Ok I am not a big fan of the 6.5 Creedmore

[MudRunner2005]

I hunt the NE (New Hampshire) and I've seen deer take hits that just baffle your mind. Most only go about 25 or 30 yards but then you'll get those ones that will get absolutely drilled with a large cartridge and run 80-100 yards before finally giving up. I never see a bang flop unless it's a CNS hit.

Yep, I've dropped them with a .22-250 stone-dead before they hit the ground, but had them buck & run with a hit from a 7mmRM like a horsefly bit them.

That's why you'll always hear me say it's not always the gun, it's the animal, and how they react when shot, and nobody can ever predict how they'll react.

 

[Jared2700]

Its debatable, but we have gone all the way down to 1200 for elk and 800 for deer and haven't had a problem. I know some jackwad on here is going to start talking about how the bullets won't expand at those velocities, but my experience it what it is, and we haven't had a problem at those velocities.

I've recovered bullet that were completely expanded at those ranges. So I think it's a matter of the foot pounds of energy your bullet has. Take for instance a 243 win has more energy at 1000 yard than a 357 mag does right off the end of the muzzle. I think it's pretty leathel. If you don't believe me look it up in your ballistics charts. The 357 mag is going to fully expand. People need to do the research before saying things they don't understand.

 

[FIGJAM]

I've recovered bullet that were completely expanded at those ranges. So I think it's a matter of the foot pounds of energy your bullet has. Take for instance a 243 win has more energy at 1000 yard than a 357 mag does right off the end of the muzzle. I think it's pretty leathel. If you don't believe me look it up in your ballistics charts. The 357 mag is going to fully expand. People need to do the research before saying things they don't understand.

I agree 100% - guys on here will always cite the manufacturers recommended min for a certain bullet. My experience has been the same as yours.

 

[coop2564]

Numbers, Ft LB's, FPS dont kill elk! A well placed bullet and low blood pressure or electric curcuit failure does it! Some people read way tooooo much!

 

[rustyshackleford]

Haaa! That's where half my family is from.

Oh boy

 

[MudRunner2005]

Oh boy

Yep

 

[rustyshackleford]

Yep

Well if you're ever in Van's and see a guy in an Hk hat on a Saturday say hello

 

[MudRunner2005]

Well if you're ever in Van's and see a guy in an Hk hat on a Saturday say hello

Will do. I've been in there a couple times, the last time was about 11 years ago, I went up there with my cousin's husband. He was window-shopping for a S&W M&P 45. They hadn't been out very long at that time.

 

[FIGJAM]

I've had well hit whitetail make it WAY farther than elk. I had a doe make it 300 yards and I blew her heart all over the hay field, elk I've seen maybe wobble a few steps with the same hit. Elk just aren't that hard to kill if you wait for the shot that kills them easy, if you decide to make it hard an elk can roll with ya but it's your decision to make them tougher than they really are.!

Well said.

 

[skipglo]

I just cannot get excited as some people seem to be about the 6.5 creedmore. I have never been a real fan of the 243 either. I am speaking specifically about using these calibers at 4-500 plus yards. I think a heavier bullet and a bigger diameter is in order for long range shots on elk, moose, bear especially. Whitetail deer ok I guess but the wound channel may not be effective on marginal hit. Just my two cents. How do you other long range hunters feel about this?

 

[skipglo]

The 6.5 craze has captivated the shooting world! May well be the shell of all time. But lest we forget......what is it's purpose? Why has it been created? Let's get back to reality.... would you use a 1 wood to putt 15 feet and try to use your putter to hit a golf ball 300 yards? The 6.5 was developed for the long range TARGET market...not to shoot anything else....ok...gophers at 800 yards are targets... I will give you that! But the stories of these great hunters shooting at Elk at 1100 yards with 6.5....you should be ashamed....not flaunting it

 

[Tidus56]

The 6.5 craze has captivated the shooting world! May well be the shell of all time. But lest we forget......what is it's purpose? Why has it been created? Let's get back to reality.... would you use a 1 wood to putt 15 feet and try to use your putter to hit a golf ball 300 yards? The 6.5 was developed for the long range TARGET market...not to shoot anything else....ok...gophers at 800 yards are targets... I will give you that! But the stories of these great hunters shooting at Elk at 1100 yards with 6.5....you should be ashamed....not flaunting it

Here is the problem with the cartridge, you say it can't do anything (gophers and targets)and others say it can do too much(elk at 1100). Both are wrong, it's a great in the middle cartridge in the same vein as a 260. It can easily handle deer, cow elk, gophers, targets and pronghorn. Any of these out to 600 yards. Look at @bigngreen chart from earlier in the thread. Plenty of gas out to 600 for most game. Would it be my big elk gun...nope. But it fits just about everything else.

 

[the hunter]

Been saying for years that they should just implement the 6.5 Grendel and be done with it. Only requires a barrel, bolt, and mag change to their current platform. The 5.56 is not the bada$$ round everyone in the media thinks it is. It's actually quite impotent compared to most other options.

5.56 sucks, most combat vets all agree on that.

 

[the hunter]

No yet, but I took a promotion that is going to relocate me to Tennessee for a couple years, so I am anxious to try it out. That is also a difference - if you are hunting in open country in idaho and a deer or an animal runs 100 yards and dies, you can usually see where they fall. I understand back east it is pretty thick stuff.

What part of TN? I was born there and live just under it in MS, I have a lot of family and friends in TN.