6.5 Creedmoor: Maximum Lethal Range for Whitetail

[Wachsmann]

My self I got the 6.5 Creed for more so as a steal shooting, paper punching gun, but I'm always loading hunting bullets up in it. So if I feel the need to I'll be practiced up with it. I currently also have a new 264 win setting in the case collecting dust. But it really looks nice just opening that case with those 2 Sendero's in there. The other is my 300 rum. Eventually I'll get it tuned up with a good load for hunting. The only down fall is the barrel twist on it. I'll try some 140s in it but I think it's will probably have to be some 130's or something around that weight. Hopefully a 129 LRAB or a 130 AB.

 

[Herringbone]

Here are my thoughts on 6.5 Creedmoor based my experience. So I have killed a couple under 150 yds and had satisfactory results. With that said, I also killed a doe at 648 yards. I was fortunate and lucky I suppose to have made a near perfect shot and the doe only went about 5 yards. After dressing the deer, my opinion is that the wound channel was pretty small and would not be very forgiving for a marginal shot, especially on a larger deer. All were taken with 143 ELD-X. So, I don't think there is a certain range where the 6.5 Creedmoor is suddenly no good, but I do think at longer distances it can really be unforgiving for marginal shot placement. I am more of a 7mm Rem Mag guy for an all around deer and elk.

 

[Wachsmann]

There are times I wish I had not got rid of my 308 for the 6.5 creed. I had it dialed in from 0 to 1000 with some 168 and 178 amax. I think I still have some of those rounds loaded up somewhere. I might go back to the 308 but it had a little more recoil and I was just paper/steal shooting with it. I still have not given the 6.5 a fair shake as for reloading, just not getting out as much since I moved but it has done very well with over the counter rounds even out to 900 yrds. So far the best round has been the HSM loaded with bergers. If not reloading these would be my go to round as for now. I have not tried the hornady yet. I have some 130 TL** something by federal that I'm wanting to try out also. Supposed to be a bonded bullet and pretty good BC. They may also prove to be a winner. Will have to see. I.also tried the 127LRX barns and they were decent just not as consistent at distance. Still make a good 500 to 600 yrd round.

 

[7070yshot]

Here are my thoughts on 6.5 Creedmoor based my experience. So I have killed a couple under 150 yds and had satisfactory results. With that said, I also killed a doe at 648 yards. I was fortunate and lucky I suppose to have made a near perfect shot and the doe only went about 5 yards. After dressing the deer, my opinion is that the wound channel was pretty small and would not be very forgiving for a marginal shot, especially on a larger deer. All were taken with 143 ELD-X. So, I don't think there is a certain range where the 6.5 Creedmoor is suddenly no good, but I do think at longer distances it can really be unforgiving for marginal shot placement. I am more of a 7mm Rem Mag guy for an all around deer and elk.

Good discussion folks.
recoil management has to the CM
Long range precision also to the CM
Effective killing at 400 to 600 and beyond Has to go the 308 IMO due to a bigger bullet 165-178 and bigger in custom barrels.
With that said, and I have dropped dozens of game with both, bullet choice is critical. I found the Barnes LRX do fantastic on 100-400 in both calibers.
the Noslers and some other lead core bonded bullets do better on thin skinned game than than the solids in the 6.5 beyond the 400 mark.
only exception is pigs but that's because I always go for the high neck or ear hole shot. Pretty much everything drops them. Whitetail, axis, blackbuck, fallow all seem to drop better past 400 with lead but again that's just my experience

so with all that said I recommend trying other bullets for the 6.5CM get some practice on pigs and meat hunts. My favorite is the neck shot due to the disruption of the nervous system.
Last note, "big bullets make big holes" while the 6.5 is more controllable especially in lighter rifles and lighter shooters, 308/7.62 is a bigger bullet.
For what my 2cents is with gents.

 

[Nomosendero]

I like both rounds. My Wife has a CM, I load for it & out to 300 (most of her hunting) we use the 140 Nos. Part. I load the 140 Berger or A-Max/.ELDM for targets. For my 5R Milspec 308 I load the 178 A-Max, still have a bunch of those for Targets and Deer, it has the shank length for ample penetration and good expansion, it has proven very decisive.
Both rounds do the trick, I think out to 300 or so the 308 has a small killing edge, in the speed the animal dies but I am very comfortable with both.

 

[Paladin300]

The 6.5 in any cartridge is a great caliber. I have owned 6 various 6.5 rifles 6.5x55, 6.5x284, 6.5 Ackley, and 6.5 creedmore. I presently own a creedmore and to be frank, I think it is the best of the four mentioned cartiges. It is basically a 6.5 Swedish Maurer short and with hand loads it can nearly match the 284 balistically. The Ackley is more closely tied to the 6.5 PRC or win mag which I think lends to little to the caliber and burns barrels at a significant rate. The 6.5 is a vary versital caliber suitable for just about any game except the most dangerous like brown bears and cape buffalo. I would not want to shoot either of them with one. I have observed Norwegian elk/ moose being taken out to a couple hundred yards and it did not require a second shot. In the early 1900's it was used on elephants though I would not recommend it today. I have personal killed several deer with the 6.5x55. They are efficient but finicky.

The problem with the 6.5 is bullet selection based on sectional density. Most people use way more bullet than they need. 6.5's have high bc's because they have a high SD. That means that they need more velocity for the bullets to perform correctly down range however when you go down in bullet weight you go down in down range energy, thus it is a balancing game. The lighter bullets with lower SD's work better on whitetail. Something in the 120-129 range in my experience.

As far as how far you can shoot a deer with one well that depends on you. I responded to this question in another post but I will say it again here. The average kill zone on a whitetail is 6-7 inches. That said you need a sub moa gun and near perfect form to make that shot ethically regardless of caliber. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Based on that and the 6.5 creed's ballistics I would not shoot a deer beyond 600. My present 6.5 is a custom built gun that shots 1/4 moa at 1250 plus. I still wouldn't. The bullet beyond 600 stays in flight for more than a second and in that time a whitetail can move a lot. If you keep it inside 600 with the right bullet selection you should see excellent results. I have.

 

[General RE LEE]

Spent some time at the range today and my Tikka T3 6.5 prefers the new 130 grain Federal Terminal Ascent to the 143 ELD-X. The Terminal Ascent is bonded but designed to expand at speeds 200 FPS lower than standard bullets. I was able to get touching holes at 100 yards when I did my part so the Federal Terminal Ascent hopefully is a winner.

 

[Wachsmann]

Thats good to here about the 130 FTA's. I have a box setting on my shelf waiting to be shot.

So most of us are looking at the ballistics/energy/bullet structure of the 6.5 creed and saying its a 600 yard gun. Check out the 6.5 RL26 data coming from one of the reloading post, several with data. If you can reload and have some RL26 you could easily duplicate some of the normal 6.5X284 loaded ammo. One or more sounds like a couple of the guys is over 2950 fps with a 140 grain bullets. That easily extends the range out to an effective 800 yards on deer at that speed. Just have to be able to read the wind and hit your target accurately within that 6 inch kill zone.
Practice Practice Practice generally will equal better knowledge of what you and your gun is capable of. I look at it as a system. Me, my gun and my hand loads. Then there is all the other data you need like range, wind speeds, direction, pressure, temp, angle .......shall I say kestrel meter and good range finder. This is what I will call my system and if anyone of these is not up to par then its a little bit of guess work. You dont want guess work at all. Now there are guys that are great at wind calling and dont need a meter and probably pretty good at the range estimation but I'm not one at this point. So I use what I have available and it seem to work. And last thing if you practice and you confident in your system but you never try out that long shot you are always left guessing could you make it when its your only shot. So for me I will take a longer shot as long as I know its something I've practiced and my system is up to snuff.

 

[GonzoK34]

No matter the caliber long range hunting shots have more issues to be concerned with: **Terrain Features, Wind Conditions, Lighting, time of day, shot direction, shot angles, weather factors. Shooter Skills, physical condition, is the shooter rested, calm breathing, comfortable with the shot their about to take. Or exhausted and excited. Are they an experienced hunter with solid knowledge of their intended prey. Have they developed long range ability and know their firearm. The 6.5 CM is a capable caliber. But here in Calif we don't have the privilege of shooting great lead expanding bullets. All rifles shoot differently with the copper bullets available. I have first hand experience witnessing friends make shots when tired and excited make wounding shots. It happens the tracking and follow up to recover the animals have been tough. If long range kills are your goal long action calibers are capable of higher velocity and energy. I have had outstanding success with the 7-08 shooting GMX, TTSX, Berger, Nosler bullets 150-168 on Elk out to 600yds. But I also shoot a 300wm if the common shots average beyond 500yds on a given hunt. Bullet placement and energy are your friend when reaching out there! SEMPER FEDELIS

 

[General RE LEE]

Talked to a guy at the range that suggested keeping shots to 250 yards or under for whitetail with 6.5 cm. I thought what he was saying was kinda extreme considering the high BC 143 grain ELD-X.

 

[25WSM]

Kind of extreme nothing. Just plain ignorance of the cartridge. He probably shoots a 300 Rum or something like that because more dead is better. My Creed load has 1200 ft pounds at 770 yards. It's the 147eldm at 2850 with the bc corrected to
. 690 But maybe I better keep it under 250. Not.
Shep

 

[25WSM]

I'm playing with the new 123 hammers but can't comment on how they kill. They only been out a few weeks so far. I'm sure as a hammer they will kill plenty good. Even past 250.
Shep

 

[KurtB]

140 vld launched at about 2700 or a little under dropped a nice buck antelope Sat for my son at 595 yards. That was from a short barreled 6.5x47 but similar velocity to the Creedmoor. Buck dropped like a rock with shoulder shot.

I'd not have an issue with that type distance for a whitetail with a Berger 140 vld.

 

[Paladin300]

Talked to a guy at the range that suggested keeping shots to 250 yards or under for whitetail with 6.5 cm. I thought what he was saying was kinda extreme considering the high BC 143 grain ELD-X.

Not a smart fella, Huh? I take it he didn't do to well in school, most likely struggled with things like math and such. Lol