Caliber size or Velocity and Energy?

[bomberodevil]

I have been told that my 6.5 PRC is too light for elk and I am sure many of you on here will agree. But I when I look at the ballistics, my 156gr Berger with H1000 have more energy and velocity after 400yds than my buddy's 300wm with 180gr ABs. which is an acceptable elk cartridge. Since hunting bullets are made to expand why is initial bullet size important?

If you believe that KE is a decent indicator for cartridge selection, the 6.5 PRC factory load 143 ELDX is 1604 ft/lbs at 500 yards. A common metric is 1500 ft/lbs for elk, so I would be comfortable using the 6.5 PRC out to 500 yards, maybe a bit farther. This assumes a good bullet and good shot placement.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/6.5-prc-143-gr-eld-x-precision-hunter#!/

 

[3chester]

Found the Elk that year also, with help from a unknown friend. Was out a few miles from camp at the bottom of drainage just hiking along midday. Heard a bit of blasting, a few hills over say 1/4 to 1/2 mile away, so just stopped for a minute to look thru the binos. A few minutes had past since the shooting and here comes a Bull Elk trotting along, about 100-125 yards away. Let go the binos and slipped the rifle off the shoulder, got on his front 1/4 and took the shot as bull walked by. Boom fired, and the Elk took off. Worked the bolt, Elk ran 30yards and disappeared into the conifers.Went over to where Elk was, at the shot, no blood. Then where he hit the tree line, still no blood. Got in those conifers and a guy could tell, few dozen Elk ,had been in there for a week or so, hundreds of tracks, ground was all tilled up. So couldn't make heads or tails out of the direction the bull headed. Start doing the main trails, wide radius, deepest tracks, had nothing, zero blood sign. Then 1 of those Black and White Magpies flew over, perched in tree 75 yards over to the West from my position and started calling his buddy Magpies. Well, what the Heck, Took a stroll over that direction and after a bit of scanning, there was the bull stone dead. 300 RUM had gone in front quarter, right over heart. Hit that main garden hose coming off heart and made a 30 caliber size hole in and out of that pipe. The Nolser Failsafe was just inside the hide on far side, had a decent mushroom curl, the Elk's internal cavity was full of blood. Pretty much had to thank the Nosler boys, for adding true Failsafe part, of that Magpie showing up!

 

[yobuck]

Key is to hit them in a vital location.
And then be willing to give them enough time to die.
And that might vary with different animals of the same species.
The longer the distance, the more it can vary, even with the large 338s and 300 gr bullets.
Those who might argue that, simply havent watched enough of them get hit.
Thats not intended as a put down, but simply intended as a fact.

 

[3chester]

Key is to hit them in a vital location.
And then be willing to give them enough time to die.
And that might vary with different animals of the same species.
The longer the distance, the more it can vary, even with the large 338s and 300 gr bullets.
Those who might argue that, simply havent watched enough of them get hit.
Thats not intended as a put down, but simply intended as a fact.

Yep, and every time a heart shot elk runs another 150-200 yards, out of sight ,a guy has expanded the search area by 50 more acres.

 

[Jim’s Hunt]

Wow, 6.5PRC too light for elk.....

Need to tell the Swede's that their 6.5X55, that they've been using for decades, is too light for moose.

Seen videos of elk taken with 243 Win & 257Roberts.

I live in the middle of the in the White River valley of Northwest Colorado lots of elk here. In 44 years my 2 sons, wife, and I have shot a fair share of elk. Calibers used were 243,25-06,270win and 270WSM,280 rem,7mm RUM,30-06,300 PRC,300 WSM,300 Lapua mag,338WM, and a bow. In short it's good premium bullets and shot placement. Nosler Partions and Accubonds have been my go to bullets.

 

[StanleyActual]

I agree 100%. Hand loads in 300wm will out perform a 6.5PRC. I was told the 6.5 PRC was not adequate as an elk round. I was try to illustrate that a good 6.5 PRC hand loads will perform as good as 300wm factory loads. And 300 wby mag will outperform both.

Have you tried any of the solids yet? Ie Badlands BD2's, Hammer Hunters, PVA Cayugas ?

That's a good way to make up on some ground terminally in that 6.5. Not that some Bergers wouldn't work perfectly fine.

Stay away from comparisons man. There is literally always something bigger that could Potentially work better, but what does your 6.5 need to hold its own with a big 30 when with the proper bullet selection to ur chosen caliber will work perfectly fine for your use?

6.5 with the proper shot placement, at a reasonable range and in the right spot will
Drop an elk dead in its tracks. Dead is dead man. Elk don't know or care if it was a 6.5 or 375 that hit him.

 

[Hugnot]

I shoot mostly small calibers. Should I need to shoot some big beast that for me would be anything over 100 pounds I would select a solid copper bullet to assure deep or complete penetration in all circumstances. Diagonal shots are common, needing 3-4 feet of penetration thru muscle and bone to destroy vital organs. Hydrostatic shock is another factor - this transmits energy to central nervous system to disrupt brain & circulatory functions, but adequate velocities are required. Best to limit range to assure adequate velocity and minimal time of flight to assure a good clean kill.

 

[Son of a Gun!]

Hit heavy bone and the game changes! I think I've only had maybe 3 or 4 perfect broadside shots on elk because I hunt public land and pressured elk! That's why I carry a 338 Mag. for elk! Plus It's good insurance when hunting in Grizzly country!

 

[Rijoh]

 

[BrentM]

Hit heavy bone and the game changes! I think I've only had maybe 3 or 4 perfect broadside shots on elk because I hunt public land and pressured elk! That's why I carry a 338 Mag. for elk! Plus It's good insurance when hunting in Grizzly country!

That sounds like close range running animals.

 

[Son of a Gun!]

6.5 Crapmoore

 

[Texis]

I'm not an elk hunter, but I'm about to get hate text and shunned anyway lol.
I pay no attention to "energy". There I said it. In my illogical, logic, I ONLY look at fps on a reasonably sized bullet, through a reasonable caliber.. say 140gr and up. A bullet needs to impact the animal at a speed that will allow the project to expand / open up providing terminal performance. This fps number is provided by the bullet mfg, I always use 2000 fps as a guideline. My terminal maximum range is the yardage my bullets falls below 2000. In my rifle that's around 600 yds… so that's the wall on game animals. Pigs don't count, skys the limit.
Energy doesn't kill anything, internal tissue damage kills. If energy killed, FMJ military rounds would not be illegal to hunt with in some states. Poking a hole straight through an animal with tons of energy will not kill nearly as quickly or humanely as ripping its internals to bits with a properly expanding projectile.
Not a direct answer to the question, just my $.02 cents on what kills
Roy Weatherby was correct "speed kills".

 

[VLD Pilot]

I have been told that my 6.5 PRC is too light for elk and I am sure many of you on here will agree. But I when I look at the ballistics, my 156gr Berger with H1000 have more energy and velocity after 400yds than my buddy's 300wm with 180gr ABs. which is an acceptable elk cartridge. Since hunting bullets are made to expand why is initial bullet size important?

Its fine. Just know it's limitations.

 

[West Calamus]

Wow, 6.5PRC too light for elk.....

Need to tell the Swede's that their 6.5X55, that they've been using for decades, is too light for moose.

Seen videos of elk taken with 243 Win & 257Roberts.

6.5 X 55 can take elk to 250 yrds then loose 1800 # velocity for bullet expansion. 300 wm 600 yards 1800 # velocity for bullet expansion. Shoot what you got.