10-25-2023, 07:43 PM
LRRPF52, that is an abundance of great information. I am going to be using the Hornady black 123 eld-m factory loads during this years gun season, since it begins in only 2.5 weeks... and I now feel like I can use that with confidence even through my 16" barrel.
After that it looks like I have plenty of good options. I am not at all concerned about recoil. My #1 concern is quick ethical kills with as little tracking as possible. #2 concern is accuracy out to hunting distances. Those two things are really all I want out of it, since it is hopefully going to be my go to hunting rifle, almost exclusively on MO whitetail deer. I tried some SST factory loads and wasn't happy with the groups, since they were more than double my eld-m groups. I wonder if the 129 grain SST's would shoot better that the 123's .. might be worth a test. Those Sierra blitzkings 105's and the Accubond Long range both sound interesting too, so I might have to give those a try as well.
After that it looks like I have plenty of good options. I am not at all concerned about recoil. My #1 concern is quick ethical kills with as little tracking as possible. #2 concern is accuracy out to hunting distances. Those two things are really all I want out of it, since it is hopefully going to be my go to hunting rifle, almost exclusively on MO whitetail deer. I tried some SST factory loads and wasn't happy with the groups, since they were more than double my eld-m groups. I wonder if the 129 grain SST's would shoot better that the 123's .. might be worth a test. Those Sierra blitzkings 105's and the Accubond Long range both sound interesting too, so I might have to give those a try as well.