6.5 creedmoor blood trail

[Clem Bronkoski]

My 6.5 with 143 gr ELD-X was devastating on 2 big doe at 250 and 300 yds. It ain't the cartridge.
Not sure what bullet Winchester is using in the Deer Season

 

[FEENIX]

I stated that I did have a failure from a Berger that penciled through which after some research isn't that uncommon. There's remedies for this but I feel that I shouldn't have to do more than worry about making the shot.
I know you and many others have had good luck with them and as I said earlier confidence is what each of us our looking for.

Penciling and missing the game are two different issues. Yes, I remember when Berger had the problem, but even then, I never had to trim the meplat. I just made sure there was no obstruction in the cavity.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I did see the post where you answered the OP about the Winchester ammo.
This post below is the one I quoted and has nothing to do with Winchester ammo but it's alluding to the fact that this person couldn't have had a failure with a Berger because he missed.

I stated that I did have a failure from a Berger that penciled through which after some research isn't that uncommon. There's remedies for this but I feel that I shouldn't have to do more than worry about making the shot.
I know you and many others have had good luck with them and as I said earlier confidence is what each of us are looking for.

Couple years ago I loaned a buddy my old Rugger MKII 7 Rem mag for the season. It's a killer. 168 Berger VLD. 73 grs. Retumbo. He shot a muley buck, whitetail buck, 2 whitail does, 2 lope does and a cow elk all with that load. All DRT. The cow elk died quick. Shot at 100 yds. But I was surprised to see the bullet penciled through both sides behind shoulder. Exit hole was no bigger than entrance. I would of doubted exit and a mess inside. Maybe tip was plugged ? My go to loads in two other rifles I use Berger. 156 Berger in 6.5 PRC. 55.0 grs. RL26. 215 Berger in 300 RUM. 92.0 grs. N570. In two 300 WM's I use Hammers. 257 Weatherby Hammers and Barnes. I'm a shoulder shooter most times but I wouldn't with the 6.5 PRC . The 7 mag with Berger only if had to at shorter range. 300 RUM I wouldn't worry about it out to 300-400 yds. Hammers and Barnes shoulder everything's. With my old factory barrel on the RUM I had an awesome load with 180 Barnes TSX and TTSX. Bone busters. Shoulder everytime. DRT. Same with old Ruger 7 mag and Barnes.
180 HH and 182 HHT in my two 300 WM's shoot tiny groups and are bone busters also or shoot behind shoulder. Doesn't worry me. Kills either way shoulder or not. Bergers I have to think about shot. Even with 257 Weatherby with Hammers or Barnes on deer I shoot shoulder first choice. Same with 6.5 PRC if using 124 HH or 125 HHT. Shoulder first. No tracking 6.5 Creed I have a great load with 143 ELDX so I stuck with it. I don't shoot it much anyway.

 

[Blacklab1]

I'm starting to think that the hunting gods are just p***ed at me. I shot this guy today with my 308 using Hornady SST 168gr at 60 yards and there was absolutely no blood until we got within 5 feet of the deer that ran about 70 yards. Then just to add insult to injury what I thought was a doe was a buck that dropped it's antlers already.

 

[Bucklowery]

I'm starting to think that the hunting gods are just p***ed at me. I shot this guy today with my 308 using Hornady SST 168gr at 60 yards and there was absolutely no blood until we got within 5 feet of the deer that ran about 70 yards. Then just to add insult to injury what I thought was a doe was a buck that dropped its antlers already.

Did you find the third deer

Thanks

Buck

 

[flyguy1]

My wife shoots a .260, essentially the same as 6.5 CM, and with Partitions and Barnes and Hammer Hunters only had one deer or antelope go more than 20 yards. Couldn't explain that one; double lunged. The longest any deer I've ever shot ran was with a .375 H&H Partition. Those were rarities though.

Get a better bullet.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Also, many moons ago, Winchester had a great expanding bullet. I think they were called silver tips. Does anyone remember if that is right?

Yep! Ive killed a whole bunch of deer with a 100gr Silvertips in 250 Savage, some out of a 308, 30-30 and likely a couple more. The open fast and killed really well.

Ive found similar results with hornady SSTs.

 

[Jon Bischof]

Had great results with Norma Whitetail 140 grain.
Also great results with 140 grain Accubond. Complete pass through and DRT on tough hog with Accubond.
And I expect, when I have a chance to try it, to have good results with Hornady Interlock 129 grain.

Killed a doe with 6.5 CM Norma 140 Tipstrike, very accurate in my Mauser M18; but since it was a back of the head shot, it wasn't really a good test of bullet performance.

Others I want to try in 6.5CM are HSM Sierra Gamechanger 130 and and Federal Fusion 140.

Also have some Berger 135 Classic I could try, but turning deer's innards into something that looks like it has been through a blender does not appeal to me since I know that isn't necessary to put a deer down quickly. Hornady SST does that too. But I don't like it.

Fusion has been pretty much the perfect bullet for deer in most cartridges I have hunted. They seem to have done their homework (or Speer did).

 

[Blacklab1]

Did you find the third deer

Thanks

Buck

Yep, just a little blood where she laid.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

I think you all have it wrong. The OP used a 6.5 CM. Clearly, he vaporized the entire deer. So yes, there would be difficulties tracking the animal.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

One time i got a new gun and bought 2 boxes of some factory ammo just to get shootin. Well it shot so well I figured Id try em on deer.
First deer, broadside 45 yards, lung hit. Blood trail instant, steady n very pronounced, deer went 85 yards.
2nd deer trotting away quartering, heart shot. Deer jumped n ran over the hill. No blood for first 40 yards and then heavy blood another 60yds.

3rd deer dropped with high shoulder hit that shockwaved spinal cord n deer bled out before standing.

4th broadside at 100 yards. Lung shot, deer lunged n ran at shot. Ran 100 yards. Blood from impact splattered tree 15' behind deer. No blood for first 30 yards. Then it got heavier n better as it went right up to animal.

So 3 of 4 well hit deer travelled about 100 yards with well placed shots moving at good speeds. Blood trails sparse at first on a couple but then picked up n steady to the end.
I thot the gun capable of more n switched bullets and have had much more emphatic results with a handful of bullets since.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

I bought some 140 Nosler RDFs of a fellow member here and loaded them up. Dying to try them out.
Just too many irons in the fire right now.

 

[Blacklab1]

Just out of curiosity does ambient temperature affect blood trails? There was another guy in camp this week who shot 3 deer and was complaining that he didn't have a good blood trail on any of them. I'm not sure what caliber/load he was using but the temperature was in the low teens, does that make any difference?

 

[Blacklab1]

I think you all have it wrong. The OP used a 6.5 CM. Clearly, he vaporized the entire deer. So yes, there would be difficulties tracking the animal.

I never thought about that, maybe if I adjusted the warp core inverter and fine tuned the inertial damper there'd be a better blood trail