My First Deer with a 6.5 Creedmoor

[krummarine]

I picked up a Ruger Hawkeye Predator rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor earlier this year. I am currently having a custom 700 done in that caliber but it's not done yet and I wanted to try out this round on North Dakota deer. Took it to the small farm I hunt where the deer get big on corn and beans all summer/fall in order to survive the winter. After only seeing does the first day, I had this one walk up on me at about 75 yards out. Had to shoot him in the chest as he quartered towards me. The factory 120 grain AMAX bullet took out his offside shoulder as he ran about 10 yards and collapsed against a tree. The pic was taken about 2-4 minutes after I shot him. I wish I could report that I got him at 2-300 yards but I was on a limited schedule and he was the first decent buck I had a shot at. This is a good round in an accurate rifle. All did to it was mount and zero the Bushnell scope; then went hunting.

 

[smith1559]

nice buck. sounds like the a-max did a good job

Jason

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

The 6.5cm is my favorite deer round. I generally use the 140 A-max for deer and none of them have made it more than 50 yards. I have that exact rifle, just shot a 8 point with it last Sunday

 

[krummarine]

I was a little hesitant to use an AMAX bullet but didn't have time to work up reloads so I used what I had used in it for targets and steel....I'm sold.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I was a little hesitant to use an AMAX bullet but didn't have time to work up reloads so I used what I had used in it for targets and steel....I'm sold.

The a-max is my favorite deer bullet. My wife shot a 8 pointer earlier this season with my 7mm RM and a 162 a- max at 3100 fps and that got messy..... went in and never came out. Turned his whole insides to mush. He didn't have any heart or lunfs left.

 

[long450]

You will love that round, and the custom 700 should be a real shooter. Nice buck!

 

[nomadhunter]

Nice buck; no shame in the yardage. I know a few LR hunters who missed shots within a 100 yds., but it's a 1 timer. Again, good job.

 

[snox801]

That's a nice deer sir. Glad to see the cm doing well that's my next cartridge. Gonn do one in bolt and the other in an ar 10

 

[krummarine]

Thanks all for the comments; I really like this caliber and will be using it more in the future.

 

[Waynard]

Nice buck! I picked up a Savage Predator Hunter model 11 in the 6.5 CM and liked it so much that when I found a Browning X Bolt in the 6.5 CM I bought it too and would have probably bought a Ruger like yours if I could of found one. Both my Rifles like the Hornady 123gr. SST's. Have'nt shot anything with them yet but I sure can't wait to try them out. There is a lot of good reviews here about how good the 6.5 CM does on all kinds of game.

 

[StrutNut]

I got my 300 wm LR rig and my next rifle will also be the 6.5. I just am not sure if I will go the predator route or the Long Range Hunter. Kind of thinking the LRH. Everything I have herd about that round sounds great.