6.5 Creedmoor Lung Damage Pic

lduston

FNG
Joined
Sep 23, 2024
Messages
4
My 9 year old son shot this Michigan Elk about 3 weeks ago. I did a lot of research on mild calibers for kids that could effectively kill an Elk. 6.5 CM kept coming up as a marginal round for Elk. Yet several reputable hunters have endorsed it when under 300 yards. 7mm-08 was my 2nd choice, but went with the 6.5cm. Bullet choice was a bonded bullet from Norma "Bond Strike 143gr". A lot was at stake for this hunt with such a hard to draw tag. We spent hours at the rifle range, his shooting was exceptional. Honestly the 6.5 cm recoil rocked him pretty good, but he completely stayed in control & shot beautiful 3" groups at 100 yards. Anything bigger would have been too much I believe. So he ended up making a perfect 87 yard lung shot on this 500 lb cow Elk. Here is the lung bullet trauma pic. The elk went about 70 yards we estimate. I just wanted to post this for anyone with kids who may be recoil sensitive. This combo worked great and was manageable for my little guy.
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SloppyJ

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2023
Messages
1,600
I don't disagree with you that it's probably too much for him but it looks like he stuck it out and made a nice shot. Congrats on the time with your son and making memories.

I opted for the .223 route with my 7yr old but we are hunting whitetails. My buddy got a tikka 6.5cm for his son the same age and he can handle it off a tripod but it doesn't look comfortable. I imagine they'll grow into them just fine though.
 

KDAhtr

FNG
Joined
Nov 11, 2022
Messages
5
Location
NorCal
Congratulations! Its great to hear a dad take so much time and effort to give his child the best advantage he could to ensure a good hunt. And its great to see his practice really paid off. He'll remember that hunt forever!
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2024
Messages
57
Location
N.w. Pennsylvania
Congrats! I'm a grown man and like my 6.5cm, don't need more than that for whitetail. While doing load development I found a nice combo of a 135 berger & some 4831sc. Absolutely drives tacks but it's slow. (2400 fps) in my Tikka. It's pretty gentle on the shoulder too
 

199p

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 4, 2015
Messages
143
Location
New Zealand
We can only wish it was easy to add a suppressor. I know you can get them easily.
Was listening to the meat-eater podcast and they had the guys from Silancer Central seems much easier these days and very little wait time now.
 
Joined
Apr 4, 2024
Messages
29
Location
Ohio
Congrats to your son! My daughter shoots a 243 Winchester on whitetail hunts for all of the reasons you listed. I'm glad he got to start his season out successful!
 

CjMelendrez

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 27, 2021
Messages
137
Location
South Central Idaho
Very nicely done!

I killed a decent bull and big mule deer 2 weeks ago with my 6.5cm Tikka shooting factory 143gr ELD-X. First animal I've killed with a 6.5, I'm a believer. Favorite rifle for the time being.
 

Mr.Ktm

FNG
Joined
Nov 27, 2023
Messages
6
Look into a suppressor! I put a scythe-ti on a 6.5 creedmore. Makes for a very comfortable shooter, lightweight too
 
Joined
Oct 28, 2021
Messages
832
I'm one of those folks that crapped on the idea of a CM for elk for a long time. I really enjoy recoil and shooting nasty calibers as I guess I am sick. But reading so many people with a lot more understanding than me made a lot of sense. My magnums are fun to shoot, but target reacquisition is a problem with them. So I bought me a CM and suffered the comments and questions of when I would get a man-bun and flat brim. I even bought a suppressor that I haven't installed yet that will go on my rifles. The proof is in the pudding. If the shot is done well it does exactly what it is supposed to. And the fact that I can send a second or possibly third round in the time that it would take me to get back on target after recoil is a bonus.

Give that little man a high five for me. Well done dad.
 
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