Best long range 6.5mm/.264 caliber for hunting deer sized animals

[Bully]

Long neck

Vinny that is the reason I had one built. It has replaced my 264 win and I love it ,very accurate !!! I know how to reload ,so having a belt means nothing.

 

[jpope02]

I have shot a 6.5 Remington Mag for 50 years on white tail, black tail, coues, mule, sika, fallow, caribou and elk with this caliber. I consider it the ultimate deer species cartridge. However the supply of quality brass has hindered its popularity. It out performs the PRC, 264 Win and the 6.5/284 and equal to the 6.5/06. I will rank the 6.5/284 second because it has commercial chamberings and ammo available most places that sell center fire ammo

 

[Vinny boy]

Vinny that is the reason I had one built. It has replaced my 264 win and I love it ,very accurate !!! I know how to reload ,so having a belt means nothing.

 

[Vinny boy]

Mine is a hart rifle, 1 in 8 New York hart.one of my favorite go to rifles.

 

[uncle_motorhead]

But the 6.5-300 Wby holds the most powder. Therefore would shoot the fastest & flattest, & kick less than the 300 Wby.

 

[John 264]

I have been shooting 264 win mag for 38 years as a gunsmith with 20 years experience I get to shoot a lot of different 6.5s the people who think that the 264 win mag is a barrel burner not with the new powders I shoot retumbo with 140 Berger's and have just over 2500 rounds through my 264 and still getting sub 1/2" groups I am running just over 3200 feet per second I have shot big Kansas whitetail out to 600 yards and they drop in there tracks
Now the 6.5×300 weatherby and 26 nosler and the 6.5 stw are barrel burners I have a 26 nosler in my shop right now with 72 rounds through it and the throat is almost gone I built a 6.5 stw 20 years ago and shot out (2) barrels in just under 600 rds total the 6.5 × 300 weatherby I had 1 in the shop with 250 rounds through it and the throat iwa

 

[waveslayer]

But the 6.5-300 Wby holds the most powder. Therefore would shoot the fastest & flattest, & kick less than the 300 Wby.

What velocities are they getting out of the 6.5-300? With the SAUM I'm getting 3300 on my hot loads and 3167 on my reduced loads... tough part is bullet construction whacking a deer at close range

 

[John 264]

Sorry my phone dropped part of my post as I was saying the throat was almost gone I talked to weatherby about it and I was told 500 to 600 rounds was the life of it
I have shot and built 15 6.5 creedmoors it's a accurate round but it is just a 6.5 version of a 308 Winchester the 260 Remington is a little more efficient and just as accurate as the creedmoor the 6.5×55 is the sleeper of the 6.5's the 6.5 prc is a waste of time

 

[John 264]

What velocities are they getting out of the 6.5-300? With the SAUM I'm getting 3300 on my hot loads and 3167 on my reduced loads... tough part is bullet construction whacking a deer at close range

What weight of bullets are you getting 3300 ft out of short action ultra mag

 

[waveslayer]

What weight of bullets are you getting 3300 ft out of short action ultra mag

130 VLD's

Here's my reduced load I use for when its above 85° out

 

[DR 3006]

I chose the 26 Nosler. with some of these heavier bullets becoming available I like it, as a long range deer cartridge. now if lots of shooting and target plinking start coming into the considerations I believe I am leaning to the 6.5-284 or maybe the PRC?

 

[MLN1963]

I said Creedmoor and PRC for factory ammunition. You can forget your ammo at home and walk into any WM or sporting goods store and find decent hunting ammo.

It's not there yet, but if Hornady pushes the PRC the same way it did the Creedmoor I think it will be the same, in every store.

You didn't say if it was to be factory ammunition or you reload, so I went the conservative route and those dictated my choices.

 

[Zhomeguy]

Depends what long range is to you. Any on that list are capable long range deer rounds. Some of them just get out there further than others.

definitely a relative point! to me out there is 500 yards, I shoot a lot further, but it takes the fun out of stalking, out of the equation, and seems to make me less of a hunter and more a shooter.

 

[BasilPascali]

.260 Rem., best choice! More energy than any of the Creeds. Copper Creek and Hornaday have about as good as you can load without having to become a rocket scientist in reloading. Wait till you get a pile of brass.