Um, can I come shoot a cow elk?
6.5 prc enough gun for elk
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boatmanusa
Member
I agree 100 %...I watched a hunting video this winter of a guy with his son in Utah hunting late season elk...He was talking up his Fierce 6.5 PRC and on cue from the truck they spotted a bull in the trees...505 yards was the given range and the guy shot from stand up shooting sticks and the placement in my opinion was perfect...double lung for sure (if he got penetration) but to high for the heart...the elk walked about 50 feet and when he had another clear shot he took it, they did not show a close up of the second hit...the elk went UP the mountain and disappeared...7 hours later they found the bull in a ravine and over 500 yards from the first shot...the guy said I will never do that again...when they dressed the elk out only 1 shot had hit a rib and they didn't show where if any the second shot hit... they decided they had only penetrated one lung...Maybe the distance was to far, maybe the wrong bullet for an elk or maybe he was unlucky or they ran into that tough old bull that can take a licking and just keeps on ticking...and there out there...some bulls can take a few good shots and keep on going...Iv e seen it a few times in my 40 plus years of elk hunting....did the 6.5 kill the bull? yes...I know a lot guys that love this caliber and my best friend sold his 280 Ackley and bought one a few years back and why?.. because of the recoil..he loves not getting pounded like guns hes had in the past .and Im sure that is why alot of guys own 6.5 Creeds or PRCs....I VE NEVER FELT RECOIL ON ANY ELK IVE SHOT and I shoot a 300 Ultra and for years I shot a 30 06 and a 300 win mag...but i guess guys do...I know Im an old guy set in my ways but I guess if I already owned a 6.5 PRC Id take it elk hunting with a bonded bullet of my choice with some limitations on distance but if Im buying a gun to go elk and deer hunting I would buy a gun shooting 175 grains or bigger with speeds around 3000 fps...a bullet with high BC for those longer shots....and then to hunt deer just go down in grains to something in the 150 to 162 range...and WALLA you have the perfect gun for everything....as a hunter I feel we have the responsibility of making the most ethical and fastest kill on any animal we are hunting...When it come it elk BIGGER IS BETTER...**** a part of me was secretly wanting everyone to say go bigger
memtb
Well-Known Member
I guess it depends upon the guides….how much experienc, what and were they hunt!
Likely…..many guides have never heard of a 6.5 "whatever"! Most, admittedly few, guides I've known are more interested in finding game, maintaining camp, and wrangling horses! Cartridge choices are rarely top priority! memtb
Jim’s Hunt
Well-Known Member
Ok so elk are big mean critter here in Colorado so I recommend at the very least a 458 win mag or 460 Weatherby. My preference is a 475 Nitro Express. However killed a few with a 243 and 25-06**** a part of me was secretly wanting everyone to say go bigger
I am a 6.5mm junky. I own everything from a 6.5 Grendel to a 264 Win Mag Improved. But I'll be damned if any of them will be my first choice to hunt Elk. and I don't consider a 7mm to be much, if any better.
Will it kill an elk? Sure under ideal conditions and optimal shot placement. But it allows little to no room for error. I mean we all know elk just stand around and pose in the perfect position and wait to be shot.
If I were in your shoes, 300 PRC would be a minimum consideration, especially if this is likely a once in a lifetime hunt.
Will it kill an elk? Sure under ideal conditions and optimal shot placement. But it allows little to no room for error. I mean we all know elk just stand around and pose in the perfect position and wait to be shot.
If I were in your shoes, 300 PRC would be a minimum consideration, especially if this is likely a once in a lifetime hunt.
tony d willIiams
Well-Known Member
Out practicing with friends, some believe they are great shots.
I will leave pistols out of this.
I let them use my rifles and my reloads. I refuse to use their reloads.
Targets set at 60 & 100 yards. Occasionally to 1/4 mile.
They are great with my 22LR, 22WMR, 30-30, 308, and not so my 338LM.
They can small circles with 22s, 6" spreads with 30-30, 308. Lucky to hit paper with the 338LM, it makes holes within the size of a quarter at 1/4 mile with varying crosswinds.
They are afraid of the larger rounds. I would not take them hunting anything larger than a rabbit.
Too many times I have been called over to track wounded animals, and get them where they can kill the wounded animal.
Shot placement works, a large bullet you cannot shoot properly is useless.
Some shoot the magnum, keep repeating "I know how to shoot", then have a bruise they will never forget. And refuse to shoot the rifle properly, or again.
I will leave pistols out of this.
I let them use my rifles and my reloads. I refuse to use their reloads.
Targets set at 60 & 100 yards. Occasionally to 1/4 mile.
They are great with my 22LR, 22WMR, 30-30, 308, and not so my 338LM.
They can small circles with 22s, 6" spreads with 30-30, 308. Lucky to hit paper with the 338LM, it makes holes within the size of a quarter at 1/4 mile with varying crosswinds.
They are afraid of the larger rounds. I would not take them hunting anything larger than a rabbit.
Too many times I have been called over to track wounded animals, and get them where they can kill the wounded animal.
Shot placement works, a large bullet you cannot shoot properly is useless.
Some shoot the magnum, keep repeating "I know how to shoot", then have a bruise they will never forget. And refuse to shoot the rifle properly, or again.
memtb
Well-Known Member
I know that you are "deadly" serious with your cartridge recomendations for Kolorado elk…..but, I respectfully disagree.
My wife has also killed elk with varmint (though barely adequate for large varmints) cartridges…..one with a .243 Win. She'll not give up her present (past 28 years) preferred cartridge to return to cartridges best suited for children's use on varmints and such!
memtb
memtb
Well-Known Member
I certainly hope that my wife doesn't read about these horror stories! She easily frightened!
memtb
laker
Well-Known Member
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My god you can't be serious. Have you ever compared the wound cavity of a 6.5 140 grain Berger or 156 grain Berger to a 180 grain accubond or a 200 grain accubond out of 300 win mag and 300 ultra mag?
laker
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It's not the feeling the recoil when shooting at an animal that's the problem. It's your mind taking over and telling your body that you are going to get **** pounded by the gun because it knows that from practicing. You aren't getting away from that.
memtb
Well-Known Member
I guess that a hunter " has got to know his/her limitations"! And….be honest with themselve!
Unless the shooter has some type of medical limitations, the vast majority of us can easily handle the recoil of properly fitted rifles up to and through a .375 H&H.
The hunter does not have to shoot hundreds of rounds per year from the bench through their more powerful hunting cartridges….while remaining still be proficient with them. In fact, the majority of their shooting should be from simulated field positions…..generally offering much less felt recoil than from the bench.
Assuming properly fitted rifles, the hunter can use lower recoil cartridges for much of their shooting throughout the year….and be very proficient with the higher powered hunting cartridge!
There are also methods of reducing felt recoil used by many on this forum which can recoil from larger bore, heavier recoil cartridges quite tolerable!
My wife certainly isn't Superwoman, but can easily handle the felt recoil from her properly fitted, non-braked, .338 WM. in the field! In fact, she has taken game from prone position with it a couple of times…..which is generally acknowledged as offering higher felt recoil to the shooter than many other positions. After the shot, reloading while verifying the game is down….her next priority is brass recovery! Does she "enjoy" shooting it from the bench…..absolutely not! However, as she generally doesn't shoot game from the bench, she has no issues while shooting game in the field….even prone!
For off-season practice/plinking she has other cartridge options, in rifles as closely duplicating the fit/feel/weight of her hunting rifle!
I guess that for the majority of hunters, it depends upon how badly they want to use and be proficient with a larger cartridge choice for big game hunting! While smaller cartridge/calibers can certainly kill an elk, "There is no substitute for cubic inches"!
…..Assuming proper placement and use of a quality bullet! memtb
I guess I'm not understanding your point here.
Are you suggesting a 6.5 PRC is a better choice for elk than the others you mentioned?
One man's opine, if you can't get a good shot then do yourself and the animal a favor and show some respect and don't take the shot! I can't imagine being one who would take the bad shot, the bad angle etc and hoping that you can finish the job....that's just pee poor judgement!
