Last minute change....

[Irish Neil]

Where are you intending to hunt. It may be the outfitter is unwilling to go the extra mile on the import of your rifle.

 

[Sikadog]

Any 6.5 with a decent barrel will shoot MOA

 

[johnwm]

So? Any rifle with a decent barrel should shoot MOA.

 

[JPWSM]

I will be leaving shortly for a hunt overseas. I usually take my own firearm and deal with all the hassels. I have just been contacted by the outfitter that due to recent changes in their country's rules and regulations regarding inportation of foreign firearms for hunting ......

Bud, I live in South Africa and have hunted in several African nations. If you do not have an Official Government signed and stamped permission or a permit for your own rifle... DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES have any ammunition on you or in your luggage!!!! This is a nightmare you do not want to contemplate. I have a friend who was arrested and thrown in a cesspit of a jail because of an old corroded 9mm casing trapped under the backing of his luggage. He is a pistol shooter and an avid hunter.. and that casing had been in his luggage for a very long time. He refused to pay a bribe at the airport and they took his kit apart trying to find anything they could hold him on. African officialdom exists only on the bribes they can extort. Your emabassy .. if there even is some official representation.. will not be able to get you out of that nightmare. My friend was very fortunate that he got out of the DRC.. only by high level intervention from the mining company he works for. And a considerable dollar 'gift' changed hands.
Even the last gun friendly nations like South Africa and Namibia.. where you are allowed to bring your own firearms and ammo, will have a serious issue with you showing up with a couple of boxes of ammo in your kit. Their 1st reaction is arrest and incarceration... and then everything thereafter happens in africa time. Dont do it!! It is not worth the risk!!
You do not mention the specific country in your post.. but what we generally see in hunting in africa is that the camp rifles are usually beat to hell. No optics or crap optics.. and then the ammo. On one hunt in Mocambique i could not take my big bore rifle across the border. Some silly rule change the day before. I had paid for the hunt and was able to leave my rifle with a gun dealer in a nearby South African border town. That lost me 2 days of my hunt. Getting to the hunting consession i got shown a Remington 700.. so beat up that i wondered whether it would function. For ammo selection.. i got shown a box with ammo previous hunters had left behind. I managed to find 3 Winchester loads in 375 that looked more or less similar.
That is probably how it will go. Mail your outfitter.. ask him specifically about the rifle.. the scope and what loads it shoots the best with. You want to see piccies of it at the very least.
The Creed is a little light of a loading for african game. You would be better served with at least a 3006. You are welcome to PM if i can be of any assistance.
An african hunt is a great experience and you will want to come back. But do not take any chances with african law and regulations!

 

[epags]

Also ask the outfitter (if you decide to bring ammo- read JPWSM's comments first) if he allows re-loads or just factory ammo to be shot in his rifles.

 

[DarryH]

I would ask, or trust the outfitter has already ensured the gun will shoot well, and be sighted in with the appropriate ammo. It would be worth a call to ask. Maybe you can send him extra ammo for his gun, and score some good will with him.

 

[ajkellerusmc]

Hornady 120GMX monolithic is a great performer on antelope, deer, and cow elk size critters. 1 moa from my ruger american.

 

[greengiant]

You may want to be careful recommending loads like this - I know for a fact in one of my rifles, this would be an extremely dangerous load. There are quite a few new reloaders that don't have the wits or experience to work up to loads, but will jump right on someone's load recommendations..
Just my .02 worth. Don't want to see anything happen to anyone.

Best Advice I have seen given to this gentleman so far. For his sake, I hope he takes it!

 

[Danehunter]

I've shot 6.5 CM Hornady 143 gr, ELD-X ammo from a 22" barrel Ruger American Predator with consistent 3/4 MOA and from my new Browning X-Bolt Pro (22" barrel) with slightly better accuracy. ELD-X bullets meet Hornady's MATCH bullet specs for consistency in weight, length, "roundness", etc. They have a hybrid ogive/VLD shape.

Get the Hornady 143 gr. ELD-X ammo. Its bullet is made for even expansion at a very wide range of velocities (i.e. distances). You will be happy with the results on game.
Try to stay under 500 yards for best results on medium sized game.

Ask your guide/outfitter what the barrel length is on the Remington. THEN GO TO HORNADY'S SITE AND TO THEIR "4 DEGREES OF FREEDOM" BALLISTICS SOLVER. ENTER THE VELOCITY FOR THAT 143 GR. ELD-X ROUND AND PRINT OUT THE RESULTS. Re-copy by hand the main results of the printout onto a small (3 x 5) card, cover it with clear packing tape. Take some of that tape with you so you can tape the card to your rifle stock for fast reference.

TAKE YOUR OWN RANGEFINDER and BINOCULARS. Best if you have binoculars that have rangefinding capabilities and that can also compensate for high up/down angle shooting. Match the distance readout to your scope adjustment (MOPA or mils) so your RF binoculars or rangefinder will give you an MOA or mil hold-over readout.

PRAY your guide has a decent scope on the rifle with a good ranging reticle, not a **** "BDC" or bare "Duplex" reticle.
If I were paying a lot of money for a guided hunt I'd take my own Pic rail and scope W/mount so I could use it and not theirs. Check in advance about this.

Eric B.

 

[Peddler 76]

My LAW Professional Model likes the Hornady 143 ELD- X Hunter.

 

[Australia]

What country are you hunting in ?
down under we have very heavy penalties for bringing anything like ammo on a plane or weapons of any kind into the country
My suggestion go with what the guide gives you and learn to shoot it