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Author Topic: Bullet performance 2025?  (Read 1540 times)

Offline Bushcraft

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Re: Bullet performance 2025?
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2025, 06:24:15 PM »
My kid shot a 2 point blacktail last weekend.  80 gn ttsx from his 243 at about 10-15 yards.  Tiny entrance, 1inch exit and blood shot in the rib meat, both shoulders, and neck.  Blood shot stopped at the membrane cover the backstraps but was bloody between the hide and backstraps.  Clipped both shoulders but didn't hit any bone. 

It was a mess!

Clipping both shoulders will be a mess with nearly any bullet.   Running excessive velocity can be a real terminal bummer when it comes to meat loss.  With small framed animals, large and slow can be a great combination...otherwise you're going to have a prairie dog detonation situation.

Hopefully the kiddo learned a valuable lesson on shot placement. Congrats though!
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Offline jrebel

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Re: Bullet performance 2025?
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2025, 06:35:23 PM »
My kid shot a 2 point blacktail last weekend.  80 gn ttsx from his 243 at about 10-15 yards.  Tiny entrance, 1inch exit and blood shot in the rib meat, both shoulders, and neck.  Blood shot stopped at the membrane cover the backstraps but was bloody between the hide and backstraps.  Clipped both shoulders but didn't hit any bone. 

It was a mess!

Clipping both shoulders will be a mess with nearly any bullet.   Running excessive velocity can be a real terminal bummer when it comes to meat loss.  With small framed animals, large and slow can be a great combination...otherwise you're going to have a prairie dog detonation situation.

Hopefully the kiddo learned a valuable lesson on shot placement. Congrats though!

Speed is not always bad......especially if you are shooting the right bullet.  Shot placement is key though.  Mono's need speed to stabilize as they lack the sectional density of a similar weight cup and core bullet.  Speed and spin rate / rotation will increase straight line penetration with monos.  I think where most go wrong with mono's (in my opinion) is they go to heavy for caliber.  I personally try to balance weight and speed....but when in doubt, go light for caliber.  I'm pushing a 101 grain bullet in a 7-08 and wouldn't hesitate killing deer, elk or bear with it.  I also have 6.5 creed and PRC shooting the 124 grain bullet and it is a proven killer.  We also get very little meat damage with the bullets we are shooting. 

I do agree that big and slow works well....but with cup and core.   45/70 is a classic example of this. 

Offline Sneaky

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Re: Bullet performance 2025?
« Reply #17 on: October 24, 2025, 10:50:29 AM »
I’ve fully converted to the 143 ELD-X in 6.5 CM and 147 ELD-M in 6.5 PRC. 5 Mule deer, 3 whitetail, a blacktail, and a Cow Elk. Shots ranged from 90 yards to 500 yards, none required a follow-up shot, and have died in sight. Stay off the shoulder, shoot them in the lungs, and they either stand there and die, or run about 30-40 yards before tipping over.

https://www.hornadyle.com/rifle-ammunition/147-gr-eld-match-tap-precision#!/

great bullet choices. Staying off the shoulder helps with the meat loss but lots of good data on these style of bullets carrying plenty of penetration for big game. Check out the gelatin results from hornady for the 147 eld-m with over 12.5" of penetration after encountering auto glass. I got to witness a 147 eld-m from 6.5CM at 2450 ish impact speed vs whitetail this year and the terminal performance was impressive to say the least...way more trauma than a deer taken at similar distance with a 7mm rem mag and barnes TTSX.
Yeah, sorry, wasn’t trying to imply that they couldn’t go through a shoulder, but was strictly talking from a meat loss perspective. 👍🏻

No apologies you are spot on! I had read about 147 eld-m for years and was surprised how lethal it was. I have a bunch of 178 eld-m for the .300 win and I am rethinking ever shooting that at game after seeing the creedmoor performance. I think it would be too much

Offline Kingofthemountain83

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Re: Bullet performance 2025?
« Reply #18 on: Yesterday at 12:37:51 PM »
I mostly use a 243 for deer and bear... A lot of other bullets work... But since I started using Hornady monolithic... The 80 grain Hornady GMX now CX is devistating... I've only found one bullet in a blackie I shot facing me at 51 yards... In his rear leg... Over 4 feet of penetration... Went through brisket, one lung, stomach, liver, hit the hip bone, stopped in the ham of the rear leg opposite of impact... Was impressed... Broadside or slightly angled they zip right through muley, bear, blackies, and a cougar... Nice wound channel...   
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Offline highcountry_hunter

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Re: Bullet performance 2025?
« Reply #19 on: Yesterday at 06:20:48 PM »
95 grain STT and 108 grain eld-murder. Stuff dies quickly out of a .243

Offline Sneaky

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Re: Bullet performance 2025?
« Reply #20 on: Yesterday at 08:32:35 PM »
95 grain STT and 108 grain eld-murder. Stuff dies quickly out of a .243

I've got a tikka .243 that is hammering with factory 95gr SST can't wait to see what it does terminally.

Offline highcountry_hunter

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Re: Bullet performance 2025?
« Reply #21 on: Yesterday at 10:33:11 PM »
95 grain STT and 108 grain eld-murder. Stuff dies quickly out of a .243

I've got a tikka .243 that is hammering with factory 95gr SST can't wait to see what it does terminally.

You won’t have to worry about whittling meat off the front shoulder of a deer if you put one through it

 


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