Bullet Choice

LUCKYDOG

LUCKYDOG

Active member
I'm going on a hog hunt on a ranch at the end of the month. I'm bringing my Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor. I have two choices of bullets in my ammo safe. The first choice is Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor 143 Gr. ELD-X. That particular round shoots the very best out of my Tikka.
My second choice is Hornady American Gunner 6.5 Creedmoor 140 Gr BTHP. This round shoots ver good also but not as tight of groups as the ELD-X.

Which round do you guys recommend and will work the very best to bring down the hogs. Thank you!
 

No experience with either of those rounds, but my general thinking is to choose a reasonably constructed bullet and do neck or head shots, which generally drop them right there. My last hunt was with a 6.5 Grendel shooting a 100 gr. Sierra HP, head shot and dropped. Another hunt I used 75 gr. Sierra HP’s and head shots which dropped two with a 6x45 at 120 yards. One time I used a .308 with a 130 gr. Barnes TTSX and neck shot, and another with a 7mm STW, 140 gr Barnes TSX neck shot. All hogs dropped right there.

So my takeaway on your question is simply to choose whichever load gives you the most accuracy. My experience proves that you don’t need tough constructed bullets like a TSX to drop hogs, but you do need to put the bullet in the right place. I am sure others who are far more experienced than I am will chime in.

Good luck on your hunt. Keep us informed. We like photos and videos.

 
Like mentioned above, high-forward of shoulder hits usually means DRT.

In that case, I'd shoot the cheapest of the two as they both will easily get the job done.
 
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