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

[woods89]

Seeing that the 223 thread is such a success, I thought maybe I would start one for the Creedmoor/260. Seems like people are asking a lot about using them and various bullets, especially for elk. I've used mine for the last few years almost exclusively. I have some pics of bullet damage, albeit not nearly as many as I should have, from a couple deer. I'll try to briefly describe the ones I don't have pics of.

If you have experiences, good or bad, post them up. Of course, pics are great, and add a lot of valuable information. Maybe it will take off, maybe it won't, but if it does it could be a good reference.

2020

1-Small whitetail doe quartering away at 50 yds. Impact behind the shoulder and exit in front of opposite shoulder. Caliber size entry, golf ball size exit. Deer immediately dropped at the shot. Bullet was 130 TMK at 2830 fps or so, impact 2750 ish?

2-Whitetail doe quartering away at 40 yds. Impact behind the shoulder and exit through offside shoulder. Caliber size entry, golf ball size exit, vitals were mush. Deer ran 30 yds and piled up. Bullet was 130 TMK, same velocities as above.

Entry

Exit


3-Whitetail doe slightly quartering away at 80 yds. Impact behind the shoulder and exit point of offside shoulder. Caliber size entry, golf ball size exit, vitals destroyed, pieces of lung laying in the field beyond the animal. Deer dropped at the shot. Bullet was 156 Berger EOL at 2650 fps, impact 2550ish

Entry

Exit


2021-Bull elk broadside at 50 yds. Impact behind shoulder and exit same location. Caliber size entry, slightly less than golf ball size exit. 3-4'' hole through both lungs. Bull ran 50 yds, stopped, and tipped over. Bullet was 156 Berger EOL at 2650 fps, impact 2600ish.
Wish I had some wound channel pics of the elk but my hands were bloody and we were in a hurry. I need to start carrying latex gloves so I can peel them off and use my phone.

Post them up!

 

[Mr Drysdale]

I have the 260 caliber in a Remington Model Seven, Savage Weather Warrior and Browning A-Bolt. The 120 grain bullets shoot more consistently than the 140’s and the 100 grain NBT reloads are hell on Mississippi Whitetails. Early on Remington loaded their AccuTip ammunition in 120 grain and it was great but they decided that a caliber THEY created didn’t deserve any variety in their offerings. I hunt with a variety of rifles and calibers and the 260’s remain in the rotation. Probably have taken more Whitetails with the 260 than any other. Main ammunition now is the Barnes 120 grain TTSX.

 

[EastMT]

I picked up a 90’s Rem 260 ADL for my wife to use, Man is that a sweet little setup. I told her she had to go shopping for her own lol.

Loaded 140 Nosler Partions for her caribou hunt. 1 shot, top of the shoulder blade. It passed through the shoulder blade, lungs, exited. Took 5 steps and tipped over.

 

[woods89]

I have the 260 caliber in a Remington Model Seven, Savage Weather Warrior and Browning A-Bolt. The 120 grain bullets shoot more consistently than the 140’s and the 100 grain NBT reloads are hell on Mississippi Whitetails. Early on Remington loaded their AccuTip ammunition in 120 grain and it was great but they decided that a caliber THEY created didn’t deserve any variety in their offerings. I hunt with a variety of rifles and calibers and the 260’s remain in the rotation. Probably have taken more Whitetails with the 260 than any other. Main ammunition now is the Barnes 120 grain TTSX.

My rifle was a M7 in 260 in original format. With the 1-9 twist I shot 125 gr Partitions out of it.
I wanted better balance and faster twist so 4 years ago or so I had it rebarreled to a 1-8 Creedmoor.
If Remington had done a better job marketing and twisted their barrels faster it would be a lot more popular, I think. It's a great round.

 

[Paridgerunner]

My defiance anti x and 18" proof carbon fiber barrel are being chambered and mated together by one of the best machine co in the nation, alamo precision. That and the xlr 4.0 magnesium chassis will b a 6 month wait but it's gonna b so bad ass.

 

[woods89]

Just going to bring this back up. I know there's a lot of real world info scattered around, just thought it might be nice to centralize it.

 

[Formidilosus]

666y, 2,070’ish FPS impact, 130gr Berger OTM Hybrid AR, did not leave his bed-



801y, 1,850fps impact, 130gr Berger OTM, traveled 70’ish yards-



606y, 130gr Berger hybrid, 1,850fps impact, traveled around 60 yards maybe-




676y, 130gr Terminal Ascent, 1,970fps impact, traveled 130’ish yards-



328y, 130gr TMK, 40’ish yards traveled-




373y, 143gr ELD-X, less than 10 yards traveled-



373 or 378y can’t remember exactly, 130gr TMK, 70-80 yards travel-







I can post more later.

 

[woods89]

666y, 2,070’ish FPS impact, 130gr Berger OTM Hybrid AR, did not leave his bed-
View attachment 358436


801y, 1,850fps impact, 130gr Berger OTM, traveled 70’ish yards-
View attachment 358438


606y, 130gr Berger hybrid, 1,850fps impact, traveled around 60 yards maybe-
View attachment 358439



676y, 130gr Terminal Ascent, 1,970fps impact, traveled 130’ish yards-
View attachment 358440


328y, 130gr TMK, 40’ish yards traveled-
View attachment 358445



373y, 143gr ELD-X, less than 10 yards traveled-
View attachment 358446


373 or 378y can’t remember exactly, 130gr TMK, 70-80 yards travel-
View attachment 358447






I can post more later.

Thanks! Post everything you can!

 

[mt100gr.]

Here's some 147gr ELDM action from a pretty stout mule deer buck in 2019. First pic is the off-side shoulder, bullet was against the hide. 2nd pic is with that scapula/shoulder removed. 3rd is the bullet itself. Shot was approx 180 yards.

I used the same combo for my mule deer buck at 250 yards in 2020 and my mule deer buck last month at about 18 yards. No pics from those but I wouldn't be able to see any difference. Deadly combination.

This particular Creedmoor shoots the 147gr at a muzzle velocity of 2785fps. (Handloads)

 

[Wrench]

I forget exactly how far...840. Anyhow, 140 from my 260ai in the onside and wiped the far side....this is two scapulas from a bull elk.

 

[Wrench]

200 yards 140rdf. He took this one in the left eye. 260ai again.

 

[Wrench]

Cow elk 140rdf 260ai 350yds.

 

[Wrench]

Cow elk 880 140rdf. 260ai

 

[Wrench]

This was one of the biggest cows I've ever seen and certainly killed. She dwarfed the other 20 plus feeding with her. She had a jump on the bulls. She ate a 140 rdf from 850 and bang flopped....260ai again.

 

[Formidilosus]

Cow elk 880 140rdf. 260ai

Do you have any pictures or description of what the wound channel from the RDF produced? Placement? Approximate impact velocity?

 

[Wrench]

Do you have any pictures or description of what the wound channel from the RDF produced? Placement? Approximate impact velocity?

My MV dope is 3021 with impact velo @ 1876.

I am horrible about taking pictures. The RDF had me nervous with the narrow meplat and I had had perfect results with the 140M burner....but curiosity was killing me. What I found is that they are nearly impossible to recover and make about a 4" trip and begin rapid upset. By 10" they are similar to the smk or match burner.

These things fly very well in this rig and the combination leaves elk flopped faster than my big 30's do with bonded bullets.

 

[Formidilosus]

My MV dope is 3021 with impact velo @ 1876.

I am horrible about taking pictures. The RDF had me nervous with the narrow meplat and I had had perfect results with the 140M burner....but curiosity was killing me. What I found is that they are nearly impossible to recover and make about a 4" trip and begin rapid upset. By 10" they are similar to the smk or match burner.

These things fly very well in this rig and the combination leaves elk flopped faster than my big 30's do with bonded bullets.

Thank you. That was higher impact velocity than I was thinking. I haven’t seen a lot, but what I have of the 140gr Match Burner they upset well.

 

[Wrench]

The match burner has performed well for me above 1800. It is what I suggest to guys who can keep impact velo over 1800 and want to shoot a slick bullet.

 

[Formidilosus]

The match burner has performed well for me above 1800. It is what I suggest to guys who can keep impact velo over 1800 and want to shoot a slick bullet.

Have you seen better upset/fragmentation under 1,800fps with other bullets?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

.260 Rem and 6.5 CM all with 129 grain SSTs. Have way more on my PC going back a really long time with my 260 Rem. I’ll have to dig them up. Have tons of pics of coyotes, elk, and other critters including bobcat and badger.