6.5 CM, 6.5 PRC Enough/Effective for Elk?

[whirlwindjml]

My daughters tank of a cow 143 eldx creedmoor at 250 yards.
My son's elk with same gun 315 yards

They're not as comfortable with my 300 ultra so we just focus on what marksmanship . Haven't lost any elk since we started using a creedmoor years ago. I ain't saying to go buy one but don't be scared of using one. The guy skinning the elk with my daughter has at least 5 elk on his creedmoor and he hasn't lost one either.

 

[heat_and_fam]

adding to my previous…fwiw. The only elk I've had that have not been DRT have all been longerish (450-525yds) shots with a lightweight 7RM (180 bergers). Hit one a few inches above the lungs, in no man's land. The internet would tell me that magnums energy should have broken that spine. That wasn't the case.

Nothing I've shot with a 6.5x55, 6.5PRC, or an overly heavy 300wm have gone more than 30ft…shots out to 700+ yds with 6.5's.

I chalk that up to my not being as accurate in the field with that 7lb 7RM as I am with a lighter recoiling caliber or a weighted up 30 cal.

Further validates my thought that a larger caliber magnum doesn't make up for so-so shot placement.

 

[340 in Va]

Our best selling bullet to date has been the 124gr Hammer Hunter. I don't have precise data on this but I'm pretty comfortable saying most of those sales went to Creedmoor shooters. I am also comfortable saying the we probably have more elk taken with that bullet than anything else we sell. The terminal ability of these bullets is exceptional and brings the smaller cartridges up to higher level of killing. Now the new 125gr Hammer HHT is surpassing the 124gr HH in sales. The pics that @fordy posted were kills using the 125gr HHT from the BeanMore. The BeanMore ballistics are right between the creed and the prc. As the manufacture of these bullets I was stunned with the performance of the 125gr Hammer HHT. It is at another level.

Now the short answer. Both cartridges are capable elk hunters. The prc is capable a couple hundred yards farther.

Can you give numbers in yards? I have 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 RPM and would like to know what you think the effective range would be with 125 HHT. Have only used Creedmoor on deer, and just got the RPM this year. (both guns shoot in the .3).

 

[257Tony]

Can you give numbers in yards? I have 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 RPM and would like to know what you think the effective range would be with 125 HHT. Have only used Creedmoor on deer, and just got the RPM this year. (both guns shoot in the .3).

The RPM will be ~400 fps faster than the Creedmoor, you can plug that into your ballistic calc and see the numbers.

 

[RugerHawg413]

True. And how are you going to predict the range? You might be tempted to take a longer shot than you are comfortable with when a big bull presents itself. Doesn't mean you'd be more confident with a larger caliber if the same scenario and range. Just saying a 300 Win Mag will have more killing ft. lbs. at same range as the 6.5 Creed. I have nothing against the 6.5 Creed or 6.5 PRC. I have 3 Creedmoors and two 6.5 Prc's. I use them for deer and lope every year. For elk I use 300 RUM , 300 Win Mag or 7mm Rem mag. I'm more confident . I'll leave it with confident...

Understood. And after reviewing the replies to my post, I agree. Thank you for your info and knowledge!

 

[FEENIX]

My daughters tank of a cow 143 eldx creedmoor at 250 yards.
My son's elk with same gun 315 yards

They're not as comfortable with my 300 ultra so we just focus on what marksmanship . Haven't lost any elk since we started using a creedmoor years ago. I ain't saying to go buy one but don't be scared of using one. The guy skinning the elk with my daughter has at least 5 elk on his creedmoor and he hasn't lost one either.

View attachment 546108View attachment 546113

Congrats all around for some good eats!

 

[105Coues]

Big bulls can take a beating, even with the big magnums. Cows and young bulls are not even in the same class. That being said, you do you. Good luck!

 

[340 in Va]

Can you give numbers in yards? I have 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 RPM and would like to know what you think the effective range would be with 125 HHT. Have only used Creedmoor on deer, and just got the RPM this year. (both guns shoot in the .3).

The RPM will be ~400 fps faster than the Creedmoor, you can plug that into your ballistic calc and see the numbers.

Was looking for real life numbers, not numbers on a ballistic calc. When everything goes right a 22 will kill a deer at 200 yrds.

 

[southpa]

I've seen videos of elk dropped with a 6.5s at long ranges, granted usually high shoulder or spine. Ive also seen elk soak up several rounds right where they're supposed to be from bullets much larger than even the largest 6.5 bullet. They can just flat out wear some energy and keep going. There's no way me or anyone I'm mentoring will be shooting 6.5s at elk. But you do you.

 

[Txcowboy50]

I built a light weight 6.5 PRC to hunt elk. I used 156 Berger elite hunter bullets at 2950 mv. Very effective and very accurate round ( .3 moa ) and made good bullet placement easy. I killed a cow at 320 yds double lung shot. DRT. However after review thoughts and advice of others on ILRH I decided to pull the barrel and replaced it with a 300 WSM and loaded 190 Bergers at 2850 mv., also .3 moa round. Killed a second cow at 270 yds again double lung shot DRT There was a dramatic difference in the wound channel. The 6.5 PRC is effective and has less recoil than the 300WSM but I like the extra power for elk. I think making a more ethical kill. My new favorite rifle 300 WSM. That being said if you are recoil shy stick with 6.5PRC. Personally I would not even consider 6.5 creedmore for elk.

 

[bultinkle]

Was looking for real life numbers, not numbers on a ballistic calc. When everything goes right a 22 will kill a deer at 200 yrds.

Deleted, not worth it

 

[257Tony]

Was looking for real life numbers, not numbers on a ballistic calc. When everything goes right a 22 will kill a deer at 200 yrds.

Real life numbers are the same as numbers on a ballistic calc. No one can provide you with the exact number that your rifle and load will produce, only you can do that through your own trial and error process.

 

[Triple BB]

If you have a 7mm, why go backwards. Build a 338 Edge and end the debate…

 

[Kiowa Cowboy]

I only have 2 examples of smaller caliber bullets on Elk. The most recent is 330yds from a 270 using Norma 130 grain soft point. The bull was shot quartering away. The bullet entered on the left side blew through the right shoulder. I told my son to reload for a follow-up shot. The elk spun in the opposite direction took a couple of labored steps and fell headlong over a small rock face. The bullet could not have performed any better. The offside lower shoulder had massive damage and a nice exit hole. The gun was my son's Browning A-bolt with a 200 yd. zero. I would not say the Elk was a giant. He was a 6x6 youngish bull (guestimate 3.5 years old). My brother shot a large mature elk (20 years ago) with my father's 25.06 using 100-grain Remington Corelokts. The elk was over 250 yds initially. He did not go down immediately. My brother followed him over a ridge and shot him again at about 75 yards. It still took him a few minutes to die. I am not sure if he was using 100 or 120 grain Remington Corelokts. I agree with others shot placement is a key factor. I use and love the 25.06 but I recently purchased a 30.06. If I were going to spend the time, money, and effort on a paid-for hunt out west, I would take the 30.06. IMO the performance of the new bullets cannot be understated. The new designs are amazing: improving accuracy, efficiency, and lethal range. I have never personally seen the performance of a 6.5 CM on a large trophy elk. But I have seen mixed reviews. Some YouTubers say it worked great! Some YouTubers say never again. I say take the largest caliber that you can shoot the best, just to be safe. For those who have the opportunity to kill multiple elk every year for their whole life, experimenting with calibers and bullets is no big deal. For the rest of us, we don't get many opportunities, so we need to make every hunt count, which means the margin of error is small, so we should take every advantage we can. Either way, I hope folks will keep sharing their real-world stories.