.223, 6mm, and 6.5 failures on big game

huntnful

WKR
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
2,150
I have not. That's beyond the range I'm actually going to shoot at an animal with them. Through the 500y I've shot them, if it's not on, it's within the noise and cone this rifle shoots.
The purpose of this gun actually isn't a real long range gun. It's that it's got a 450y mpbr and shoots really soft. I can let about anyone borrow it when they're with me and within(well within) that range it's point and shoot. Or shooting small things where ranging isn't possible.
Gotcha! Makes perfect sense. That’s exactly what my 6 PRC is for as well. No recoil and I plan to have my daughter start wreaking havoc with it shortly. It’s a very capable cartridge. And an easy and fun little wildcat.
 

Formidilosus

Super Moderator
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
10,119
That bull was dead. I dont have anyone stop shooting until they hit ground. Especially with 7 minutes of daylight left.just shows how tough some are then others too. That bull could have gone bad the other bull dropped one shot same distance same heard. That bulls internals was destroyed and the fact a guy never shot 700 yards was able to stack 4 in boiler room with a big bad magnum off a terrible position he was in. Just shows it can be done. I think smaller gun wouldn’t of made tbat scenario any better. Bullet performance was excellent.@SouthPaw


See this is where it becomes obvious that I like/I think/I feel is what is driving your responses- like the vast majority that hold the same stance. You shot a single elk with a 22cal, shot it twice- and then used that as the “evidence” that it’s too small. But then turn around and someone shoots 4 quick shots from a 30cal mag- “it’s no big deal, it was dead on its feet”.
 

hunterjmj

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
1,355
Location
Montana
That bull was dead. I dont have anyone stop shooting until they hit ground. Especially with 7 minutes of daylight left.just shows how tough some are then others too. That bull could have gone bad the other bull dropped one shot same distance same heard. That bulls internals was destroyed and the fact a guy never shot 700 yards was able to stack 4 in boiler room with a big bad magnum off a terrible position he was in. Just shows it can be done. I think smaller gun wouldn’t have made tbat scenario any better. Bullet performance was excellent.@SouthPaw
What bullet ?
 

barehandlineman

FNG
Classified Approved
Joined
Apr 15, 2023
Messages
88
See this is where it becomes obvious that I like/I think/I feel is what is driving your responses- like the vast majority that hold the same stance. You shot a single elk with a 22cal, shot it twice- and then used that as the “evidence” that it’s too small. But then turn around and someone shoots 4 quick shots from a 30cal mag- “it’s no big deal, it was dead on its feet”.
No ive shot many many elk and understand they dont always go down in one shot with a big gun with a good bullet. Common sense tells you smaller will not make it better. I gave it one go with a 22 creedmoor with almost perfect environment and did not perform. Where a 30 cal dropped that same elk instantly. Night and day difference between the guns
What bullet ?
230 a tip
 

Formidilosus

Super Moderator
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
10,119
No ive shot many many elk and understand they dont always go down in one shot with a big gun with a good bullet. Common sense tells you smaller will not make it better. I gave it one go with a 22 creedmoor with almost perfect environment and did not perform. Where a 30 cal dropped that same elk instantly. Night and day difference between the guns


Except that you just admitted it didn’t do it on another- that is not being intellectually honest. Nor is it logical thinking.
 

barehandlineman

FNG
Classified Approved
Joined
Apr 15, 2023
Messages
88
No I admitted some elk are tougher then others. If i had more daylight that bull was dead on one shot. With your theory what would of a 6mm offered me over that 30 cal in that instance? Nothing
 

hunterjmj

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
1,355
Location
Montana
No ive shot many many elk and understand they dont always go down in one shot with a big gun with a good bullet. Common sense tells you smaller will not make it better. I gave it one go with a 22 creedmoor with almost perfect environment and did not perform. Where a 30 cal dropped that same elk instantly. Night and day difference between the guns

230 a

No ive shot many many elk and understand they dont always go down in one shot with a big gun with a good bullet. Common sense tells you smaller will not make it better. I gave it one go with a 22 creedmoor with almost perfect environment and did not perform. Where a 30 cal dropped that same elk instantly. Night and day difference between the guns

230 a tip
You just told me the Berger 215 hybrid is a horrible bullet but I had had the same scenario as you? Bull soaked up 4 bullets but was dead with the first shot. Hard to know until you skin/gut them. Shoot what you will cause I could care less but like form said, be honest.
 

barehandlineman

FNG
Classified Approved
Joined
Apr 15, 2023
Messages
88
ugh where was i not being honest. Ive not had good luck with bergers. I run a tips they work for me. My issue with bergers some pencil some blow up to much inconsistency.
 

hunterjmj

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
1,355
Location
Montana
ugh where was i not being honest. Ive not had good luck with bergers. I run a tips they work for me. My issue with bergers some pencil some blow up to much inconsistency.
I told a story of a bull I shot last year with 215 bergers. All 4 shots hit him in the lungs. In retrospect the first shot killed him but I keep shooting just as you do. Then you said bergers are terrible. Maybe a tips suck cause you had to shoot 4 times? I've shot a lot of animals with the 215 and never experienced penciling or blowing up. I don't shoot hundreds of elk/ year either so maybe you're right. 🤷‍♂️
 

barehandlineman

FNG
Classified Approved
Joined
Apr 15, 2023
Messages
88
I just gave you my opinion and experience with them. Bergers shoot smaller but Ive never had best of luck hunting with them. Killed plenty but ive just had performance issues with 180’s 7mm and 30. 215 and 300’s. A tips have performed identical for me on every elk moose deer. With identical terminal performance what would be the issue with one elk out of dozens? The one and only elk shot with 22 creed got stoned by that same bullet.
 

Formidilosus

Super Moderator
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
10,119
No I admitted some elk are tougher then others.


So the single 22CM elk couldn’t have been a “tough” one?


If i had more daylight that bull was dead on one shot.

And if you “had more daylight” the single lung shot from the 22CM would have been a dead elk.

How is it that you are unable to critically think about what you are “saying” and see the cognitive disconnect?


With your theory what would have a 6mm offered me over that 30 cal in that instance? Nothing

I didn’t say it would get you anything. It also doesn’t mean it would have cost you anything. Not one person is telling you that a 30cal mag with fragmenting bullets won’t kill elk. You, along with @Ucsdryder are doing that, yet have extremely limited experience with the smaller caliber, optimized bullets that are being discussed; or in his case-none.

It’s baffling how an intelligent person would make declarative statements about something not working, when they have no experience base using that item, and in-spite of the reality that those with the lots of experience are not only nearly unanimous in saying it works well- but post extremely detailed information about how it works, in some cases with hundreds of pictures.


I know that 338cal heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 30cal heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 7mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 6.5 mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 6mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that .224 heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.


Notice- “I have done it repeatedly” is stated. Not- “I did it one time” or “I have never done it”. And not allowing for “x” outcome with one caliber, but not allowing it for all.

Now I don’t have 66 5point Roosevelt bulls- my “best” season was 20 elk- but I have and do use all of those listed above, and directly witness others do as well (all the way to 50 BMG), and the definitive statements made about “bigger better” has not and does not play out when seen in large sample sizes side by side, across the board at all ranges and situations… and when people aren’t allowed to cherry pick.
No one can watch the videos from impact to time of incapacitation (down and unmoving) and say which elk were shot with .224’s, and which were shot with 300 mags. What data does show is that as recoil and muzzle blast goes up, on average the amount of rodeos and wounded animals also go up.
 
Joined
Sep 6, 2018
Messages
521
No I admitted some elk are tougher than others. If i had more daylight that bull was dead on one shot. With your theory what would have a 6mm offered me over that 30 cal in that instance? Nothing
I shot a mule deer with a 2 inch mechanical broadhead and he died within 30 seconds. Another buck took 3 180 hybrids in the chest cavity before he died. Does that mean the arrow and broadhead I used are more lethal and effective than the 7 SAUM I used?

I will add, I don’t have a dog in the fight. People should shoot what they want but they should also be honest and reasonable.
 

huntnful

WKR
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
2,150
I shot a mule deer with a 2 inch mechanical broadhead and he died within 30 seconds. Another buck took 3 180 hybrids in the chest cavity before he died. Does that mean the arrow and broadhead I used are more lethal and effective than the 7 SAUM I used?

I will add, I don’t have a dog in the fight. People should shoot what they want but they should also be honest and reasonable.
This buck went 5 yards. 2” SEVR
IMG_3246.jpeg

This buck went 70 yards (in about 10 seconds). 180 Berger Hybrid.
IMG_5664.jpeg

I can’t say which is “more” lethal. There’s just so many things that cause so many different outcomes. So all I do is just keep killing animals to form an opinion is all.

I’ve also stoned a buck with a behind the shoulder shot with a 180 hybrid, and had one run 70 yards with a lung shot expandable.

So it’s just about perspective and killing enough, and seeing enough killed to build upon it. And one bad outcome or bullet performance can absolutely change or shift that perspective. Despite it technically not being enough data. It’s enough for someone to go “yeah I didn’t like that, I’m not going to try it again”.
 

barehandlineman

FNG
Classified Approved
Joined
Apr 15, 2023
Messages
88
So the single 22CM elk couldn’t have been a “tough” one?




And if you “had more daylight” the single lung shot from the 22CM would have been a dead elk.

How is it that you are unable to critically think about what you are “saying” and see the cognitive disconnect?




I didn’t say it would get you anything. It also doesn’t mean it would have cost you anything. Not one person is telling you that a 30cal mag with fragmenting bullets won’t kill elk. You, along with @Ucsdryder are doing that, yet have extremely limited experience with the smaller caliber, optimized bullets that are being discussed; or in his case-none.

It’s baffling how an intelligent person would make declarative statements about something not working, when they have no experience base using that item, and in-spite of the reality that those with the lots of experience are not only nearly unanimous in saying it works well- but post extremely detailed information about how it works, in some cases with hundreds of pictures.


I know that 338cal heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 30cal heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 7mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 6.5 mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 6mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that .224 heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.


Notice- “I have done it repeatedly” is stated. Not- “I did it one time” or “I have never done it”. And not allowing for “x” outcome with one caliber, but not allowing it for all.

Now I don’t have 66 5point Roosevelt bulls- my “best” season was 20 elk- but I have and do use all of those listed above, and directly witness others do as well (all the way to 50 BMG), and the definitive statements made about “bigger better” has not and does not play out when seen in large sample sizes side by side, across the board at all ranges and situations… and when people aren’t allowed to cherry pick.
No one can watch the videos from impact to time of incapacitation (down and unmoving) and say which elk were shot with .224’s, and which were shot with 300 mags. What data does show is that as recoil and muzzle blast goes up, on average the amount of rodeos and wounded animals also go up.
Could have been tough one. Then why did 230 a tip stone it? When i say tough one im comparing same guns bullets and wounds. 22 creedmoor could have killed the elk with more time. But i didnt have it. In that exact scenario the bigger gun gave the edge. Your guys argument is follow up shots. This dude never killed anything at 700 yards and in low light was able to stack 4 rounds. Im not arguing you cannot kill a elk with a small gun im arguing theres a better tool just practice more with it. As for archery the wound is apples to oranges. That being said ive killed two bulls with arrrows still in them. I gave 22 creed a chance it wasn’t impressive it did exactly what i expected it to do. As a kid i hunted with 25/06 with corelokts when they were popular. I never killed a bull one shot. But plenty with 300 win mag and corelokts went down in one shot. Maybe im biased on it since i can shoot big magnums small and watch my impacts so i dont see the reason to go down in size.
 
Joined
Sep 6, 2018
Messages
521
This buck went 5 yards. 2” SEVR
View attachment 797359

This buck went 70 yards (in about 10 seconds). 180 Berger Hybrid.
View attachment 797360

I can’t say which is “more” lethal. There’s just so many things that cause so many different outcomes. So all I do is just keep killing animals to form an opinion is all.

I’ve also stoned a buck with a behind the shoulder shot with a 180 hybrid, and had one run 70 yards with a lung shot expandable.

So it’s just about perspective and killing enough, and seeing enough killed to build upon it. And one bad outcome or bullet performance can absolutely change or shift that perspective. Despite it technically not being enough data. It’s enough for someone to go “yeah I didn’t like that, I’m not going to try it again”.
I can’t tell which is more lethal either, so I’m going to keep using both. I agree that killing more to add more data points is important. Every animal and situation is different.
 

mtnbound

WKR
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Messages
443
Location
N. Idaho
No ive shot many many elk and understand they dont always go down in one shot with a big gun with a good bullet. Common sense tells you smaller will not make it better. I gave it one go with a 22 creedmoor with almost perfect environment and did not perform. Where a 30 cal dropped that same elk instantly. Night and day difference between the guns

230 a tip
Can you provide some details on the 22CM shot? You said it did not perform. How did it not perform?
 

Ucsdryder

WKR
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Messages
6,672
So the single 22CM elk couldn’t have been a “tough” one?




And if you “had more daylight” the single lung shot from the 22CM would have been a dead elk.

How is it that you are unable to critically think about what you are “saying” and see the cognitive disconnect?




I didn’t say it would get you anything. It also doesn’t mean it would have cost you anything. Not one person is telling you that a 30cal mag with fragmenting bullets won’t kill elk. You, along with @Ucsdryder are doing that, yet have extremely limited experience with the smaller caliber, optimized bullets that are being discussed; or in his case-none.

It’s baffling how an intelligent person would make declarative statements about something not working, when they have no experience base using that item, and in-spite of the reality that those with the lots of experience are not only nearly unanimous in saying it works well- but post extremely detailed information about how it works, in some cases with hundreds of pictures.


I know that 338cal heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 30cal heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 7mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 6.5 mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that 6mm heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.

I know that .224 heavy fragmenting bullets kill well- I have done it repeatedly.


Notice- “I have done it repeatedly” is stated. Not- “I did it one time” or “I have never done it”. And not allowing for “x” outcome with one caliber, but not allowing it for all.

Now I don’t have 66 5point Roosevelt bulls- my “best” season was 20 elk- but I have and do use all of those listed above, and directly witness others do as well (all the way to 50 BMG), and the definitive statements made about “bigger better” has not and does not play out when seen in large sample sizes side by side, across the board at all ranges and situations… and when people aren’t allowed to cherry pick.
No one can watch the videos from impact to time of incapacitation (down and unmoving) and say which elk were shot with .224’s, and which were shot with 300 mags. What data does show is that as recoil and muzzle blast goes up, on average the amount of rodeos and wounded animals also go up.
@barehandlineman now you’ve woken the self appointed know it all. You’ll quickly learn, I assume you already have, that his experience is all the matters. He can shoot an animal 5 times including a coup de grace, and it’s just an animal that’s tuned up. So there’s never a failure, and he can’t be wrong. There always a reason, a way to explain away what happens. When he gets stuck, he gets aggressive and starts answering questions with questions, insulting people’s intelligence and experience. Falling back on his “I’m black and white, I don’t have emotion or feelings”. 😂

Keep it up and he’ll start cherry picking google definitions to throw at you to show how smart he is, until he gets called out.

He’ll happily assume things like “you have no experience with X” just to prove a point, whether it’s truE or not, then when proven wrong just move on.

It’s too bad his social and communication skills are so poor because he does actually have good information to share. But his inability to do it makes him…well him. At some point you just ignore him, I’m still working on getting to that point.
 

5811

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2023
Messages
597
@barehandlineman now you’ve woken the self appointed know it all. You’ll quickly learn, I assume you already have, that his experience is all the matters. He can shoot an animal 5 times including a coup de grace, and it’s just an animal that’s tuned up. So there’s never a failure, and he can’t be wrong. There always a reason, a way to explain away what happens. When he gets stuck, he gets aggressive and starts answering questions with questions, insulting people’s intelligence and experience. Falling back on his “I’m black and white, I don’t have emotion or feelings”. 😂

Keep it up and he’ll start cherry picking google definitions to throw at you to show how smart he is, until he gets called out.

He’ll happily assume things like “you have no experience with X” just to prove a point, whether it’s truE or not, then when proven wrong just move on.

It’s too bad his social and communication skills are so poor because he does actually have good information to share. But his inability to do it makes him…well him. At some point you just ignore him, I’m still working on getting to that point.
1000003975.jpg
 

hunterjmj

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
1,355
Location
Montana
If I would have been tracking or losing animals because of the 223 I'd probably be back to shooting the 300wm. Nothing wrong with whatever a person shoots. Actually kind of great we live in a time were we have basically unlimited combos of bullets, cartridges, barrels, actions, scopes, etc. I'll still be hunting with my 06 on occasion and I still hunt with my .30-30 if I'm hunting thick brush/timber. But majority of my hunting will be with my 223 unless I decide to get a 6mm of some sort. It's fun to debate because we probably all learn something we didn't know but the arguing back and forth like 8 year olds is dumb. Myself included. I get after my kids for this and then I get here and do the same thing. Anyhow, glad we all shoot different stuff otherwise we wouldn't be having these discussions. Happy hunting to you all.
 
Top