6.5 CM for a once in a lifetime Oryx hunt. Give it to me straight

[rlglandon]

I’ve read hundreds of post on taking Elk/Oryx with a 6.5 CM. Seems like everyone is on one side of the fence or the other. I got lucky and drew an Oryx tag in NM for April 23’.

I’ve got a Tikka CTR 6.5 shooting 142 gr Accubonds Long Range. The guns a tack driver.

I’ve got plenty of time before the hunt and I’m mulling the decision to get a .300 win mag. I used to have a .338 win mag back in the day and I hated the recoil and sold it. The Tikka is a dream to shoot. Thoughts?

Well, How did it go?

I just drew OIL Oryx for Jan 24. I plan on using my 6.5CM.

 

[kboatman107]

Well, How did it go?

I just drew OIL Oryx for Jan 24. I plan on using my 6.5CM.

I’m curious as well. My wife drew a january oil and shoots a 6.5cm. She shoots it well and would like her to use it due to the fact she’s smaller and she’d have an easier time for follow up shots with the 6.5 vs a bigger gun

 

[NMpistolero]

243 win here on a youth hunt. 6.5 will be fine. Don’t get too crazy and hit them right. No cartridge will excel at a 700 yard gut shot.

 

[Happy Antelope]

Shot probably 10 Oryx in my life, it is a very tough animal. These African animals are very different than a North American animals. If you put it in the lungs and heart you'll be OK, if you miss, especially high you are in for a very long day. I've seen them go for days with the 375 shell right through the shoulder. Make sure you study where the vitals are, They are down low and up front. If you put it through both lungs it's going act like nothing happened, run a 100 yd and fall all over. If it drops to the ground it gets backup that's usually a high shot and that's a problem. Congrats on your tag it's going to be a fun hunt.

 

[Happy Antelope]

I'd take my Creedmoor in a heartbeat, only thing I would say is that I've heard a few negative data points for the Accubond LR.

Definitely not in a heartbeat your African ph is not going to be happy if you show up with the 6.5. They get tired of tacking wounded animals all day. That being said it happens all the time of course and thousands of Orxy killed. I think the accubonds have performed pretty well with these thicker skinned animals down in Africa. I've had great luck with the ballistic tips and you have a lot of people say it's too soft. You won't end up with 2 holes but you'll definitely leave all the energy and a well mushroomed bullet in the animal. I shoot a similar small gun 7mm-08 in Africa, It's been a little bit of a problem, you just have to make a perfect shot.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

No cartridge will excel at a 700 yard gut shot

Wiser words have never been spoken

 

[woods89]

Definitely not in a heartbeat your African ph is not going to be happy if you show up with the 6.5. They get tired of tacking wounded animals all day. That being said it happens all the time of course and thousands of Orxy killed. I think the accubonds have performed pretty well with these thicker skinned animals down in Africa. I've had great luck with the ballistic tips and you have a lot of people say it's too soft. You won't end up with 2 holes but you'll definitely leave all the energy and a well mushroomed bullet in the animal. I shoot a similar small gun 7mm-08 in Africa, It's been a little bit of a problem, you just have to make a perfect shot.

The OP drew a NM tag, so that was the context of my comment. I didn't get the feeling he was going guided, but I could be wrong.

Having seen some pretty horrific wounds from a couple of different bullets out of my personal rifle, I'd say my confidence is unswayed.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

There's some great info in posts 76, 78, and 84 too.

 

[Happy Antelope]

The OP drew a NM tag, so that was the context of my comment. I didn't get the feeling he was going guided, but I could be wrong.

Having seen some pretty horrific wounds from a couple of different bullets out of my personal rifle, I'd say my confidence is unswayed.

These are different animals, A bad shot on an African animal is lost a lot of the time. I have with a small bullet also, but I am aware of the extra risk I have accepted. I would still choose the 6.5, but the rifle of choice but those that hunt them is a .375 usually. That 300 grain bullet does a lot more damagae if yoi miss vitals. About 10% of all African animals shot are lost with even much bigger bullets. But in Namibia a Gembuck lost is 600 bucks not a once in a lifetime tag. I would probably take my 7MM08 140 grn bullet on this hunt, but I'm well aware that I'm handicapping myself a bit from a big magnum. Shot hundreds of African animals, I have enough experience for it to not be just an opinion. Animals get lost a lot. I have seen a 30-06 round stuck in a front shoulder of a Gemsbuck, zero blood, without an African tracker that animal is long gone. Took 3 days tracking to find him. They do not need water everyday either, so waterhole is worthless. Just want to the OP to have solid info to make an informed decision and put in extra effot on shot placement, its a big tag. Im sure it will be fine with the 6.5 also, just little less room for error. He will be able to shoot accurately a few hundreds yds also vs say a .375. Thats my main reason for the smaller round.

 

[JGRaider]

Bad bullet placement is the root cause most of the time for wounded and lost game, not choice of cartridge. Like I said earlier in this thread, I've killed probably a dozen or so and when a good bullet is put in the right place they die just as quickly as anything else. Large cartridges like the 375 don't make up for poor placement.

 

[EMAZ]

Well, How did it go?

I just drew OIL Oryx for Jan 24. I plan on using my 6.5CM.

Congrats! I’ve taken 2 Oryx - both with my .30-06 with 180gr swift a-frame bullets; 1 shot kills (one at 240 yards; another at 70 yards). They are hardy animals and shot placement is critical. The one at 240 ran about 80 yards; the one at 70 dropped in one step.
Keep in mind they are approaching cow elk in size, and move/have vision like a pronghorn. The ones I took were herded up, so waiting for a clear shot on animals that are wary (i.e. don’t sit still for long) and can blaze country fast means you probably won’t get a long window to take a shot. Vitals are also a bit more forward. You’ll also likely only get one shot in the moment-so take what you shoot best and are most comfortable/confident with.

 

[NMpistolero]

6.5 creed 432 yards. Eld-x punched thru both shoulders.

 

[Happy Antelope]

View attachment 547425
6.5 creed 432 yards. Eld-x punched thru both shoulders.

Nice!!

 

[Devildogg]

You’re questioning it yourself otherwise you wouldn’t have made this post. I wounded an Aoudad with a 6.5creedmoor. Cost me $3000. I sold my 6.5 and all my bullets ammo everything. I bought a 300 and I will not second guess whether or not I have an enough gun. U can never have too much gun

 

[Happy Antelope]

Keep in mind also the females have longer horns. Not sure if it's either sex?

 

[long hunter]

Never hunted them, it's a bucket list thing. Have done a lot of information gathering on them. I guess if I get to hunt them it will be with the 300 Win. Mag. I like the 6.5 C.M. and own two but all my research leads me to believe a larger cal. would be better.

 

[ElPollo]

View attachment 547425
6.5 creed 432 yards. Eld-x punched thru both shoulders.

Nice. How far did that one travel after the shot?

 

[Turkeytider]

Oryx in New Mexico? Have they introduced them to open range or are they on fenced in ranches and you`re pretty much guaranteed an animal? Just wondering how a non-native species like that is handled.

 

[Happy Antelope]

Oryx in New Mexico? Have they introduced them to open range or are they on fenced in ranches and you`re pretty much guaranteed an animal? Just wondering how a non-native species like that is handled.

Free range definitely not guaranteed can be a hard hunt.

 

[ElPollo]

Oryx in New Mexico? Have they introduced them to open range or are they on fenced in ranches and you`re pretty much guaranteed an animal? Just wondering how a non-native species like that is handled.

Introduced in 1969-1977 to White Sands Missile Range in southern NM. The hunts on the range are a once in a lifetime tag.