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

[ScreamingPotato]

I guess I can add a data point. Shot roughly 80 yards with factory 147 ELD-M from 6.5 CM, muzzle velocity averages 2544 out of the 18" barrel. Bullet center punched a dime sized hole through the middle of the lungs and exited with a half dollar sized hole in the off side skin. Lungs looked badly bruised and there was tons of bloodshot jelly between the shoulder blade fascia even though there was no direct bullet damage in the area and shot was fairly far back from the shoulders. She spun and got about 30-35 yards before she fell.

 

[rackcity24]

6.5 creed shooting factory 143 eld-x at 2608 fps. 255 yard shot, and didn't move from his bed.

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[General RE LEE]

6.5 creed shooting factory 143 eld-x at 2608 fps. 255 yard shot, and didn't move from his bed.

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Nice buck and great shot!

 

[BKM]

I guess I can add a data point. Shot roughly 80 yards with factory 147 ELD-M from 6.5 CM, muzzle velocity averages 2544 out of the 18" barrel. Bullet center punched a dime sized hole through the middle of the lungs and exited with a half dollar sized hole in the off side skin. Lungs looked badly bruised and there was tons of bloodshot jelly between the shoulder blade fascia even though there was no direct bullet damage in the area and shot was fairly far back from the shoulders. She spun and got about 30-35 yards before she fell.

So you didn’t much damage from the bullet fragmenting? Just the dime sized hole through the lungs?

 

[ScreamingPotato]

So you didn’t much damage from the bullet fragmenting? Just the dime sized hole through the lungs?

Correct, as far as I could tell. I was initially disappointed looking at just a hole through the lungs but the jelly between both shoulder blades was pretty extreme and the lungs looked to have been bruised extensively so there was clearly some shock that happened internally. I never found any fragments or pieces anywhere.

 

[Dunky]

Even before reading all of these posts, about 5 years ago started moving away from heavy recoiling cartridges. Went from 300 win mag to 300 wsm to 7 Saum ( all still with pretty stout recoil) and this year dropped to 6.5 creed after seeing the results here and so far very happy. I shoot better and only one animal down with it but it died just as fast or faster than anything else I’ve shot elk with. Bull elk. 143 eldx, impact velocity approximately 1850 out of a 19 inch factory tikka with tbac ultra 7. Entrance was caliber size. No exit. Walked about 15 yards and dropped. Did gutless on him but did cut into the chest and the second picture shows what poured out.

 

[30338]

Son shot another bull this year with the 140 berger vld. Distance was 190 yards, mv was 2650 fps and shot hit shoulders broadside. Straight down after first and only shot. Typical results for us.

 

[Strider]

Second critter since switching to a creedmore this year. First one was a head shot. can't really tell lethality when a .22lr would do the trick. Second animal was impressive. Large muledeer doe at 395 yards. Impact velocity 2132fps. 140 eldm.

Entrance


Entrance (shoulder removed and blood shot trimmed)


Exit hide on


Exit hide off


Screen shot of video. Black dot on leading does shoulder is bullet impact. Time stamp is at 6 seconds.


Screen shot when she hit dirt. Time stamp is 15 seconds. 9 seconds and roughly 40 yards traveled till incapacitated.


Clipped onside scapula and hit a rib on the way in and way out.

 

[Ajsomp]

Third deer this season with the 6.5 PRC. This thing continues to impress me.

Tikka t3x 6.5 PRC cut to 20”
Factory 147 ELD-m
MV 2735
Impact velocity 2307

Spotted him bedded at 848 yards. Worked my way to 400 but had three does between me and him so I couldn’t get closer without getting busted. He was facing head away and slightly turned to the right so I didn’t have much to work with but was able to get a good shot.

Biggest deer I’ve shot. Chest cavity was soupy, and the heart was in pieces. The entry was substantial. This combo continues to be effective and wildly quiet. The does next to him didn’t even run off and stayed around until we were about 150 yards out and then bounced off. For someone shooting factory ammo, I have no reason to switch. If I were to hand load I might give the 130 TMK a shot, but given the amount of 147 I have on the shelf, that might be after I shoot out this barrel.

 

[bigeyedfish]

I killed a whitetail doe at ~200 yards this week with a 143 ELD-X from my 6.5CM. Broadside shot. Bullet entered right where the scapula starts to fan out. Holy hell, I've never seen damage like this. The deer ran about 70 yards, smashed into a woven wire fence, and fell over dead.

I've only ever hunted with Core Lokt and similar bullets in the past, and never had bad results but wanted to try something new. I can't see a reason for me to ever own something bigger than this, and I will very likely put together a .223 bolt gun to hunt with next year.

 

[texag10]

6.5-284, 140gr ELDM, 2880fps muzzle velocity.

Mule deer buck at about 40 yds in timber. He got up from his bed, took about 2 steps, and I had an unobstructed view of his shoulder. First round hit scapula and exited offside ribs. You can see the blood in the snow from that shot in the first photo.

He was still moving, and being so close I ran up and put a finisher into the vitals at point blank. His offside front leg (same one that had a bullet entrance from shot 1) was angled back, so the exit from the finisher blew through the leg and destroyed some meat.

Entrance in scapula:

Exit from finishing shot:

Gratuitous stoked photo after shooting the biggest deer I'd seen in 2 days of scouting and 3 days of hunting:

 

[WI-Carcosa]

Whitetail buck 6.5x55 Swede DRT terminal shock 135g
MV 2675, impact velocity est 2634
21 yards
Frontal, entrance base of neck. Bullet made it to back of lungs shredded them completely. No photo of lungs unfortunately but not much was left. Deer dropped and dead immediately with CNS, lungs hit and ventricles on top of heart severed. So far so good with this bullet. More to come

Entrance above. Entrance into body cavity below.

 

[BLJ]

Does anyone have any experience with the 140 Gold Dot under 500?
It seems that the advertised BC may be inflated somewhat (.571), but even running the numbers around .490 makes it 1800 FPS at 525-550 depending on MV. Thanks.

 

[LongWayAround]

I shot a cow elk a couple days ago with a 147 ELD-M.

350yd, slightly quartered, fairly steep uphill, tailwind approximately 5-10mph.

The shot hit her behind the near shoulder, broke the spine, and broke the offside shoulder near the top of the blade. I found a portion of the lead core just under the fascia of the shoulder blade. The copper jacket was largely intact about 1.5" behind where I found the front part. The jacket portion had a large gnarly pedal that peeled back but remained attached.

I watched the cow drop in the scope. After the shot, she was mostly obscured by a small rise. Seeing that she was still alive, I cut the distance and finished her with a neck shot.

My initial hit was about six inches higher than intended. I believe it was a combination of my position, the tail wind, and I likely over-dialed about 0.2mil.

Update: Upon further inspection, I found that the copper jacket remnant does not contain any of the lead core.

 

[General RE LEE]

I loaded up some free 129 grain Interlocks I got from Hornady for a promotion. Super classic with the basic flat base, soft points. Essentially Hornady's version of the Core Lokt.

They are easily sub minute in my 6.5 CM and I tested them out to 600 yesterday. Great bullet for what I got them for (free).

I've heard good things about the 129 grain Interlock. Anyone here using them? Minimum terminal velocity 1800 FPS?

 

[SC HUNTER]

I loaded up some free 129 grain Interlocks I got from Hornady for a promotion. Super classic with the basic flat base, soft points. Essentially Hornady's version of the Core Lokt.

They are easily sub minute in my 6.5 CM and I tested them out to 600 yesterday. Great bullet for what I got them for (free).

I've heard good things about the 129 grain Interlock. Anyone here using them? Minimum terminal velocity 1800 FPS?

I shot alot of Interlocks through a 7mm-08 and they did decent. I shot them through the shoulders so take it for what it is. You can't run far when the landing gear isn't working. Strangely enough I occasionally wouldn't have exit holes, this is shooting deer and pigs in Southwest Georgia in heavy ag areas so their thick for the region.

 

[General RE LEE]

I shot alot of Interlocks through a 7mm-08 and they did decent. I shot them through the shoulders so take it for what it is. You can't run far when the landing gear isn't working. Strangely enough I occasionally wouldn't have exit holes, this is shooting deer and pigs in Southwest Georgia in heavy ag areas so their thick for the region.

Good deal. The appeal to me is they are a tougher cup and core bullet than the ELD series. Reality is even though I hunt big fields here in TN, most of my shots are under 250 yards. A basic flat base soft point bullet will work fine and maybe be even more predictable.

 

[HGL]

Good deal. The appeal to me is they are a tougher cup and core bullet than the ELD series. Reality is even though I hunt big fields here in TN, most of my shots are under 250 yards. A basic flat base soft point bullet will work fine and maybe be even more predictable.

My dad has been using the 130 gr version in his .270 Wby for years. The MV is around 3200 so they are cooking. They kill excellent on high shoulder shots, which is his preferred location. Very, very few runners. Pass throughs are 50/50, with the offside hide catching many.

Alhough, with the lower MV of a 6.5 creed, they'd probably expand less violently so you may get more penetration.

GTG in my experience, I wouldn't hesitate to try them.

 

[Jake Larsen]

I loaded up some free 129 grain Interlocks I got from Hornady for a promotion. Super classic with the basic flat base, soft points. Essentially Hornady's version of the Core Lokt.

They are easily sub minute in my 6.5 CM and I tested them out to 600 yesterday. Great bullet for what I got them for (free).

I've heard good things about the 129 grain Interlock. Anyone here using them? Minimum terminal velocity 1800 FPS?

Killed a bunch of stuff with that bullet in a .260. Definitely a much tougher bullet than the ELD series. It kills great. Deer, elk, antelope. Never shot anything far enough away to push the lower boundary of impact velocity, so can’t speak to that


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[dirtshooter]

Interlocks are the poor man's partition aren't they?