6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

[mxgsfmdpx]

I don't have pics of this year's stiff but I (we) put 4 down with a .260 rem, Remington 700 I bought on here. I used sig elite hunter 130s. Absolutely devastating.

Shot one was 164 yards, facing me, quartering slightly. Entered just right of her right shoulder on a mature doe, she took 4 steps and died. Necropsy showed front of right lung and catching heart, rear of left lungs and stopping in the gut.

Shot two was 311 yards on a broadside buck. Entrance was high behind shoulder and exit was just under offside elbow. This was due to the extreme angle myself and the buck (Shooting DOWN and compensating weirdly). He ran about 60 yards before expiring in the field about 50 yards from my truck. Necropsy showed both lungs to be complete mush.

Shot three was by my son. 35 yard shot through left shoulder and out just behind right shoulder. Quartering to. Ran 130ish yards with great blood, down a gulley and back up and finally parallelling the rim for about 80 yards before expiring and rolling into it. Necropsy showed both lungs absolutely mangled. Heart completely separated from the hoses. No idea how he made it that far losing the amount of fluid he was losing.

Shot four was from about 11 yards while my son was trying to gut his deer. Doe was working up the draw and stood too long broadside and I popped her. 2" behind right shoulder, exit the same behind left shoulder. She took one step and died. Necropsy showed complete soup of the lungs.

I went from being absolutely anti the 6.5 CM to loving the .260. I was shooting the 6.5 CM Hornady American whitetail in 129 grains a couple years ago and have VERY poor performance. Deer DIED but it was neither fast, nor simple to find them. That year my shortest track was 250 yards. I don't know how to explain it but now I'm allll in on the .260.

I love that SIG elite hunter 130 grain ammo! I honestly forgot about it, didn't they use some sort of hybrid between a Sierra TGK and TMK? That stuff out of my .260 was lights out.

 

[fwafwow]

Overkill, to me, is an oxymoron when trying to kill animals and actually recover them.

I’m not throwing stones at the 6.5, and my post was somewhat flippant in recognizing the amount of damage done in these photos. At 100 yards or less, the 223 TMK seems devastating, and plenty to kill and recover. I’ve only shot two whitetail does with a 223, but each was DRT.

I’m sure though that I will shoot one with the 6.5 at some point.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’m not throwing stones at the 6.5, and my post was somewhat flippant in recognizing the amount of damage done in these photos. At 100 yards or less, the 223 TMK seems devastating, and plenty to kill and recover. I’ve only shot two whitetail does with a 223, but each was DRT.

I’m sure though that I will shoot one with the 6.5 at some point.

Do it! It's fun.

 

[The Guide]

I don't have pics of this year's stiff but I (we) put 4 down with a .260 rem, Remington 700 I bought on here. I used sig elite hunter 130s. Absolutely devastating.

Shot one was 164 yards, facing me, quartering slightly. Entered just right of her right shoulder on a mature doe, she took 4 steps and died. Necropsy showed front of right lung and catching heart, rear of left lungs and stopping in the gut.

Shot two was 311 yards on a broadside buck. Entrance was high behind shoulder and exit was just under offside elbow. This was due to the extreme angle myself and the buck (Shooting DOWN and compensating weirdly). He ran about 60 yards before expiring in the field about 50 yards from my truck. Necropsy showed both lungs to be complete mush.

Shot three was by my son. 35 yard shot through left shoulder and out just behind right shoulder. Quartering to. Ran 130ish yards with great blood, down a gulley and back up and finally parallelling the rim for about 80 yards before expiring and rolling into it. Necropsy showed both lungs absolutely mangled. Heart completely separated from the hoses. No idea how he made it that far losing the amount of fluid he was losing.

Shot four was from about 11 yards while my son was trying to gut his deer. Doe was working up the draw and stood too long broadside and I popped her. 2" behind right shoulder, exit the same behind left shoulder. She took one step and died. Necropsy showed complete soup of the lungs.

I went from being absolutely anti the 6.5 CM to loving the .260. I was shooting the 6.5 CM Hornady American whitetail in 129 grains a couple years ago and have VERY poor performance. Deer DIED but it was neither fast, nor simple to find them. That year my shortest track was 250 yards. I don't know how to explain it but now I'm allll in on the .260.

You crack me up! The only thing different between the 260 and the 6.5CM is maybe the twist (can be slower in a 260) and a 100 fps with the same bullet. The 129 Hornady Interlock is not a high performance bullet while the 130 grain Sig bullet is. A basic cup and core bullet (Hornady) will not perform like a tipped bullet with a fast upset design. Both cartridges will preform almost exactly the same when loaded with the same bullets at the same speeds. I love both my 260 and my 6.5CM rifles. Taken lots of deer and antelope with both. The cartridges do nothing for you other than delivering the payload. If you deliver the same payload at the same speed and RPM, you will get very similar if not the exact same performance.

Jay

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

You crack me up! The only thing different between the 260 and the 6.5CM is maybe the twist (can be slower in a 260) and a 100 fps with the same bullet. The 129 Hornady Interlock is not a high performance bullet while the 130 grain Sig bullet is. A basic cup and core bullet (Hornady) will not perform like a tipped bullet with a fast upset design. Both cartridges will preform almost exactly the same when loaded with the same bullets at the same speeds. I love both my 260 and my 6.5CM rifles. Taken lots of deer and antelope with both. The cartridges do nothing for you other than delivering the payload. If you deliver the same payload at the same speed and RPM, you will get very similar if not the exact same performance.

Jay

That’s not entirely true as the .260 Rem does have a touch more room in the case than 6.5CM for hand loading.

Comparing apples to oranges for sure though with the bullet selection which has next to nothing to do with such similar chamberings.

 

[FLS]

I love that SIG elite hunter 130 grain ammo! I honestly forgot about it, didn't they use some sort of hybrid between a Sierra TGK and TMK? That stuff out of my .260 was lights out.

It’s a 130 Tipped Game King.

 

[roosiebull]

I’ve yet to shoot my 6.5CM at a whitetail, but at the relatively short distances I’m shooting in GA, I’m thinking about sticking to my 223 because I’m worried about overkill!

Shoot em in the neck if they’re close, very little mess

 

[The Guide]

H

That’s not entirely true as the .260 Rem does have a touch more room in the case than 6.5CM for hand loading.

Comparing apples to oranges for sure though with the bullet selection which has next to nothing to do with such similar chamberings.

He is using factory loads. It has been my experience that factory 260 loads are slightly detuned in comparison to 6.5CM loads from the same maker with the same bullets. Due to the SAAMI spec on the 260 of 9 twist in comparison to the 6.5CM spec of 8 twist you will find bullets in the 260 do not come factory loaded with bullets as heavy as 6.5CM factory loads use. With a fast twist 260 Remington (mine is a Savage with an 8 twist) you can hand load big 264 bullets and run them faster than the 6.5CM can. If you want real performance from the 260 cartridge, send it to Shawn Carlock and have him ream your chamber to the 260 Terminator with a P+ throat and you'll have yourself the fastest 6.5mm short action standard bolt face cartridge out there.

I still stand by my statement that unless you use the same bullet at a similar speed, you can't knock one cartridge for another when they have the ability to use the same bullet. Cartridges are only the delivery system. Speed, RPM, and accuracy are of real importance.

Jay

 

[HGL]

140 Nosler BT, 6.5 CM, impact velocity @ 2325 fps.

Good size doe (for here in the SE), probably 120 lbs, quartering toward me. Don't think it hit any bone, quarter size exit. The BT traveled a good amount of deer to exit, the way she was positioned.

Good blood, 25 yard death run. Straight to the processor, so no autopsy pics.

Entrance:




Exit:

 

[matthewmt]

Local store has some red tagged 140 nosler BT for 35.99 was thinking about grabbing 100 rnds. Still waiting on swfa until I can get shooting but seemed reasonable price wise.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[HGL]

Local store has some red tagged 140 nosler BT for 35.99 was thinking about grabbing 100 rnds. Still waiting on swfa until I can get shooting but seemed reasonable price wise.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Mine were handloads with a MV of 2,660 fps. I think the factory offering MV is about 2650 fps, so should be in the same ballpark, give or take.

 

[gerry35]

Anyone running 140gr nosler BT in 6.5 with good results?

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I have used them on blacktails and I really like them. They usually exit and leave a exit hole about 1-1.5" in diameter. The 120 gr BT is similar and I like it but the 140 gr BT is a favorite from my 260 Rem.

 

[matthewmt]

Sweet, thanks guys. will have to snag some.


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[trailblazer75]

You crack me up! The only thing different between the 260 and the 6.5CM is maybe the twist (can be slower in a 260) and a 100 fps with the same bullet. The 129 Hornady Interlock is not a high performance bullet while the 130 grain Sig bullet is. A basic cup and core bullet (Hornady) will not perform like a tipped bullet with a fast upset design. Both cartridges will preform almost exactly the same when loaded with the same bullets at the same speeds. I love both my 260 and my 6.5CM rifles. Taken lots of deer and antelope with both. The cartridges do nothing for you other than delivering the payload. If you deliver the same payload at the same speed and RPM, you will get very similar if not the exact same performance.

Jay

I should clarify, I’m attempting to say they are essentially the same. I just got a bad taste in my mouth for the creedmoor and my statement was me saying “I used to think it sucked but my mind is very changed.” And admitting that it was definitely due to cartridge selection. Better?

 

[The Guide]

I should clarify, I’m attempting to say they are essentially the same. I just got a bad taste in my mouth for the creedmoor and my statement was me saying “I used to think it sucked but my mind is very changed.” And admitting that it was definitely due to cartridge selection. Better?

It is amazing what a bullet change can do for your confidence and ability to humanity take game. Some bullets are great for one situation but not another. Usually it is an impact velocity difference but sometimes it is a projectile construction difference. Glad you are having fun with your 260. The 6.5mm caliber is handy from 6.5 Grendel speeds to above 6.5 PRC speeds. You just have to find the right bullet for your situation in the cartridges you use.

Jay

 

[Nine Banger]

Here's 4 more examples for the 143gr ELD-X.

89 lb white-tailed deer doe...150 yard broadside shot, dead right there.

92 lb white-tailed deer doe...60 yard broadside shot, a little far back, ran 50 yards, hit a fence and collapsed. Massive internal trauma.

103 lb white tailed deer doe....broadside shot around 50 yards, ran 100-120 yards in a loop to cover and died just within cover. Very light colored fur. No incisors and all teeth worn smooth.

95 lb white-tailed deer doe...A dark doe with a white belly and white feet and bi-color hooves. We call this doe White Belly. She's been the dominant doe at this spot at least the last 3 years. She travels solo. If you're in a ground blind, she will sneak up behind you and bust you and tell all the other does to leave the field. If you're in a saddle, she will cross your field of view at your worst angle or in the spot with the least visibility, quick enough to not allow you to set up anyway. If you shoot at her, she can dodge bullets like a skin walker. Tonight she ran 300 yards across the field to come beat up on some doe and buck fawns and didn't notice me. I shot the 103 lb doe first because it was behind her following, and it had stopped in front of me and was looking at me. In the post shot commotion White Belly ran a big loop and paused right before entering cover. I took the shot and that that was it. Broadside shot slightly quartering away, in behind the shoulder, exit thru the off shoulder. She ran 40-50 yards into the cover with a great blood trail, best ever for this bullet.

There will be a turf war tonight for pecking order.

 

[woods89]

Well, this is embarrassing, as the OP of the thread, but I killed another whitetail doe tonight, and didn't get any terminal performance pics. I had my boys with me, and it just didn't happen.

230 yds, 130 TMK, 2500ish fps impact velocity. She was quartering to me, impact was just on the front side of scapula. Exit on the back side of the offside scapula. Front of the lungs were in tatters. She went about 40 yds.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Well, this is embarrassing, as the OP of the thread, but I killed another whitetail doe tonight, and didn't get any terminal performance pics. I had my boys with me, and it just didn't happen.

230 yds, 130 TMK, 2500ish fps impact velocity. She was quartering to me, impact was just on the front side of scapula. Exit on the back side of the offside scapula. Front of the lungs were in tatters. She went about 40 yds.

But but but… The dreaded “front shoulder!!!” I’m surprised it didn’t laugh at you instead of dying.

 

[woods89]

But but but… The dreaded “front shoulder!!!” I’m surprised it didn’t laugh at you instead of dying.

I know, I know, how does it ever work!

 

[brockel]

Pretty good price on 130 grain TMK on midway right now. $39.99/100