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

[curtiswayne101]

Has anyone tried the 142 Sierra MKX?

 

[General RE LEE]

No pictures of wounds but my 2nd solid shot with the 6.5 PRC. 130 CX at about 60 yards. Bullet went directly through scapula and caused massive internal damage to lungs and heart I’m assuming from bone shards and potential petal shedding at such close distance. DRT within 1 minute. Also fun fact, an entire button buck fits in an elk front quarter bag.
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Awww you swaddled the baby

 

[amassi]

You’re right- I should be more specific. 140-147 grain bullets. I don’t want to reload - just something to get to 600 yards. Just trying to gauge if the extra 2” of barrel will translate into any extended performance. I plan to suppress it - I know what an 18” 6creed gets me but that will cost me another $4-500 for a barrel

The match 140 ELD-M is loping along at 2590 out of my 18” good to 600 at sea level


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[frasier2122]

Got my first ever deer. This thread seems like an appropriate place to share. A big thanks to all here (and in many other threads) for the helpful information and inspiration. Not that it probably made much difference on a <100 yd shot from a stand... But better to over prepare.

Tikka T3X in 6.5 CM shooting factory 147 ELDMs. Approx 90 yard shot; approx 2511 FPS on impact. Deer was quartering to. Despite having all of the time in the world, I definitely placed the shot too far back. Deer bucked and ran out of sight behind a row of trees. Zero blood trail. Luckily, there was a fairly obvious route for the deer to run around some low cedar trees, and he was right there. Maybe ran 40 yards total. Entrance was caliber sized hole. I don't think there was any exit through the hide. When dragging, I only noticed blood coming out of the entrance. When skinning, it looked like significant fragmentation made it through to the back hide--gut was poking out--but I didn't see anything bullet fragments. Moving him around, it sounded like soup was sloshing around inside. We quartered him, but never ended up gutting so don't have any internal wound track pics.

Second pic is caliber sized entrance; third pic is exit.

My thoughts:

• Maybe 147 ELDMs were not the best pick? I figured that I would have longer shot opportunities, but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.
• Need to better account for deer's angle to/from me. I've studied shot placement at various angles, but just didn't connect the dots in the moment. Fortunately, I think I still caught a lot of lung, and at that range the fragmentation was probably devastating.
• I haven't had any success still hunting up in PA, but I think I prefer that to sitting in a tripod stand for hours and waiting for deer to wander by. Hard to argue with success, though. Especially on public land.

 

[Chris in TN]

Got my first ever deer. This thread seems like an appropriate place to share. A big thanks to all here (and in many other threads) for the helpful information and inspiration. Not that it probably made much difference on a <100 yd shot from a stand... But better to over prepare.

Tikka T3X in 6.5 CM shooting factory 147 ELDMs. Approx 90 yard shot; approx 2511 FPS on impact. Deer was quartering to. Despite having all of the time in the world, I definitely placed the shot too far back. Deer bucked and ran out of sight behind a row of trees. Zero blood trail. Luckily, there was a fairly obvious route for the deer to run around some low cedar trees, and he was right there. Maybe ran 40 yards total. Entrance was caliber sized hole. I don't think there was any exit through the hide. When dragging, I only noticed blood coming out of the entrance. When skinning, it looked like significant fragmentation made it through to the back hide--gut was poking out--but I didn't see anything bullet fragments. Moving him around, it sounded like soup was sloshing around inside. We quartered him, but never ended up gutting so don't have any internal wound track pics.

Second pic is caliber sized entrance; third pic is exit.

My thoughts:

• Maybe 147 ELDMs were not the best pick? I figured that I would have longer shot opportunities, but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.
• Need to better account for deer's angle to/from me. I've studied shot placement at various angles, but just didn't connect the dots in the moment. Fortunately, I think I still caught a lot of lung, and at that range the fragmentation was probably devastating.
• I haven't had any success still hunting up in PA, but I think I prefer that to sitting in a tripod stand for hours and waiting for deer to wander by. Hard to argue with success, though. Especially on public land.

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Congrats! You aren’t the first person to get their angles mixed up in the moment. It worked out well anyway.

 

[Nine Banger]

My thoughts:

• Maybe 147 ELDMs were not the best pick? I figured that I would have longer shot opportunities, but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.
• Need to better account for deer's angle to/from me. I've studied shot placement at various angles, but just didn't connect the dots in the moment. Fortunately, I think I still caught a lot of lung, and at that range the fragmentation was probably devastating.
• I haven't had any success still hunting up in PA, but I think I prefer that to sitting in a tripod stand for hours and waiting for deer to wander by. Hard to argue with success, though. Especially on public land.

That's a heck of a first deer.

Congratulations.

You're way ahead of the game as far as first deer killers go, knowing your impact velocity, etc.

Stick with the 147 and get some more data points before you move on. It's a great bullet. It takes a lot of ammo to rezero properly. Seems like you're familiar with the trajectory too.

I still shoot a deer or two too far back every year. Even after planning a shot for a long time sometimes you just dump it in the middle at the last moment.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Got my first ever deer. This thread seems like an appropriate place to share. A big thanks to all here (and in many other threads) for the helpful information and inspiration. Not that it probably made much difference on a <100 yd shot from a stand... But better to over prepare.

Tikka T3X in 6.5 CM shooting factory 147 ELDMs. Approx 90 yard shot; approx 2511 FPS on impact. Deer was quartering to. Despite having all of the time in the world, I definitely placed the shot too far back. Deer bucked and ran out of sight behind a row of trees. Zero blood trail. Luckily, there was a fairly obvious route for the deer to run around some low cedar trees, and he was right there. Maybe ran 40 yards total. Entrance was caliber sized hole. I don't think there was any exit through the hide. When dragging, I only noticed blood coming out of the entrance. When skinning, it looked like significant fragmentation made it through to the back hide--gut was poking out--but I didn't see anything bullet fragments. Moving him around, it sounded like soup was sloshing around inside. We quartered him, but never ended up gutting so don't have any internal wound track pics.

Second pic is caliber sized entrance; third pic is exit.

My thoughts:

• Maybe 147 ELDMs were not the best pick? I figured that I would have longer shot opportunities, but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.
• Need to better account for deer's angle to/from me. I've studied shot placement at various angles, but just didn't connect the dots in the moment. Fortunately, I think I still caught a lot of lung, and at that range the fragmentation was probably devastating.
• I haven't had any success still hunting up in PA, but I think I prefer that to sitting in a tripod stand for hours and waiting for deer to wander by. Hard to argue with success, though. Especially on public land.

View attachment 978226

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Nice work man, that deer is a tank too.

I think you and your equipment did the job just fine, 40 yards is a normal run for any behind the shoulder shot. Go out and get another one and build your confidence.

 

[North of 60]

Good job, nice deer, and i like your deer picker upper (hoist)...mine is not that well made

 

[omicron1792]

Got my first ever deer. This thread seems like an appropriate place to share. A big thanks to all here (and in many other threads) for the helpful information and inspiration. Not that it probably made much difference on a <100 yd shot from a stand... But better to over prepare.

Tikka T3X in 6.5 CM shooting factory 147 ELDMs. Approx 90 yard shot; approx 2511 FPS on impact. Deer was quartering to. Despite having all of the time in the world, I definitely placed the shot too far back. Deer bucked and ran out of sight behind a row of trees. Zero blood trail. Luckily, there was a fairly obvious route for the deer to run around some low cedar trees, and he was right there. Maybe ran 40 yards total. Entrance was caliber sized hole. I don't think there was any exit through the hide. When dragging, I only noticed blood coming out of the entrance. When skinning, it looked like significant fragmentation made it through to the back hide--gut was poking out--but I didn't see anything bullet fragments. Moving him around, it sounded like soup was sloshing around inside. We quartered him, but never ended up gutting so don't have any internal wound track pics.

Second pic is caliber sized entrance; third pic is exit.

My thoughts:

• Maybe 147 ELDMs were not the best pick? I figured that I would have longer shot opportunities, but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.
• Need to better account for deer's angle to/from me. I've studied shot placement at various angles, but just didn't connect the dots in the moment. Fortunately, I think I still caught a lot of lung, and at that range the fragmentation was probably devastating.
• I haven't had any success still hunting up in PA, but I think I prefer that to sitting in a tripod stand for hours and waiting for deer to wander by. Hard to argue with success, though. Especially on public land.

View attachment 978226

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TOAD my man. Congrats.

 

[Ope]

Got my first ever deer. This thread seems like an appropriate place to share. A big thanks to all here (and in many other threads) for the helpful information and inspiration. Not that it probably made much difference on a <100 yd shot from a stand... But better to over prepare.

Tikka T3X in 6.5 CM shooting factory 147 ELDMs. Approx 90 yard shot; approx 2511 FPS on impact. Deer was quartering to. Despite having all of the time in the world, I definitely placed the shot too far back. Deer bucked and ran out of sight behind a row of trees. Zero blood trail. Luckily, there was a fairly obvious route for the deer to run around some low cedar trees, and he was right there. Maybe ran 40 yards total. Entrance was caliber sized hole. I don't think there was any exit through the hide. When dragging, I only noticed blood coming out of the entrance. When skinning, it looked like significant fragmentation made it through to the back hide--gut was poking out--but I didn't see anything bullet fragments. Moving him around, it sounded like soup was sloshing around inside. We quartered him, but never ended up gutting so don't have any internal wound track pics.

Second pic is caliber sized entrance; third pic is exit.

My thoughts:

• Maybe 147 ELDMs were not the best pick? I figured that I would have longer shot opportunities, but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.
• Need to better account for deer's angle to/from me. I've studied shot placement at various angles, but just didn't connect the dots in the moment. Fortunately, I think I still caught a lot of lung, and at that range the fragmentation was probably devastating.
• I haven't had any success still hunting up in PA, but I think I prefer that to sitting in a tripod stand for hours and waiting for deer to wander by. Hard to argue with success, though. Especially on public land.

View attachment 978226

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Good job man! Congrats!

 

[OverInfinite]

Gah dang! What a first buck! The body matches the mass on the horns. I would say the bullet did everything it needed to. I would rather have soup lungs and no blood trail then a small wound and track.
That buck did nothing out of the ordinary, ive had mule deer run 100 yards with a broken shoulder and pure soup for lungs.

 

[Nine Banger]

but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.

Try using a hiking stick as a rear rest.

Make it tall enough to go from the bottom of the deer stand where your feet are up to the butt of the stock and tall enough to be over it a little. Put it on the left side.

Use your off hand to grab the stick with 3 fingers and squeeze the stock with your thumb and index finger.

 

[TimberHunter]

Is this normal for 147’s?


I’ve shot a decent amount of mule deer and elk with the 143 from a 6.5 needmoore with great results. Most have been 400-600 yard and usually recover the bullet on the offside with maybe 20-30% retention

I’ve been shooting the 147 this year. I one shot a blacktail that ran 75-100 yards but didn’t recover the bullet since it passed through. First lung hit had caliber size hole, then second lung had massive damage.

Then I shot this cow elk at 220 yards. Recovered 2 of the 3 and they look nearly identical and weigh 75 and 79 grains. Impact vel 2270. One hit and broke front leg bone, other was through the rib cage.

I had figured at closer range they’d nearly completly come apart. But being that they retained approx 50%, I’m wondering how well they’d expand/fragment at impact bel of 1800-2000fps? I know this bullet is a killer, been proven may times

Bumping this up. Is this typical performance from 147s on closer shots? Any concerns with lack of expansion at lower velocity like 1800?

 

[MTlan66]

Got my first ever deer. This thread seems like an appropriate place to share. A big thanks to all here (and in many other threads) for the helpful information and inspiration. Not that it probably made much difference on a <100 yd shot from a stand... But better to over prepare.

Tikka T3X in 6.5 CM shooting factory 147 ELDMs. Approx 90 yard shot; approx 2511 FPS on impact. Deer was quartering to. Despite having all of the time in the world, I definitely placed the shot too far back. Deer bucked and ran out of sight behind a row of trees. Zero blood trail. Luckily, there was a fairly obvious route for the deer to run around some low cedar trees, and he was right there. Maybe ran 40 yards total. Entrance was caliber sized hole. I don't think there was any exit through the hide. When dragging, I only noticed blood coming out of the entrance. When skinning, it looked like significant fragmentation made it through to the back hide--gut was poking out--but I didn't see anything bullet fragments. Moving him around, it sounded like soup was sloshing around inside. We quartered him, but never ended up gutting so don't have any internal wound track pics.

Second pic is caliber sized entrance; third pic is exit.

My thoughts:

• Maybe 147 ELDMs were not the best pick? I figured that I would have longer shot opportunities, but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.
• Need to better account for deer's angle to/from me. I've studied shot placement at various angles, but just didn't connect the dots in the moment. Fortunately, I think I still caught a lot of lung, and at that range the fragmentation was probably devastating.
• I haven't had any success still hunting up in PA, but I think I prefer that to sitting in a tripod stand for hours and waiting for deer to wander by. Hard to argue with success, though. Especially on public land.

View attachment 978226

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Congratulations! That’s a solid buck, and a solid rifle setup. Trying not to be too envious of both…

 

[NeHunter13]

Got my first ever deer. This thread seems like an appropriate place to share. A big thanks to all here (and in many other threads) for the helpful information and inspiration. Not that it probably made much difference on a <100 yd shot from a stand... But better to over prepare.

Tikka T3X in 6.5 CM shooting factory 147 ELDMs. Approx 90 yard shot; approx 2511 FPS on impact. Deer was quartering to. Despite having all of the time in the world, I definitely placed the shot too far back. Deer bucked and ran out of sight behind a row of trees. Zero blood trail. Luckily, there was a fairly obvious route for the deer to run around some low cedar trees, and he was right there. Maybe ran 40 yards total. Entrance was caliber sized hole. I don't think there was any exit through the hide. When dragging, I only noticed blood coming out of the entrance. When skinning, it looked like significant fragmentation made it through to the back hide--gut was poking out--but I didn't see anything bullet fragments. Moving him around, it sounded like soup was sloshing around inside. We quartered him, but never ended up gutting so don't have any internal wound track pics.

Second pic is caliber sized entrance; third pic is exit.

My thoughts:

• Maybe 147 ELDMs were not the best pick? I figured that I would have longer shot opportunities, but the furthest I could see from my spot was ~200, and I don't even know if I would want to shoot that far resting my gun on a stand rail.
• Need to better account for deer's angle to/from me. I've studied shot placement at various angles, but just didn't connect the dots in the moment. Fortunately, I think I still caught a lot of lung, and at that range the fragmentation was probably devastating.
• I haven't had any success still hunting up in PA, but I think I prefer that to sitting in a tripod stand for hours and waiting for deer to wander by. Hard to argue with success, though. Especially on public land.

View attachment 978226

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If it aint broke, don't fix it! Good first buck.

As for your question about sitting in a blind vs still hunting, you will likely be more successful and place better shots sitting in a blind, stand, or stationary on the ground. I have hunted a lot of WT from both a stand and walking public land. WT are very hard to get the drop on when trying to walk/still hunt. Typically the first time you see them while still hunting is after you hear a snort/blow and a tail in the air headed the opposite direction. Makes taking an ethical shot very difficult when they are typically on the run. Unlike Muley's, they don't stop and give you a chance. Once they go, they're gone.

I enjoy sitting in a stand much better and letting them naturally work into your area or be pushed by others if you're on public. Like you just experienced, you had time to properly take a shot that was ethical and put the animal down quickly.

I do still walk on public in the later morning hours but my expectations of getting the drop on something are low. I've certainly done it, but 9/10 times you end up busting them.

 

[omicron1792]

If it aint broke, don't fix it! Good first buck.

As for your question about sitting in a blind vs still hunting, you will likely be more successful and place better shots sitting in a blind, stand, or stationary on the ground. I have hunted a lot of WT from both a stand and walking public land. WT are very hard to get the drop on when trying to walk/still hunt. Typically the first time you see them while still hunting is after you hear a snort/blow and a tail in the air headed the opposite direction. Makes taking an ethical shot very difficult when they are typically on the run. Unlike Muley's, they don't stop and give you a chance. Once they go, they're gone.

I enjoy sitting in a stand much better and letting them naturally work into your area or be pushed by others if you're on public. Like you just experienced, you had time to properly take a shot that was ethical and put the animal down quickly.

I do still walk on public in the later morning hours but my expectations of getting the drop on something are low. I've certainly done it, but 9/10 times you end up busting them.

Agreed. Def learn in a stand. Stalk hunting whitetail bucks is the pinnacle after years of learning imo.

 

[LongWayAround]

Bumping this up. Is this typical performance from 147s on closer shots?

That's what the 147s I have recovered look like from 150-350yd.

 

[LongWayAround]

@frasier2122

That's a great buck. On your concerns about the 147, the deer went 40 yards and sounded like soup inside. That seems like a pretty good result to me?

 

[TimberHunter]

That's what the 147s I have recovered look like from 150-350yd.

Have you recovered any from further shots? Wondering how much expansion you get at +-1800 fps


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[Braaap]

Have you recovered any from further shots? Wondering how much expansion you get at +-1800 fps


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I didn’t recover either bullet but I killed my antelope this year with a 147 and impact velocity was around 1830 fps. First shot was quartering to and slightly clipped lung and exited opposite rear quarter and second was broadside and it exited. Pic is exit side.