think it can produce more velocity if set up right. I think it's a step up from .243 for hunting but should still be light recoil for young shooters.

If I set one up for target shooting at club level I'm thinking more an adjustable stock like a GRS Bifrost or similar. I'm not that into chassis rifles.

@CBH Australia
A thrown rock is a step up from a 243. The 260AI in my book is a waste of time as the improvement is not worth the very small gain. Now a 6.5 swede AI is a different story as the case has far more taper but use a 35 degree neck instead of a 40.
My 25 went from 46gn to 62gn of powder a very worth while gain.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen my brother has just got into a 6.5x55. I will be keen to try it.

I have already received some Hammer bullets for it unfortunately Atomic 29 have not produced a 6.5 yet.

 

[Esoteric Junkie]

Here is the .256 Mannlicher in all it's glory. 155gr CEB #13.

EJ

 

[Inline6]

That's as bad as an 8.6BO with a 350gr

 

[Inline6]

To answer the question on the 6.5CM with the Barnes 127s, I took a Black Bear with it and punched all the way through. My son brained his Bison with the same load, instant lights out (did not exit the skull) . Those are my only two experiences with them on animals. I did not try to find the perfect load for them, it was shooting sub .75MOA @ 100yards on the first try, so I let it eat this was out of a gasser 20" barrel getting 2830fps IIRC.

 

[DLSJR]

The Barnes 127 gr. LRX is an excellent bullet in 6.5. I shoot that bullet in a .264 at 3,220 fps and get excellent groups, .335“. Terminal performance is very good as well.

 

[PerH]

That's as bad as an 8.6BO with a 350grView attachment 498501

That solid in a .338 Win Mag or .338-06 would be a useful one.