25 creedmoor enough juice?

[DuckDogDr]

My buddy is building me one and I think would be cool to take on my first sheep trip.
I saw a post where a fellow on here harvested one with a 25-06. Ballistics are close for both.

We are discussing building a 270 wsm though..

 

[30338]

I know one of the CO rams this year died quickly from a 6mm Creedmoor. If you can't kill one with a 25 creedmoor, it won't be an issue with the cartridge. Think that was around a 300 yard or so shot.

 

[SteveFlock]

My sons 25 Creed has his 450 yard ladder node at 2970 which is well under pressure in his 26 Mullerworks barrel with H4350 and 135 Berger. He has killed 2 whitetails with it and neither has taken a step.

 

[diamond10x]

Tony Russ, an accomplished sheep hunter, guide, and author, used to use a 25-06 as his favorite sheep medicine. I don't know why a 25 cm would be any different.

 

[Tmac]

Never used a 25CM. Have used a 25-06 extensively on deer and cow elk. Worked very well, quick kills with 115-120 cup and core bullets. Furthest was about 415 yards. The CM should be even better with it’s faster twist.

 

[JBrown1]

To answer your question: I think a 25CM would be fine.

My daughter’s sheep rifle is a 257 Roberts. She hasn’t killed a sheep with it yet, but I know that it will work because it has dropped 4 caribou, each with a single shot using reduced loads(87gr at 2700fps).

I will also add: we lived in a native village in the Brooks Range. They killed a lot of caribou and quite a few sheep. The 243 Winchester was the most popular cartridge for both.

The 25CM is pretty close to perfect, I would think.

 

[ljalberta]

Sheep wear even less body armour than elk and moose, and you can kill them with a .223.

25 creed will do the trick.

 

[Sierra Hunter]

My biggest concern with the light calibers, especially in alpine conditions is the wind.

 

[willfrye027]

Killed a cow elk at 300 with mine this year. No drama, excellent performance. Have killed about a dozen big game animals with it from point blank to 670 yards, all with good terminal performance using Berger 135gr LRHT. I’d have zero issues taking mine on a sheep hunt, other than mine being a little heavy to haul on a backpacking trip.

When you break it down, it’s a 135gr projectile that has very high BC and will carry energy well at extended ranges. And it does so with very little recoil or muzzle blast making it pleasant to shoot and practice with, which is probably more important than anything else.

 

[DuckDogDr]

Well this is her, the 25 creed !
I had planned on a leupold for the optics, but with the current one I have, hard to see the thin reticle at dusk hard to see.
Ultimately going to be wearing a Nightforce

 

[Travis Bertrand]

she's a beaut, what action did you use?

 

[Wrench]

My buddy's 25C at 1400 with a 135 hybrid.

The accuracy is certainly available.

 

[Buxman]

I'd say get a 6 Creedmoor instead. Better bullet selection, better brass availability, and factory ammo is available.

 

[HornPorn]

My biggest concern with the light calibers, especially in alpine conditions is the wind.

Bingo! Heard of several "wounded" stones and dalls that were not recovered this year from my contacts at various outfitters in NWT and BC. Some were just bad shots, but some were due to wind drift from guys who are trying to be a little too cute with their caliber selection. So not only do you go home empty handed and heartbroken, you also just erased a magnificent ram that another hunter could have taken. Pay $35K for a dall hunt or $60K+ for a stone hunt, a once in a lifetime hunt for most guys. I'd want to have every advantage possible.

 

[willfrye027]

Bingo! Heard of several "wounded" stones and dalls that were not recovered this year from my contacts at various outfitters in NWT and BC. Some were just bad shots, but some were due to wind drift from guys who are trying to be a little too cute with their caliber selection. So not only do you go home empty handed and heartbroken, you also just erased a magnificent ram that another hunter could have taken. Pay $35K for a dall hunt or $60K+ for a stone hunt, a once in a lifetime hunt for most guys. I'd want to have every advantage possible.

What do you think has more wind deflection at similar velocity? 180gr 30 cal bullet or a 135gr .257 bullet?

 

[willfrye027]

My biggest concern with the light calibers, especially in alpine conditions is the wind.

The BC on the new, heavy for caliber .257 bullets (requires a custom barrel twist) is very high. The “caliber” has nothing to do with wind drift. If we’re taking a 100gr soft point from a 25-06, then wind drift may be an issue…but guys building a 25 creedmoor are doing it for the high BC bullets in the 130-135gr range.

 

[ljalberta]

Bingo! Heard of several "wounded" stones and dalls that were not recovered this year from my contacts at various outfitters in NWT and BC. Some were just bad shots, but some were due to wind drift from guys who are trying to be a little too cute with their caliber selection. So not only do you go home empty handed and heartbroken, you also just erased a magnificent ram that another hunter could have taken. Pay $35K for a dall hunt or $60K+ for a stone hunt, a once in a lifetime hunt for most guys. I'd want to have every advantage possible.

Sounds like a practice issue, not a caliber issue.

There’s no shortage of smaller caliber bullet choices that are going to buck the wind better than a lot of the traditional bullets used in heavier calibres.

 

[willfrye027]

Well this is her, the 25 creed !
I had planned on a leupold for the optics, but with the current one I have, hard to see the thin reticle at dusk hard to see.
Ultimately going to be wearing a Nightforce
View attachment 489820

Shoot me a PM if you need some starting points for load data

 

[DuckDogDr]

she's a beaut, what action did you use?

Kauger / Alabama Gun Works

 

[JBrown1]

I'd say get a 6 Creedmoor instead. Better bullet selection, better brass availability, and factory ammo is available.

It’s hard to argue with that logic. But by the same token, couldn’t the same be said about making the move from 6mm CM to 6.5 CM?