6.5 CM or .243

[Jesse Jaymes]

If you're from the east coast, run a 243 semi and think the 6.5 will give you the ability to "poke" further.....please do the antelope a favor and limit your shots......

 

[rtaylor]

What was the winner?

It was the 6.5 because I had worked up a handload for it and I was shooting factory ammo on the .243.

 

[TexasCub]

Keep in mind that you don’t have to run a 140 in the Creed, if you bump it down to a 120 ish grain bullet with a .45 or .52 BC at 3000 it smokes the 243.

 

[Cedarsavage]

If you're from the east coast, run a 243 semi and think the 6.5 will give you the ability to "poke" further.....please do the antelope a favor and limit your shots......

I'm from the east and have the same rifles to pick from. Going on my first antelope hunt this fall. I've never shot long distances in wind. 100 yards is a long shot here. How close are you saying to limit shots like 200?

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I've been pretty cranky of late. Was more intended as a "WTF" Lots of 3 legged game around from people TRYING to POKE at shit. Not fair to the animal. I'm saying Know your Shit, how it works and where bullets impact at ranges beyond 100 yards. Know what 10 mph of full value wind feels like, and how it effects/affects impact.

If you're adding pressure to the trigger on an "I think about there".....you're wrong. It's a shitty feeling in your stomach.....to drive 2 days with your buddies on your first western experience to watch legs blow off at the knee and empty what rounds you have remaining watching an antelope hobble across the prairie that you'll never catch up with.

Do all you can to avoid that. If your limit is 100 yards due to limited practice distances and limited like environmentals, then get more sneaky.

Soooo many better LR shooters on here than me. But I do shoot and compete in LR steel shoots. After a few hundred yards, things get exponentially more difficult. A monkey can line up the crosshairs and slowly add pressure to a trigger. That's easy. Predicting the bullet drop is pretty easy. Wind pushing bullets at various angles to include lift and downdraft...makes things more challenging. And past 300 yards shit goes South very quickly....or can...to the undereducated or non practicing.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

The 243 works well for me.

 

[goat1958]

in all honestly there is not a big difference in the two calibers . 300 yards is farther than you think. Both can do that easily holding dead on..

 

[Reburn]

I've been pretty cranky of late. Was more intended as a "WTF" Lots of 3 legged game around from people TRYING to POKE at shit. Not fair to the animal. I'm saying Know your Shit, how it works and where bullets impact at ranges beyond 100 yards. Know what 10 mph of full value wind feels like, and how it effects/affects impact.

If you're adding pressure to the trigger on an "I think about there".....you're wrong. It's a shitty feeling in your stomach.....to drive 2 days with your buddies on your first western experience to watch legs blow off at the knee and empty what rounds you have remaining watching an antelope hobble across the prairie that you'll never catch up with.

Do all you can to avoid that. If your limit is 100 yards due to limited practice distances and limited like environmentals, then get more sneaky.

Soooo many better LR shooters on here than me. But I do shoot and compete in LR steel shoots. After a few hundred yards, things get exponentially more difficult. A monkey can line up the crosshairs and slowly add pressure to a trigger. That's easy. Predicting the bullet drop is pretty easy. Wind pushing bullets at various angles to include lift and downdraft...makes things more challenging. And past 300 yards shit goes South very quickly....or can...to the undereducated or non practicing.

This x100

be honest with the distance your proficient at. then practice much much more at 300-500 yards. 200 rounds minimum. doesnt matter the caliber none are immune to the wind. to be honest i feel being proficient enough to be able to shoot 300 yards like it was 50 is a minimum.

IMO forget dialing turrets. get a good bdc rectile. the 3 lopes i have shot barely gave me enough time to get relayed the range before they got antsy. first was at 325 yard and 15" heart shaped. second was a 16" at 340. third was a 16.5 at 606.

 

[Tennhunter]

I bought a 6.5 x 284 Norma three years ago in the savage long range, have messed around with many different bullet weights and manufactures and honest to goodness thought something was wrong with the gun until I found the load the gun liked. This year placed a Burris eliminator scope on it and used it to shoot a couple whitetail does at long range. The key factor the eliminator scope may not be quite as precise as some of the turret style scope and when I say precise I mean at 500 yards we’re talking 1/2 in to 1 in larger groups and I believe that was only due to my vortex being 24 power and the eliminator being 16 power but hands down makes for a much easier follow up shot if needed. But this year that what I’m bring to chase the old speed goats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[archp625]

I use a 200 grain eldx out of my 300wm at 3000fps. Don’t need it to kill a goat but the wind here in South Dakota can be rough. This goat( I know he’s a baby) was shot at 380 yards with a 15-25 mph gusty wind.



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I am just getting into shooting longer ranges. In Missouri the longest shot that I needed to take where I deer hunted was 100 yards. Now I'm gearing up for an antelope hunt out west so I have been extending ranges. How much did you hold for windage with that kind of wind. I sending factory 180 grain Accubonds at 2788 fps. Theoretically, I should be holding about 24 inches. Does this sound right to you. I haven't shot in the wind yet to check how accurate the ballistics table is.

 

[justin davis]

Something to think about. Im a bowhunter. I’ve killed antelope with my bow from 9 yards to 50 yards. Getting thing 200..100 is not hard at all.

Talking bullets now..When it comes to wind I think higher BC bullets and heavier bullets do best.

 

[kmbrewcrew]

I am just getting into shooting longer ranges. In Missouri the longest shot that I needed to take where I deer hunted was 100 yards. Now I'm gearing up for an antelope hunt out west so I have been extending ranges. How much did you hold for windage with that kind of wind. I sending factory 180 grain Accubonds at 2788 fps. Theoretically, I should be holding about 24 inches. Does this sound right to you. I haven't shot in the wind yet to check how accurate the ballistics table is.

I’ve found the ballistic charts to be very close, if your measurements are accurate (your speed and the wind speed and direction). However, it takes the practice at the range on windy days to really see what you and your rifle do in those conditions. Find a range you can practice at distance and go when the wind is blowing, and see what happens.

 

[archp625]

I’ve found the ballistic charts to be very close, if your measurements are accurate (your speed and the wind speed and direction). However, it takes the practice at the range on windy days to really see what you and your rifle do in those conditions. Find a range you can practice at distance and go when the wind is blowing, and see what happens.

Thank you for the advice. I can shoot safely 800 yards at my property. I normally hate to shoot on windy days but now you have me hoping this Saturday is windy.

 

[kmbrewcrew]

Thank you for the advice. I can shoot safely 800 yards at my property. I normally hate to shoot on windy days but now you have me hoping this Saturday is windy.

I’m jealous of 800 yards on your own property!

If I’m doing load work ups, I wait on those still days...when I want to practice adjustments, those windy Montana days are helpful

 

[stxdeer hound]

Im stuck with the same choice think Im going to go with the 6.5 with 140 grain

 

[Charon]

Here's another vote for the 6.5 Creedmoor. The recoil is less than that of the .308 and it's pleasant to shoot. Don't let the availability of ammo be a deciding factor. 6.5 Creedmoor ammo is easily found.

 

[bobhunts]

I've always loved the .243 for Pronghorn! Almost like it was built for it! Keep in mind your range. 450 yards is my personal max with a .243...got the bullet back fully expanded inside the hide on the offside.

 

[TwoTikkas]

Then there is the winds evil step sister......mirage. If the wind isn't blowing,good chance the mirage is dancing.

 

[farmin]

I have seen both work just fine on pronghorn.

 

[nphunter]

I ended up with two Kimber hunters in 6.5 for my two boys this last summer. They are great little rifles, i think the ballistics are great and i feel like they are a better all around rifle than the 243. The 243 is a great round as well, i shot one growing up and have seen a pile of animal killed with one including a lot of elk.