Caliber size or Velocity and Energy?

[nocannons]

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?

Whatever you have the most confidence in and shoot accurately should be considered in your choice. If your 6.5 prc meets these
requirements and you are confident you can make the shot then that is what you should use.

 

[Netz]

Your 6.5 prc is plenty for elk.

Your 6.5PRC setup is adequate…shot placement is the critical factor, so practice until you're confident with the range.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I am going to stay out of this one.

 

[dblman]

But it's fun

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

Your 6.5 PRC will commandingly put an elk down at 500 yds... though I usually like to get closer!

 

[264WM]

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?

My favorite is the 264WM which pushes a 160gr Woodleigh PPSN (close to a core lock) to 3267fps which is the danger zone. Can drop it down to 3200fps and be safe. Also load a 85gr HP to 3827fps safely. The 160gr bullet is designed for Moose. Muzzle energy is above 3700ft. lbs. and at 500 yards is still over 2000ft.lbs.

 

[Teri Anne]

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?

There are times when size is important, and times when size is not. When it comes to shooting it's not so much the size it's where you put it. A well placed shot out of your 6.5 PRC will kill an Elk just as dead as a 458 Winchester Magnum, you just won't ruin as much meat. So if you go out and practice and are able to overcome buck fever and calmly place your shot so that it goes through the heart lung area there is no deer, elk, moose or any other creature that will not find themselves quite dead if not immediately in short order. Chances are that the 6.5 PRC won't cause shoulder injuries on down the line like most of the magnums will.

 

[bomberodevil]

Delete please

 

[bomberodevil]

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".

I'm going to hate myself for doing this but…

You say that energy means nothing, it doesn't kill anything, and that you only look at speed and a reasonably sized bullet. Makes sense, since the only two factors in measuring kinetic energy is bullet mass and velocity. By using bullet size and speed, you're using energy.

KINETIC ENERGY (FORMULA) - SAAMI

Based on the general equation for kinetic energy, Ek=½mv2, which directly uses mass (m) and velocity (v), the following formula is used to calculate the kinetic energy of a projectile (expressed in foot-pounds): E=(W*V2)/(14000*gc). In this formula, W = weight of projectile, in grains; V =...

saami.org

 

[memtb]

There are times when size is important, and times when size is not. When it comes to shooting it's not so much the size it's where you put it. A well placed shot out of your 6.5 PRC will kill an Elk just as dead as a 458 Winchester Magnum, you just won't ruin as much meat. So if you go out and practice and are able to overcome buck fever and calmly place your shot so that it goes through the heart lung area there is no deer, elk, moose or any other creature that will not find themselves quite dead if not immediately in short order. Chances are that the 6.5 PRC won't cause shoulder injuries on down the line like most of the magnums will.

Quote: A well placed shot out of your 6.5 PRC will kill an Elk just as dead as a 458 Winchester Magnum, you just won't ruin as much meat


Teri Anne, This is where we disagree. Unless you're shooting a very light for caliber, very fragile bullet in the .458…..the 6.5 PRC will blood shot much more meat and do more tissue damage initially than will the .458!

At ranges of equal distances, with very similar shot placement…..a 130 grain 270 Win. will bloodshot much more meat than will my old .375 H&H. Step up the velocities to that of my . 375 AI, and all bets are off! memtb

 

[C-130 Dude]

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?

Sometimes it's about the size of the hole going in and coming out.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Took my ID bull last year with my 6.5 PRC, I had worked up the 156 burgers with their original load data, then they went and lowered their load data way down with H1000. My load was pretty far over max, so I decided to load up the 143 ELDX. This bull was only 152 yards but quartering pretty good, it went in mid body and exited just in front of the off shoulder. It was over 24 inches of penetration, I never expected that I kept hearing they damp everything inside but after the recoil all I saw in the scope was his legs in the air as he rolled *** over tea kettle, unfortunately to the bottom of this dry creek bed.

At least it was a dry creek bed. Could have turned out to be a wet day.

 

[436]

Caliber size or Velocity and Energy?
Like most hunting of game, it all depends on what you are going after. I think it's a pretty open-ended question as it stands, which makes it somewhat of a hard-to-answer question. Just my 0.2 Cheers

 

[Magnum44270]

Your caliber is fine. Your bullet choice is questionable.