6.5 To kill an elk?

BuzzH

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Apr 15, 2015
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Probably about to give some on this thread a trip to the emergency room with a heart-attack.

Last fall, 134 yards, 6mm Remington, 95 ballistic tip...shot it behind the near shoulder, bullet was under the hide on the opposite shoulder.





Be using the same rifle this year on 2 cow elk with 90 grain accubonds.

I ain't scared...
 
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JimP

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I don't think that anyone on here is saying that it won't kill a elk, it is just that there are better rounds out there to kill one.

A lot has to do with the shooter and his or her decision to pass up chancy shots on angles and longer ranges.

Nice shooting by the way.
 

Bonecollector

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Probably about to give some on this thread a trip to the emergency room with a heart-attack.

Last fall, 134 yards, 6mm Remington, 95 ballistic tip...shot it behind the near shoulder, bullet was under the hide on the opposite shoulder.





Be using the same rifle this year on 2 cow elk with 90 grain accubonds.

I ain't scared...
Good marksmanship. Probably not the best decision, but it worked out for the elk.
Ain't scared either so I shoot the bigger calibers at bigger critters. :p
 
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mosquito

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Probably about to give some on this thread a trip to the emergency room with a heart-attack.

Last fall, 134 yards, 6mm Remington, 95 ballistic tip...shot it behind the near shoulder, bullet was under the hide on the opposite shoulder.





I don't know if i agree with you or not but i love it . I have a 6.5 creedmoor and plan on my first elk hunt next year or the year after . I have done a lot of of reading and researching on forum along with you tube ect ... some people are so adamant that you HAVE to use a 50 bmg or a 338 or at the bare minimum 300 win mag or its not going to die . I think its cool that your not following the crowd and doing your own thing.
Having said all that i still think me personally im going to buy a bigger gun. ( mainly because i want to )

Be using the same rifle this year on 2 cow elk with 90 grain accubonds.

I ain't scared...
 
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ScottR

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All day long...already have.
I have known Buzz a long time, we probably talk a few times a year on the phone about something wildlife related. End of the day he is a killer and has his reasons, 134 yards makes for ethical clean kills.
 

JimP

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The problem arises when you have someone like a friend of mine from Texas. He purchased the almighty 6.5 Creedmore and planned to take it on a elk hunt. This is his first rifle besides a 22Lr that he has owned and quite likely the first one that he has shot since he got out of the army way back in 1976.

Is the 6.5 the proper rifle for him to take on a elk hunt?

I have no doubt that Buzz can shoot quite well and knows when to shoot and when not to, but what about a novice hunter? In my opinion for most hunters out there is is not the caliber to have in their hands when they head out into the elk hills.
 

ScottR

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The problem arises when you have someone like a friend of mine from Texas. He purchased the almighty 6.5 Creedmore and planned to take it on a elk hunt. This is his first rifle besides a 22Lr that he has owned and quite likely the first one that he has shot since he got out of the army way back in 1976.

Is the 6.5 the proper rifle for him to take on a elk hunt?

I have no doubt that Buzz can shoot quite well and knows when to shoot and when not to, but what about a novice hunter? In my opinion for most hunters out there is is not the caliber to have in their hands when they head out into the elk hills.
Agreed, totally different scenario, range time will be huge for that guy. Heavier bullet will be good and a good mentor to help him take an ethical shot IMHO.
 
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BuzzH

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The problem arises when you have someone like a friend of mine from Texas. He purchased the almighty 6.5 Creedmore and planned to take it on a elk hunt. This is his first rifle besides a 22Lr that he has owned and quite likely the first one that he has shot since he got out of the army way back in 1976.

Is the 6.5 the proper rifle for him to take on a elk hunt?

I have no doubt that Buzz can shoot quite well and knows when to shoot and when not to, but what about a novice hunter? In my opinion for most hunters out there is is not the caliber to have in their hands when they head out into the elk hills.
If he shoots it well, absolutely yes.

Doesn't sound like your friend from Texas has a lot of experience shooting harder kicking rifles.

I'd rather see a person shooting a smaller rifle they shoot well, than a larger one they don't shoot well. Elk hit in the vitals die the same with anything from a .22 centerfire to a .338, IME. Elk hit on the edges with anything from a .22 centerfire to .338 are going to give you grief, also IME.

The 3 most important things to killing big-game are: shot placement, shot placement, and shot placement roughly in that order.
 
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JimP

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Hopefully if the stars align I'll have him in the elk hills next fall.

I'll also have him out to the range to see just how well he can shoot that 6.5.

If it could go wrong this year it has gone wrong. 2020 will be a year for me to forget.
 
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mallardsx2

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The most rescent field and stream magazine has a write-up in there about the 6.5 PRC and how it is better than the 30-06. That certainly made me chuckle. lol
 
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Sawfish

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Some years ago I was on a group hunt in Texas shortly after the .300 WSM was introduced. A representative from one of the major ammunition companies was extolling the virtues and killing power of that cartridge. He turned to me and asked "what do you thing?". I guess that was because I was one of the "old fellows" (right CC?)". I asked him what advantages the new super cartridge offered over the .308 Norma, .300 Weatherby, or .338 Win. Mag. that I already owned. He drew himself up to his full height (which was not very tall) and declared "Folks like you are just bad for business". And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how you create perceived need where none exists.
 

JimP

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Some years ago I was on a group hunt in Texas shortly after the .300 WSM was introduced. A representative from one of the major ammunition companies was extolling the virtues and killing power of that cartridge. He turned to me and asked "what do you thing?". I guess that was because I was one of the "old fellows" (right CC?)". I asked him what advantages the new super cartridge offered over the .308 Norma, .300 Weatherby, or .338 Win. Mag. that I already owned. He drew himself up to his full height (which was not very tall) and declared "Folks like you are just bad for business". And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how you create perceived need where none exists.
He missed the big selling point of the round. It will fit in a short action rifle and doesn't have a belt.

At one time short action rifles laid claim that they weighed less than the long action ones. But if you compare the different actions now you will find that they weigh so close to the same that there isn't any difference. They also said that cambering a second round is quicker because of the shorter distance that the bolt has to travel, but that slight difference in case length isn't really saving any time.

He should of just said, because it is the newest and neatest new round out there.
 

mallardsx2

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Must have worked. I bought one. lol

I bought mine because a few years prior to owning one I wounded a huge black bear in PA with my dads 30-06 and thought I needed a bigger gun. lol Negative. I needed to learn how to wait for a better shot.

Although if I had been shooting ballistic tips I beleive that bear would be on my wall today....but thats besides the point.
 

Winchester

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Don’t want to highjack this thread but you could be right about killing the bear with ballistic tips. I’ve been using them in my 30-06 for a long time and they’re very good when you want bang-flop.