6.5 PRC On Elk

[robby denning]

In all the elk kills I’ve been around, I learned to keep shooting until they’re down. Good call.


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[Ryan Avery]

It works on deer too

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[JollyRoger]

It works on deer too

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Nice buck! I really like everything I'm seeing/hearing on the PRC.

Side note, is that a Bradley cheek rest? If so, how do you like it?

 

[Ryan Avery]

Nice buck! I really like everything I'm seeing/hearing on the PRC.

Side note, is that a Bradley cheek rest? If so, how do you like it?

Tanya loves it. I hate it. But it’s her rifle so she wins


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[wind gypsy]

Ryan, how are you liking that kiwi customs stock? I’m building a 7 saum similar to that rifle and was planning on getting the same stock.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Worked on a second deer 629 yards. Dead on delivery.

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[Muledeerfanatic]

That looks steep!

 

[Ryan Avery]

Ryan, how are you liking that kiwi customs stock? I’m building a 7 saum similar to that rifle and was planning on getting the same stock.

The only issue Is how slick the carbon finish is on the stock. Need to paint it or grip tape. Tanya loves it. Hell I had to wrestle it from her to take it deer hunting. Haha



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[Leadfeather]

Fellas , damn fine shooting and a real eye opener on the performance of the 6.5 on elk. I have been packing a 300win hand loaded with a 200 gr partition @3000 fps . In a rifle that loaded weighs about 8lbs kicks like a blue mule , I recently shot a 4x4 bull at 150 0r so yards broad side behind the shoulder and to be honest it took 30 seconds for him to fall. It seems that on broad side shots there is no real advantage in punishing yourself with that kind of recoil that at least for me diminishes accuracy. After returning from the Rockies and watching as many elk harvest videos as I could find I had my smith fit a 7mm RM on the receiver that wore the 300win a couple folks have told me I was screwing up but this thread just confirms what we all learned early own, shot placement is the most important aspect of a killing shot. I personally limit my shots to 400 yards practice out to 700 but I do not slight those who do. The areas I hunt are often dark timber and shots over 500 are rare . At the ranges I encounter elk I shoot tough bullets to contend with quartering on animals . thanks for the video and pics

 

[MuleyFever]

I don't think I am educated enough to say yet on the 6.5 PRC. It worked better than I expected at 80 yards. I would have liked to see what that first shot would have done on Tanya elk without the follow-up shot. The rifle is wickedly accurate and damn nice to shoot over the big 30 cals especially for Tanya.

We have three deer tags and two more elk tags, so I will probably have a better Idea on the PRC in a couple of months.

So how did that education go? Final thoughts? Going back to a 30?

 

[Ryan Avery]

To finalize my year with the 6.5 PRC, I have to add in my last hunt. I had a cow tag, and so did my buddies daughter. We found a herd of about 25 elk and closed into around 300 yards. Annabelle had my 6.5 PRC shooting 147 ELDMs, and I had a 300 RUM shooting 225 ELDMs.
The plan was for her to shoot first, then I would shoot once they settled back down. The elk saw us crest the hill which always speeds thing up. We got Annabelle on the biggest cow, and she squeezed the trigger, I watched the herd move up the hill about five yards. Picked out a fat stationary cow and pulled the trigger. Right when I pulled the trigger, the cow jumped forward. I shot my cow right in the guts about eight inches in front of the back leg. The cow almost dropped instantly took two steps and dropped on to her front haunches, back legs still straight. One more shot in the crease and she was down. Annebelles cow stayed on her feet with the herd. Not wanting to shoot the wrong cow we watched and hoped to see a sickly cow at the back of the herd. Finally, we spotted the sick cow right before they got into the timber.
We caught up with the cow an hour later, and Annabelle put the cow down at around 80 yards. On inspection Annebelles first shot hit the cow in the guts. Almost exactly where I shot mine. The difference was my cow could not physically leave and hers could.
Now I constantly hear how shot placement is everything, and I agree. But what about when shit happens? The truth is I practice far more than the average hunter, and the fact is bad things can and do happen, this gets us back to the question. Is the 6.5 PRC enough for elk, obviously, it is, Tanya and I proved that last season. But you have less room for error than you would with a big 30 or 338.

 

[justin davis]

To finalize my year with the 6.5 PRC, I have to add in my last hunt. I had a cow tag, and so did my buddies daughter. We found a heard of about 25 elk and closed into around 300 yards. Annabelle had my 6.5 PRC shooting 147 ELDMs, and I had a 300 RUM shooting 225 ELDMs.
The plan was for her to shoot first, then I would shoot once they settled back down. The elk saw us crest the hill which always speeds thing up. We got Annabelle on the biggest cow, and she squeezed the trigger, I watched the heard move up the hill about five yards. Picked out a fat stationary cow and pulled the trigger. Right when I pulled the trigger, the cow jumped forward. I shot my cow right in the guts about eight inches in front of the back leg. The cow almost dropped instantly took two steps and dropped on to her front haunches, back legs still straight. One more shot in the crease and she was down. Annebelles cow stayed on her feet with the heard. Not wanting to shoot the wrong cow we watched and hoped to see a sickly cow at the back of the heard. Finally, we spotted the sick cow she right before they got to the timber.
We caught up with the cow an hour later, and Annabelle put the cow down at around 80 yards. On inspection Annebelles first shot hit the cow in the guts. Almost exactly where I shot mine. The difference was my cow could not physically leave and hers could.
Now I constantly hear how shot placement is everything, and I agree. But what about when shit happens? The truth is I practice far more than the average hunter, and the fact is bad things can and do happen, this gets us back to the question. Is the 6.5 PRC enough for elk, obviously, it is, Tanya and I proved that last season. But you have less room for error than you would with a big 30 or 338.

View attachment 86927

Thanks for the report! Makes sense

 

[Broz]

To finalize my year with the 6.5 PRC, I have to add in my last hunt. I had a cow tag, and so did my buddies daughter. We found a herd of about 25 elk and closed into around 300 yards. Annabelle had my 6.5 PRC shooting 147 ELDMs, and I had a 300 RUM shooting 225 ELDMs.
The plan was for her to shoot first, then I would shoot once they settled back down. The elk saw us crest the hill which always speeds thing up. We got Annabelle on the biggest cow, and she squeezed the trigger, I watched the herd move up the hill about five yards. Picked out a fat stationary cow and pulled the trigger. Right when I pulled the trigger, the cow jumped forward. I shot my cow right in the guts about eight inches in front of the back leg. The cow almost dropped instantly took two steps and dropped on to her front haunches, back legs still straight. One more shot in the crease and she was down. Annebelles cow stayed on her feet with the herd. Not wanting to shoot the wrong cow we watched and hoped to see a sickly cow at the back of the herd. Finally, we spotted the sick cow right before they got into the timber.
We caught up with the cow an hour later, and Annabelle put the cow down at around 80 yards. On inspection Annebelles first shot hit the cow in the guts. Almost exactly where I shot mine. The difference was my cow could not physically leave and hers could.
Now I constantly hear how shot placement is everything, and I agree. But what about when shit happens? The truth is I practice far more than the average hunter, and the fact is bad things can and do happen, this gets us back to the question. Is the 6.5 PRC enough for elk, obviously, it is, Tanya and I proved that last season. But you have less room for error than you would with a big 30 or 338.

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Ryan your honest reports are very valuable for those who will listen. We have both seen this now more times than we would like to admit. But the fact remain the same. I will shoot a 30 and up for elk for the reasons you just describe. They are herd animals, once they return to the herd follow up shots are hard, blood trails are stomped out and it is a very gut wrenching experience knowing a hit elk can go miles and "shit happens". Bigger rifles with heavier bullets anchor elk better. Its just a fact. Thanks

 

[PNWGATOR]

Super proud of Annabelle and I’ll second the appreciation of your candor.

 

[OSU Fisher]

Thanks for the honest report! I believe you are spot on!

 

[WRO]

If it would have been a creedmore it'd killed it just by pointing at it..

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[wind gypsy]

Reviving..

Ryan, how have the 225 ELDs performed on game for you? Did you get exits on this cow?

 

[Ryan Avery]

Reviving..

Ryan, how have the 225 ELDs performed on game for you? Did you get exits on this cow?

Shot two elk with this bullet. Yes, one exited the cow. The gut shot did not exit. The other elk was shot in the shoulder at 540 yards, DRT but no exit.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

To be fair, gut shots seem way too variable to ascertain anything..

I gut shot a chamois at 375 with 180’s out of a 300 win mag and it fvcked off far enough out of sight into a boulder field that we couldn’t recover.

Ended up shooting a cull nanny at just over 100 a few days later a bit back and it was instant death.

 

[Broz]

Gut shots on elk are a little different. That area holds a sack of mulched wet grass about the size of a bushel basket close to 2 feet thick. Most bullets never get out of it. But some fragmenting bullets, if heavy enough disperse fragments that can cause internal bleeding. I have seen "Premium Hunting" bullets go in the hay sack and the elk never acts hit, but a big fragmenting bullet they hump up and stand there sick allowing a follow up.