6mm Creedmoor first elk hunt

[2BrownDogs]

You make no sense, you don't think I can shoot frangible bullets in my 300 win mag ?
They don't make them ?
Sure they do, but know why most smart big game hunters don't use them?
Because you don't always hit were your intending to hit like that big *** shoulder bone. I shot Bergers with success in a 270 WSM until I hit that big *** shoulder bone and 1 1/2 miles 2 hours later I finally got another shot. That's why now it's a Barnes LRX or Nosler Accubond hunting big animals. I shot them right through that big *** shoulder bone, I want to hit that shoulder bone. You know why he can't run with not running gear.

I'm making perfect sense you're just not understanding, or don't care to understand. The point is that caliber isn't as important as bullet construction. Of course you can shoot cup and cores from any cartridge, but the point is that smaller calibers with frangible style bullets will create more damage than larger calibers with mono bullets, which defies the idea that "bigger=better." Yes, a 212 ELD-X from a 300 PRC has more bullet to do work than a 143 from a 6.5 creed or PRC, but is that "more" or "extra" necessary? Probably not. And this coming from someone who has killed bulls with a 300 PRC, I own one, love it, I also just killed 2 fine whitetail bucks with a 22 Creedmoor and 80 grain ELD-M's at 408 and 376 yards and broke both shoulders on both deer, and they were DRT. I know this is an elk discussion so I digress. Will monos kill? Yes. Will big calibers kill? Yes. No one is arguing that. But are big calibers required to kill elk consistently? No I don't think they are. Bullet construction, shot placement, impact velocity.

 

[MOA or bust]

I think the more elk hunts a guy goes on, the more he will want a "larger caliber" rifle. I started out with a .270, then moved up to a 7Rem mag, then 300 WM and now a 28 Nosler.

 

[d.downey24]

I'm making perfect sense you're just not understanding, or don't care to understand. The point is that caliber isn't as important as bullet construction. Of course you can shoot cup and cores from any cartridge, but the point is that smaller calibers with frangible style bullets will create more damage than larger calibers with mono bullets, which defies the idea that "bigger=better." Yes, a 212 ELD-X from a 300 PRC has more bullet to do work than a 143 from a 6.5 creed or PRC, but is that "more" or "extra" necessary? Probably not. And this coming from someone who has killed bulls with a 300 PRC, I own one, love it, I also just killed 2 fine whitetail bucks with a 22 Creedmoor and 80 grain ELD-M's at 408 and 376 yards and broke both shoulders on both deer, and they were DRT. I know this is an elk discussion so I digress. Will monos kill? Yes. Will big calibers kill? Yes. No one is arguing that. But are big calibers required to kill elk consistently? No I don't think they are. Bullet construction, shot placement, impact velocity.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I've got a question.
Why would anyone who promotes a radical idea such as using 6mm and .22 cals for big game be unwilling to put his real name on the idea?

I've listened to podcasts "Form" has done and in my view he should either give his real name like a real man or stop promoting this drivel.

Anyone who regularly hunts elk knows how hard you sometimes work to harvest one. And when presented with a hard quartering to shot at 35 yards you are going to say "no, no don't take that shot, your bullet may not be right to kill cleanly from this angle"?

Some may think that scenario is a gimme. I'd ask if you've ever actually handled all the elk bones from the top of the shoulder to the knee. The short 10-12" knuckle bone directly below the shoulder blade is STOUT on an elk.

Use something more than a 6mm unless you are happy with tag soup.

I shot a bull at 543 yds. years ago. I held on hair and air on shoulder. It hit him in the knee joint "knuckle". He ran about 20 yards and turned around facing other way. Shot again he went down. That shot hit him in the opposite knee/knuckle. Both shots went into chest about one inch apart. One through top of heart. He was dead on first shot. I was using a 300 RUM with 180 gr. Barnes TTSX at 3360 fps. Who knows what a Berger or ELDX would of done or a smaller caliber. Even with a mono or slower fps. I sure wouldn't take the chance on small calibers on elk. I sure wouldn't take a 500 yd. shot on one with a .243.
I should have said I'll probably never make a shot like that again or want to.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I think elk hunting cartridges could start at the 6.5 PRC, 6.5 SAUM, maybe 6.5/284, but I would consider their range limited still on a quartering shot. As huntinfool18 said maybe it should start at 270 cal. Longer ranges, say past 400 yards, I would start at a 6.8 Western, maybe 270 WSM if you are using a bonded or monometal. I like the 6.8 better as it brings larger grain bullets to the table (if you compare the two as they were designed, I am sure some people have fast twist 270 WSM's out there). The good ol' 7RM will stop him in his tracks though. Put a 160 Accubond or Partition moving at 3000fps from the muzzle through his shoulder he will crumble, even at extended ranges.

Just curious. Why just maybe on a 6.5x284 ? No different than a 6.5 PRC. I have both and love them. They aren't my first choice to use on elk though. I would on certain conditions but nothing is certain when hunting.

 

[nksmfamjp]

Don't ever recommend a light target bullet ELDM with a light copper jacketed bullet to take an Elk.

Can you tell us about all the elk you shot with the 6MM Creedmoor? I'm interested. I'd like to understand what you're basing your opinion on. For me this is a bit academic since I don't own a 6MM Creedmoor.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Having harvested 17 elk of which the majority were meat cows, I fail to understand why people want to use small calibers to hunt them.
One nice 5x5 I took, I lost all of one front quarter due to what appeared to be a small calibers hitting the bone causing the entire quarter to be ruined. It didn't really seem to cause the elk an issue, but when quartering it out, I found the entire quarter ruined.
Another time a bud killed an injured calf that was shot by a smaller caliber cartridge.
A perfect shot using the right construction bullet from almost any caliber "should" work, but why run the risk? It is tough enough just trying to find an elk and getting a good shot off. Why waste your time and money hunting with a cartridge that has a higher risk of potential failure?
Rant over!
Best of luck what ever you decide to use! Just please be ethical.

I always shoot elk in the shoulder. They go down right there and their lungs are damaged. I use a 300 WM or 300 Rum. 7 Rem mag has worked for me also. Shoulder blades aren't thick. I hunt with mono's. I wouldn't do it with a Berger, etc. but wouldn't be afraid to do it with my 300 RUM/215 Berger combo at 3240 fps. I think it would penatrate before exploding . I get very little meat loss on a shoulder with a mono. Works for me.

 

[d.downey24]

I'm not saying a 6 mm can't kill a Caribou, Elk, Grizzly Bear and so on. I'm pretty sure a 22 mag will do the trick with a well placed shot should we have that argument? Maybe I just need to take shooting lessons from you, it's pretty obvious by the way you talk you have never made a bad shot. I know when your hunting at 8-12,000 feet with less than ideal conditions, no shooting bench near by, it's blowing snow, your laying in the rocks trying to get a good rest the bull is 400 yards you pull the trigger at the sametime the bull moves BAM right though the front shoulder the bull turns and runs off in the timber!!!! I sure wish I had brought my 300 mag with them mono bullets that don't have no hydrostatic shock but they sure do penetrate bone.

 

[Greatgrandad]

I think elk hunting cartridges could start at the 6.5 PRC, 6.5 SAUM, maybe 6.5/284, but I would consider their range limited still on a quartering shot. As huntinfool18 said maybe it should start at 270 cal. Longer ranges, say past 400 yards, I would start at a 6.8 Western, maybe 270 WSM if you are using a bonded or monometal. I like the 6.8 better as it brings larger grain bullets to the table (if you compare the two as they were designed, I am sure some people have fast twist 270 WSM's out there). The good ol' 7RM will stop him in his tracks though. Put a 160 Accubond or Partition moving at 3000fps from the muzzle through his shoulder he will crumble, even at extended ranges.

What about the elk I and others have killed with 25-06's and 257 Wby's? Should they not have died?

Like so many, this thread and "opinions" can go on forever. How in the world did our fore fathers kill elk with muzzle loader balls, bows and arrows and spears?

 

[d.downey24]

What about the elk I and others have killed with 25-06's and 257 Wby's? Should they not have died?

Like so many, this thread and "opinions" can go on forever. How in the world did our fore fathers kill elk with muzzle loader balls, bows and arrows and spears?

It wasn't with hydrostatic shock I grant you that!! Pretty sure there were as many crippled as there was killed.

 

[WWP2012]

The ribs that you have to punch a bullet through are as wide as your finger and a fraction of the thickness. Even the shoulder blade, which would be a high, flubbed shot on your part, is as thick as a few credit cards stacked together and FAR more porous and brittle.

This is as inaccurate as I've ever seen and complete bull ****.

 

[Greatgrandad]

It wasn't with hydrostatic shock I grant you that!! Pretty sure there were as many crippled as there was killed.

I've shot a few elk with 50 and 54 caliber balls and a few handguns, and they all died and filled my freezers. Point being, everything is relative.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I'm not saying a 6 mm can't kill a Caribou, Elk, Grizzly Bear and so on. I'm pretty sure a 22 mag will do the trick with a well placed shot should we have that argument? Maybe I just need to take shooting lessons from you, it's pretty obvious by the way you talk you have never made a bad shot. I know when your hunting at 8-12,000 feet with less than ideal conditions, no shooting bench near by, it's blowing snow, your laying in the rocks trying to get a good rest the bull is 400 yards you pull the trigger at the sametime the bull moves BAM right though the front shoulder the bull turns and runs off in the timber!!!! I sure wish I had brought my 300 mag with them mono bullets that don't have no hydrostatic shock but they sure do penetrate bone.

Use what YOU want. I stated MY preference. Never said I haven't made a bad shot. I said it could of been different on a knuckle with smaller, lighter bullet. Or a shoulder.

 

[WahooYahoo]

The 270 has more velocity and energy than a 6.5 creedmoor. A 6.5 PRC is more in the 270 category.

You're right. In factory loads the box says about 200-250ft/sec., but its arbitrary. My chronograph and my load says there is no difference. .264 143 gr ELD-X at 2930 ft/sec. Hornady says .270 145 gr ELD-X 2970.

My example was to point out that folks get caught up in names and calibers. A few thousandths of diameter wider and a few thousandths shorter is arbitrary.

I'm not trying to irritate folks, context is non-existant in text.