6.5x54 MS - Early on custom barrel makers...

He shot a Sika at the Y-O on camera about 100 yds. I had loaded 130 gr. Nosler Accu-bonds. Best I could manage was about 2500 fps, it sort of hit a wall there in the 14.5" Encore. I was going by primer indention visuals. Anything more would flare up a teeny ridge around the outer edge of the firing pin indentation. Sure sign of primer flow into the frame hole. I tried 3-4 different med. burn rate powders listed in the Nosler factory manuals. So I backed down to loads that had abrupt edges of the indentation but not a ridge of metal indicating flow. About a grain reduced seemed fine (3-4%). I know, some say primer condition is not perfectly aligned with pressure, but it is a consistent method to indicate performance in a specific gun. I'll always use it myself, to each his own.

The Sika is pretty tough for it's size. Doug shot it 4-5 times! Admittedly not really prime hits and it was sick and lay down. Exits on all bullets and hockey puck sized holes. Sometimes stuff just happens in the field, it's not according to a script. It did expose the Accu-bonds as a very firm jacketed bullet. At least they didn't blow up on entry as the 100 gr. Remington Core-Lockts in the 6.5 Raptor did on goat. I'll take the Accu-bonds any day. Maybe the more fragile Partitions would have fared better on that particular little Elk. I'll not make any conclusions on one incident, but I have to remember it.

As for me, screw it, I'll just use my 7mm and keep quiet.