Pick a 6.5 Creedmoor Bullet for Elk

[Josh Wright]

At am altitude above 5000 the 127 gr lrx has an energy over 1000 all the way to 600. Why people still think they should carry bazookas in woods all the time, is beyond me.

 

[Wrongside]

Absolutely!

147s wouldn’t scare me a bit after the performance they’ve given me either. My daughter will be packing one of those two on her cow hunt this winter.

The 147ELD has been performing very well for us on flesh too. Small sample size so far, but I'm gaining confidence in it and will use it to fill my elk tag this year.

But a quartering away shot thru the hams isn't a shot I'd take with any rifle or bullet combo- on any animal- so my criteria may differ from other posters...

 

[deerkiller]

there are bullets that lose less than 5% of their weight on impact as designed, there are bullets that are designed to fragment after 2"-4" of penetration to destroy internal tissue/organs and then there are bullets that simply regularly come apart, YOU choose

 

[deerkiller]

At am altitude above 5000 the 127 gr lrx has an energy over 1000 all the way to 600. Why people still think they should carry bazookas in woods all the time, is beyond me.

"cute" comparison …… I'd not call my .280 AI a "bazooka" though, I'd call it "MORE capable"

 

[Dusty2426]

143eldx slight quarter away on average muley started life at 143 ended at 56. Imagine a not so perfect shot on an elk? Not when my freezer is on the line. Deer or smaller maybe. Bigger than deer give me a partition or quality bonded

 

[Josh Wright]

"cute" comparison …… I'd not call my .280 AI a "bazooka" though, I'd call it "MORE capable"

I don't disagree with that statement, but to say a 6.5 CM is a 300 yard rifle is just not accurate.

 

[brsnow]

I don't disagree with that statement, but to say a 6.5 CM is a 300 yard rifle is just not accurate.

I use a .280 AI with e-tips and still think managing distance with mono bullets is a solid idea. So for me either a 6.5 or .280 AI will do at distances I feel good I will get enough expansion.

 

[deerkiller]

I don't disagree with that statement, but to say a 6.5 CM is a 300 yard rifle is just not accurate.

I didn't say that ? a .22 lr isn't either yet I've "seen" them kill sage rats at nearly 300 ? So, what's your point ? that it CAN be done ? lots of things seemingly difficult or nearly impossible "can" be done but that does not mean they SHOULD be done …..

 

[deerkiller]

143eldx slight quarter away on average muley started life at 143 ended at 56. Imagine a not so perfect shot on an elk? Not when my freezer is on the line. Deer or smaller maybe. Bigger than deer give me a partition or quality bonded

or maybe a Berger HUNTING, Cutting Edge, Hammer or ?? I totally agree with this statement (and perfect example) though

 

[joshf303]

But a quartering away shot thru the hams isn't a shot I'd take with any rifle or bullet combo- on any animal- so my criteria may differ from other posters...

Agreed 100%... while still a hard concept for some.

 

[mncoolbeans]

Documentation? This seems unlikely since Speer lists ver different sizes and weights from what Federal uses in the Fusion lineup.

My neighbor works at Federal in Anoka, MN. He reloads in his garage for me all the time. Believe what you want, not trying to split hairs or anything. Just stating what I've seen and been told by him.

 

[EmperorMA]

No

My neighbor works at Federal in Anoka, MN. He reloads in his garage for me all the time. Believe what you want, not trying to split hairs or anything. Just stating what I've seen and been told by him.

Not impugning you at all here. I’ve just never seen this documented anywhere or ever seen Federal claiming this.

The Fusions are good bullets. It’d be nice to load some up on the cheap.

 

[mncoolbeans]

No

Not impugning you at all here. I’ve just never seen this documented anywhere or ever seen Federal claiming this.

The Fusions are good bullets. It’d be nice to load some up on the cheap.

Not a problem, I'm not sure who Speer or Federal own the Rights to the bullet or maybe they both do thus why the different Calibers and Grains for each company. But yes it's a great bullet.

 

[Formidilosus]

The Speer Gold Dot rifle bullets and Federal Fusions are identically constructed. If they are the same weight, they are the same bullet.

 

[sunuvuhgun]

143eldx slight quarter away on average muley started life at 143 ended at 56. Imagine a not so perfect shot on an elk? Not when my freezer is on the line. Deer or smaller maybe. Bigger than deer give me a partition or quality bonded

6.5x55

Read the reloading bullet info and closing comments. Different cartridge but interesting information about the bullet availability

 

[BjornF16]

OP...did y’all bag an elk?

I used factory Hornady 150 ELD-X from 280 Rem last year to take 440lb cow elk. It worked quickly from 265 yards. Cow made it 10 yards and dropped. Broke ribs on both sides before it exited.

My understanding is the .264 ELD-X bullet has narrower tip opening than it’s bigger brothers making it less effective in opening. I haven’t compared as I’ve never bothered with .264 ELD-X before.

I have a Barret Fieldcraft on order now that I plan on hunting CO/NM elk with next year. Interested to hear from Dusty2426 on how it performs.

 

[LongWayAround]

I used the 142 accubond lr successfully on a cow elk at close range and again on a Sitka blacktail at about 180 yards. Three bullets, six holes. I'll keep shooting them until provided reason not to.

My buddy was using the 143 eldx. He said they blew up on an antelope but it did pass through a blacktail at 275.

 

[Hucker]

I shot a 6x6 bull elk at 452 yds with 147 eld-m out of my 6.5 cm. DRT. Perfect broadside shot.

My 14 y.o. shot his first bull with the same round out of his 6.5 cm at 60 yds. DRT. Perfect broadside shot.

But, I shot an AZ coues deer with the 143 eld-x in the fall. 277 yds. First shot hit the shoulder blade and blew through. Very little damage internally. Second round entered behind the shoulder and passed through, severing the offside front leg at the knee joint. Down it went. Gave it an hour to die.

When I approached it, hoping it died in its bed, it was still alive. Two more shots at 15yds through neck and then its face. Buck running around like crazy (and returned to its same bed). I finished it off in its bed. I lost faith in that eld-x bullet.

Cannot complain about the results of the -m on our elk, but damn I hated that experience on the deer. Gonna stay with the -M's, as my Tikkas shoot them great.

Shoulder blade eld-x:

Blood from my bull with eld-m:


Packing out:


Just a cool pic....someone missed him before I got my chance:

 

[TxxAgg]

ELD-X is fine. I prefer the 147gr ELD-M’s of the two, but either will kill.

Have killed, and seen killed quite a few with 6.5 Creedmoors to way beyond 400 yards. Normal Accubonds, monos, Partitions, as well as Bergers, ELD-M and X, Scenars, SMK’s, etc.

What PF wrote above is terminal ballistic reality. “Ft-lbs energy” is not a wounding mechanism and has no bearing on how well a bullet/cartridge kills.

Tissue destruction is what you’re after. The more tissue destroyed, the faster things die. The slowest killers in all animals, including elk are deep penetrating, minimal expanding bullets such as monos. They are the bullets that give cartridges such as the Creedmoor it’s “marginal” label. Old thinking dies hard, and when most were raised on magnums it only seems to makes sense that penetration is what you give up by going smaller. It’s not. Until you get to extremes (22cals for elk for instance) penetration is not really the problem. The real problem with smaller rounds/bullets is reduced wound size and tissue destruction. Small, narrow wound channels are exactly opposite of what you want terminally- especially so with smaller cartridges. What people think is the right answer is the exact thing causing them to think of cartridges as minimal.

The smaller a round, the more important it is to pick a bullet that has sufficient penetration, yet creates as wide a wound as possible.


My choices would be Berger VLD’s 130+ grains, Hornady 147gr ELD-M or 143gr ELD-X, or Heavy Lapua Scenars. If it just had to be “hunting” bullets then- Federal Edge TLR would be tops, with Partition, Accubonds, etc after.

Great info. Thanks.

 

[bjm417]

So, if you drew a very favorable elk tag and you had a 14-year-old girl who can shoot the hell out of her Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Compact in 6.5 Creedmoor, what bullet would you use for her to have a crack at a big bull from 25 - 500 yards?

I’ll tune it to her rifle, for sure. Shots will most likely be over 100 yards. I have great confidence she’ll put it where it needs to go from nearly any angle.

What bullet would you choose? Not based on what your rifle likes best, but based on what you’d want up the spout when a true trophy bull makes himself available.

I’m leaning 143 ELD-X because I’ve only heard very good things about its performance, except for those who have made a bad shot then blamed the poorly-aimed bullet for its “lack of performance.”

I can certainly be swayed by experience. Tell me what you’d use if given a choice and no other constraints. Thanks!

OP - What was your final decision on this?