6 Creedmoor for Desert Bighorn

I've seen 223s make more internal damage than a 300WM. How? Bullet selection. ELDM vs solid copper. It all comes down to the bullet. Someone on here said they've seen 2 bighorn go missing from a creedmoor. Is that 22 creed, 6 creed, 6.5 creed?. Ok what bullet? How far of a shot? Experienced shooter? Custom rifle? Good rest? Lots of variables to consider. Good bullet. Good shot. Done deal. That 6 creed is gonna be great for this hunt. Practice shooting as much as possible so you can make a good ethical shot.
But what if you put a 180 or 200 gr eldm in that 300? Then you have the best of both worlds.
 
But what if you put a 180 or 200 gr eldm in that 300? Then you have the best of both worlds.
30 cal in a ELDM would be fantastic. Point I'm trying to make is caliber/cartridge is not the only variable to look at, it's the bullet. I've seen far too many people claim the 6.5 PRC or 6.5 -300 kill SO much better than a 6.5 creed. You put the same bullet in all 3 of those cartridges they will do the same thing just at different distances. What that same bullet will do at 600 yards with a 6.5-300 you might have to be around 400 yards with a 6.5 creed. This is just an example. What they do have in common? Same bullet so you just might have to get closer with a slower cartridge to do the exact same thing a larger cartridge in that same caliber will do
 
Ya no kidding. Hence the reason I said if I was going after the perfect mountain goat bullet it would be a eldm. I'm pretty sure that's how they got the reputation of being hard to kill, people shot them with bonded/controlled expansion bullets and it didn't put them down quick, the solution was larger and harder bullets which resulted in putting them down even slower which resulted in them developing the reputation of being extremely tough to kill.
I grew up hunting shortfall whitetail in PA with a 7-08 shooting speer 130 gr SPBT. Switched to a 243 with 87 gr VMAX. Both killed incredibly well out to 400 yards with massive wound channels.

Then I had an opportunity for a Colorado Elk hunt. At the time 300 WSM was all the hype, and my good friend that invited me Elk hunting had done well with his 300 Weatherby with 180 gr Barnes TSX. To get some practice in with my new rifle, I took the 300 WSM with my 180 copper solid hand loads in PA doe season. A chest shot yielded a very narrow wound cavity, and a longer run than I was used to.

Everyone that's talking about bullet construction is right on. 6mm creed is likely my favorite hunting caliber these days. I'm transitioning from my old stash of 105 amax to the 108/109 ELDm for the BC advantage.

For the ELDX, I would aim for an impact velocity of 2000 fps, with the ELDMs you could go down to 1800 fps.

Initial and retained velocity has become much more important to me than energy. If you have the speed to deform the type of bullet you're using shortly after impact, you'll get a effective wound channel.

Your 6 creed will do fine. Get as much practice in as you can, and check your zero when you arrive. Good luck on your hunt.
 
What's capable and what is prudent--sometimes get intertwined. I have been asked many times what to bring on a Aoudad hunt. I usually say--"what your comfortable shooting deer with" and it's fine. Aoudad are big, and they are tough--but can you kill them with a fast 22 like a 22-250 or a 22 creedmoor or a 6mm option--yep I've done it plenty. Do I think that is the best thing to use--it is not optimal.

I hunt my own property so there are not many surprises, and if I miss an opportunity well--shucks--I can come back on Saturday or the next week.
The wake up call I had was my first trip to Asia. No one spoke even broken English, shots were "a lot" futher than expected, and the ibex on that trip were huge and robust. Could you kill one with a 6mm creedmoor---sure you could. But I tell you if I would have taken one on that trip--I would have come home empty handed. A 7 SAUM with a 175 grain bullet --felt light in the pants, and wish I would have had my 300 mag. Sometimes the situation dictates the need for more--and sometimes you don't know what that situation is until you get there, and it cost you a lot of time, and coin to get there.
 
What's capable and what is prudent--sometimes get intertwined. I have been asked many times what to bring on a Aoudad hunt. I usually say--"what your comfortable shooting deer with" and it's fine. Aoudad are big, and they are tough--but can you kill them with a fast 22 like a 22-250 or a 22 creedmoor or a 6mm option--yep I've done it plenty. Do I think that is the best thing to use--it is not optimal.

I hunt my own property so there are not many surprises, and if I miss an opportunity well--shucks--I can come back on Saturday or the next week.
The wake up call I had was my first trip to Asia. No one spoke even broken English, shots were "a lot" futher than expected, and the ibex on that trip were huge and robust. Could you kill one with a 6mm creedmoor---sure you could. But I tell you if I would have taken one on that trip--I would have come home empty handed. A 7 SAUM with a 175 grain bullet --felt light in the pants, and wish I would have had my 300 mag. Sometimes the situation dictates the need for more--and sometimes you don't know what that situation is until you get there, and it cost you a lot of time, and coin to get there.
Exactly
 
Sheep are thin skinned and are fairly easy to kill when hit in the vitals :(

More like tough and big boned! I live here in Nevada and have been out with friends who got drawn. We just go out scouting on our own where we have seen them over the years. No guides or BS unless I'm a guide for beer and the fun of it. Sheep are a creature of habbits walking the same direction like clock work. On their way to get water every evening coming by our camp. It was just always trying to decide on which one. Big rams are tough animals solid animals. I've been watching the shots on two through spotting scopes 7mm rem mag with 175's and 300 win mag with 180's both relatively broadside one at @ 165 yards and the other at like 240 yards. Even with all that HP neither one even flinched and the 7 mag after being shot wondered away like it was a miss and the guy shot it again. I even wondered if the first shot was a miss. The 300 WM just stood there like they do motionless and finally quivered and dropped. I would never consider my 26 inch 243 as a Ram getter. I draw the line at antelope. Then I move up to more fire power.


Just a few old pictures of the herd of 20 + wondering by our camp every evening!

Ram4007.jpg
Ram4020.jpg
Ram4025.jpg
 
Last edited:
You want to use a rapid expansion bullet on goats. 🤦‍♂️ they are narrow animals. If you use a controlled expansion bullet, there isn't enough tissue to for bullet to reach full expansion before it's already exited the animal

You want to use a rapid expansion bullet on goats. 🤦‍♂️ they are narrow animals. If you use a controlled expansion bullet, there isn't enough tissue to for bullet to reach full expansion before it's already exited the animal

Exactly! The most experienced goat hunters that I know in my part of the world (both have passed) really liked to use the Swift and 22/250. Great hunters, true predators. The weren't a fan of big guns like 338's etc as they said that the goats pretty much always wandered off a cliff. Where as when they were hit with the big 22's or 6's that they pretty much folded up shop and hit the turf.

I have zero interest of turning this into a 22 thread, my point was being as we were now talking mtn goats as well that the bigger rounds with tough bullets weren't the best way to roll.
 
The thing that is lost on many on threads like this is that they don't know the individuals who are responding. Nor do they know what kind of a hunter is responding.

In my experience sheep aren't tough to kill, put a good bullet in a good place and the critter isn't long for the world. Doesn't matter if one is using a 6 mm of some sort, or a 300 Mag.

As well, there is a diff between the individual who has some patience and knows when to and when not to drop the hammer. I've seen more than a few twitchy people/hunters that just can't settle down and they just have to start throwing lead. I've also been in and around some very skilled predators that have the ability to do a stalk on an animal that most would say need be a 600 yard shot. This last type of hunter can use a smaller round very successfully.

A lot of different variables in play here. Add some international hunting to the mix and we get into another world as well.

Personally, I've not used the 6 CM but I have a ton load of experience with the 6/06 and based off that there isn't hardly a shot or angle of a shot I'd not take with that round. I've taken and have seen a ton load of game taken with the 6/06 with both 70 and 95 NBT's from tweety's to elk and in my experience it's one wicked killer!

Just some rambling thoughts! Come on fall!
 
Top