6.5 Creedmoor: Maximum Lethal Range for Whitetail

[25WSM]

As far as the Creed goes I've built dozens of them for customers and there is no complaint so far for lack of killing power. Most are shooting the 147eldm bullets at around 2900 using rl26. It's the first combo I show them and they all seem to like it. Some tried the 143eldx but went back to the 147. The Barnes LRX has been good too. 3000 fps with rl26 is a nice load.
Shep

 

[General RE LEE]

First 6.5 Creedmoor kill this morning with the Tikka T3X. Heart shot and he spun a circle and was down.

237 yards Hornady Precision Hunter 143 grain ELD-X

I really like this caliber. Smooth and easy to shoot and ample power for whitetail.

 

[Kimber7man]

First 6.5 Creedmoor kill this morning with the Tikka T3X. Heart shot and he spun a circle and was down.

237 yards Hornady Precision Hunter 143 grain ELD-X

I really like this caliber. Smooth and easy to shoot and ample power for whitetail.

Congrats!

 

[7070yshot]

It's a fine cartridge. Not sure why some people get all weird about it.
move dropped animals from 80-500y with the 65cm. Mostly Used Barnes LRX 127g. Spent a year only hunting with that caliber. Pigs, whitetail, blackbuck, fallow and axis. All died within where they stood with the exception of the Blackbuck at 500y went 20 yards, slowly. A whitetail, shot by nephew, gut shot and it went 50 yards and expired.

 

[Lnewton]

The lethal range of almost any caliber is completely up to the shooter. The back of the box on my .22lr says maximum lethal range 1.5 miles. Can I kill something with my .22 at 1.5 miles intentionally? No. But can I use my .308 to kill a deer at 500 yards? Absolutely. I know of a sniper trainer in the Texas panhandle that will helicopter his students to various ridges so that their shots on deer are a minimum of 1,000 yards with a .308. It is not the arrow. It is the one wielding the bow.

 

[Nomosendero]

I understand being prepared for a long shot (this is a LR site) but I don't understand making the shots as long as possible.
BTW, who is that trainer?

 

[25WSM]

I don't know why anyone would want to use a 308 for 1000 yard anything. The 308 ballistics are poor at that distance.
A 175 Berger vld at 2700fps has 600 ft pounds of energy at 1000 yards. 1250 fps. And has 95 inches of wind drift in a 90° 10mph wind. That's weak. The factory 6.5 Creed 147eldm load has 825 ft pounds and is going 1600fps and has only 60 inches of drift. And that's starting at 2700fps. Oviously the 6.5 Creed is no 1000 yard game harvester either. But it handily beats a 308.
Shep

 

[Wachsmann]

Coop2564, Could you share any load data for the LRAB. Is this the 142 or the 129 and how far do you seat them off the lands assuming you handload? I've almost given up on these bullets but I like the construction better than others. As for just all out shooting Berger is my go to but I would like to get these 142's to work. Hopefully I'll be testing some next week. I have the loaded up from the lands to 40 thousands out. Hope I find something that works.

 

[Lnewton]

I understand being prepared for a long shot (this is a LR site) but I don't understand making the shots as long as possible.
BTW, who is that trainer?

I don't know his name, I just know of him. My wife's uncle knows him and has spent time with him shooting in the Texas panhandle.

 

[bigngreen]

I don't know why anyone would want to use a 308 for 1000 yard anything. The 308 ballistics are poor at that distance.
A 175 Berger vld at 2700fps has 600 ft pounds of energy at 1000 yards. 1250 fps. And has 95 inches of wind drift in a 90° 10mph wind. That's weak. The factory 6.5 Creed 147eldm load has 825 ft pounds and is going 1600fps and has only 60 inches of drift. And that's starting at 2700fps. Oviously the 6.5 Creed is no 1000 yard game harvester either. But it handily beats a 308.
Shep

You need to think more outside the box, my 308 with a 215 Berger hits 1000 yards at 1546 fps with 1142 ft lbs and 49 inches of wind drift. My daughter 6.5 Creed with a 143 eldx is nearly identical, a little more wind drift very close impact velocity and much less energy, load them both to potential and there very, very similar ballistically.

 

[25WSM]

What speed are you using for both?
Shep

 

[25WSM]

A 215 Berger has to go 2925 to have 49 inches of drift at 1000 yards. So that's the fastest 308 I've ever heard of. At Williamsport we run 300wsms with 215s at 2850 from 30 inch plus barrels. So how do you get a 308 to shoot a 215 at 2925fps. I guess I'm in the wrong box.
Shep

 

[bigngreen]

A 215 Berger has to go 2925 to have 49 inches of drift at 1000 yards. So that's the fastest 308 I've ever heard of. At Williamsport we run 300wsms with 215s at 2850 from 30 inch plus barrels. So how do you get a 308 to shoot a 215 at 2925fps. I guess I'm in the wrong box.
Shep

Running 2460 on my lower node, 24.4 station pressure at 38 degrees with 10 mph from 3 o'clock. 33 moa up and 4.5 right.
We run 300 WSMs with 24 in barrels with a 215 2920 fps give or take for long range hunting. My high node in my 308 is just over 2600 fps.

 

[TexasSportsman]

The lethal range of almost any caliber is completely up to the shooter. The back of the box on my .22lr says maximum lethal range 1.5 miles. Can I kill something with my .22 at 1.5 miles intentionally? No. But can I use my .308 to kill a deer at 500 yards? Absolutely. I know of a sniper trainer in the Texas panhandle that will helicopter his students to various ridges so that their shots on deer are a minimum of 1,000 yards with a .308. It is not the arrow. It is the one wielding the bow.

The lethal range for many over-the-counter rifle calibers is between 400 and 450 yards.

I shoot the Hornady American Whitetail 150 grain soft point .30-06 which requires a minimum velocity of 1800fps to expand that would be about 400 yards +/-.