Most potent long range elk cartridge with .473 bolt face

For me personally I started reloading when dinosaurs were still walking the earth. In just about any popular and some not so popular rounds, and.....have never "blown a primer" out of any round! If a reloader follows the recommended load and sneaks up on the maximum SAAMI loads, the primes will not blow, even if junk brass is loaded. A primer might fall out after too many reloads, however it will not "blow" out as described in these posts. The only round that I have had a primer blow out of was on my son's 35 Whelen using 200 grain "factory" SUPERFORMANCE ammunition, the primer decintergrated, smoke came out of the pressure ports and pieces of primer was strewn throughout the action. People get into trouble when they try to make a cartridge larger, faster, more powerful then it was intended to be.

I am not a big fan of all the new, rocket launching, barrel burning, powder buring cartridges that keep getting lauded by the shooting media; hype and BS to its finest!! I remember the .280 Ackley Improved being the best all, catch all round that was going to conquer the hunting and shooting fields well into shooting history. Then.......we got the 6.5 Creedmoor, that is the latest cartridge that is lauded to kill elephants from 2 miles away; this too will fall by the wayside when the newest and latest cartridge will come out. For me and my shooting capabilities and hunting needs I usually will compare what is out there to the .270 Winchester and the 30-06 Springfield. If one were to conduct a "true" comparison of the cartridge, bullet for bullet, barrel length to barrel length, there really a whole lot of difference between the new round and the .270 Winchester and the 30-06. What I have found with the new and the latest reloading manuals is that many of the "new loads" are conducted using 26 inch barrels, especially with the overbore cartridges.

In this particular situation the cart has been placed before the horse. Without reloading capabilities I would suggest keeping the rifle in 30-06 Springfield, you've got all that you need to build the rifle. Perhaps a "new thread" to try posting would be, "Is the 30-06 a good round for taking elk out to 900 yards?" might answer your question more specifically. Or....simply buy a new bolt (didn't read in post about make of rifle) and build a 300 WinMag. Good luck with the build.

P.S.: When is the drawing going to take place with the raffle; I've entered?

I agree that lots of the comparisons are intentionally unfair like comparing a 220 Swift with a 55gr bullet to a 22creedmoor with a 85gr or comparing a 300 win mag with 180gr to a 300 PRC with a 225. But how else can they sell new stuff?

I jumped on the 30 Nosler when it was new and soon realized it was not a noticeable improvement over the 300 win mag. In my mind the 300 PRC has a leg up because Hornady has incredible mfg capacity and they make excellent affordable factory ammo. Though neither of them offer much of an increase over the 300 win mag.

The 300 win mag does offer a significant increase over the 30-06 and that 300+ FPS increase would be a great help at increasing effectiveness at long range.
 
I've also killed 4 bulls with my 6.5 saum and compared to bigger bullets packing more energy there's a noticable difference in how quickly an elk will die at longer ranges.

Based on my kills with a 6.5 I personally feel it's best to keep it inside 600 yards on elk.


You definitely weren't there but way to call me a liar.
I thought I'd made a bad hit when the bull ran off, my buddy and I tracked him for a Long time and finally found him bedded down alive approx 45 minutes later.

He was hit center lungs right behind the shoulder, the bullet opened up and seperated from it's jacket like non bonded bullets do and penetrated both lungs.
There was very little damage to the lungs aside from the hole created from the bullet.

I don't know what to tell you if you don't believe that, but there was definitely a lack of energy at impact given how intact the lungs looked

Edited to avoid 60 to life.......I wasn't going to call you a liar, but now I am leaning that direction after this post. The 6.5 was a perfect lung shot and the bullet opened up like it was supposed to and you almost lost it. If that is the case, distance is irrelevant - you are just claiming that the 6.5 isnt big enough to kill an elk at any distance. This gives me cause to pause and question whether or not it was a perfect lung shot. I hear people claim they made perfect shots all the time only for the animal to run away and never be found. Also, to make a blanket statement against all 6.5's is ridiculous. If you are taking 1000 yard shots at an elk with a creedmoor, probably not smart. 6.5 PRC, 6.5x284, 6.5 saum, 264 win mag, 26 Nosler, 6.5-300 etc. all have enough energy and velocity at 1000 yards to quickly and cleanly kill and elk with the right bullet.
 
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I have been reading your posts for a while and the more I read the more I think you are full of it. The 6.5 was a perfect lung shot and the bullet opened up like it was supposed to and you almost lost it. 🙄. You sir are a real kind of special BSer. I am finding it hard to believe anything you say man. ignore.
With all due respect man get bent
 
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