Barnes LRX chest shot deer

[blacklab3042]

Here is a photo of the chest cavity of a roe that I shot with my .270 using home loaded Barnes 129 LRX. MV was around 3000fps.

Distance was approximately 200 yards and bullet speed was around 2600fps when it made contact with said deer.

I’ve shot deer at 100 yards and 400 yards, the outcome was the same and all bullets expanded reliably with humane kills. I rate the Barnes LRX highly and it’s superbly accurate with the correct recipe.

 

[25 Sharps]

I've just worked up a barely legal load using 110gn copper in my 6.5x55, 22" barrel. Struggling to get a MV much above 2750 fps. I'd be interested to know what powders you're having success with, thanks.

You should probably be able to get better than that.

Accuracy wise RL19 and N160, speed wise hodgdon superperformance or staball 6.5, the staball gives best accuracy at about the same speed as the RL19, around 2900 fps.

RL17/RS60 (same powder) may well be the best of both worlds but I’ve not played with that in the 6.5x55, cracking in the creedmoor under a 129 ABLR.

PS, again, not used it in 6.5x55 but have a lot in creedmoor and .280, Ramshot Hunter would be well worth a try if you can get it.

 

[vitalspark]

You should probably be able to get better than that.

Accuracy wise RL19 and N160, speed wise hodgdon superperformance or staball 6.5, the staball gives best accuracy at about the same speed as the RL19, around 2900 fps.

RL17/RS60 (same powder) may well be the best of both worlds but I’ve not played with that in the 6.5x55, cracking in the creedmoor under a 129 ABLR.

PS, again, not used it in 6.5x55 but have a lot in creedmoor and .280, Ramshot Hunter would be well worth a try if you can get it.

Thanks for that. I've some N160 so will try that for my next batch. I wouldn't choose to take a shot beyond 175 yards and would normally be under 100. I'd just rather have a bit more in reserve. The bullet manufacturer claims fragmentation down to 760fps. I'll just make sure the follow-up rounds are lead to be on the safe side. My lead/ copper POI's are within an inch of each other fortunately.

 

[BigT]

Out of interest , and I didn’t see the post so I’m not sure , did he decide it didn’t expand based on examining the wound channel or in the exit wound?

 

[BigT]

What muzzle velocity would you need for Barnes LRX to expand reliably? I have two box's 127GR to try (6.5 x 55). Thanks.

I’d want at least 2200fps impact velocity. Ideally 2400 is possible

With the fastest load Barnes give in their load data for the LRX in th Swede you should be getting down to 2200 at roughly 300yards

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Out of interest , and I didn’t see the post so I’m not sure , did he decide it didn’t expand based on examining the wound channel or in the exit wound?

It didn't expand or if it did, it was extremely little. Appeared to have pencilled through and done nothing in terms of damage

 

[hendrix's rifle]

look under the term deer stalking ,ie get as close as possible. the shot was too far for the bullets velocity. any fool can shoot long range but stalkers get as close as possible. i have never been to scotland or any where i needed to take long shots but its better to pass up the long shots if you know you velocity wont/may not get the bullet to expand correctly.

Correction - surprisingly not many can shoot long range. He may be culling so not stalking per se. I won't turn down a long shot when numbers have to be removed but I practice frequently out beyond 500 yards or so with the kit I stalk with...

Theres areas of land that you physically can't get any closer than a few hundred yards. Its all about knowing your kit. With my 243 alone ive taken well over 25 deer this season anywhere from 30 yards to 400 yards. Practice, practice, practice.

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Chest shot through both lungs?? Such a shot really very little resistance to give major expansion to any bullet especially out at 275 yards. The 6.5x55 is not known as a high velocity cartridge with huge amounts of energy etc etc.

Lungs, once you get further back are perfectly capable of sustaining quite a bit of injury. There are only small blood vessels rather than major arteries. ( think a tree and you shooting into the outer branches). A punctured lung, which is what the animal sustained is not a quickly injury. Clotting will have slowed down / stopped the bleed and it may or may not have recovered.

Put that same bullet through the aorta, heart, large bundles of nerves further forward and the result would have been a lot more certain.

Rifle shoots a 1” group. 275 yards with a 10 mph wind, you could easily being putting a bullet a foot further back than you would like.

In Scotland a 10mph wind is a rare thing.

Cup and core would have dropped it where it was. They dont need to hit bone to expand

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

If a deer is over 250 and I can’t get closer, it can bloody stay there!

To me these days stalking is 100m and 75 closer if I can get away with it, never seen the fascination with long range shooting of deer (over 300m) even though I have done so in my younger mercenary deer destruction days.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I've just worked up a barely legal load using 110gn copper in my 6.5x55, 22" barrel. Struggling to get a MV much above 2750 fps. I'd be interested to know what powders you're having success with, thanks.

I used to use 140gn ttsx in 6.5x55 it was an excellent combo, they don’t make them that heavy anymore and back then there wasn’t the load data there is now.

 

[AM_Lillycombe]

On this topic, for me the Hornady American white tail in 6.5 creed is absolutely devastating! Not good if you are trying to preserve meat I imagine. Personally I cut away the bruised bits and there is still plenty left for me.

I had my first non vital shot on a fallow buck a few weeks back, the shot was too far back. The deer took a few steps and then slowly laid down. Completely dead when we walked up to him.
Gralloch showed that the liver had completely turned into mince meat. I’ve seen similar effects on the vitals too.

The only other bullet I have tried is the Hornady super performance sst. Bullet went straight through with no explanation…

 

[tarponhead]

Always desirable, not always possible, I have fields 3-500 m wide and between 600-1000 m long, arable crop with no cover. Trying to stalk to 100 metres is a literal waste of time.

Magnum calibre territory…

 

[25 Sharps]

Magnum calibre territory…

I was going to say no as my .280 does it just fine, but then the speeds I get are around the lower end of some 7 mm rem mag data. In fact I was looking for a 7 RM but the .280 came up on here and it does the job perfectly.

My .280 124 gr yew tree load has the same drop from 2-300 yards as my 300 PRC with a 225 gr ELD-M. The difference is a little over 1000 ft-lb at the muzzle and even at 300 yards the latter beats roe up a little too much!!

 

[25 Sharps]

Thanks for that. I've some N160 so will try that for my next batch. I wouldn't choose to take a shot beyond 175 yards and would normally be under 100. I'd just rather have a bit more in reserve. The bullet manufacturer claims fragmentation down to 760fps. I'll just make sure the follow-up rounds are lead to be on the safe side. My lead/ copper POI's are within an inch of each other fortunately.

Always nice to have a bit in case you need a longer follow up.

For top speeds you’ll need a double based powder but the 160 may get you somewhere you’re comfortable with, the trouble is you’ll likely run out of space before you get to the speed you want.

If you go on the Hodgdon site and use their load data tool for 110 gr they show 2 powders above 3000 fps for a 24” barrel, Ramshot Hunter amd AA270 which is available as lovex do73.6 in the uk.

 

[vitalspark]

Unfortunately my location means very limited choice of powders. The 22" barrel doesn't help either. My current copper load is a compressed load of N555. This gave a decent 1000 yard showing at Bisley with the same 22" stalking rifle, albeit with a 143gn target bullet.
ATB

 

[Buchan]

I used to use 140gn ttsx in 6.5x55 it was an excellent combo, they don’t make them that heavy anymore and back then there wasn’t the load data there is now.

Fox do a 139 grain in 6.5

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Fox do a 139 grain in 6.5

that rifle had long gone unfortunately

 

[vitalspark]

Fox do a 139 grain in 6.5

As an aside, for anyone wishing to shoot copper in .243, naturescot carried out research comparing wound channels of copper vs lead. Spoiler alert, Fox did really well. There's some decent graphics of wound channels, and data in report. I'd certainly consider Fox in 6.5 if my current loading proves unsuccessful.

NatureScot Research Report 1312 - Review of the minimum bullet weight for the lawful culling of all deer species in Scotland

The use of lead ammunition, in rifles to kill wildlife will be phased out either through voluntary or legislative means. The timescale for this is likely to be within the next five years. This has prompted a review of current minimum criteria and of particular focus is the suitability of bullet...

www.nature.scot

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

As an aside, for anyone wishing to shoot copper in .243, naturescot carried out research comparing wound channels of copper vs lead. Spoiler alert, Fox did really well. There's some decent graphics of wound channels, and data in report. I'd certainly consider Fox in 6.5 if my current loading proves unsuccessful.

NatureScot Research Report 1312 - Review of the minimum bullet weight for the lawful culling of all deer species in Scotland

The use of lead ammunition, in rifles to kill wildlife will be phased out either through voluntary or legislative means. The timescale for this is likely to be within the next five years. This has prompted a review of current minimum criteria and of particular focus is the suitability of bullet...

www.nature.scot

The fox are a good bullet, i used the factory in 270 with good results

 

[Scipio]

Fox do a 139 grain in 6.5

Interesting, do we know what Fox intended this bullet for?

Because the SD with a copper non frangible 139 gr bullet 6.5 should penetration wise be akin to what? - a 180 or more grn old school lead cup and core bullet perhaps?
If so, what european game animal needs the sort of penetration ? Especially if it comes at the cost of lowering the TV, lessning the chance of full expansion (further increasing the chance of pencil/smaller wound channels) ?

The heaviest lead 6.5 projectile i have ever heard off is around 160 gr, so why this need to go heavy with the coppers, if the result is SDs exceeeding even the heaviest lead option for big and/or sturdy game, in the past?
This is an honest question btw, as i'd really like to know and learn