your 6.5 CM/elk experience

handwerk

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Messages
1,927
Location
N.E. Mn. / Mt.
Not looking for opinions, just the facts:
IF you have killed elk what where your results with this cartridge?
Helpful would be:
range
bullet
 

h2so4

WKR
Joined
Oct 10, 2019
Messages
736
Location
Colorado
 

spur60

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
285
Mature cow, 160 yards broadside, 143 gr eldx, double lung pass through with chunks of lung and tissue blown out the exit hole. She went maybe 30 feet?
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
2,777
I've shot three elk with my 6.5CM.

Bull 170yd 147gr ELD-M, two shots DRT.

Cow 60yd 142gr ABLR, two shots DRT.

Cow 30yd 142 ABLR, two shots DRT.
 
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
456
Location
Spokane, Washington
I have shot one bull with my creedmoor. 143 grain ELDX, one shot, 457 yards. He was little above me and he was slightly quartering towards me. The bullet went through the lungs and lodged in the spine. He stumbled for about 10 feet and tipped over.
 

House21

FNG
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
Messages
85
Mature cow 1st shot 250 yards double lung, ran 10 yards another shot through both lungs and she dropped. 143gr eldx, both bullets were found against the hide
 

MTguy0341

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Messages
282
Location
Montana
Two bulls, both around 50 yards with 143gr eldx. One ran 10 yards and piled up. The other ran 30 yards and took three shots total
 

CoHntr82

FNG
Joined
Oct 9, 2020
Messages
65
2 cows
140yd 2 rounds
200yds single round
Both went less than 50yds

5x6 at 320yd 1 round
went maybe 10yds

All 3 with 143gr eldx

My 300wm had taken a pretty serious tumble so I was basically forced to hunt with it the first year I used it. I was definitely skeptical at first but after I was very impressed.
 

joehew89

FNG
Joined
Feb 14, 2024
Messages
44
143 eldx, cow elk @ 450 yards. First shot boiler room hunched her up. Took off with the herd caught up to her about 300 yards later and one more shot put her down. Both shots would have been in the 10 ring. Killed 3 bucks and a bear with the same bullet. All of them required follow up shots. Never had a critter DRT with the 6.5cm
 

Tmac

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
921
A 260 Rem, a couple youth hunters, but close enough.

About 175 yards, one broadside shot through both lungs, heart untouched. 140gr Rem Core-lokt. Cow went about 35 yards and fell over.

About 125 yards, one shot broadside through both lungs and tore up the hearts plumbing pretty good. 140gr Rem Core-lokt. Cow went about 20 yards and fell over.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,356
In my experience, it’s like disco. Everyone’s talking about it. Some people are doing it. But eventually it’ll fade away and we’ll go back to the good old tried and true stuff.
 

ManBun

FNG
Joined
Jan 27, 2023
Messages
54
I agree, I think that the movement to 6.5 or less rifle calibers for elk isn’t going away, but doesn’t mean I agree with it. I do believe that with the newer bullets, heavier bullets and faster twist calibers out now that one caliber down from below works just as well. So if you used a 30 cal regularly on elk before, I believe you would get the same performance from a 7mm now. Myself personally I wouldn’t go any smaller than a 7mm caliber on elk.
In my opinion I think the craze for going to light calibers for elk came from all the new hunters that showed up the last few years, that never shot a rifle before, and didn’t have a mentor to tell them to grow a set of balls and don’t flinch like a bitch from recoil and noise!!!
Respect the animal and learn how to toughen up, as the elk deserves a higher possibility of a quick death from a well placed bigger caliber than a 6.5 or smaller.
 
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