Is the 6.5 Creedmoor too "light" for 1,000+ yard hunting?

i shoot my 6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle to 1,000 yards with no problems but that's shooting at paper or steel. I'd only shoot at a coyote or smaller critter with that cartridge, even with a Hornady 147 gr.ELD-M round.
I have a Ruger Amer. Predator in 6.5 CM but it has only a 5 - 15 x 42 scope which is marginal magnification for 1,000+ yards. It is an accurate rifle and I could likely do "minute of coyote" at 1,000+ yards.

For ELR hunting I would rely on my .300 Win mag Browning A-Bolt with a 220 or 230 gr. Berger bullet. Virtually the same trajectory as the 147 gr. ELD-M bullet but lots more terminal energy and they carry supersonic velocity further than say a 190 gr. bullet from that rifle.

Eric B.

For me yes.
I try and keep my ft.lbf at 1000 lb. for large game size and 700 ft.lbf for medium game animals.
For my 6.5CM loads I can push 500-700 Yards max to stay within my perimeters.

The answer is yes, but it appears you answered your own question to some degree.

I've seen the 6.5 hits on steel at 1000 many many times.

Yes a 6.5 CM is too light for anything but varmints at that range.

Retained energy is fine but velocity is way way to low for energy transfer. Physics is physics and FPS has an effect on expansion. Expansion means energy transfer. If it had 300 more FPS I would say it's fine but it doesn't.

Curiosity got the best of me,
I remembered you posting a very similar thread. I went back and looked. On aug 27 you posted this:

Litehiker said:

There are long range cartridges and there are long range hunting cartridges.

I currently own hunting rifles in two long range cartridges. And one LR competition rifle (6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle)

1. Browning A-Bolt in .300 Win mag

2.Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor

These hunting cartridges have almost identical ballistics BUT the .300 Win mag is obviously carrying more energy, especially at longer ranges.
Yes, a 140 gr. 6.5 CM has more energy than a 165 gr. .308 Win beyond 300 yards BUT it runs out of deer-killing energy much beyond 700 yards. (And the .308 Win ain't exactly a long range cartridge given its ballistics.) So the 6.5 CM is a "medium long range" hunting bullet. It's great for paper punching and steel rapping to 1,000 yards but lacks big game killing power at extreme distances.

So the point of this post is to say that, for me at least, while some long range cartridges like the 6.5 CM are great for smaller game like coyotes, and perhaps antelope to true long ranges, they are, at best, good for deer out to 700 yards for a clean kill. As Robert Rurark famously said, "Use enough gun".

Eric B.

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I'm curious at the reason for making two identical threads where you pose the same idea that you clearly know the answer to?

Calhunter,
With the increased popularity of the 6.5 CM for hunting I wanted to see if there was any "medium" game (hogs, antelope) that people would use a 6.5 CM on at that distance, We now have the143 gr. Precision Hunter and 147 ELD-M rounds.

I guess it needs a 6.5/284 cartridge for 1,000+ yards.

Eric B.

What would guys say was max effective range for deer with the 140's

Depends on where you can reliably place the shot each time.
One guy in Alaska killed a Grizzly at better than 900 yards with a 143 ELD-X @2850 fps muzzle vel., first shot hit the spine, second shot went through both front shoulders and he did not recover it. Before anyone jumps all over him for doing it, he has lived in Alaska about all his life and has seen 30 to 35 Grizzlies taken at various ranges, less than 5 were bang flops. He has seen them shot with 243 win through 375 H&H and the bears were no more impressed with the 375 H&H than they were with the 243 Win.
My 6.5 Creed spits 143 ELD-X have a muzzle vel of 2999 fps so they would have a bit more energy at longer distances, 1771 fps almost 1000 ft lbs of energy at 900 yards (sea level). I would not trust my ability past 800 yards with either my 6.5 Creed or my 30-06 and my 30-06 throws HBN coated 165 gr Nosler Ballistic tip or Accubonds at 3100 fps with H205 powder.
Energy wise goes to the 6.5 Creed load at 800 yard by almost 150 ft lbs.
If I switched to 212 ELD-X bullets @ 2700 fps Muzzle vel from my 06 then it equals the 6.5 Creed 800 yard energy at 940 yards and still has 999 ft lbs at 1050 yards.
As far as the 6.5-284 even though it can do 3100 fps with 143 bullets not many people shoot them over 3000 fps with a 143 bullet as far as I have seen. So energy wise it would depend on what loads you shoot.

Lots of variables but most creedmored will shoot a 140gr bullet around 2800 FPS. At that velocity you are getting to that 1000 ftlbs and 1800fps at 800-850 yards. Those are the benchmarks most use for effective hunting range. Add some FPS and you can extend your range.

A well placed bullet will kill at 800ftlbs, a not well placed bullet might not. It's up to each to decide what you want your parameters to be.

Will it kill at 1K yes it will. Is it the best choice for hunting at that range? Most will say there are better suited cartridges.

"My 6.5 Creed spits 143 ELD-X have a muzzle vel of 2999 FPS"
What is your barrel length Bowfishn

26" X-Caliber
Nosler Brass 52.7 H2O, HBN Coated and 48.5 gr RL26 Powder at 2.890" COAL
Tested with Magnetospeed @ 70 deg far.
(147 ELD-X @ 2930 fps as well)
( I did test up to 3054 fps and saw none of the signs of over pressure, but QL showed that Velocity to be @ a pressure of 70K so I backed down. Most signs of over pressure will not show until you get up to the 70k+ )
Almost any 6.5 Creedmoor can hit over 2900 fps within pressure with a 140 gr bullet w/ 24" barrel and above
Check out what Berger lists for their 135 Classic Hunter, with 24" and Coal of 2.800"
and remember RL26 does better with heavier bullets.
http://www.bergerbullets.com/pdf/6.5-Creedmoor-135gr.pdf

10-4 good information I am currently having a 6.5 built with a 22 in. tube. I am thinking of calling them Monday to see if it isn't too late to change to a 24

Bowfishn said:

26" X-Caliber
Nosler Brass 52.7 H2O, HBN Coated and 48.5 gr RL26 Powder at 2.890" COAL
Tested with Magnetospeed @ 70 deg far.
(147 ELD-X @ 2930 fps as well)
( I did test up to 3054 fps and saw none of the signs of over pressure, but QL showed that Velocity to be @ a pressure of 70K so I backed down. Most signs of over pressure will not show until you get up to the 70k+ )
Almost any 6.5 Creedmoor can hit over 2900 fps within pressure with a 140 gr bullet w/ 24" barrel and above
Check out what Berger lists for their 135 Classic Hunter, with 24" and Coal of 2.800"
and remember RL26 does better with heavier bullets.
http://www.bergerbullets.com/pdf/6.5-Creedmoor-135gr.pdf

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If you run a can on it you will gain back some or all of the loss from the shorter barrel.

Bowfishn, this is exactly the opposite of what I've read about suppressor effect on POI. Usually POI is lower with a can, meaning less velocity. So what is true or is it dependent on the design of the can?

I like it that you are loading with HBN coated bullets. That stuff is almost magical and such a tiny bit goes a long way in a tumbler of 100 bullets. Barrels run cooler with HBN and cooler barrels last longer.

Eric B.