Elk experiences with 6.5 PRC and 156 EOL

Your original post is asking about others experience with 6.5 PRC and elk. It originally sounded like he was wondering how it performs on elk? I merely pointed out that there are gobs of posts on the internet asking this same question. Why ask this question if there is no concern?

I merely pointed out that a 6.5 PRC is borderline, especially shooting longer range in unfavorable conditions. Also, if I was going to hunt elk a lot I would consider a different caliber. Just my recommendation so you can take it or leave it!

Congrats on your elk with 6.5 PRC!

By the way, what is the drop of a 156 at 850 yards?
 
Jimss said:
Your original post is asking about others experience with 6.5 PRC and elk. It originally sounded like he was wondering how it performs on elk? I merely pointed out that there are gobs of posts on the internet asking this same question. Why ask this question if there is no concern?

I merely pointed out that a 6.5 PRC is borderline, especially shooting longer range in unfavorable conditions. Also, if I was going to hunt elk a lot I would consider a different caliber. Just my recommendation so you can take it or leave it!

Congrats on your elk with 6.5 PRC!

By the way, what is the drop of a 156 at 850 yards?
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For me 153”, but I would know that and dial accordingly. What’s your point?
 
Jimss said:
I merely pointed out that a 6.5 PRC is borderline, especially shooting longer range in unfavorable conditions. Also, if I was going to hunt elk a lot I would consider a different caliber. Just my recommendation so you can take it or leave it!
Click to expand...
Again, how did you come to the conclusion the "6.5 PRC is borderline." Do you have a lot of experience with it on elk?
 
Jimss said:
Your original post is asking about others experience with 6.5 PRC and elk. It originally sounded like he was wondering how it performs on elk? I merely pointed out that there are gobs of posts on the internet asking this same question. Why ask this question if there is no concern?

I merely pointed out that a 6.5 PRC is borderline, especially shooting longer range in unfavorable conditions. Also, if I was going to hunt elk a lot I would consider a different caliber. Just my recommendation so you can take it or leave it!

Congrats on your elk with 6.5 PRC!

By the way, what is the drop of a 156 at 850 yards?
Click to expand...
Actually he asked specifically about a 156 out of a PRC. And the drop at 850 is 19.85 minutes
 
My son shot a bull this year with his at 100 yards. It ran 50 yards and fell over. He shot an antelope 2 years ago at 250 yards and it took a while to get another bullet into him. The first shot would have been dead with something else. He shot a buck at 200 yards last year behind the should and the buck ran 75 yards before falling over.

He is 3 for 3 killing big game but it sure doesn’t seem like the critters drop like they do with my 300 WSM shot in the same spot on their bodies from the same distance.

Bigger, stronger critters like elk can take a pounding. I’ve lost count of how many elk I’ve shot over the years and witnessed others shoot. Like I’ve been saying, 6.5 is a great round but borderline for elk. I hate to say I told you so if a bull of a lifetime wanders off wounded that likely would have dropped with a different caliber.
 
Ive shot 6 elk with a 257 wby and a 110 gr bullet at distances from 50 yards to 615, none required more than 1 bullets and none went out of sight, a 6.5. PRC is far from marginal. Animals dropping on impact is not a good metric for measuring lethality, Ive also shot 8 elk with a 300 Ultra mag and only 1 of them dropped on impact and it was a headshot. Animals not expiring quickly has far more to do with shot placement than bullet construction in most cases.
 
Great job guys. Glad to see lethal kills. Keep shooting straight! I have no doubt that hundreds if not thousands of elk are shot every year with smaller caliber rifle 1 shot kills. Just keep in mind not to take marginal shots in tough conditions at longer ranges with these calibers!

I only put 1 shell in my rifle because I am that confident that game is hitting the turf with just one shot. I only shoot short distances that I am confident in!
 
Jimss said:
My son shot a bull this year with his at 100 yards. It ran 50 yards and fell over. He shot an antelope 2 years ago at 250 yards and it took a while to get another bullet into him. The first shot would have been dead with something else. He shot a buck at 200 yards last year behind the should and the buck ran 75 yards before falling over.

He is 3 for 3 killing big game but it sure doesn’t seem like the critters drop like they do with my 300 WSM shot in the same spot on their bodies from the same distance.

Bigger, stronger critters like elk can take a pounding. I’ve lost count of how many elk I’ve shot over the years and witnessed others shoot. Like I’ve been saying, 6.5 is a great round but borderline for elk. I hate to say I told you so if a bull of a lifetime wanders off wounded that likely would have dropped with a different caliber.
Click to expand...
Curious on what bullet your son is using
 
Jimss said:
Great job guys. Glad to see lethal kills. Keep shooting straight! I have no doubt that hundreds if not thousands of elk are shot every year with smaller caliber rifle 1 shot kills. Just keep in mind not to take marginal shots in tough conditions at longer ranges with these calibers!

I only put 1 shell in my rifle because I am that confident that game is hitting the turf with just one shot. I only shoot short distances that I am confident in!
Click to expand...
Wanna buy a 22-250 Ackley I can’t get to magazine feed
 
Jimss said:
My son shot a bull this year with his at 100 yards. It ran 50 yards and fell over. He shot an antelope 2 years ago at 250 yards and it took a while to get another bullet into him. The first shot would have been dead with something else. He shot a buck at 200 yards last year behind the should and the buck ran 75 yards before falling over.
Click to expand...
Elk run all the time 50 yards lethally hit with all sorts of armament. Same with antelope and deer. My observation is you have a confirmation bias and are seeing what you want to, based on three dead animals.
 
bradmacmt said:
Elk run all the time 50 yards lethally hit with all sorts of armament. Same with antelope and deer. My observation is you have a confirmation bias and are seeing what you want to, based on three dead animals.
Click to expand...

Funny story, my brother center punched a 4x4 bull a few years ago shooting a 30-06 using 180 gr Nosler Partition, mv 2880. Distance around 100 yards. Destroyed the right side shoulder knuckle, blew through both lungs, broke (but not explosively) the off side shoulder knuckle, and exited.

That bull made it almost 100 yards before he died under a snag.

A few years later I shot this bull at 68 yards with a 140 gr Partition from a 7mm-08, nearly identical mv. Put a hole in the left scapula, double lung, and lodged under the hide on the off side. The bull took one step forward, one step back, and fell over.

My favorite bull took a 180 gr Partition out of a 300 Wby Mag (oh my) double lung and made it over 100 yards before his brain ran out of oxygen.




P
 

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Pharmseller said:
Funny story, my brother center punched a 4x4 bull a few years ago shooting a 30-06 using 180 gr Nosler Partition, mv 2880. Distance around 100 yards. Destroyed the right side shoulder knuckle, blew through both lungs, broke (but not explosively) the off side shoulder knuckle, and exited.

That bull made it almost 100 yards before he died under a snag.

A few years later I shot this bull at 68 yards with a 140 gr Partition from a 7mm-08, nearly identical mv. Put a hole in the left scapula, double lung, and lodged under the hide on the off side. The bull took one step forward, one step back, and fell over.

My favorite bull took a 180 gr Partition out of a 300 Wby Mag (oh my) double lung and made it over 100 yards before his brain ran out of oxygen.




P
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See, the take away from that would be that 30 cals are marginal for killing elk! 😉
 
Marginal?

Granted, he’s a spike, but hard quartering away at 346 yards. Bullet took him far enough back on the right side that it exited in front of his left shoulder. Double lung. He dropped so fast I thought I had missed, and he ran off. When I recovered my sight picture from recoil I couldn’t see him. That was because he dropped at impact like a sack of bricks. 7mm-08, 140 gr Partition.

IMG_0695.jpeg




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