6.5 creed for goats?

[thinhorn_AK]

For those who have shot goats with the 6.5 creedmoor, what bullet did you use? I have hammer 139g sledge hammers and 140g accubonds as well as some 143g eldx to load up.

or would you skip the creedmoor and use another rifle? I have some other guns so not stuck on 6.5 if it’s just not the gun to use.

thanks!

 

[Runningwater]

I shot mine with a 6.5x55, factory Norma ammo with their 140 grain bullet. I think at the time it may have been their "vulcan" bullet? Any of your choices should work great, whatever your rifle likes best. I've been wanting to try out some hammers!

 

[AK Troutbum]

I used a 6.5 CM this year and it performed well. One shot on a 3 yo billy at 120 yards using 127gr Barnes VOR-TX long range.


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[thinhorn_AK]

I used a 6.5 CM this year and it performed well. One shot on a 3 yo billy at 120 yards using 127gr Barnes VOR-TX long range.


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the 127g Barnes seem to come highly recommended, I’ve shot some but never on game.

 

[204guy]

Killed both of my Billy's with a .260 and 120ttsx's, no issue's, both about 400yds. Wife killed her's with a 129 interlock out of a 260 about 180 yds, no issue's.

 

[AK Troutbum]

the 127g Barnes seem to come highly recommended, I’ve shot some but never on game.

Yeah, I decided on them mainly because they performed so well at the range, and I’ve been using Barnes TSX/TTSX bullets (various calibers), on everything that I’ve killed over the last 8-10 years, and I’m sold. The goat this year was probably not a great test for that bullet, but it did perform flawlessly, regardless of the easy circumstances.


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[thinhorn_AK]

Yeah, I decided on them mainly because they performed so well at the range, and I’ve been using Barnes TSX bullets (various calibers), on everything that I’ve killed over the last 8-10 years, and I’m sold. The goat this year was probably not a great test for that bullet, but it did perform flawlessly, regardless of the easy circumstances.


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thanks, I’ll give Barnes a harder look and start testing out some more of them.

 

[Tahoe1305]

143 ELD X leaving the barrel at 2875fps hit my goat at 200yds and dropped straight down.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

A lot of Tahr in nz the last few years have met their demise via 147gr eld-m out of a tikka.. (2650fps likely launch speed)

Be hard to look elsewhere

 

[Jrpwa]

The 147 ELDX is tough to beat

 

[Spiral Horn]

143gr ELD-X and 140gr Accubond are both proven performers. Have taken a number of capra and sheep species with each and have been very impressed. Next up is Bezoar Ibex and I have no doubts.

 

[CHansen]

Thinking hard about the Kimber Adirondack in 6.5 for goat. The 143eldx shoot amazing in my other rifles

 

[Spiral Horn]

Friends don’t let friends buy Kimber rifles. Suggest a Barrett Fieldcraft or Bergara Premier Mountain instead

 

[brsnow]

Friends don’t let friends buy Kimber rifles. Suggest a Barrett Fieldcraft or Bergara Premier Mountain instead

I have both kimbers and fieldcraft, both work great. Bergara is heavy.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Friends don’t let friends buy Kimber rifles. Suggest a Barrett Fieldcraft or Bergara Premier Mountain instead

then again, both my kimbers have been absolutely awesome.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have both kimbers and fieldcraft, both work great. Bergara is heavy.

My kimbers have been great, no problem getting them to shoot well, nice and light, 3 position safety and controlled round feed.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Kimber knock is more of shooter not knowing how to shoot a light weight rifle IMO.

 

[Spiral Horn]

OK - the gauntlet has been thrown. If folks are having good experiences with Kimber Rifles, that’s great. However, my actual experience was very different and the worst I’ve ever experienced with what is considered a “premium“ rifle brand. No matter what I did - changing scopes, mounts, loads, re-bedding, and gunsmith accurizing service - the best I average group size I ever got from it were 2+MOA. Of course, when trying different loads I’d get excited with a near 1 MOA group, but it was always followed by a 2 1/2 or so.

I tried everything and sunk a ton of $ into my Kimber Montana .300WSM and could just never get it to shoot. During this process I contacted Hill Country Rifles and wanted to have them accurize it, to which I got a response that due to inconsistent results they could not stand behind their 1MOA guarantee on Kimbers and would not work on them. Then I contacted a famous barrel maker to have it re-barreled. They immediately took issue with rebarreling a Kimber action and on their advice went in a completely different direction. Now I have a beautiful semi-custom on a non-Kimber action.

Have several hunting rifles that print 1/2 MOA groups and average ~3/4, including an H-S Precision PHL. So, the notion that it‘s a shooter issue as posted by YC is simply absurd. My opinion on Kimber rifles is based on my actual experience and that of volumes of others. A tiny bit of research would uncover a volume of well documented issues with Kimber rifle accuracy. If you‘re actual experience with Kimber rifles was different that’s great, but that doesn’t negate the terrible experience I and many others have had with Kimber.

The “it‘s the shooter” notion is something perpetuated by Kimber as that language is in their SUB-MOA Standard (which curiously never mentions any kind of accuracy “guarantee”). Gunsmiths and barrel makers well known for accuracy want nothing to do with them. If you have a Kimber that shoots, that’s great. But if yours doesn’t, good luck getting it to shoot. Anyway, if anyone is interested in a Kimber Montana 300WSM I’m willing to give a good deal on mine - just make an offer, as there’s a motivated seller here.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Back to the original question. I really like and have much confidence in the 6.5 CM on American Mountain Goat, Tahr, Spanish Ibex, Chamois, Snow Sheep, etc. It‘s an inherently accurate cartridge available in handy, we’ll-balanced rifles. Have taken a number of species with both the 140AB and 143ELD-X with flawless performance so far. One thing I really like is the light recoil which comes in handy with some of the awkward shooting positions one has to take while hunting in the mountains. Unlike my 300WEA, I can gently hold the rifle steady on target without fear of a “Weatherby Eyebrow.”

Based on my experience with the 6.5 CM, I ordered a custom 6.5 PRC. The same bullet, more pop - but still manageable-reasonable in an under 8lb fully rigged and loaded rifle. For the reasons above, didn‘t want a 6.5 super-magnum. I‘ve been impressed with the CM on game and feel it hits game harder than the ballistic charts would indicate. So, I’ll probably still be using it quite a bit, but for the bigger/tougher goat/sheep species like Tur, Mid-Asian Ibex, etc I’ll likely use the PRC.

 

[Wrongside]

We've had great results from the 147ELD and the 127LRX. Both in ease of load work up/accuracy, and on flesh/bone. Sorry, no goats yet, mainly elk & deer. But I can't see a goat dying any harder than elk from either.