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

[Mammoth Steppe]

As someone who doesn't reload, what are the standout factory loads for the 6.5 Creedmoor? Are the EldX and EldM as good as it gets?

 

[Q_Sertorius]

As someone who doesn't reload, what are the standout factory loads for the 6.5 Creedmoor? Are the EldX and EldM as good as it gets?

I’ve had and seen excellent performance with 140-grain ELDMs. As far as value for money is concerned, I like that factory load the best.

 

[General RE LEE]

As someone who doesn't reload, what are the standout factory loads for the 6.5 Creedmoor? Are the EldX and EldM as good as it gets?

I would think the 140 ELDM and 143 ELDX factory loads would be top of the list. I had a Tikka that would shoot Hornady Match 140s into one big hole.

 

[43.6N]

@Mammoth Steppe Nothing wrong with 140’s or 143’s. Factory can be a little slow in shorter barrels.

130’s have been a really nice combo of velocity, efficiency, and recoil.

https://choiceammunition.com/product/6-5-creedmoor-130-grain-hornady-eld-m-match100-hand-loaded/

 

[TreeDog]

As someone who doesn't reload, what are the standout factory loads for the 6.5 Creedmoor? Are the EldX and EldM as good as it gets?

The Berger factory stuff is really good too. Also great brass if you ever get into reloading

 

[Hondo64d]

Yesterday’s hunt affirmed to me that the 6.5 Creedmoor is hard to beat for a long range cartridge for whitetail deer. It’s the right balance of light recoil, short action, easy to load, retained velocity and accurate.

Your .308’s gonna be jealous…

John

 

[General RE LEE]

Your .308’s gonna be jealous…

John

Love the 308, but I give the edge to the 6.5 for less recoil and less wind drift.

 

[Hondo64d]

Love the 308, but I give the edge to the 6.5 for less recoil and less wind drift.

Agree.

John

 

[Mammoth Steppe]

@Mammoth Steppe Nothing wrong with 140’s or 143’s. Factory can be a little slow in shorter barrels.

130’s have been a really nice combo of velocity, efficiency, and recoil.

https://choiceammunition.com/product/6-5-creedmoor-130-grain-hornady-eld-m-match100-hand-loaded/

I was considering that since it's a 20" barrel that I may want to look at 140gr or below to help balance that velocity. I did read somewhere that people were getting around 2,660fps using 143gr ELDX with their 20" barrels in the same rifles (Sako). If true, that's only 40 fps loss for 4" less barrel. I'll have to get ahold of one of those Garmin's to verify.

 

[wind gypsy]

I was considering that since it's a 20" barrel that I may want to look at 140gr or below to help balance that velocity. I did read somewhere that people were getting around 2,660fps using 143gr ELDX with their 20" barrels in the same rifles (Sako). If true, that's only 40 fps loss for 4" less barrel. I'll have to get ahold of one of those Garmin's to verify.

The factory hornady 140 ELD/143 ELDx i've chrono'd out of 24" tikka factory barrels has typically been around 2600 FPS muzzle velocity. They are usually slower than most.

 

[Timplant]

I am getting 2656 avg. out of a 21'' carbon six 6.5 creed barrel. Factory 143 Eldx if that helps anyone!

 

[Mammoth Steppe]

The factory hornady 140 ELD/143 ELDx i've chrono'd out of 24" tikka factory barrels has typically been around 2600 FPS muzzle velocity. They are usually slower than most.

Slower than advertised then, interesting.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I was considering that since it's a 20" barrel that I may want to look at 140gr or below to help balance that velocity. I did read somewhere that people were getting around 2,660fps using 143gr ELDX with their 20" barrels in the same rifles (Sako). If true, that's only 40 fps loss for 4" less barrel. I'll have to get ahold of one of those Garmin's to verify.

I get a very consistent 2559 from my 20” Tikka using the Hornady 140-grain ELDM factory loads. I am curious to compare that with my 22” Sauer 100 once it comes back from getting threaded.

 

[wind gypsy]

Slower than advertised then, interesting.

Yes, tikka 6.5 barrels are slower than most.

 

[Mammoth Steppe]

I get a very consistent 2559 from my 20” Tikka using the Hornady 140-grain ELDM factory loads. I am curious to compare that with my 22” Sauer 100 once it comes back from getting threaded.

And I'm assuming that Tikka and Sako share the same barrels, same twist rates etc? I bought a Sako 90 Peak for reference.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

And I'm assuming that Tikka and Sako share the same barrels, same twist rates etc? I bought a Sako 90 Peak for reference.

Yes, they are the same barrels.

 

[zrodwyo]

Dang.

Now someone on this thread has to go shoot Tatonka with their 6.5Grendel just to prove a point. ;(

Nothing more than an interesting story, but it’s been attempted.

Many years ago my dad put down the neighbor's Buffalo that busted through a bunch of fences and was far from home. This was a middle of the night kind of deal and the gun mounted to the thermal happened to be chambered in 6.5 Grendel. It was shooting Hornady Black 123 eld-m going 2,400 at the muzzle.

The first shot was to the forehead at about 30 yards. The bullet completely ricochet off doing no damage. Three follow up shots were made to the vitals and the bull was still on his feet. All sub 50 yards. Finally, one shot from a 45-70 dropped the bull. Can’t tell you what those 123s did.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

130 gr TMK strikes again.

This was my wife’s first elk. She earned the new radio call sign of “Rodeo” after this… but at the end of the day, she got it done. She said she has never felt that much adrenaline in her life: not having kids, a major car accident, she said nothing compared. Her entire body was trembling uncontrollably.

It didn’t help how it went down. We were posted up overlooking a big meadow between some thick timber where we have seen elk the previous day. She was set up seated on the tripod expecting to intercept them as they traversed the meadow. We were there from first light until the rodeo started at 3:45ish.

She was very disciplined and still all day. My back was killing me, so I stood up to stretch and turned around and then bam, 3 elk at 30 yards right behind us in the timber. I instantly took the gun off the tripod and said: Elk! Right behind us! Shoot the one in the front!

She turned around but the tree we were leaning against was in her way so she had to move to get a visual. The elk also started to pick up the pace at this point cutting away from us. My wife now standing swung the rifle up on the first one and fired. I heard the impact and the elk slowed down, but I could tell it was a non-vital hit. The other two elk now running passed the first in full sprint and disappear. This is when the rodeo started.

That tikka became a belt fed crew served weapon, with her firing and me handing her another mag while topping off the empty. I was yelling out commands as the chase ensued: “Reload!” “Go prone!” “Reload!” “Move!” “Stay on her!” “Go prone!” “Put it right up her ass!”…. One connected right up the poop shoot. The elk didn’t make it far after that and laid down next to a tree. Now I tell her to go prone and use a log for a rest. “Breathe. Take your time. Relax. Take your time. We only have two bullets left, make it count”. My wife settles in and slows herself way down then puts the shot right behind the shoulder. The cow’s head snaps back, then she rolls to her side, legs kicking. I knew then, she was done. About 300 yards from where we started.

What we found when we started cleaning her, was my wife’s first shot was high and in the spinous process above the shoulder. Non-fatal hit. While obviously I wouldn’t recommend aiming for a Texas heart shot, in this scenario it was the only option, necessary and resulted in the elk stopping and laying down for the finisher. The TMK up the backside completely shredded the guts. The finisher in the lungs had about a 2” entry hole, shredded the lungs, and no exit.

My wife was embarrassed by her performance, but having recovered the elk brought her relief. I told her not to beat herself up, shit happens sometimes and she did was she had to do and at the end of day, still put meat in the freezer, so it was a success.

Total hits included: spinous process, two grazes from the rear, with one of those sliding along the rump into the abdomen a little and into the back of the shoulder. The poop chute was actually into the taint, then the final lung shot.

I think the trauma of the 130 TMK facilitated the successful recovery, from the total destruction of the intestines, forcing the animal to lay down.

Yes it was a rodeo. But it was an experience she will never forget and it makes for a good camp fire story.

 

[curtiswayne101]

Incoming 2026. 153 Grain TMK

 

[43.6N]

Incoming 2026. 153 Grain TMK

Source?
Very exciting news.
Make sure you post this over in the 223, 6mm, and 25 cal threads.