Gentlemen ... I am up in Alberta Canada and have 3 6.5's (260 Rem, 6.5x284, and 264 Win Mag). I also have 7mm Rem mag, .308, 30.06, and 300 Wby Mag. I've shot quite a few animals with these various rifles. Some great points have been made already. I think safety considerations are prime. If you are hunting in bear country and will be by yourself ... you need minimum .30 cal and the bigger the better. Black bear are bad enough but the griz needs some real respect. I do not go hunting anywhere in griz country without my 30 cal and heavy bullets. The internet is full of stories of dead hunters taken out by grizzlies. Second issue is what are you shooting. I would not shoot at elk with a 6.5 much more than 300 yds.. I was helping a local farmer get his elk tags filled last fall and took a poke at a female elk at 600 yds with my 284. I initially wanted to shoot it in the neck to drop it but at 600 I opted for behind the shoulder. I pulled the trigger and heard the "whaaap" of the bullet broadside. The elk just stood there ... and after a few seconds turned and started walking away as I clearly was an annoyance. FYI these were the 143 ELD-x and I had just shot a WT buck a couple hours before is at 614 yds and he went nowhere. Dropped in his tracks. Shot a 6x5 mule buck the day befor with the same bullet at 485 yards and same result. By the way the locals were shooting 30.06 and we did take that cow and another bull so there was an ethical end to the day. In summary I really do love shooting the 6.5's BUT ... I would not shoot at any large game at any extended distance with a 6.5 (bear, moose, elk) 350yds max despite the videos you may watch on You Tube. I would however shoot deer at pretty much any distance I felt comfortably shooting.
