6.5 CM, 6.5 PRC Enough/Effective for Elk?

Yes, bullets work when they are above their velocity needed to upset.

Many examples of 6.5s killing elk, some on here many on other forums. And 6mms… and 223s…

If a 6.5prc can kill them the same bullet from a creed or a 260 can too. Same impact velocity is same impact velocity, doesn't matter where it started matters where it ended

Gday Darryle sorry for delay

Darryle said:

@fordy do you have weights for those critters? Leave it to @fordy to walk in a drop some reality.

Today moreso than ever in the history of hunting has there been a case to run what you bring. Bullet construction and reasonable placement trump diameter, just look at the Rokslide 223 77gr TMK thread.

Now if you want to discuss shooter ability combined with smaller calibers, that is a valid discussion. To simply cast aside a chamber simply because of diameter is foolish.

A 338 is just as capable of failure in the wrong hands as a 223 is capable of success in the right hands. Margin of error only comes in to play based on the skill set of the hunter.

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Those critters ranged from around 400 to 1600 lbs ( I wish we had of taken the 2000 lb plus fellas but those were taken with a 375 but man alive what a stupid decision as data would have been extremely valuable but next time right )

Note on a couple of those critters are angled racking shots
These are some of the worst we can encounter especially the left side of the critter & sorts out a pill pretty quickly & would have I done those 25 odd years ago with bullets in 6.5 no darn way ( I've tried with a 270 back then & failure on racking even on frontal with the likes of the great partition pill or other failures was a pretty common occurrence )

On the average we are truly blessed on the new pills of today & we should forget about the caliber & actually look what the pill is capable of in the way it wounds across various resistances it would surprise some what some pills are capable of & those critters opened my eyes once a 6.5 impacted them but projectile choice is critical in doing this & even in the same brand we still need to be really careful

I've seen a 224 cal do way better work than a lot of 6 mm & so on

I just need to follow my own advice & stop reverting to my 375's
But they are fun lol


Shooter abilities is one that is also often overlooked or another way to look @ it the smaller calibers can give a shooter the better ability to place it correctly

I like , shoot what you can shoot well & be proficient @ doing it under various scenarios
Do that & it's get your knife out
Cheers

Our best selling bullet to date has been the 124gr Hammer Hunter. I don't have precise data on this but I'm pretty comfortable saying most of those sales went to Creedmoor shooters. I am also comfortable saying the we probably have more elk taken with that bullet than anything else we sell. The terminal ability of these bullets is exceptional and brings the smaller cartridges up to higher level of killing. Now the new 125gr Hammer HHT is surpassing the 124gr HH in sales. The pics that @fordy posted were kills using the 125gr HHT from the BeanMore. The BeanMore ballistics are right between the creed and the prc. As the manufacture of these bullets I was stunned with the performance of the 125gr Hammer HHT. It is at another level.

Now the short answer. Both cartridges are capable elk hunters. The prc is capable a couple hundred yards farther.

RockyMtnMT said:

Our best selling bullet to date has been the 124gr Hammer Hunter. I don't have precise data on this but I'm pretty comfortable saying most of those sales went to Creedmoor shooters. I am also comfortable saying the we probably have more elk taken with that bullet than anything else we sell. The terminal ability of these bullets is exceptional and brings the smaller cartridges up to higher level of killing. Now the new 125gr Hammer HHT is surpassing the 124gr HH in sales. The pics that @fordy posted were kills using the 125gr HHT from the BeanMore. The BeanMore ballistics are right between the creed and the prc. As the manufacture of these bullets I was stunned with the performance of the 125gr Hammer HHT. It is at another level.

Now the short answer. Both cartridges are capable elk hunters. The prc is capable a couple hundred yards farther.

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Wow! That is great! Thank you for the info!!

RugerHawg413 said:

Hello,
I have two rifles that I am deciding on which one of them to make my main go to rifle, one is a 6.5 CM and the other is a 6.5 PRC. The only concern that I have about them is, is that are either 6.5 CM or 6.5 PRC effective on elk? I have heard a lot of people go back and forth regarding 6.5 CM for elk. But, I am having a harder time finding info regarding 6.5 PRC on elk. I prefer the 6.5 CM rifle to the 6.5 PRC. So, I guess my real question is 6.5 Creedmoor effective on elk??

I have found a 7mm rem mag that I like, but would rather not spend the cash on something while I already have something that works just fine.

Any and all info and wisdom are appreciated! Thank you!

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real world, if you can't get it done with those 6.5's then one's going to have issues with most any round. Look for people who've actually taken elk (let me say that again...) and listen to what they have to say.

The 124 Hammer will do fantastic!

You'll be just fine! There a ton load of bullets that will reduce an elk to the freezer very quickly out of those 6.5's. Place the bullet in the right and good things will happen!

dogz said:

real world, if you can't get it done with those 6.5's then one's going to have issues with most any round. Look for people who've actually taken elk (let me say that again...) and listen to what they have to say.

The 124 Hammer will do fantastic!

You'll be just fine! There a ton load of bullets that will reduce an elk to the freezer very quickly out of those 6.5's. Place the bullet in the right and good things will happen!

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Understood! Thank you for the wisdom and info!

snox801 said:

Depends on weight of bullet and barrel length. I gained nothing with 26 in a 22" tube. But lost with it using the 123gr hammer. I have best luck with varget or rl15

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Was this in the creed or PRC?
Looking for 123 AH in the PRC. Tried RL26, but not liking it.

Either one is fine for elk, the question to ask is how far you want to hunt. Look up the terminal velocity for the bullet your using and see if its TV is within your range limit. That will tell you which rifle to use.

Koda_ said:

Either one is fine for elk, the question to ask is how far you want to hunt. Look up the terminal velocity for the bullet your using and see if its TV is within your range limit. That will tell you which rifle to use.

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Understood. Thank you!!

When these types of questions come up, I often ponder how many elk fell to the new whiz-bang 30-30 starting in about 1895? The 30-30 may very well have accounted for more big game taken in those first 40 years than all others combined...??

Yes, there are much better choices available to us now....but if a 30-30 would kill elk back then, I suspect a CM will kill them now absent some kind of evolutionary miracle....

.

Shane Lindsey said:

Was this in the creed or PRC?
Looking for 123 AH in the PRC. Tried RL26, but not liking it.

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This was in a creedmore. I think 26 is to slow unless you have enough barrel to burn it slow.

choprzrul said:

When these types of questions come up, I often ponder how many elk fell to the new whiz-bang 30-30 starting in about 1895? The 30-30 may very well have accounted for more big game taken in those first 40 years than all others combined...??

Yes, there are much better choices available to us now....but if a 30-30 would kill elk back then, I suspect a CM will kill them now absent some kind of evolutionary miracle....

.

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I agree but I bet it also accounted for more wounded and lost game than the rest also. I've been on public land elk hunting and seen people use them. In fact last year saw a guy saw away at a herd of elk with one for 500 yards out. While standing freehand. Never went and even tried to look for blood. He turned and said welp didn't get one and walked back to his truck.

snox801 said:

I agree but I bet it also accounted for more wounded and lost game than the rest also. I've been on public land elk hunting and seen people use them. In fact last year saw a guy saw away at a herd of elk with one for 500 yards out. While standing freehand. Never went and even tried to look for blood. He turned and said welp didn't get one and walked back to his truck.

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That kind of stupidity has nothing to do with caliber tho! I've seen morons do that with their 300 magnums as well. If you pull the trigger, you go check for blood, even if you're certain you missed. That's how I was raised anyway.

snox801 said:

This was in a creedmore. I think 26 is to slow unless you have enough barrel to burn it slow.

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Need to chrono, but the 110 HH/PRC with Rl26 looks promising.



Not terrible for a 7 pound rifle.