Elk Rounds for 6.5 Creedmore

[VR17]

Just wondering about suggestions for 6.5 creedmore loads for elk. Thanks

 

[nhyrum]

I personally loaded the 142 accubond long range. My uncle used I believe the 140 grain accubond. My cousin(his son) has taken some big bulls with it in the creedmoor

 

[dashender7]

Following for insight as well. Particularly I'm hoping for perspective on whether 143 ELD-X is recommended.

 

[nhyrum]

Following for insight as well. Particularly I'm hoping for perspective on whether 143 ELD-X is recommended.

My second hand knowledge of the eldx had been that it performs very poorly. The people I've talked to(face to face) a few years ago pretty much all had the bullets go straight through without expanding. That's from 2 or three different people who all hunt a lot.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[mt100gr.]

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot any elk with either of my 147gr ELDM loads (2 different rifles) or my 156gr Berger load (another rifle). I've had and have seen solid terminal performance from the 143 ELDX bullet but I prefer the ELDM in my rifles.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Shoot what works best in your rifle and adjust your shot placement as needed.

Killed an assortment of animals from rabbits to a water buffalo with the ELD-X. Must be doing something wrong as they’ve all died.

Learn to pass on garbage shots (easier said than done at times myself included). Learn to shoot old faithful (lungs).

 

[LongWayAround]

I've killed a couple with the 142 accubond long range. The shots were very close though. I recovered one bullet from the offside hide with a pretty perfect mushroom shape. The other rounds all exited. Elk died more or less where they stood.

My buddy put a couple 143 eld-x from a prc in a bull at about 75 yards. I don't remember recovering any projectiles, nor entry/exit wounds, but that elk also didn't go anywhere.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

The eldx and other break apart bullets will kill them dead, especially of you hit em where it counts, but can be iffy of you hit bone, especially at longer ranges. If I had to use the Creedmoor for elk, I'd pick a bonded bullet like the accubond over the eldx.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I really like the 143gr eldx.

 

[Vern400]

I've shot a good bit of 6.5 CM. I can't help but think there are a whole bunch of better calibers for elk. Sure it will work but if energy is too low bullets may just slip through like a pencil. I also doubt a lot of guys will be selective enough with shots they take. Folks will get all torqued up over it, but the 6.5 CM wasn't designed for large game. I've found a lot of animals hunters "missed". You ain't got much punch to work with, boys and girls.

 

[nhyrum]

I've shot a good bit of 6.5 CM. I can't help but think there are a whole bunch of better calibers for elk. Sure it will work but if energy is too low bullets may just slip through like a pencil. I also doubt a lot of guys will be selective enough with shots they take. Folks will get all torqued up over it, but the 6.5 CM wasn't designed for large game. I've found a lot of animals hunters "missed". You ain't got much punch to work with, boys and girls.

The creedmoor is very very similar in terms of velocity as 6.5x55 swede, that has probably taken more moose than anything. The creedmoor is plenty for elk, and big elk too. My cousin has even taken black bear with his. Hell, people take elk with bows, but a creedmoor isn't enough? Yeah, your not going to be able to take shoulder shots, and none of the people I have talked to took shoulder shots, else they wouldn't have passed through the game. I've shot 600 and 1000 yard bench rest with these guys, and they can shoot. Now, a bench isn't the same as the field, but these were not novice hunters. None of them took shoulder shots. One eventually tracked it down a few hundred yards away, and the eldx just left a pencil hole in and out. Not that anyone is "doing anything wrong, and I'm not saying the eldx is a bad bullet, just that, from the SECOND HAND experience I have, it hasn't yielded good results

Some pictures of elk taken with the 140 ab

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

There's an ongoing thread about the 223 being well suited for elk. If you haven't read, then I recommend doing so.

If the 223 can reliably and cleanly take elk, then there is no reason that the ballistically superior 6.5 CM cannot.

 

[Vern400]

The creedmoor is very very similar in terms of velocity as 6.5x55 swede, that has probably taken more moose than anything. The creedmoor is plenty for elk, and big elk too. My cousin has even taken black bear with his. Hell, people take elk with bows, but a creedmoor isn't enough? Yeah, your not going to be able to take shoulder shots, and none of the people I have talked to took shoulder shots, else they wouldn't have passed through the game. I've shot 600 and 1000 yard bench rest with these guys, and they can shoot. Now, a bench isn't the same as the field, but these were not novice hunters. None of them took shoulder shots. One eventually tracked it down a few hundred yards away, and the eldx just left a pencil hole in and out. Not that anyone is "doing anything wrong, and I'm not saying the eldx is a bad bullet, just that, from the SECOND HAND experience I have, it hasn't yielded good results

Some pictures of elk taken with the 140 ab

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

Torqued up:
Every sentence I wrote was totally legit, and just a call for discretion. I shoot a good number of coyotes with a 22 Magnum. And I'd agree with you straight up if you said "I'm pretty sure there are a lot of better calibers for coyotes".

I don't know any professional elk guides but I've got a hunch they wouldn't recommend the 6.5 CM first or maybe at all if I just asked what I need to bring.

Glad you and your friends use discretion with shooting. Honestly, having a discussion like this without mentioning that there might be something better is a disservice to some. I fully expected to get pounded from the getgo. Hope you get a beautiful elk this season!

 

[Joshf303*]

139 Scenar for me...

 

[Mountainrancher]

I’d think the 140 accubond and shots under 400 yards would be my choice. That being said one of my hunters shot a cow with the 143 eldx at 531 yards. Slight quartering away shot hit her somewhere behind the shoulder don’t think she got 5 steps before she dropped.

 

[waitforit]

I don't shoot a 6.5CM but based on ballistics and bullet performance it would be hard to imagine that a 147 ELDM would not perform quite well out to 400 yards, maybe longer.

if energy is too low bullets may just slip through like a pencil.

Huh? If you have 1800+ fps the bullet will not pencil. "Energy" is an outdated way of thinking about performance. Forget about 6.5CM for a minute and think about a 140ish grain bullet hitting at 2000+ fps. That is lethal on an elk when placed in the heart/lung area, period.

In fact, I would bet you that a 6.5CM places a bullet with the same residual 'energy' and speed out to the same distance as a bigger caliber with average ammo. In other words I guess.. bullet design and impact velocity aka terminal performance is what matters.

 

[ATL]

At 8000' DA (Elk Country) a 6.5CM firing a 147 ELDM at 2745 fps provides 1500 ft./lbs. of energy at 600 yards, and 1800 fps at 973 yards. However you wish to measure effective terminal performance, a 6.5CM can meet the requirements for Elk further out than I wish to shoot at one. No matter the headstamp, shot placement matters the most. I just happen to like the way my 6.5CM places its shots.

I also like the performance demonstrated by the 143 ELDX, 140 EH, and 127 LRX in the 6.5CM.

 

[magnum44270]

140g partition or 142 ABLR which ever shoots better. I've killed 2 cow and one bull with 142s in my 6.5 Swede

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Those moose that get shot with the 6.5x55 are nowhere near the size of an Alaskan yukon moose or even a shiras moose for that matter.

 

[Macht]

I've had good luck with the 127 LRX with my 260 Rem, which is ballistically almost identical to the Creed. Longest elk kill was 350ish.