Best long range 6.5mm/.264 caliber for hunting deer sized animals

1st Choice: My 6.5 WinMag 31" 7.5T Stainless Hardy Eng Match is simply outstanding, very accurate at long range hunting and match. Very hard to beat with 150SMK, 247 ELDM, 140 Elites, or 140 RDF using RL33 or H4350 powder and H4831SC is a solid runner up. 3100+
2nd Choice: My 6.5x284 32" Carbon Fiber Hardy Eng 7.5T, it is phenomenally accurate at all ranges with 140 Elite, RDF, and ELDM using H4350, RETUMBO and H4831SC.
Both deliver single ragged holes at 100. 2950+

MoaFlat said:

1st Choice: My 6.5 WinMag 31" 7.5T Stainless Hardy Eng Match is simply outstanding, very accurate at long range hunting and match. Very hard to beat with 150SMK, 247 ELDM, 140 Elites, or 140 RDF using RL33 or H4350 powder and H4831SC is a solid runner up. 3100+
2nd Choice: My 6.5x284 32" Carbon Fiber Hardy Eng 7.5T, it is phenomenally accurate at all ranges with 140 Elite, RDF, and ELDM using H4350, RETUMBO and H4831SC.
Both deliver single ragged holes at 100. 2950+

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Edit 147 ELDM NOT 247

->1st I chose 6.5 Creedmoor in a Browning X-Bolt Pro.
->Then this year I bought the same rifle in 6.5 PRC B/c I thought it better suites hunting in Nevada where shots can be longer.

Won't be long 'til the 6.5 PRC surpasses the 6.5/284 a bit if only because Hornady has such a massive advertising budget. Both are about equal in energy and power.

Eric B.

Litehiker said:

->1st I chose 6.5 Creedmoor in a Browning X-Bolt Pro.
->Then this year I bought the same rifle in 6.5 PRC B/c I thought it better suites hunting in Nevada where shots can be longer.

Won't be long 'til the 6.5 PRC surpasses the 6.5/284 a bit if only because Hornady has such a massive advertising budget. Both are about equal in energy and power.

Eric B.

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I tend to agree, but unlike the 6.5CM, it will be a tougher job with the 6.5PRC. LOTS of competition, without having distinguishing characteristics other then decent factory ammo.....which in reality seems to be somewhat anemic...given its case capacity. Much like the 6.5x284, one has to be attentive to throating ,and action length to accommodate the heavy/high BC bullets. If Hornady is successful with the 6.5PRC, IMO, I don't think it will be so much that they are so good this time around, as it is their competitors are weak....and did not learn from the 6.5 Creedmoor experience....IMO.

Creedmoor shooter said:

Well if it was me, 6.5 CM with a 140 eld @ 2948fps out to about 700. Past that 6.5 prc from those choices, but that's why I own a 7mm rem mag

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I was thinking, must be RL26...haha, that's the only way. But even at that velocity, not enough umph for 700 yards to be confident. But yeah, that's why I own a 7 mag.

IdahoHunter208 said:

You get 2 votes. Make em good.

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There is no "best".

For my purposes the 260 rem and 264wm got votes but there's not enough difference in most of them to matter.

the 6.5CM and 6.5PRC though are the factory rounds that will dominate this century at least in bolt guns with the Lapua and Grendel dominating in gas guns.

I'm a big fan of the .264 Win Mag, but honestly, my first choice would have been the 6.5 Rem Mag I had one back when; and loved it, actually when it first came out in the Rem M700 BDL.... a fantastic Deer combo. Cheers.