147 ELD M and 6.5CM

[Priley]

I will be leaving Saturday for an elk hunt. My wife's rifle and my rifle will be using the 147. Do I think it's the best choice, no. But my 300 win mag is out of commission and these 147's shoot absolutely lights out in my 24" Tikka ctr and under moa in my wife's christensen mesa. Both are creedmoors. My wife was getting consistent hits at 550 on a 12" gong and my ctr was making consistent hits at 850 as long as the wind didn't screw me up. I will get as close as possible but will not hesitate to take one under good conditions, prone, no wind and lots of time, out to 700. Call it a bad idea or not I'm ok with that. I know if I can do my part the elk will tip over.

The CM with 147 gr ELD-X is plenty of bullet for the range you are shooting. You seem to be confident with your guns and have made these shots before so have fun and don't listen to the haters..

 

[CONChunt]

50 yards into a running coyote with a 6.5prc 147 eldm.....264 entrance hole in boiler room 6 inch exit.
125 yards boiler room whitetail w/143 eldx from 6.5 CM quarter sized exit

I hit a doe with the 143ELDX at 30yds last year, it took off her off her feet like a sledgehammer an left a fist sized exit.

I'll add my own datapoint here on the 143 ELDX, since I asked about the sub 100 yard shots in particular. I recently shot a whitetail buck at 40 yards, just behind the shoulder. The deer ran ~30 yards before dying. Upon inspection, the shot blew the top of the heart off and there was a fist sized exit hole, similar to what @HFleftyTikka described. I would hate to see the meat damage on a close range shot if it was hit in the shoulder, but I like the deadly results even at close ranges.