6.5 Creedmoor for Cow Elk

[codyadams]

Huge props for posting a video where you made a mistake. Way to many ppl are never willing to admit that everything didn't go just perfect. I have made 4 bad shots while hunting, all on the same animal it was the most embarrassed I had every been hunting. I had 5 ppl watching me make a fool of myself. I did however get the animal down. It was just very ugly to see.

Thank you sir! Ya, that is just how life goes sometimes. A few people on here seem to never admit they don't always hit the mark, and worse yet won't even entertain the possibility that someone else may know more about something, or may have solid data that counters their experiences. I have had much better experiences being open to all opinions, and combine those of others with my own observations to make my decisions and aid in my learning. Part of that, is accepting that I screw up sometimes!

That shot was only off by about .75 MOA, earlier that evening there was about a 4ish mph wind moving up the canyon I had been watching, then the elk came out of the patch of timber I knew they were in. In my excitement, I failed to double check my wind and notice that it had dropped off to essentially nothing, and that was enough to do it. I have killed several more elk with that rifle, and came to a couple conclusions. While a smaller 6.5 (say, 6.5x284 or less) absolutely will kill big elk, even at long ranges out to over 900 yards in my personal experience, the bullets that have the bc to retain velocity for expansion, energy, and minimal wind deflection as well as do the needed damage to put them down quickly at those ranges in those cartridges tend to not exit. If a shot goes through the back of the lungs or the liver, it will certainly kill the elk, however they may or may not cover significant ground before they go down, and if there is not an exit, you may have a very hard time tracking. And Murphy doesn't discriminate, eventually, a less than optimal shot will be made.

When you get up to the 7mm, or better yet .30 and .338 in the bigger chamberings, you can get enough horsepower behind many types of mono bullets, bonded bullets and others that they will have acceptable performance at long ranges. Even the bigger VLD/EOL/ELD-X and other similar type bullets tend to do a better job at exiting than the smaller 6.5 counterparts.

Again, all this is related to my long range experiences, 500+. If I was hunting elk and figured my shots would be under 500, more likely being 300 or less (most of my timber hunting), then I would have zero issues using a 6.5 anything, and even a 6mm, with the proper bullet. Which in those cases, my personal choice would most likely be a hammer, partition, or other heavily constructed bullet.

 

[Tidus56]

Thank you sir! Ya, that is just how life goes sometimes. A few people on here seem to never admit they don't always hit the mark, and worse yet won't even entertain the possibility that someone else may know more about something, or may have solid data that counters their experiences. I have had much better experiences being open to all opinions, and combine those of others with my own observations to make my decisions and aid in my learning. Part of that, is accepting that I screw up sometimes!

That shot was only off by about .75 MOA, earlier that evening there was about a 4ish mph wind moving up the canyon I had been watching, then the elk came out of the patch of timber I knew they were in. In my excitement, I failed to double check my wind and notice that it had dropped off to essentially nothing, and that was enough to do it. I have killed several more elk with that rifle, and came to a couple conclusions. While a smaller 6.5 (say, 6.5x284 or less) absolutely will kill big elk, even at long ranges out to over 900 yards in my personal experience, the bullets that have the bc to retain velocity for expansion, energy, and minimal wind deflection as well as do the needed damage to put them down quickly at those ranges in those cartridges tend to not exit. If a shot goes through the back of the lungs or the liver, it will certainly kill the elk, however they may or may not cover significant ground before they go down, and if there is not an exit, you may have a very hard time tracking. And Murphy doesn't discriminate, eventually, a less than optimal shot will be made.

When you get up to the 7mm, or better yet .30 and .338 in the bigger chamberings, you can get enough horsepower behind many types of mono bullets, bonded bullets and others that they will have acceptable performance at long ranges. Even the bigger VLD/EOL/ELD-X and other similar type bullets tend to do a better job at exiting than the smaller 6.5 counterparts.

Again, all this is related to my long range experiences, 500+. If I was hunting elk and figured my shots would be under 500, more likely being 300 or less (most of my timber hunting), then I would have zero issues using a 6.5 anything, and even a 6mm, with the proper bullet. Which in those cases, my personal choice would most likely be a hammer, partition, or other heavily constructed bullet.

That's pretty much the way I see it. I am building my first 30 caliber and 338 caliber rifles now. I have never felt the need for a big magnum but I want the option and I have passed some shots because I felt like my 6.5 or 7mm wouldn't carry the energy I wanted at the range I was shooting.

 

[longrangehunter]

First shot was in the liver, didn't really hit any lung. He went about 15-20 yards, just out of sight, stopped and hunched up. If I would have waited, there is a fair chance he would have eventually bled out and gone down, but if I have a shot I don't wait for elk. My second shot was low due to a screw up on my part with my trigger pull, I knew as soon as I sent it, but clipped the back of the front leg as I spotted my first shot and corrected for windage, that was enough to startle him and he ran another 10-15 yards, but he stopped and hunched up again, he was hurting pretty bad from the first shot.

Then my third shot I held for wind correction and did a proper trigger press and it went through the rear side of both shoulders mid body, right where I wanted it. The bullet was recovered under the hide on the off side. Within a few seconds of the second solid hit, he began to stumble and went down. As soon as I saw the impact, I knew he was hit good felt comfortable enough to get on the camera and document how the 147 performed, as it was new for that year. I went into more detail on it in my review of the 147 eld-m, but that is another thread. This was one of the animals it worked well on. The other elk, not so much.

As a caveat however, the closest elk that myself, my wife, my cousin or my close hunting buddies have killed since 2015 was still over 500 yards, the farthest at 1036. That is why I feel 7mm is a minimum for MY uses, with preference going to bigger 30's or .338's. If your killing your elk sub 500-600ish yards, the proper bullet in an accurate 6.5 your confident in is adequate. My .260 AI is a 29" barreled braked 14.5 lb semi custom that will consistently lay down sub half MOA groups, and is super easy to shoot due to the weight, non-existent recoil, and fantastic trigger. A gun like that gives the shooter crazy confidence in shot placement, and is the only reason I have used it to take 5 elk from 703 to 910 yards.

I'm actually trying to talk myself into switching from 7mm to 6.5 CM. Yet, I can't get past that fact I'm not a perfect shot and the perfect broadside shot doesn't always present itself in the field. That said, I'm keeping an open mind.

 

[codyadams]

I'm actually trying to talk myself into switching from 7mm to 6.5 CM. Yet, I can't get past that fact I'm not a perfect shot and the perfect broadside shot doesn't always present itself in the field. That said, I'm keeping an open mind.

I have put together a build sheet for an ultalight 18" barrel .243 AI or .260 AI build I want to do that would be a sub 500 yard rifle, all in ready to hunt minis a sling and ammo would be 5.4 lbs, I think that would be a sweet little timber rifle and would have no issues using it on elk. But for open country, my 20" supressed 30 nosler will still get the nod!

 

[Tidus56]

I have put together a build sheet for an ultalight 18" barrel .243 AI or .260 AI build I want to do that would be a sub 500 yard rifle, all in ready to hunt minis a sling and ammo would be 5.4 lbs, I think that would be a sweet little timber rifle and would have no issues using it on elk. But for open country, my 20" supressed 30 nosler will still get the nod!

I put together a 243 AI for my buddy and he has killed his elk the last five years with it. His sons have also used it. He shoots the 105 Hybrid, it's been a hammer for him.

 

[moto213]

6.5 creedmoor's are capable well past 300 yards, you'll invest a lot of money in a trip like this so spend as much time practicing your shooting skills as you can.

 

[ultimag43]

6.5cm /143 eld x is plenty of gun for both bull and cow elk out to 500 yards we have killed quite a few with this combo from 60 yards out to 550 it did the job just fine