6.5 creedmoor for elk

[colohunter]

Apologies if this has been asked but I have a line on a Cooper in 6.5 cm and mostly hunt elk. I know the 260 rem is sufficient so the 6.5 should be fine too, right? Thanks much for any help as I'm new to anything other than 308 and 30.06

 

[colohunter]

Wow, must be a really stupid question, guess the 260 and the 6.5 are essentially the same, sorry to waste your time

 

[WildRose]

You aren't wasting anyone's time. That's what we're here for.

It's not as much a matter of caliber as it is putting the shot in the right spot.

If you are trying to punch the shoulders for a high shoulder/spine shot at 600+ I'd say go much bigger.

If you are patent enough to ensure you always get the bullet in the heart/lungs and limit yourself to 600yds or less then I'd say without question it's enough gun for the job.

Putting it in the right spot is what matters most.

 

[Alan Griffith]

Killed a spike elk last week at 950 with my 6.5x47 running the Matrix 142 VLD at 2917 fps. Quartering to, hit him just in front of the shoulder, angling into his chest cavity. Took a few seconds before I even saw a reaction. It was late and cold so no autopsy.

Alan

 

[SansSouci]

WildRose,

Your reply was one of the best replies I have ever read on any forum. If young hunters understood the valuable concepts that you have conveyed, cartridge selection for them would be a whole lot easier.

I love cartridge debates as much as anyone. But when a hunter tries to tell me that a .300 Wby Mag will kill elk deader than a .308 Win, I bow out. No elk knows whether a .308 Win or a .300 Wby Mag stopped its heart from pumping oxygenated blood. After all, dead is dead, and you can't get any deader than dead.

 

[colohunter]

Thanks WildRose and others, I thought so and agree 100%, just wanted to check with all you seasoned elk guys

 

[BUSTINDOGS]

I plan to take my 6.5 creed moor with me to Montana this fall, I really want shoot an elk with it, but I have much more confidence in my 30.06 as I have shot many deer with it, and always seem to reach for it when walking out the door. I hope to break that habit this fall as I know the creed moor is very capable.

 

[Brewer]

+1 for bullet placement. Oh ya, but then remember, there is 'graveyard dead'... that always me laugh when I hear it. "killed them Prairie Dogs graveyard dead with my 338LM"....

Good luck on your elk hunt.

 

[colohunter]

I'm going out with just the 6.5, bought a Cooper and am putting one of the new Steiners on it this week, good luck and no harm in bringing your .06 along to camp! I always take two rifles,

 

[WildRose]

I'm going out with just the 6.5, bought a Cooper and am putting one of the new Steiners on it this week, good luck and no harm in bringing your .06 along to camp! I always take two rifles,

I'm no expert on Elk. I've never even pulled the trigger on one myself but I have been along on three rifle and one ML hunt all of which were successful.

We need to keep in mind that our forefathers killed them with pointy sticks, and bow hunters pile them up to this day.

I know this about them without a doubt, like any other mammal if you punch a hole through their heart/lungs or cut the spine or otherwise interrupt the CNS they die.

Shoot the heck out of that CM and figure out how far you can consistently put it in a 6" circle and call that your max range.

Pick your shot carefully, study elk anatomy and learn how to punch it through the heart by waiting for the broadside shot with the foreleg extended. That way the only thing solid you will hit is maybe a rib before punching the heart.

Look at where the spine is relative to the withers and point of the shoulder, and burn it into memory.

If you look around you can find some pictures online that show their anatomy and if you want to, print one off and take it with you on the hunt.

The 6.5's are the most popular big game rifles in Europe today and dominate even Africa on plains game.

The right bullet in the right spot will get it done. I would not hesitate with either my .264wm or .260 Rem to take the shot on an elk in the right circumstances.

Work at it, take care of the basics, work on your marksmanship between now and then and I have no doubt you can succeed.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

Bow hunters kill elk all the time. You don't need a magnum rifle to put down an elk. I Really agree with the previous posts. Shot placement is everything. A bad shot with a magnum is still a bad shot. But, a larger rifle will give you a better chance if you hit the thick shoulder bone. But if you hit it in the guts, it won't matter at all. It's better to be a good shot with a small rifle than a poor shot with a big one.

 

[panama]

all said and done, practice, shot placement,distance,angle,velo,ect..... key is the kind of bullet, and does your bbl shoot that bullet consistantly. I built my son a 260 Rem. on a 98 Maus.26" Bo Clerke bbl. loaded 140 gr. Speer GS.@ 2710fps. He shot a cow elk low in the chest, she dropped at the shot, 125+ yds.out when the herd lit out she got back on her feet and followed, he shot her going away in the rt. ham she piled up and never moved. during autop. the first bullet went thru the rt.side quartering on(faceing him) just below the heart, blew the bottom of her heart out, IMO she was dead on her feet but still ran, the 2nd shot thru the rump was the one that really got my attention we looked for the bullet path, damaged about 1"1/2 entering the ham traveled thru the grass filled ponch we found the jacket at the mouth of the stomach and the lead in her neck. that bullet had failed by all counts the shedding of the jacket ect... but it went thru at least 150 lbs. grass and the lead in her neck was only 98gr. on my powder scale. it still penetrated about 45". that little 6.5 impressed me no end that day. I'm building 2 more, as i myself shoot a 30-06 AI. my BBl is a 1-11 left hand twist i made when i worked for Bo Clerke in Raton N.M. i run 190gr. horn.Intlk at 2970fps, i shot a 3x4 mule deer in DeMoines N.M. at 325yds. perfect broadside in the pocket just below the shoulder deer never untracked, found the bullet in the off shoulder under the skin.both these animals died, but IMO the 6.5 hands down out performed the .308 dia. bullet. thanks for having this site where we can share real life events, seems i've put alot of words here to say "Yes by all means hunt that elk with a 6.5" thanks guys.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

Bo Clerke.... man, I haven't heard that name in eons!



t

 

[Jeremyc]

I plan to take my 6.5 creed moor with me to Montana this fall, I really want shoot an elk with it, but I have much more confidence in my 30.06 as I have shot many deer with it, and always seem to reach for it when walking out the door. I hope to break that habit this fall as I know the creed moor is very capable.

Do it. I have killed elk with my 260 and am using it right now. I will be using it all season too