Taking a 6.5 CM as my 2025 moose rifle

[mxgsfmdpx]

Killing a moose on a moose hunt is not my biggest concern.
Stopping a pissed off grizzly that was surprised in the willows or on a gut pile is why I carry a "larger" rifle.

It’s interesting that internet theory and real life can be so different.

 

[BCDJR]

The guy above your post did it with a .22CM at well beyond 500yd.

It looked pretty big too...

I see someone showed a picture of “ someone he knew who supposedly shot” . I am sure the Athabascans killed them with a primitive bow and lots of arrows. In my case by guide told me to break the bull down where he stood. If he ran far we were going to be in for a long day getting him out. My 300 win mag allowed me to hit him in the shoulder and then follow up with a couple more. The previous season I killed a 9’ 3” grizzly about 3 miles from where I got the moose. Yes …..grizzly not brown. The scull made Boone and Crockett green score. Maybe the Alaskan gulde will pack an adequate backup.

 

[LongWayAround]

^sweet.

That's also not what the guy who shared the picture said...

 

[BRTreedogs]

Hope nobody watches the experience project next and sees a 6cm absolutely stomp a couple huge bulls.

If you want to shoot something bigger, so as to make it more deader then dead, fine.

But don’t get on the internet and pretend like a mid sized cartridge isn’t enough and the bullets just gonna bounce off.

I mean 200fps and 30 grains less bullet takes a cartridge from the most rooten tooten kill daddy cartridge, to an absolute non affective turd?

Come on.

The days of remembering the fudd days of year past when you shot old school light for caliber, poorly designed bullets out of a 3-4” @ 100 yard, leupold 4x that won’t hold zero system.
I mean, I’m sure people are still doing that.
But you shouldn’t.

A properly designed modern bullet, places with precision is effective.


You ability to place the bullet is way more important, and most likely way more in question.

 

[Jimss]

If it were me and didn’t have time to do hand loads I’d pick up a box of factory 300 win. Head to the range and have it sighted in in around 30 minutes. A box of 300 win is cheap and shoots amazing. If you are going guided and flying to your destination a premium box of factory loads is a fraction of the cost of your hunt.

I certainly hope it isn’t raining and the blood trail doesn’t disappear in a giant willow jungle. Yep, there still is doubt in your mind that this would happen with your Creedmore. My guess is that a 300 would slam him hard enough, even through a shoulder that you would get a 2nd shot? It may or may not with a creedmore.

There also is the chance you may not take a shoulder shot with your creedmore that could easily be possible with a 300 win. If you don’t take the shot and the mega-bull runs off you may be quite disappointed?

It sounds like your mind is made up and I hope it works out. There is the chance it will but is it worth the risk?

 

[Jon Boy]

I will be taking a 6.5 cm with 130 TMKS on my moose hunt this year. Sure hope a bullet doesn’t bounce off his shoulder! And im glad that 44 mags are acceptable grizzly medicine but a high power rifle cartridge isn’t…

 

[AZ_Hunter]

I will be taking a 6.5 cm with 130 TMKS on my moose hunt this year. Sure hope a bullet doesn’t bounce off his shoulder! And im glad that 44 mags are acceptable grizzly medicine but a high power rifle cartridge isn’t…

I find the large bore handgun being sufficient while a small bore high powered rifle cartridge isn’t argument funny too. The 130 TMK is several orders of magnitude more destructive than any 44 mag bullet could ever be.

 

[TopherDave]

This is why I don’t own a 6.5. Seems like whatever you have or prefer to shoot is “always ready” and we don’t have time to work something else up. I went from a .270 to 7mm in my young 20’s and have just stuck with a 7mm since. Thought about getting in on this band wagon and being different, looked at getting a 28 Nosler in the rifle I have now, but I ended up getting the gun I wanted in a 7mm for free…anything free is worth saving up for! Really it just comes down to shot placement. I’ve saw a couple of moose die with a .270 before. Also 7mm and .338. They all act pretty much the same. Couple of steps and stand there. Another shot or two they go down. I’ve heard second hand horror stories of them running a long ways like a poor shot on a whitetail. But of the 5 moose I’ve been in on, never had them go 20 yards. Not even the one with a bow.

Good luck!

 

[BCDJR]

check out Jim Shockey’s video Best Calibers for Moose Hunting.

 

[burborg]

... Maybe the Alaskan gulde will pack an adequate backup.

I talked to my Alaskan guide and he is bringing a 6.5 CM loaded with 140 gr Speer Gold Dots.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I talked to my Alaskan guide and he is bringing a 6.5 CM loaded with 140 gr Speer Gold Dots.

It’s only my opinion but the gold dot / fusion, terminal ascent, ect
Are better then sierra tmk or eld style highly frangable, I personally prefer to double lung punch big stuff and bonded or mono seems to work better for me
Over a tmk , just preferable for me and my hunting buddies and family

 

[burborg]

Hm. Maybe the guys on Rokslide are right...

 

[burborg]

Yep. I feel good about this choice.

 

[Jimss]

The price of factory ammo is a drop in the bucket compared to the $ for his hunt and the question remains unanswered until after the shot if the creedmore was enough! There is no question about a 300 win!

 

[S-3 ranch]

The price of factory ammo is a drop in the bucket compared to the $ for his hunt and the question remains unanswered until after the shot if the creedmore was enough! There is no question about a 300 win!

I’m sure the 6.5cm will work, the 6.5x55 sw has been successful on a smaller version of moose for a long while, but the Europeans use heavy bonded bullets
Or use a 9.3x62 on game like moose and massive hogs, and defense against bears. Just makes sense on heavy game

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’m sure the 6.5cm will work, the 6.5x55 sw has been successful on a smaller version of moose for a long while, but the Europeans use heavy bonded bullets
Or use a 9.3x62 on game like moose and massive hogs, and defense against bears. Just makes sense on heavy game

If he just makes sure to find a small moose he should be fine.

 

[EmperorMA]

It took me around an hour to dial in my 300 win mag a couple years ago. There is no doubt in my mind if I shoot a giant bodied bull with my 300 that it’s going to hit the ground hard after pulling the trigger with one shell.

The fact that you started this post means that you are unsure and questioning your confidence in your 6.5 on a species that can take a bit of punishment before falling.

Wet weather is a reality in Alaska and can wash blood within minutes after a shot if raining. You may feel incredibly bad if a bull you shoot with a 6.5 runs a ways, blood disappears, and you can’t find him in a 10 to 15’ tall alder jungle. Tall, thick tangled alder are also a reality to deal with in most Alaska moose units.

I wouldn’t exactly say a 6.5 would be my weapon of choice to anchor a bull in his tracks. You definitely don’t want to try shooting him through the shoulders trying to anchor him.

I have a Colo moose tag and if I end up rifle hunting I know which rifle I will grab…no questions asked!

There is absolutely nothing a .30 cal bullet will do to a moose that the same 6.5 bullet won't. As long as both hit the same spot with appropriate velocity, the is no difference anyone here would be able to discern.

Good shot with either? Dead moose.

Bad shot with either? More work to do.

 

[EmperorMA]

The price of factory ammo is a drop in the bucket compared to the $ for his hunt and the question remains unanswered until after the shot if the creedmore was enough! There is no question about a 300 win!

Absolutely zero difference between the two if the shot is in the same place. You could never tell the difference.