Thread: CM 6.5 153 gn A-tips

Who else has been playing with the 6.5 mm 153 GN A-tips?

I have just finished testing my first reloads using this projectile, I am looking for something good for long range.

Using a range from 46 to 47.4 gns RL 26 in my 26" barrel I am getting 2850 fps at the top end... and just starting to see overpressure signs.

I am also seeing better consistent accuracy at the faster end.
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What are others seeing with the 153 gn A-tips?

Will also give the 135gns a try soon.

What is your twist rate for the 153?

You planning on hunting with them? They have a harder core apparently so may be borderline on game. Nothing like the eld ms

1:8 twist... but with MRR rifling.

Long range steel... the A-tip is not a hunting round

I know but neither is the eld m or the amax yet it is a very popular and effective hunting projectile of keep within a certain velocity band.
I just queried as the second they came out alot of people were chomping at the bit to kill game with them. They've only been out one US hunting season and there's already a video on using the 135s as a Hunting round that the editted video and what they are saying doesn't quite line up.

Have a look at this clip it shows the 135 grain bullet leaving a fairly good hole in a pronghorn at nearly 700 yards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EjzRixnBC0 . I think they work okay. I would be really interested to see how the 176 30 cal goes though . I think they will be like any bullet you need to work out their limits and use accordingly.

Originally Posted by wayno

Have a look at this clip it shows the 135 grain bullet leaving a fairly good hole in a pronghorn at nearly 700 yards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EjzRixnBC0 . I think they work okay. I would be really interested to see how the 176 30 cal goes though . I think they will be like any bullet you need to work out their limits and use accordingly.

This is the editted video they say it died pretty much there it ran more than the 20 yards mentioned maybe not a huge distance but it shows a bias. Also the bullet hole is not that big considering it hit about as much bone as possible busting through both shoulders it also had a fairly high impact velocity of 2230fps. I will give it that Pronghorn are fairly thin skinned so maybe don't provide the most resistance but I'm not completely convinced. I'd like to see one hit closer to the 16to1800ish fps speed where the eldms and other projectiles seem to be limited to as well as a shot behind the shoulder not through it. I'd love them to work but they have to better than what's available especially considering the price.

But I am not interested in hunting with them... has any one had experience with reloading them... powders, speeds, accuracy... to compare with my experience?

Originally Posted by LBD

But I am not interested in hunting with them... has any one had experience with reloading them... powders, speeds, accuracy... to compare with my experience?

Only in 135gr, search for it in here somewhere.
Haven't done any new testing as the new batch of AR2209 suddenly was 100fps faster compared to the batch I started the load on. Have purchased enough powder now for 2 years and mixed it all up to even it out but back to the drawing board for the new load for the 135gr A-Tip and the existing load for the 143gr ELD-X - which sucks

Originally Posted by JaSa

Only in 135gr, search for it in here somewhere.
Haven't done any new testing as the new batch of AR2209 suddenly was 100fps faster compared to the batch I started the load on. Have purchased enough powder now for 2 years and mixed it all up to even it out but back to the drawing board for the new load for the 135gr A-Tip and the existing load for the 143gr ELD-X - which sucks

Yes I am keen to try the 135 gn A tips soon... what speeds are you getting?

I have been using the 143 gn ELD-X with RL26 quite successfully...2850 fps.

43gr of AR2209 give me 2698 fps in the 135gr A-Tip.
40gr of AR2209 give me 2605 fps in the 143gr ELD-X.
That is out of a 22" barrel but I am not chasing speed and will always go with accurate vs fast.

Originally Posted by JaSa

43gr of AR2209 give me 2698 fps in the 135gr A-Tip.
40gr of AR2209 give me 2605 fps in the 143gr ELD-X.
That is out of a 22" barrel but I am not chasing speed and will always go with accurate vs fast.

Neat, thanks