.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

[WIDrake]

From my understanding, which is limited, the 22 creedmoor should do that.

My first post here. Apologies if misplaced ...
Read some of the many pages on this thread and listened to the experience project podcasts with @Formidilosus.

...had been going down the bigger is better path.

I'm now looking to embark on a project to acquire a 5-600yard, low recoil, lightweight deer hunting rifle. Had the .223 in my sights until the 22 creedmoor reared its head with the 88 eldm.

Pros/cons?

Currently shooting Tikka's - 6.5x55 and 6.5 PRC.

But we need to be honest with our selves on the ranges we can shoot and make ethical hits. I do a lot of shooting out to 600 yards shooting PRS, a few further, and I don't have the skill to shoot an animal that far. A 12-16" steel circle, yep I can do that! A deer or elk, not a chance because I can't keep the group size to half of the vital area.

If you can do the practice and confidently make the shots, then the 22 creed is probably the one you want. Other options could be 223AI or 22arc depending on velocity you get and making sure to keep impact velocities above 1800fps.

 

[dombo3]

From my understanding, which is limited, the 22 creedmoor should do that.



But we need to be honest with our selves on the ranges we can shoot and make ethical hits. I do a lot of shooting out to 600 yards shooting PRS, a few further, and I don't have the skill to shoot an animal that far. A 12-16" steel circle, yep I can do that! A deer or elk, not a chance because I can't keep the group size to half of the vital area.

If you can do the practice and confidently make the shots, then the 22 creed is probably the one you want. Other options could be 223AI or 22arc depending on velocity you get and making sure to keep impact velocities above 1800fps.

I hear you. My longest shots to date are around 450 yards, prone, steady rest, no wind.

 

[199p]

I hear you. My longest shots to date are around 450 yards, prone, steady rest, no wind.

88 kick ass man, the 22x47lap is really good as well,
Terminator products in Nelson has both reamers. Mine is build on a t3

 

[mt terry d]

I hear you. My longest shots to date are around 450 yards, prone, steady rest, no wind.

Not trying to talk you out of the 22 Creed ; more guns is always better, can I gat an AMEN! brothers ?
Just saying I don't believe anyone is under-gunned with the 223/77TMK for elk further than that.
1 1/2" group at 100 = 9" at 600. Prone, steady, no wind. That'll fit in the vitals of a deer.

Yeah, I hear those in the cheap seats. Maybe I should change my name to
223/77TMK Fanboi.
Man, I'm so loving this combo.

 

[Big_wals]

My first post here. Apologies if misplaced ...
Read some of the many pages on this thread and listened to the experience project podcasts with @Formidilosus.

...had been going down the bigger is better path.

I'm now looking to embark on a project to acquire a 5-600yard, low recoil, lightweight deer hunting rifle. Had the .223 in my sights until the 22 creedmoor reared its head with the 88 eldm.

Pros/cons?

Currently shooting Tikka's - 6.5x55 and 6.5 PRC.

Do you reload, or shoot factory ammo? If shooting factory, I would buy a 223 just for the abundance of lower cost ammo. I think everyone needs a 223 though, so I might be a bit biased…

Either one would work great. I would never try and talk someone out of a 22 creedmoor

 

[SBR Sarge]

…more guns is always better, can I gat an AMEN! brothers ?

Amen!

 

[3one5]

I've been in and out of this thread over the years and decided I'd go ahead and create an account. I have a quick question. For those of us who are unable to hunt with .22 caliber bullets, what do you suggest? I have a 6.5 Grendel AR with 18" barrel that's light and handy compared to my 308 and 6.5 Creed AR's. This past weekend I shot the Grendel and my 5.56 AR that's built almost exactly the same and they both have about the same recoil. I was shooing 77gr BTHP out of the 5.56 and 123gr Hornady ELD-M in the Grendel.

Listening to the podcasts a page back, it sounds like the ELD-M fragments / penetrates well to about 1800 FPS which should put me out to about 500 yards. I'd be curious to hear thoughts as I'd love to try hunting with my 5.56 with 77gr TMK but it's not legal here. I'm wondering if the Grendel would be an OK alternative with the ELD-M or if I should look at loading up something with a Sierra TMK?

 

[clperry]

I've been in and out of this thread over the years and decided I'd go ahead and create an account. I have a quick question. For those of us who are unable to hunt with .22 caliber bullets, what do you suggest? I have a 6.5 Grendel AR with 18" barrel that's light and handy compared to my 308 and 6.5 Creed AR's. This past weekend I shot the Grendel and my 5.56 AR that's built almost exactly the same and they both have about the same recoil. I was shooing 77gr BTHP out of the 5.56 and 123gr Hornady ELD-M in the Grendel.

Listening to the podcasts a page back, it sounds like the ELD-M fragments / penetrates well to about 1800 FPS which should put me out to about 500 yards. I'd be curious to hear thoughts as I'd love to try hunting with my 5.56 with 77gr TMK but it's not legal here. I'm wondering if the Grendel would be an OK alternative with the ELD-M or if I should look at loading up something with a Sierra TMK?

What you have will work beautifully.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Big_wals]

I've been in and out of this thread over the years and decided I'd go ahead and create an account. I have a quick question. For those of us who are unable to hunt with .22 caliber bullets, what do you suggest? I have a 6.5 Grendel AR with 18" barrel that's light and handy compared to my 308 and 6.5 Creed AR's. This past weekend I shot the Grendel and my 5.56 AR that's built almost exactly the same and they both have about the same recoil. I was shooing 77gr BTHP out of the 5.56 and 123gr Hornady ELD-M in the Grendel.

Listening to the podcasts a page back, it sounds like the ELD-M fragments / penetrates well to about 1800 FPS which should put me out to about 500 yards. I'd be curious to hear thoughts as I'd love to try hunting with my 5.56 with 77gr TMK but it's not legal here. I'm wondering if the Grendel would be an OK alternative with the ELD-M or if I should look at loading up something with a Sierra TMK?

I have no personal experience with a grendel and that weight of eldm, but I bet it’ll kill critters just as dead as anything else.

 

[3one5]

Thanks for the quick response, I was leaning that way last year after reading Mark Larue's 6.5 Grendel Elk story but chickened out. Going into this season with more confidence.

 

[WIDrake]

I've been in and out of this thread over the years and decided I'd go ahead and create an account. I have a quick question. For those of us who are unable to hunt with .22 caliber bullets, what do you suggest? I have a 6.5 Grendel AR with 18" barrel that's light and handy compared to my 308 and 6.5 Creed AR's. This past weekend I shot the Grendel and my 5.56 AR that's built almost exactly the same and they both have about the same recoil. I was shooing 77gr BTHP out of the 5.56 and 123gr Hornady ELD-M in the Grendel.

Listening to the podcasts a page back, it sounds like the ELD-M fragments / penetrates well to about 1800 FPS which should put me out to about 500 yards. I'd be curious to hear thoughts as I'd love to try hunting with my 5.56 with 77gr TMK but it's not legal here. I'm wondering if the Grendel would be an OK alternative with the ELD-M or if I should look at loading up something with a Sierra TMK?

I was going to build a grendel until I found this thread. It would still be my go to if 223 wasn't legal here. I forget where but I found a grendel animal kill thread similar to this one that was a good resource.

 

[Big_wals]

Thanks for the quick response, I was leaning that way last year after reading Mark Larue's 6.5 Grendel Elk story but chickened out. Going into this season with more confidence.

Let us know how it goes! Don’t forget to take photos. Roksliders love a good necropsy.

 

[Pharmseller]

Why name a cartridge after a monster with mommy issues who dies after getting his arm ripped off?

Never made sense to me.





P

 

[WIDrake]

Why name a cartridge after a monster with mommy issues who dies after getting his arm ripped off?

Never made sense to me.





P

Well that's a tale I haven't heard before. Now I have to go look into it and see what that's all about...

 

[eric1115]

I've been in and out of this thread over the years and decided I'd go ahead and create an account. I have a quick question. For those of us who are unable to hunt with .22 caliber bullets, what do you suggest? I have a 6.5 Grendel AR with 18" barrel that's light and handy compared to my 308 and 6.5 Creed AR's. This past weekend I shot the Grendel and my 5.56 AR that's built almost exactly the same and they both have about the same recoil. I was shooing 77gr BTHP out of the 5.56 and 123gr Hornady ELD-M in the Grendel.

Listening to the podcasts a page back, it sounds like the ELD-M fragments / penetrates well to about 1800 FPS which should put me out to about 500 yards. I'd be curious to hear thoughts as I'd love to try hunting with my 5.56 with 77gr TMK but it's not legal here. I'm wondering if the Grendel would be an OK alternative with the ELD-M or if I should look at loading up something with a Sierra TMK?

I haven't used the 6.5 Grendel, but after killing some animals with both the .223/TMK and a 6mm ARC, I'd for sure do the ARC if I lived in a 6mm legal minimum state.

The 108 ELDM is wonderful, and from what I've seen the 123 ELDM is just fine too within its velocity window. The Grendel case is pretty ideal size to push a 6mm. Between the bump in velocity and the bump in BC, the 6mm ARC (essentially a 6.5G necked down to 6) extends range to upset velocity threshold by 150+ yards and reduces recoil from what was already very tolerable down to even nicer levels.

At the end of the day they both work. The Grendel maintains enough velocity for good bullet upset out to to 500+, and the arc gets you out to 700ish (depending on DA, MV, bullet choice). Most people have no business taking shots where that difference comes into play.

 

[3one5]

I haven't used the 6.5 Grendel, but after killing some animals with both the .223/TMK and a 6mm ARC, I'd for sure do the ARC if I lived in a 6mm legal minimum state.

The 108 ELDM is wonderful, and from what I've seen the 123 ELDM is just fine too within its velocity window. The Grendel case is pretty ideal size to push a 6mm. Between the bump in velocity and the bump in BC, the 6mm ARC (essentially a 6.5G necked down to 6) extends range to upset velocity threshold by 150+ yards and reduces recoil from what was already very tolerable down to even nicer levels.

At the end of the day they both work. The Grendel maintains enough velocity for good bullet upset out to to 500+, and the arc gets you out to 700ish (depending on DA, MV, bullet choice). Most people have no business taking shots where that difference comes into play.

Thanks for that additional information. I did just about pull the trigger on a 6ARC barrel the other day but have a number of calibers already and probably don't need as much overlap as I do.

Where I hunt, typically the longest shot is about 400 yards so I'm think I should be alright with what I have. I say that now, I'll probably end up with a 6ARC eventually...

 

[sierracharlie338]

I've been in and out of this thread over the years and decided I'd go ahead and create an account. I have a quick question. For those of us who are unable to hunt with .22 caliber bullets, what do you suggest? I have a 6.5 Grendel AR with 18" barrel that's light and handy compared to my 308 and 6.5 Creed AR's. This past weekend I shot the Grendel and my 5.56 AR that's built almost exactly the same and they both have about the same recoil. I was shooing 77gr BTHP out of the 5.56 and 123gr Hornady ELD-M in the Grendel.

Listening to the podcasts a page back, it sounds like the ELD-M fragments / penetrates well to about 1800 FPS which should put me out to about 500 yards. I'd be curious to hear thoughts as I'd love to try hunting with my 5.56 with 77gr TMK but it's not legal here. I'm wondering if the Grendel would be an OK alternative with the ELD-M or if I should look at loading up something with a Sierra TMK?

The G is a deer killing machine with the ELD-Ms. Plink with the 556 and hunt with the G. You won’t be disappointed.

 

[WIDrake]

I have 500 77gr tmks on the way and a spare 223 upper that I've never used. An older bush master carbon 15 upper, so we will see how it does with them. If it doesn't give me sub moa bench accuracy I'll be turning it into a 22 arc and using them with that. Just another project for this winter

 

[Luke S]

I've posted elsewhere but I can say that a 6.5 Grendel works very well on black bears We used that exact same 123 grain hornaday ELDX bullet to kill four different black bears this year. The biggest was about six feet and had a really wide torso The bullet went in behind the shoulder and exited out the other side with a big bloody trail that wouldn't have been much bigger with a 308

 

[North River]

I killed a buck last fall with my Grendel that my buddy had wounded with a 6 ARC. Must mean it’s better right?

In truth I would likely choose the ARC or more likely the 223 over the Grendel if I was starting from scratch. But I have enough ammo and components to overcome what little advantage they may have so I’ll keep shooting the original. It has been very effective on caribou, deer, mt goat.