Longest Kill 6.5 Creedmoor

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Dec 28, 2019
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I want to get some real world experiences from others on the 6.5 Creedmoor as a long range hunting caliber. My ballistic table shows I’ve got enough power to ethically kill a whitetail out to 725 yards.

What are some long range kills you folks have had with the 6.5 Creedmoor?
 

Wetwork

Lil-Rokslider
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I got my cow elk at 550 two weeks ago...143Eldx hand load going 2950fps with RL26.. To be honest I don't care for the round but the BC was best, and my Bergara doesn't like Barnes which has been my favorite bullet. A quick prayer and boom, right though the heart. It was my longest shot ever on game. Bare in mind the cow was standing just outside of the herd standing broadside, in-between my 500 and 600 yard gongs so I was pretty confident. The 143 seperated and the core punched through the heart and the jacket decided to take another road and went through the off shoulder, so I lost a little bit of meat. She took two steps and flopped. I'm going to be working up another load with Hammers in the upcoming weeks to see if they are all that.-WW
 
OP
General RE LEE
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Dec 28, 2019
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I got my cow elk at 550 two weeks ago...143Eldx hand load going 2950fps with RL26.. To be honest I don't care for the round but the BC was best, and my Bergara doesn't like Barnes which has been my favorite bullet. A quick prayer and boom, right though the heart. It was my longest shot ever on game. Bare in mind the cow was standing just outside of the herd standing broadside, in-between my 500 and 600 yard gongs so I was pretty confident. The 143 seperated and the core punched through the heart and the jacket decided to take another road and went through the off shoulder, so I lost a little bit of meat. She took two steps and flopped. I'm going to be working up another load with Hammers in the upcoming weeks to see if they are all that.-WW

That is smoking out of a 6.5 Creedmoor. How long is your barrel? I get 2900 FPS out of my Tikka T3x with Superformance and 140 grain Sierra GameChanger.
 

BAKPAKR

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I shot a bighorn with my Tikka 6.5 CM and a 147 gr ELD-M at 417 yards. Although that is a long shot for me, I was pretty confident that the gun, cartridge, and bullet would work fine well beyond that distance. The bullet was still pretty explosive and I would not be worried about going out a couple hundred more yards with it. BTW, I was only getting 2625 fps using H4350.

97B0C0CA-961D-4146-BB92-2558D65ACFB4.jpeg
 
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790 on an antelope doe a few years back with federal premium 130 Barnes tsx. Coming out at 2800ft/sec of my Ruger American. One shot and down.
 

SDHNTR

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Aug 30, 2012
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I got my cow elk at 550 two weeks ago...143Eldx hand load going 2950fps with RL26.. To be honest I don't care for the round but the BC was best, and my Bergara doesn't like Barnes which has been my favorite bullet. A quick prayer and boom, right though the heart. It was my longest shot ever on game. Bare in mind the cow was standing just outside of the herd standing broadside, in-between my 500 and 600 yard gongs so I was pretty confident. The 143 seperated and the core punched through the heart and the jacket decided to take another road and went through the off shoulder, so I lost a little bit of meat. She took two steps and flopped. I'm going to be working up another load with Hammers in the upcoming weeks to see if they are all that.-WW
Come on now! 6.5 prc ok, but Creedmore?
 

Wetwork

Lil-Rokslider
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Feb 4, 2021
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Come on now! 6.5 prc ok, but Creedmore?
Just checked...48.7 gr rl26, I use a electric toothbrush to settle the grains...No extracter marks or heavy bolt lift. At 49 grains I showed both and my groups opened up so I backed if off a scootch. I also used bout a 1/8 on a Lee Crimp. My chrony isn't the best but plugging the fps I got into Strelok matched bullet drop pretty close. Don't use my brew, I'd research using RL26 in Creedmores on LRHF first. Guarantee you'all will put'cher eye's out.-WW
ps. Hornady brass
 
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TheGDog

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So what's the deal with all the Broseph down-talking people seem to like to do ith the 6.5 CM? Where did all that start from? Stuff like referring to it as teh 6.5 "Manbun" etc. WTF is up with that??
 

jhm2023

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So what's the deal with all the Broseph down-talking people seem to like to do ith the 6.5 CM? Where did all that start from? Stuff like referring to it as teh 6.5 "Manbun" etc. WTF is up with that??
Yea, I never could figure the reasoning for the creedmoor hate. Sure it's not my favorite but it is capable. Just this year I snagged my wife's creedmoor and took a really nice bear and a nice sheep and she has taken a few moose with it. I wonder how many creedmoor haters that throw around the manbun comments have ever laced up the boots for a 30+ mile trip into the backcountry to climb thousands of feet and kill a ram. I'll bet most are closer to being the manbun type than those us that chase sheep year after year and like getting up close and personal with bears.

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I have been hunting with a 6.5 Creed for the last five years for everything (deer/Elk/Bear). My main squeeze is a Ruger LRP 24" barrel. That being said, the longest ranges have been with deer. I took this buck at 996 yards. I shoot the Hornady 143G ELDX and they have been amazing for accuracy, repeatability, and lethality. All of my kills have been with one shot. I have read on forums that the 6.5 ELDX hasn't expanded for some at longer distances especially when velocity drops below 1600fps. I have not experienced this (The bullet in picture is from 996 yards located in exit wound after passthrough frontal shot in hide). So to answer your question; in my opinion the 6.5 Creed is perfect for anything under 700 yards in the lower 48. If I were going north for moose or grizzly 6.5 would not be my choice.

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Dec 14, 2020
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2950 is obtainable with rl 26. I was skeptical but have done it with very good accuracy as well. I was shooting 143 eldx from 24” savage fcp-sr. Not sure why all the hating on the creedmoore either. I’ve killed a few deer, my 11 year old has as well. Best wishes to all.
 
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Yea, I never could figure the reasoning for the creedmoor hate. Sure it's not my favorite but it is capable. Just this year I snagged my wife's creedmoor and took a really nice bear and a nice sheep and she has taken a few moose with it. I wonder how many creedmoor haters that throw around the manbun comments have ever laced up the boots for a 30+ mile trip into the backcountry to climb thousands of feet and kill a ram. I'll bet most are closer to being the manbun type than those us that chase sheep year after year and like getting up close and personal with bears.

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So what's the deal with all the Broseph down-talking people seem to like to do ith the 6.5 CM? Where did all that start from? Stuff like referring to it as teh 6.5 "Manbun" etc. WTF is up with that??

I believe it has to do with it being the cartridge of choice for many new shooters who go on and on about it being the best thing since sliced bread and it will drop a moose in its tracks at over a mile, while they aren’t able to hit a pie plate at 200 yards.

There isn’t a noticeable difference in the real world between the .260, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x55, or really even the 6.5-284 Norma.

However, none of them have the combination of off the shelf rifles with fast twists, and the wide variety of factory loaded ammo.
 
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I love looking at all the numbers (velocity/recoil/sectional density/drop/wind drift etc….

It’s is amazing how close some of the rounds are when you pick the right bullet for the caliber. Often times the recoil is the differing factor.

There is always a best and I like always trying to find the best, but so many of the caliber / bullet combinations are so close when you get down to it, so it comes down to what you want, what your unique purpose is, what you can get, do you reload or not, and what you have confidence in.


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TheGDog

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Yeah, I feel you on that do you reload part. I didn't have any equipment at first so I figured I'd better go .308 Win to ensure they're always be at least SOMETHING available. And it womps em good. But truthfully I could go without the recoil of the 168gr. Tried with some 150gr and feels better, but their BC's are lower for that Federal Power Shok Copper so more drop. and this place I've been hitting up is steep so I figure I'll need to possible make a shot as distances I haven't yet done before. So for now I opted to stay with the 168gr cause I know for sure it'll have buttloads of energy still on tap however far out it goes within my realistic skills which is likely only 200-250.
 
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I love looking at all the numbers (velocity/recoil/sectional density/drop/wind drift etc….

It’s is amazing how close some of the rounds are when you pick the right bullet for the caliber. Often times the recoil is the differing factor.

There is always a best and I like always trying to find the best, but so many of the caliber / bullet combinations are so close when you get down to it, so it comes down to what you want, what your unique purpose is, what you can get, do you reload or not, and what you have confidence in.


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Well, you see, I gut shot that elk at 175 yards because my cartridge of choice is 40 fps slower than the new 6.5 PRC. Since the wind was more like 12 mph rather than the 10 mph I’d estimated, my bullet drifted way more than I had guessed, so I hit a little bit back…
 
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Personally, 620 on a mule deer. My buddy killed a spike bull at 1120 this season. Top of the shoulders/neck with a 140 ELD M. Dropped in his tracks, the bullet exited and left a softball sized wound channel.
Not sure what his load is, mine was 2875 at the muzzle with 140 ELD Ms.
Somebody is going to cry about that story. Whoever does needs to get off the computer and shoot some stuff. I'm not saying it's an ideal 1k elk cartridge, but it's not incapable of it either.

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260madman

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My longest 6.5Jesus kill is a bit over 200 yards. My longest with a 260Rem is 540 yards with a 100gr NBT screaming at about 3500fps (I’d need to check my chrono notes for exact fps). Gun is a Salvage with a 28” Criterion 1 1/16“ diameter barrel. Watched the doe tip over in the scope.

I have 5 260s and 3 6.5 Jesus. I can pick on whoever I want.🤓
 
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