6.5x284 for Elk

[ATH]

I've shot elk at ~700yds with 300WM and 338 Edge. The WM got the job done....elk piddled around for awhile before falling over, good shot placement. 338 just hammered him.

As said by others, it's margin of error and odds. Last elk I shot, if he'd bolted, he'd have crested a mountain and become exponentially harder to recover. The guy who shot at the herd bull before me put 4 7mmMag round through his bull at <150yds before he dropped. I observed his animal and can't criticize his aiming. The herd ran up the mountain, pausing before fleeing over the crest, and I dropped mine with a 338 from 738 yards in one shot. Crushed him.

Personally, given the half dozen elk I've killed, I value caliber above all else and start with ".3" and go up from there. This means 300WM or 338 for extender ranges or .358 or larger slower calibers for closer ranges. YMMV. Big tough critters and I respect them.

 

[Backcountry_IDN]

You know, i have seen videos of people dropping elk with a .243 or a 6.5 creed. All about shot placement. But, in this world $#!t happens and a person can pull their shot or didnt read the wind right. Many variables. I have a .300wm and almost built 6.5-284. The kinetic energy is what I look at. With a bigger animal (elk) I am wanting as much kinetic energy as possible. With my .300wm I dont go below 1000 ft/lbs of energy until 1400 yard which I would never take something that far. But I am still holding 2000 ftlbs of energy at 600 or 800 yards I would have to look on my chart again.

My 6.5-284 will be strictly deer and smaller game. Just my personal preference.

 

[AZ82New]

I have a .260 AI, essentially the same performance. Sending a 140 VLD at 3070 fps, I have killed many, many critters, including several elk, specifically a 6x5 bull at 715 yards. I'll post a video of my experiences with this cartridge, and a couple with a 180 in a 7mm rem mag are mixed in the video, but it tells which ones in the description.

However.....If I was going to get a firearms specifically for elk, for myself, I would want 7mm rem mag performance or better. Not saying that a 6.5 is not enough, I love mine for an all around gun, and my nieces that hunt with me love it, my 12 year old niece killed her first big game animal with my .260 AI this year, a late season cow elk at 610 yards, with a single shot directly through the heart. Talk about a proud uncle moment!!!

I don't wish I went bigger when I built this rifle, it does exactly what I wanted it to do, great performance, I am confident hunting anything in north america besides brown bear with it, it has very low recoil, making it easy for new shooters to shoot exceptionally well with it, and it is cheap to load for and shoot. I am however, putting together a .338 Norma mag....not because I need it by any means, but because it is just going to be an awesome rifle!!!

Old thread, but I noticed you have also been using the Cayugas.

Do you think the Cayuga brings the performance up a notch? I have a 6.5x284 and I'm considering taking it on an elk hunt this December.

I have 122 Cayugas, hammers, ABLR's and bergers 135,140 and 156….,plus 143 eldx's.

Which bullet would you recommend for the job?

 

[Wy Will]

I've dropped 2 elk and multiple antelope. I wouldn't hesitate. I had a 6.5 PRC built for my girlfriend specifically for elk and it's using 125 grain hammer HHTs.

 

[codyadams]

Old thread, but I noticed you have also been using the Cayugas.

Do you think the Cayuga brings the performance up a notch? I have a 6.5x284 and I'm considering taking it on an elk hunt this December.

I have 122 Cayugas, hammers, ABLR's and bergers 135,140 and 156….,plus 143 eldx's.

Which bullet would you recommend for the job?

What is your twist rate would be my first question

 

[AZ82New]

What is your twist rate would be my first question

I have an 8 twist.

I also have a 6.5x280AI with a 7.5 twist.

 

[codyadams]

I have an 8 twist.

I also have a 6.5x280AI with a 7.5 twist.

Depending on the ranges your looking at, I personally would consider the 122 Cayuga, the 125 badlands, or the 156 Berger for further ranges. We used the 156 to take two elk at 910 and 890ish, worked but shot placement is key. Inside 500, I would look closer at the ablr, standard 140 accubond, or hammer.

 

[.300 Dakota]

2nd hand info, but I left mine as a tip for my guide in NV back in '14 after a successful mule deer hunt. He called me a few weeks later to say he loaned it to an elk client that needed a rifle and used HSM factory ammo with 140gr Berger VLDs loaded. Client dropped a huge bull at 450 yards. Added one for insurance, but guide said he probably didn't have to. He was impressed with the performance.

 

[NDF]

Just finished a elk hunt for a cow tag, with 6.5-284 using 140gr vid hunters and took a good sized cow at just south of 200 yds, shot was offhand and I hit her right in the front shoulder, couples inches forward of my intended mark, bullet destroyed that leg went through the bottom of both lungs, just missed the heart and exited, animal stumbled maybe 35 yds and tipped over dead, so my limited experience with caliber is very positive my other long time elk rifle is a 7 mag using 168gr vlds also and have taken elk with it up to 800 yds, this animal responded just as any have with the 7 RM, but again it's a new gun for me and distance was only about 200, we spotted the elk at 953 on a nice calm morning but opted to go around hill and work to get in front of them which was a gamble that payed off, rifle is a gunwerks LR1000 and drives nails but I just don't have the history with this gun and caliber as I do the 7 but 953 is a long way for anything I'm glad we got closer

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I've dropped 2 elk and multiple antelope. I wouldn't hesitate. I had a 6.5 PRC built for my girlfriend specifically for elk and it's using 125 grain hammer HHTs.

Would you care to share your load data?