Range Report Hornady 140gr vs 147gr ELD 6.5 CM for 1400 yards

[eazy]

Hey guys,

I just got a new Tikka T3X CTR 6.5 CM 24" and dropped it in a Bravo KRG. I have a class coming up in a month shooting out to 1400 yards. My local range is 850 yards and sheltered from the wind so I probably won't be able to compare the two loads head to head in any significant wind at distance.

Would you recommend I order 140gr or 147gr for the class? Looks like the 147gr are running cheaper.

Thanks.

 

[Steel head]

I don’t think there will be a ton of difference.
Id shoot the one that shot better.
Past 1500 the 147’s have been good to me but I can fun them pretty fast.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

i wonder where i got this from, ya what steel head said

 

[bassmaster07]

I have a tikka CTR 24” non stainless. The 147s did not group in my rifle. Prime 130, 143eldx, 140 match are all about .75-.85 5 round groups and 147 was 1.5-2” groups. I think it was just too slow to get it stable.

 

[300Norma1959]

The difference is ballistics is minimal, however your rifle may like one better than the other. I have one 6.5M that likes 120s and another that likes 147s

 

[wade2big]

The difference is ballistics is minimal, however your rifle may like one better than the other. I have one 6.5M that likes 120s and another that likes 147s

Heck I think the 147gr have a substantial ballistic advantage if shooting at any kind of range. If they shoot well (they do in all the rifles I have used) then it’s a no brainer. 120s seem like a handicap unless shooting a few hundred yards only, but I have never shot them. I shoot quite a bit of Prime 130 because Imbought someone’s stash for cheap, but the 147s pull further away as the distance grows consider the huge increase in BC.

 

[300Norma1959]

I meant the difference between 140 and 147s

 

[Steel head]

Heck I think the 147gr have a substantial ballistic advantage if shooting at any kind of range. If they shoot well (they do in all the rifles I have used) then it’s a no brainer. 120s seem like a handicap unless shooting a few hundred yards only, but I have never shot them. I shoot quite a bit of Prime 130 because Imbought someone’s stash for cheap, but the 147s pull further away as the distance grows consider the huge increase in BC.

I’ve shot a lot of 140’s at 2880 and 147’s at 2800.
After 1000 the 147’s start to break away but the 140 do quite well regardless.

 

[eazy]

My rifle seems to like the 147gr. Below is my first 5 shot group with the 147gr. After that, I shot it out to 850 with good results.

 

[b6graham]

if youre talking factory Hornady ammo

they shoot the same speed.

i'd pick the 147s

 

[eazy]

I ended up going with the 147s in the class and made hits out to the furthest target at 1370 yards.

They also held a little competition at the end and I won. To my surprise, a Rep from Kestrel gave me a brand new Kestrel 5700 Elite.

Thank you for the recommendations!

 

[mikehill85]

I have a tikka CTR 24” non stainless. The 147s did not group in my rifle. Prime 130, 143eldx, 140 match are all about .75-.85 5 round groups and 147 was 1.5-2” groups. I think it was just too slow to get it stable.

Weird. I have a Tikka CTR 24” stainless and these are the first groups out of the gun (the first 30 shots I ever fired through it) with 147 grain ELDMs (working up to the max charge in 0.3 grain increments). The average group size is 0.57 MOA. I am trying the 140 grainers this weekend. Maybe it's the difference between the carbon steel and stainless steel versions or just what my rifle likes for whatever random reason.

 

[mikehill85]

Update: For anyone interested. I went shooting this morning trying out 140 grain Hornady ELD-Ms. I shot 6 groups with powder increasing in 0.3 grain increments from 42.5 to 44 grains (of Winchester Staball 6.5). The groups are labeled in the order they were shot. Last week with 147 grain ELD-Ms my Tikka shot on average 0.57 MOA. Today it shot on average 0.84 MOA with the 140 grain bullets. It seems my 24" Tikka CTR Stainless definitely likes the 147 grain bullets better. That said, it was really windy today (30 mph wind gusts) so take these results with a grain of salt. I did my best to shoot in consistent conditions but I'm not perfect. Still, only one group was over 1 MOA. It's not terrible but nothing to write home about.