your 6.5 CM/elk experience

[BuckeyeRifleman]

Hesitant to post this because any time you post about things not going well the holier than thou asshole brigade comes out in force, even though it happens to everyone if you hunt long enough.

250 yard broadside shot on a cow. 143gr ELD-X. Well rested, shot felt good, good thwack, elk acted well hit.

Fresh snow on the ground… Never found a single drop of blood. I swore off that caliber/bullet combo for elk after that.

Swapped to a 7 SAUM and monos after that and have been pleased ever since.

Personally I blame the bullet more than the caliber (and yes, I could be to blame to.) Obviously 6.5 has killed lots of elk, but I’d stick to monos rather than non bonded bullets like ELD-X or Berger if you are going light for caliber. Not having an exit and therefore a light or non existent blood trail is not a fun time.

 

[bmart2622]

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.

Isnt a good way to learn by forming good shooting habits from a lighter recoiling rifle? Being able to put the bullet where it needs to go is more important than "growing a set of balls" and shooting a bigger caliber even if that means shooting a smaller caliber at effective ranges

 

[Indian Summer]

6.5 Creedmoor
140 grain ELD-M
86 yards, youngish 5x4 bull
Dropped in his tracks

It happens. Nobody ever said it hasn’t. Indians ran buffalo off of cliffs. There are better ways to kill them.

 

[MidGAHunter]

It happens. Nobody ever said it hasn’t. Indians ran buffalo off of cliffs. There are better ways to kill them.

Please explain these better ways to kill an elk than placing a good bullet exactly where it needs to go and dropping an animal in its tracks? How is it possible to be more efficient than exactly what I described?

 

[Shō[t]gun]

It happens. Nobody ever said it hasn’t. Indians ran buffalo off of cliffs. There are better ways to kill them.

how many times have you personally seen a good shot with a 6.5 Anything fail? This thread is titled experiences, I’d like to hear yours if you have them to back up the warnings.

 

[IDVortex]

M1 Abraham's are the only ethical elk weapon.

 

[Wyo_hntr]

Please explain these better ways to kill an elk than placing a good bullet exactly where it needs to go and dropping an animal in its tracks? How is it possible to be more efficient than exactly what I described?

You are wasting your time. Fuddlore trumps all

 

[HOT ROD]

Wife shoots a 6.5 Creedmoor Berger 130 otm deer elk and antelope do not make it far usually not out if sight...

 

[Hnthrdr]

Hesitant to post this because any time you post about things not going well the holier than thou asshole brigade comes out in force, even though it happens to everyone if you hunt long enough.

250 yard broadside shot on a cow. 143gr ELD-X. Well rested, shot felt good, good thwack, elk acted well hit.

Fresh snow on the ground… Never found a single drop of blood. I swore off that caliber/bullet combo for elk after that.

Swapped to a 7 SAUM and monos after that and have been pleased ever since.

Personally I blame the bullet more than the caliber (and yes, I could be to blame to.) Obviously 6.5 has killed lots of elk, but I’d stick to monos rather than in bonded bullets like ELD-X or Berger if you are going light for caliber. Not having an exit and therefore a light or non existent blood trail is not a fun time.

For sure, sucks losing an animal, thanks for sharing. Did you watch your impact or did the shot feel good? Not trying to be a naysayer you had a bad experience with that caliber/bullet.

I lost a bull with an arrow that I swore was perfect… but if I had to bet, I’m guessing it was my aiming and not the arrow/broadhead failing. I fall more in the camp that if your projectile hits the right vitals that animal is dead

I haven’t killed an elk with a 6.5, I don’t often rifle hunt elk. I have killed 2 mule deer and an antelope with it and they have all been DRT.

 

[BuckeyeRifleman]

For sure, sucks losing an animal, thanks for sharing. Did you watch your impact or did the shot feel good?

Shot felt good, didn’t watch the impact but my buddy said he thought it looked good.

Always a possibility that I pulled it but at that range I’m pretty confident with a decent rest. I was shooting off a downed log and felt solid. Who knows. I felt like it should’ve been fatal but even with a solid hit, no blood trail can make things really tough. Multiple elk so going just off of tracks was damn near impossible.

I’ve used that caliber/bullet combo with impressive results on mule deer doe and antelope, I just don’t think it’s solid enough for elk.

 

[Wyo_hntr]

For one, eldx bullets are not a bonded bullet. Secondly, I'd use an eldm over any mono or bonded bullet at the velocity of the creedmoor.

 

[BuckeyeRifleman]

For one, eldx bullets are not a bonded bullet. Secondly, I'd use an eldm over any mono or bonded bullet at the velocity of the creedmoor.

Tracking, typo in my post. It’s sorta funny that the “target” ELD-M has a better reputation for stopping game than the purpose built ELD-X.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

Tracking, typo in my post. It’s sorta funny that the “target” ELD-M has a better reputation for stopping game than the purpose built ELD-X.

I’d attribute that to most people that use ELD-M’s against “manufacturer’s recommendation” are doing it because they’ve done the research and are particular about their gear. They tend to be better shots than the reg joe that pulls a box of precision hunter off the shelves and expects a pass through like a bonded or solid.

 

[IDVortex]

Id actually would like to know what justifies a magnum to be a good elk cartridge when we have so many magnums? Or as long as the caliber have magnum in it, it's a good elk cartridge?

 

[tim tarras]

Hesitant to post this because any time you post about things not going well the holier than thou asshole brigade comes out in force, even though it happens to everyone if you hunt long enough.

250 yard broadside shot on a cow. 143gr ELD-X. Well rested, shot felt good, good thwack, elk acted well hit.

Fresh snow on the ground… Never found a single drop of blood. I swore off that caliber/bullet combo for elk after that.

Swapped to a 7 SAUM and monos after that and have been pleased ever since.

Personally I blame the bullet more than the caliber (and yes, I could be to blame to.) Obviously 6.5 has killed lots of elk, but I’d stick to monos rather than non bonded bullets like ELD-X or Berger if you are going light for caliber. Not having an exit and therefore a light or non existent blood trail is not a fun time.

I would blame the bullet too. Had my son using it when he was young. He shot a buck frontal at 50 yards or less. What should of have been a DRT was over a hundred yard tracking job. When processing the buck, I found the bullet had impacted on a rib and mushroomed. It was only fragments that made it through. It did kill the deer but I would never use it again as it too big of a chance of losing an animal due to lack of penetration.

 

[ManBun]

Isnt a good way to learn by forming good shooting habits from a lighter recoiling rifle? Being able to put the bullet where it needs to go is more important than "growing a set of balls" and shooting a bigger caliber even if that means shooting a smaller caliber at effective ranges

I agree with you on learning good shooting habits with lighter calibers. But that should be a stepping stone to the next caliber up for the animal you want to hunt. If you want to only hunt deer, antelope or elk in non pressured private land, then stop at a 6.5 cm, at an effective range, for all your needs. Pushed General season Public land Elk are tougher ( adrenaline does wonders) and after seeing a few elk killed the last 3 decades, calibers from .243 to .375’s, I will stick by my comment of needing a minimum of 7mm caliber on average ( your max yardage is according to the 7mm cartridge/bullet you choose) for elk.
In my post above I stated “new hunters that didn’t have a mentor to tell them to grow a set of balls” ( their father, grandfather, best friend, uncle, whoever you respect and push’s you that has years of experience hunting elk) knowing what it takes on average. They push you to shoot the same way with a 6.5 cm as with (for example) a 300 win mag in the same weight rifle! Not just stop at a 6creed or 6.5 cm because the bigger caliber has more recoil and can’t shoot as well. You practice to use the correct caliber for the job, so you shoot it just as well as a smaller caliber!

 

[Hnthrdr]

I agree with you on learning good shooting habits with lighter calibers. But that should be a stepping stone to the next caliber up for the animal you want to hunt. If you want to only hunt deer, antelope or elk in non pressured private land, then stop at a 6.5 cm, at an effective range, for all your needs. Pushed General season Public land Elk are tougher ( adrenaline does wonders) and after seeing a few elk killed the last 3 decades, calibers from .243 to .375’s, I will stick by my comment of needing a minimum of 7mm caliber on average ( your max yardage is according to the 7mm cartridge/bullet you choose) for elk.
In my post above I stated “new hunters that didn’t have a mentor to tell them to grow a set of balls” ( their father, grandfather, best friend, uncle, whoever you respect and push’s you that has years of experience hunting elk) knowing what it takes on average. They push you to shoot the same way with a 6.5 cm as with (for example) a 300 win mag in the same weight rifle! Not just stop at a 6creed or 6.5 cm because the bigger caliber has more recoil and can’t shoot as well. You practice to use the correct caliber for the job, so you shoot it just as well as a smaller caliber!

So 6.5CM can kill private land elk but not public?

 

[IDVortex]

So 6.5CM can kill private land elk but not public?

They wear level 4+ armor.

 

[Hnthrdr]

They wear level 4+ armor.

Makes sense now…

 

[HappyHuntr]

Isn’t a man-bun required when firing a 6.5cm?


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