When it became apparent that I needed to have the option of using the 6.5 Cr for my upcoming elk hunt, I began looking for more appropriate ammo. My rifle seemed to like the lighter end of the bullet weight range and I found Sig Sauer offered a 120 grain all copper expanding HP load. I bought and shot a few to determine if the accuracy was acceptable (which it was) and then bought enough to make the trip and have plenty for local hunting.
I finally found the time yesterday to do an expansion test and found I'd made a mistake. During the initial accuracy testing I found the velocity was on the low side but within tolerance considering the variations in barrels. I shot these bullets at my 'standard test media' (2.5 gallon chemical jugs filled with water with 4 jugs stacked together). This is NOT a ballistic gel test, this is a bullet to bullet test using known performance bullets in a similar test media.
What I found was the Sig Sauer bullet expanded minimally in the first 8", tumbled and exited the second 8" container sidewise, exited the third 8" jug base forward, and was stuck bassackward in the frontal surface of the 4th jug. The final 8" of penetration indicated the bullet had veered off course at approximately 30* angle.
This is not acceptable for several reasons. Plan B is a stash of 3 boxes of Nosler factory loaded 140 grain partitions. Rifle is re-zeroed with this ammo and after another zero check will be ready for New Mexico in 2 weeks.
The Sig ammo will be used for deer hunting as I feel it is adequate for this purpose but it's certainly not going elk hunting.
I finally found the time yesterday to do an expansion test and found I'd made a mistake. During the initial accuracy testing I found the velocity was on the low side but within tolerance considering the variations in barrels. I shot these bullets at my 'standard test media' (2.5 gallon chemical jugs filled with water with 4 jugs stacked together). This is NOT a ballistic gel test, this is a bullet to bullet test using known performance bullets in a similar test media.
What I found was the Sig Sauer bullet expanded minimally in the first 8", tumbled and exited the second 8" container sidewise, exited the third 8" jug base forward, and was stuck bassackward in the frontal surface of the 4th jug. The final 8" of penetration indicated the bullet had veered off course at approximately 30* angle.
This is not acceptable for several reasons. Plan B is a stash of 3 boxes of Nosler factory loaded 140 grain partitions. Rifle is re-zeroed with this ammo and after another zero check will be ready for New Mexico in 2 weeks.
The Sig ammo will be used for deer hunting as I feel it is adequate for this purpose but it's certainly not going elk hunting.
