Pick a 6.5 Creedmoor Bullet for Elk

[Indian Summer]

I would shoot the heaviest bullet I could in the gun.

Nosler Accubond
Nosler Partition
Swift A frame
Hornafay 143 eld x

Expect a new hunter to make a bad shot and buy a tough, heavy for caliber bullet that will stay together and carry energy. You seem to be on thr right path.

Plan for the worst case scenario and try to avoid it.

This topic will have a lot of opinions so be prepared...

For my two daughters, who both shoot 7-08, they shoot Barnes 145s at deer. If either got an elk tag, I would load up whatever the biggest bullet I could in the gun and let them go to town. Both are killers starting at 12, both neither have killed an elk yet.

Ditto! The heaviest one possible. Then look at the energy down range and limit your shot distance according to that and her shooting abilities. That’s going to be exciting!!! Best of luck to you!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

124g hammer hunter with a stiff load of varget or h4350 behind it.

 

[7LRM]

I prefer to hunt elk with 300 WM or 7LRM. I wouldn’t bring 6.5 CM to go elk hunting, I rather shoot 180 gr HH at the Elk than 143 gr.

 

[roosiebull]

So what does fit-lbs of energy do?

Projectile be damned, ft/lbs makes supernatural powers… the head stamp is the source of the supernatural powers… flinching gives the bullet a little more knockdown power as well

 

[jrod1987]

Hornady 143 ELDX. great bullet! high BC and good expansion over broad range of velocity.

 

[TylerChase]

Has anyone shot Federal Premium's 130gr Terminal Ascent?

 

[BjornF16]

A few have posted results with 130 TA at this thread:

6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

Seeing that the 223 thread is such a success, I thought maybe I would start one for the Creedmoor/260. Seems like people are asking a lot about using them and various bullets, especially for elk. I've used mine for the last few years almost exclusively. I have some pics of bullet damage, albeit...

www.rokslide.com

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Hammer hunter 124g or a 130g accubond.

 

[Wickss]

Gonna try and bring this thread back to life. Why not? it's been 3 hunting seasons since the last post......

I have exact same situation, 13 yr old daughter and I going on her first Elk hunt this coming Oct.

1. Yes she is a great shot out to 350 yrds, I won't let her take a shot on a Bull past 300 yd during this hunt.
2. I reload for her Ruger Gen II, I can't find a bullet it doesn't like. I've reloaded everything from 100 gr ELD-VT to 124 Hammer to 140 gr AB. All shoot damn near 1/2 MOA, so i'm really not worried about the "pick the bullet the rifle likes"

What I would like to hear are the real life experiences, "I shot my bull elk using my 6.5 CM using _______ bullet." And then your real world thoughts on how that bullet performed.

 

[omicron1792]

Gonna try and bring this thread back to life. Why not? it's been 3 hunting seasons since the last post......

I have exact same situation, 13 yr old daughter and I going on her first Elk hunt this coming Oct.

1. Yes she is a great shot out to 350 yrds, I won't let her take a shot on a Bull past 300 yd during this hunt.
2. I reload for her Ruger Gen II, I can't find a bullet it doesn't like. I've reloaded everything from 100 gr ELD-VT to 124 Hammer to 140 gr AB. All shoot damn near 1/2 MOA, so i'm really not worried about the "pick the bullet the rifle likes"

What I would like to hear are the real life experiences, "I shot my bull elk using my 6.5 CM using _______ bullet." And then your real world thoughts on how that bullet performed.

I shot my bull elk with 6.5 PRC 140gr tipped federal fusion. I’ve posted autopsy photos and reports here. It’s the perfect bullet for the job imo. Didn’t take a step, good penetration, good fragmentation and damage.

Ate elk meat tacos last night from the kill.

 

[Wickss]

Ironic, you mentioned both the PRC and the terminal ascent.

We have a 6.5 PRC in a Seekins havoc that is a very sweet rifle, and crazy accurate as well. I got my daughter behind it and after one shot, she said nope, going back to my rifle lol. We shoot suppressed on all our rifles but the PRC definitely has a little more pop especially if you only weigh 93 pounds.

I know she will graduate to the PRC in the future, but I don’t think we will make that jump in the next few months.

The terminal ascent is actually one bullet I have not tried in the Creedmoor, but have researched it and listen to many podcast on it and it seems like a perfect all-around bullet.

Thanks for sharing your advice!

 

[CoMulies]

Ironic, you mentioned both the PRC and the terminal ascent.

We have a 6.5 PRC in a Seekins havoc that is a very sweet rifle, and crazy accurate as well. I got my daughter behind it and after one shot, she said nope, going back to my rifle lol. We shoot suppressed on all our rifles but the PRC definitely has a little more pop especially if you only weigh 93 pounds.

I know she will graduate to the PRC in the future, but I don’t think we will make that jump in the next few months.

The terminal ascent is actually one bullet I have not tried in the Creedmoor, but have researched it and listen to many podcast on it and it seems like a perfect all-around bullet.

Thanks for sharing your advice!

+1 on the 130 TA. It’s lights out from my T3x 6.5 prc.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

130 TMK out of a 16” was almost too destructive at 300 yards. That bullet is vicious.

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

She has taken a couple of mule deer, a whitetail and a Pronghorn, the longest shot of which was 387 yards. All were uneventful one shot kills using 120gr NBT.

She bangs steel quite well at 800 yards using the 140gr ELD-M.

Use the eldm murder bullets then! It will work!

 

[HOT ROD]

Wife shoots a 6.5 Creedmoor and has killed numerous elk with the Berger 130 otm and recently the Sierra 130 TMK running them at 2850 fps out of a tikka

 

[LongWayAround]

Gonna try and bring this thread back to life. Why not? it's been 3 hunting seasons since the last post......

I have exact same situation, 13 yr old daughter and I going on her first Elk hunt this coming Oct.

1. Yes she is a great shot out to 350 yrds, I won't let her take a shot on a Bull past 300 yd during this hunt.
2. I reload for her Ruger Gen II, I can't find a bullet it doesn't like. I've reloaded everything from 100 gr ELD-VT to 124 Hammer to 140 gr AB. All shoot damn near 1/2 MOA, so i'm really not worried about the "pick the bullet the rifle likes"

What I would like to hear are the real life experiences, "I shot my bull elk using my 6.5 CM using _______ bullet." And then your real world thoughts on how that bullet performed.

There are a lot of dead elk (and other critters) in the thread linked two posts above yours.

 

[Shortschaf]

Wife shoots a 6.5 Creedmoor and has killed numerous elk with the Berger 130 otm and recently the Sierra 130 TMK running them at 2850 fps out of a tikka

6.5 prc?
Please provide barrel length, make, and cartridge

 

[lak2004]

140 or 147 eldm

 

[SouthPaw]

What I would like to hear are the real life experiences, "I shot my bull elk using my 6.5 CM using _______ bullet." And then your real world thoughts on how that bullet performed.

I've killed four Roosevelt Elk in the past 2.5 years with a 6.5cm.

130gr TMK (571yds)
135gr DRT (452yds)
140gr ELD-M (275 and 405yds)

All four animals didn't go more than 20 yards. Each bullet performed as expected with good fragmentation, adequate penetration and devastating wounds. For your daughter's hunt, the 130gr TMK with a light/moderate charge should provide the least recoil with exceptional terminal performance.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

I'm going with the 147gr M's.