129 gr in 260 or 6.5x55

biglad

Well-Known Member
Hi all just wandering have any one used 129 gr sst in your 260s or 6.5 s whats the meat damage like . And are thay accurate???? any help will be loading with reloader 15 .. cheers Neil
 
I have chased the 129gr SSTs around. Just shot a trial last night. Homing in on ~45.5 RL-19, 20 thou off the lands in my 260 Rem. Despite sending a lot of SSTs down range at paper, I have only shot one buck so far with the 129gr SSTs. Have also used 129gr SP Interlock with N165 (46.3gr). These flat based bullets shot very well in the last 260 Rem again at ~20 thou off the lands and show promise in the new one.

In the Hornady book, RL-15 shows lower max velocity than 5 others (IMR 4831, RL-19, RL-22, H 4831, Viht N-165). Somebody muttered about RL-17 earlier in week as an option, but I am trying to ignore that one at present.
 
My 260rem seems not to like the 129SST's. I probably need to try them with a different powder.

I am getting great results in terms of both accuracy and velocity with 120gr Sierra Prohunters and 120gr NBT's. I have taken 5 sika over the past season with pretty good result's. Powder has been Benchmark, though Varget looks good too.
 
My 6.5x55 really likes them now, it took quite a bit of fiddling with seating depth to get them accurate.

I use 46gn of N160, Federal Premium Match Primers, Lapua cases.

Dummy case with 129gn SST is 3.225" to the lands. I seat them at 3.075"/3.085 measured to the tip of the bullet, measured with a Stoney Point comparator this works out at 2.472".

It produces results like this,
Reloads.jpg
I have only shot two deer with my homeloads, and had no problems so far, both in and out with good but not excessive expansion.

ft

Edit; Is RL-15 not a bit quick for the 6.5?

For the .260 I have just looked in my Hornady Book and see RL-15 Max load @ 38.9gn, and they only recommend it for lighter bullets. Lee give 39gn of RL-15 as their max load for the 129gn in .260 with a min OAL of 2.750.

ft
 
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The 6.5 sst 129g is a good bullet. Accuracy is fine although you might have to experiment as it took me some time to get things right in a Sako 85. Best results so far came from a short round with the bullet seated almost to the cannelure.They are harder hitting than Sierra gamekings and Hornady SP's but not quite as accurate. I only get 2625-2675 fps but the results in the field are good; a reassuring whump on impact but still plenty of penetration.I think I'd use a different bullet if I were only shooting roe as they can occaisionally rough up the carcass when compared to other bullets. I use RL19 but have also used VVn160 and Hodgdon h4350 with no noticeable difference in any of them.

regards
 
I used a 129 grain Hornady Interlock on deer last fall from my son's 6.5x55. Loaded over IMR 4350 is is accurate and flat shooting. I took a 125 pound doe at 200M with is and the bullet quartered through the ribcage forward into the off shoulder. The retained weight was 109.9 grains if I recall correctly. She was dead within a dozen yards of impact. This is the bullet.6.5x55.jpg ~Muir
 
ive had very good ressults with both 129gn and 140gn sst's with RL22 , very flat shooting with sub inch grouping once you fiddled with the seating depth !

cheers lee
 
What Muir said, I use 45 grains of H4350 for my 129 gr Hornady Interlocks, knock Sika stags over no bother at all.

John
 
Dummy case with 129gn SST is 3.225" to the lands. I seat them at 3.075"/3.085 measured to the tip of the bullet, measured with a Stoney Point comparator this works out at 2.472".
ft

If you used a Stoney point comparator it takes the measurement from the ogive not the tip of the bullet, well mine does and is caliber specific.;)
 
If you used a Stoney point comparator it takes the measurement from the ogive not the tip of the bullet, well mine does and is caliber specific.;)

Deer man, I gave two, that's 2, measurements :D

One, taken to the tip of the bullet (3.075"/3.085")

Two, taken with a comparator (2.472") that is measured to the ogive.

I apologise if my post gave the wrong impression, it makes sense to me, but obviously not to you.

ft
 
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