AZ Coues deer-6.5 Creedmore and Hammers

[JAYgs8163]

Well I hope he gets out some time soon. Sounds like he picked the right tool for the right job! I practise all the time with my 308 win. I was just looking for actual use and practical advise. Thanks!

Rifle used was his long action 308 with a 26" barrel. I'm able to seat the Bullets out quite a bit. I believe we're running 46 grains of Varget at my seating depth. He's not shot that rifle since, nor have I. I came across some 168 Amax a few weeks ago and picked up 200 of them. It looks like Hornady just made a new batch of 168 Amax as I've seen them recently at numerous shops.

 

[DWier]

That's funny!

Nope. Best thing since the Monte Cristo sandwich.

 

[HRM Johnny]

Congratulations. Thanks for the post. Thanks for the picture.

 

[JemezDave]

As I promised... a report on my Coues deer hunt in AZ, with the 6.5 Creed, and the 85 grain Hammers. I harvested a beautiful 110" buck at 430 yards! My gun is a Wby Vanguard RC, stock box factory. Range Certified (RC), with a Leupold Vx6, 4-12 power, with the CDS dial, for the 85 grain Hammer at a blistering 3455 fps ave. My load for the Hammers shoots under .600" at 200 yards routinely. Having said that...

First shot at 458 yards, CDS set at 460, was 3" over the back, guide witness vapor trail. Second shot at 434 after CDS adjustment hit him just under the spine, buck never flinched, but started walking down hill. Third shot now at 429 after two clicks down, and hit him about 4" left of heart and 3" inches low. Buck jumped and kicked hind legs like a heart shot. All three perfect for windage.

After a half hour (never saw him lay down) we crossed the canyon and started trailing from second shot (no blood or hair), and second hit showed 3-4 blood spots, with one being about 3" diameter dark red blood.

We then painstakingly slow TRAILED THIS BUCK, with almost no blood at all, for 4 1/2 HOURS. He walked slowly the whole time, which gave me some hope, but crushed me when he started back up hill across the canyon, and we lost his trail. Decision time, looked like he when up the right side once, so instinct told me to go up the left and it proved correct. After climbing about 150 yards, I saw him walking slowly through brush and cactus, and when he stopped I dropped him at 137 yards with the finisher!

Observations: meat under spine was destroyed, with a few pedals found, small hole in, small hole out. Broad side shot, small hole in, small hole out. I would have thought either one would have been deadly in 50 yards. All blood stayed internal and in 6-7 feet of brush and cactus, all I can say is luck and Divine Intervention saved me from the loss of a B&C buck. Had we not trailed him so slow (and had to) he could have laid down, and we never would have found him. My guide remarked with jubilation, " I tell everybody all the time these bigger Coues bucks can be hard to kill"... I agree.View attachment 308345

Congrats Glenn on a nice Coues buck! You and your guide did a fantastic job recovering him. My brother carried a 243 Win for years for deer. The rate of twist on the 600 Remington would not stabilize anything heavier than an 87 grain bullet, so that's what I loaded. We hunt mule deer and Coues in NM, but at ranges longer than say 250 yards typically. I never was impressed with that round on deer although it worked well at shorter ranges. One year my brother lost a buck he hit hard. Found him curled up under a tree dead 24 hours later. I've never used a CDS turret but I do think even at that range there are lots of variables that can make a difference. But whatever your system is, your firing solution may not be the same from day to day. Hunters should know this from practicing under the different conditions they might have to hunt in. If they don't, they have no business taking shots at long range at our majestic game, IMHO.
Seems like a different bullet choice would have helped here, but hey, you got him home! Thanks for sharing your experience it helps all of us.

 

[dogz]

Cody did a good write up on the 6.5 147 ELDM out of his 260 AI. I think though it killed he wasn't overly impressed, which surprised him if I remember correctly. I believe he went back to the 140 Berger and might have tried using 156 EOL.

Tis my opinion that the smaller 6.5's (CM , 260 Swede etc) are generally very accurate, incredibly user friendly and they will kill just fine.

But, to get the quick kills (especially @ 300 and beyond) one really needs to jump in case size in order to get some speed.

Speed is the thing that'll put them on the turf right now!

On small big game (deer, coues and lopes) I've used the 6/06 and 22/250 a ton. The 6/06 to 634 yards and the '250 to 505 yards. Both round will routinely put critters on the turf way quicker than any 6.5 CM load on small big game like this.

When I guided in Sonora I mainly saw bigger rounds (Big 7's and 300 Wby's) as well some of the smaller rounds like 243, 25/06 and my 6/06. Coues aren't big, nor did I find them tough to put on the turf given a reasonable hit.

IMO, if the OP had been using a softer bullet and not a hard one he'd of put that buck down quickly....(100 or 120 NBT, 120 Berg, 120 Scenar and some of the 130's to 140's). No need for a mono on a critter like this.

Just my 3 cents

 

[xsn10s]

Speed is fine in a lighter for caliber at closer ranges. I know a few hunters back east that swear by it, but that's at closer range. It's what got Weatherby on the map and has validity. But the lower bc comes at a cost. I liken it to shooting a 40 gr whatever out of a 22-250. Flat trajectory and impressive terminal ballistics out to 400 yards. After that it suffers.

 

[xsn10s]

IMO, if the OP had been using a softer bullet and not a hard one he'd of put that buck down quickly....(100 or 120 NBT, 120 Berg, 120 Scenar and some of the 130's to 140's).

I agree there on the NBT and Berger. I haven't heard enough about the Scenar's.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Many , MANY,... Deer and Antelope, HAVE been Killed with, the 6.5 Creedmoor at, 500 Yards or slightly more, WITH,.. the RIGHT, Bullet !
The OP, even said that,.. He made, a POOR Choice using, the LIGHT, 85 grain, Mono, ALL copper, Bullet !
Copper bullets,.. DON'T "hold" Velocity like, Lead Core, Bullets do,.. FACT !
They have to be Driven, Extremely FAST to, "work" well ! Rumor has it that, after 400 Yards, a little Parachute falls out of the Boatail's butt, and the bullet,.. falls to the Ground ! Might be, Internet BS,.. tho ?? LOL !
Any descent, Lead Core, "Hunting", Berger, Nosler, Sierra, or, Hornady Bullet in, 130, 135, or, 140 grains, WOULD HAVE, got the "Job",.. DONE, "better" !
You guys, need to Watch some, YouTube,.. "Creed",.. Kills !
Sorry,.. IF, I stepped on, any one's,.. Toes !

 

[Goldengun]

Great story, great deer, absolutely great friggin information that "long range hunters" need to recognize. ALL bullets have their limitations. ALL.