6.5 Creedmor- the Holy Grail?

[MudRunner2005]

Elk are tough, they can soak up some fury. 75% of the lost elk stories I hear are poor field craft. Guys aren't used to and can't handle the country they live in and don't know how to hunt it.

Easier to blame cartridge or bullet for failures than the real issue.

I've heard it's easier to kill moose than elk. Elk are like overgrown deer...I've seen some whitetails absorb perfect vitals shots from some powerful guns and were dead-man running, and still went 100 yards through a briar patch. I've seen some bad hunters in my years in the woods...Met even more selling guns and equipment to them. Hearing some of their stories, and seeing some of the shots made when we used to have our big buck contest every year, was quite eye-opening to see just how many un-practiced and untrained folks lurking around out there in the woods. Folks like that is one of the main reasons I stopped hunting public land down here.

 

[FIGJAM]

I don't know the details of the 4 guys lost bull elk - distance, bullet type etc. but I find it hard to believe that it is the 6.5 creedmoors fault. I don't shoot a creedmoor, my son does. But I have other 6.5 calibers, their performance on big game has been impressive. Just like any other caliber you have to choose the right bullet construction for the job.

Its like your either love the 6.5 bullets or hate it. It seems a lot of the hate comes from guys who don't own one.

I have a brother in law who questions the ability of the "little" 6.5 140gr bullets to kill elk or mule deer. But then shoots the 130 gr bullets in his 270 and the 140 in his 7mm Rem Mag (at only 2850 fps out of his 24" barrel) at deer and elk and those are more than adequate. He is pretty quick to ignor the ballistic tables and just believes what he wants to believe.

If those 4 guys put the 140gr bullets where they should have, those elk would be dead. Also, just to clarify it was the guy telling the story about the 4 other guys that had the sheep grand slam, not the 4 guys who lost the elk right?

 

[MudRunner2005]

View attachment 114284

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[FIGJAM]

I've heard it's easier to kill moose than elk. Elk are like overgrown deer...I've seen some whitetails absorb perfect vitals shots from some powerful guns and were dead-man running, and still went 100 yards through a briar patch. I've seen some bad hunters in my years in the woods...Met even more selling guns and equipment to them. Hearing some of their stories, and seeing some of the shots made when we used to have our big buck contest every year, was quite eye-opening to see just how many un-practiced and untrained folks lurking around out there in the woods. Folks like that is one of the main reasons I stopped hunting public land down here.

The mule deer that ran the furthest on me after being shot took a 215gr berger from my 300 ultra mag through both lungs at 200 yards. That sucker ran 150 yards before piling up dead. I thought I missed - i walked up to where he was and there were pieces of lung that had been blown out the other side. There was a fist size whole for the exit...The whole experience blew my mind.

 

[BClrh]

What I don't get is the type of cartridge doesn't matter. Its just a certain caliber of projectile of a certain weight and design going a certain muzzle velocity. There is no mystical magic in what the name of the cartridge that launched it is. It doesn't matter if it was shot out of a blow gun.
It doesn't matter if it is a creedmoor or a 260 or a whatever. If its the same bullet going the same speed it is the same as far as ballistics and killing ability go.

There is nothing magic about a win mag either. If a 300 prc shoots the same bullet the same speed one doesn't magically have better ballistics or kill more effectively.

Accuracy would be the only variable and any of these cartridges in a good rifle are going to dial in and shoot accurately

 

[26Reload]

And to quantify.....i have seen a monster mule deer buck make a
300 weatherby look like it didnt do the job...from 50 yards...
The nosler ballistic tip went through and did it's job....deer walking at 50 yards right to left...facing away...shot blew out the entire right side of that deer ribs and shoulder.....GONE...splattered all over the area behind where it was standing......and when we watched it running away we were amazed..........it just went til it fell over.....300 yards....
I would never have thought a deer without it be excited and adrenalin pumping could go near that far.....unbelievable

 

[Canhunter35]

The mule deer that ran the furthest on me after being shot took a 215gr berger from my 300 ultra mag through both lungs at 200 yards. That sucker ran 150 yards before piling up dead. I thought I missed - i walked up to where he was and there were pieces of lung that had been blown out the other side. There was a fist size whole for the exit...The whole experience blew my mind.

I've seen this from a 300win mag, we even found bone fragments. I still believe had I shot that deer with my 308 and a 168amax he would've died within steps. I believe a lot of bullets have velocity 'windows' where they are most effective

 

[adam32]

So from what I've read on this thread so far...a .300 winny, Wby and RUM are all too small for deer?

 

[MudRunner2005]

I shot a whitetail at about 100 yards with one of my 7mm STW's with a 160 NAB going over 3,200 FPS... Sprayed so much blood on the trees it looked like a horror movie scene. Split it open with guts hanging out, and still went about 100 yards through a pine thicket. If their adrenaline is going high enough, it's like trying to lasso a freight train to stop it. I've had them drop in their tracks from a 55gr .22-250 at 75-100 yards. You just never know how they're going to react when shot. They might fall over dead, they might run... Never know.

Therefore, I still feel the 6.5CM with a 140 (or any other similar performance cartridge) was a poor choice for this task at hand. Will it kill an elk? Sure. But is it the best option? Not in my opinion. But if it's their only option, I guess run what you got, see how it works.

 

[FIGJAM]

So from what I've read on this thread so far...a .300 winny, Wby and RUM are all too small for deer?

Lol - apparently. That mule deer shot with my 300 ultra was dead on impact, it just took him 150 yards to realize it.

 

[MudRunner2005]

So from what I've read on this thread so far...a .300 winny, Wby and RUM are all too small for deer?

No, what the take-away should be, is that you never know how an animal will react when shot, so try to at least be as prepared as possible, and make the best shot you can...Especially if you're using a smaller bullet and cartridge.

 

[fariswm]

4 guys and they each lost an elk... sounds like **** poor hunting.

At what point do we blame field craft?

These were experienced hunters. One elk ran away, maybe two elk ran away-- field craft. Four elk--one friend-- bad choice of equipment.

 

[26Reload]

I have shot bull elk with my bow from 6' to over 50 yards...
The biggest bull at fifty yards went 1/2 a mile with a marginal hit...ended up a good shot but stamina kept him going....
One bull at 6' went same distance....staggering and dead on its feet...another at 20 yards shot cleanly thru the heart went 20'...staggering dead and fell in a hole created from a tree having fell over..that was a bitch..i watched the entire scenario......i wish he had ran a half mile down the hill to the main road....
So for me....i don't care what caliber or cartridge used....just make it work....if there are doubts....stay home....or on the range...and leave my elk alone..............

 

[snox801]

I hunt with a lot of the safari club guys that can tell you all about game but really don't know **** about calibers. I think it has more to do with bullets choice and shot placement. As always. I took a huge scimitar oryx last year with my creed and it worked well on that. Bullets performed well and it weren't after about 50-60 yards. My dad has shot countless elk and moose. His hunting partner has had shoulder issues for years and hunts mainly with a .243. Has no issue but knows his limits in terms of distance and bullet choice. Seem most guys hear the 6.5 creed has the same trajectory as the .300 win and think that means it's got the hp at 1000 yards to do what the much heavier bullet does.