6.5 Creedmoor whitetail ammo- analysis paralysis… help!

Puddlejockey

Puddlejockey

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2021
Messages
323
Location
North Carolina (Huntersville/ Lake Norman)
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
SO .. I landed on getting an X bolt speed SR in 6.5 Creedmoor as a lightweight whitetail rifle here in the Carolinas … for a lot of reasons. I wanted a lighter ( 6lb ish) rifle with a shorter OAL and relatively mildly recoiling cartridge; that was good out to 200-300 yards without too much question. I’ve owned and hunted with a .243 as well as a .30-30 -wanted something with a bit more authority than either of those past 100 yards .

Somehow I ended up ordering the X bolt and researching the round while remaining wholly ignorant of the popularity- and contention- surrounding the 6.5. But now I’m skeered!

I’ve seen a lot of posts/ comments about a lack of blood trail with the 6.5 CM- as well as many ( many) comparisons to rounds that just don’t make sense to me, as a hunter to compare. I’ve watched a few videos of 6.5 CM destroying ballistic gel ( which tastes like crap btw.. jello it ain’t’t .. lol) . And I’ve narrowed it down to two factory rounds as a deer round. I’ve got a few boxes of each coming in- so I’ll see which ones she likes better , BUT …

It would help my confidence greatly if anyone had any real world - Carolina distances experience with either the Nosler partition gold OR the Black Hills dual performance ( Lehigh Defense fillets) 130 gr controlled chaos rounds on whitetail, and is willing to share?

I did watch a video on a gentleman’s controlled chaos “ failures” - where the round fails to expand on small coyotes at 110 yards, and then doesn’t offer a clean kill with a bad shot at a hog at the same distance … but I watched those and thought that for me - I’d have been too embarrassed to post the vids.

My concerns are easy game recovery and a good blood trail.. and my understanding is that anchoring them with a shoulder shot is a non starter with the 6.5.

Input? Real world knowledge?? Thanks!
 
Last edited:
I do not have experience with your specific loads, but I do have some input on the 6.5 cartridge.
We have been using Federal Fusion on Whitetails for some years now. We have had great success with both the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel Fusion loads. (I bring the Grendel up due to the projectiles being the same.)
We have taken deer from 25 to 240 yards and they have all been recovered within a few yards of where they were shot.
 
I load my own BT's but this will work. A bit pricey but no reason why you can't kill 10-15 deer per box.

choiceammunition.com

6.5 Creedmoor 140 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Hunting~100% Hand-Loaded!!

6.5 Creedmoor 140 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip
choiceammunition.com choiceammunition.com

Most of the time when I hear someone talk trash about a particular cartridge they know very little about the subject matter. No one cartridge is perfect. All have their pros and cons. The 6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent cartridge for both hunting and target shooting when loaded with the proper bullet with a knowledgeable shooter behind it. The latter being the weak link. :)
 
Downeast said:
I load my own BT's but this will work. A bit pricey but no reason why you can't kill 10-15 deer per box.

choiceammunition.com

6.5 Creedmoor 140 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Hunting~100% Hand-Loaded!!

6.5 Creedmoor 140 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip
choiceammunition.com choiceammunition.com

Most of the time when I hear someone talk trash about a particular cartridge they know very little about the subject matter. No one cartridge is perfect. All have their pros and cons. The 6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent cartridge for both hunting and target shooting when loaded with the proper bullet with a knowledgeable shooter behind it. The latter being the weak link. :)
Click to expand...
Thanks! One of the reasons I chose the partition to try specifically was the amount of online chatter in regards to poor blood trails, even with good shots ( one article claims zero blood found with a double lung shot- and the deer recovered 175 yards later with a tracking dog). I was (over) thinking that a partition is going to punch through a whitetail- even if an offside shoulder gets hit. It’s been my experience that it’s the exit wound that creates a good trail… you think the BT’s will have enough penetration? Again- I know I’m overthinking it. ..
 
6.5 Creedmore is good to go in my book. I’ve never used your choices (my Dad and I use Hornady 143gr ELD-X) but so far, we’ve had no trouble tracking and recovering after a short distance (farthest has been 50yds onto a neighboring property).
 
Tim said:
Only deer I ever failed to recover was with Hornady Hunter 6.5CM. Soured me on the chambering for hunting.
Click to expand...
Can you give more details about what happened / your set up? Was it the eld-x precision hunter? What range? Where did you hit the deer? Thanks!
 
dct said:
Can you give more details about what happened / your set up? Was it the eld-x precision hunter? What range? Where did you hit the deer? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Yes, the ELD-X Hunter.

Good sized doe at ~90 yards, broadside, standing still. I am not a new or inexperienced hunter, no jitters or 'excitement', just filling the freezer. Rifle is a solid 1/2 MOA shooter. Shot from a tree stand with a sandbag on the rail.

After the shot she stood there for a second, I figured she was DRT. Then she trotted off into the scrub. I found a small amount of blood on the exit side where she was standing. No hair, no lung tissue, etc. And a small amount of blood on the brush (not ground) about 10-15 yards away and that was it.

I'm confident she died and the coyotes ate well that night. My assumption is that the bullet passed straight through with no expansion at all.

I always put my shots here....
deer.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I put mine in the point of the shoulder. Hit a bit low and you blow out the top of the heart, front of the lung, and if a bit high it busts the spine. And it also disarticulates the shoulder blades (both if you are lucky) I hunt big open fields surrounded by think woodlands. If a deer hits the woods you better have a few sharp bush axes. Usually I lose part of a shoulder but I would rather do that then lose an animal. My goal is to see a white belly laying in the field after the trigger pull. If a deer runs more than 10 or 20 feet I get pissed. :mad:

Anyone that shoots behind the shoulder usually gets busted on by the crowd while they are crawling around the thickets looking for a lung shot deer. Do it a few times and don't even bother asking for help. I've heard them say "you crippled it, you find it". Tough crowd.

And don't even think about showing up with a stick and a string. :D
 
@Downeast - just for my own clarification- are you getting pass throughs a with the 6.5 CM on a shoulder struck whitetail- and what size range animal? I know you’re “ rolling your own” - any idea of velocity?

I’ve added Nosler ballistic tips to the possibles list .. those, 140 gr partitions, and the 130 gr dual performance I’d mentioned earlier… so we’ll see which ones that particular rifle likes the best. But I’m a long time Hunter experiencing a very real crisis of confidence… and I need to be carrying. Rifle that I KNOW will do the job, so long as I do mine… I hope that makes some sense!
 
I always get pass throughs with my ammo. I only have two bullets that I recovered from deer over the last 20 some odd years. Ranges are from 75 to 300 yards. Velocity is 2670. I'm old school and I limit my shooting distance to whatever distance the bullet retains 1,000 foot pounds or more of energy. The 6.5 Creed does well with 140 grainers. I use Ballistic tips because they cause a lot of damage and I'm shooting eastern whitetails that weigh around 130 pounds or so on average for a buck. Does weigh even less. Partitions are great too but they are much like the old Core-lock bullet and are designed for deep penetration and controlled expansion. Not really needed on our deer. Bullet placement is the key but I get the feeling you know what you are doing so I'm not going there. Several years ago a bird hunting pal of mine wanted to shoot some deer so he asked me about what rifle to get. At the time Wongmart had Vanguards on sale for around $300. I told him to pick one up in 6.5 Creed. For a scope I told him to buy a SWFA fixed 10 power scope for $299. He dropped everything off and ask me to put it together for him. He had several boxes of factory ammo (Hornady 140 something or another). So I mounted the scope, sighted it in at 200 yards and used the chrono for velocities. I gave him a ballistic table out to 500 yards, told him to shoot for the point of the shoulder and sent him on his way. This guy hadn't been deer hunting in 30 years! As a bonus no one in his family eats venison, so everytime he shoots a deer he calls me. Not a problem. ;) He shoots them out to 300 yards and most are DRT. At least he never calls asking me to help him track.

If you are worried, then find some scrap wood and nail it together to make it 3 or 4 inches thick and shoot it at 300 yards and see what kind of damage it does. If it punches through at that range it will punch through our scrawny deer. Staple a 10 inch paper plate and bingo, cheap target and penetration test at the same time.

Honestly, If you feel under-gunned and have no confidence in the 6.5 Creed (or any other cartridge for that matter) then get rid of it and use something else. You mentioned the .243. If it has worked in the past and you can shoot it then stay with it. It's a great cartridge too.
 
Last edited:
The 6.5CM has got to be a more reliable grocery getter than a 243.
I'd roll my own and test 130g & 140g Berger.
Has anyone hunted with these?
bergerbullets.com

6.5 mm Creedmoor 140gr Hybrid Target Rifle Ammunition

The Berger 6.5mm 140gr Hybrid target bullet is one of the top performing bullets in long range precision rifle target style competitions. If you want to get the best long range performance out of your single fed bolt gun chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, this is the load for you.
bergerbullets.com bergerbullets.com
 
Last edited:
Someone has mentioned Nosler ballistic tips, Which I used when I was still able to hunt. I had good success with them. If you can find any silver tipped bullets try them.

Every dear I cleaned or helped clean that was shot with silver tips we always found the bullet against the hide on the opposite side from the entry wound. That means that all of that bullets energy was expended in the deer and not wasted blowing a hole thru the deer.
 
Get Off My Lawn said:
The 6.5CM has got to be a more reliable grocery getter than a 243.
I'd roll my own and test 130g & 140g Berger.
Has anyone hunted with these?
bergerbullets.com

6.5 mm Creedmoor 140gr Hybrid Target Rifle Ammunition

The Berger 6.5mm 140gr Hybrid target bullet is one of the top performing bullets in long range precision rifle target style competitions. If you want to get the best long range performance out of your single fed bolt gun chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, this is the load for you.
bergerbullets.com bergerbullets.com
Click to expand...
I shoot Berger 140 Target Hybrids in one of my 6.5 Creeds. I've never shot them at game as they are designed as a target bullet and I'm wary of shooting game with any "target" ammo. They are excellent for target shooting though. Itty bitty groups. Berger does make a 140 VLD hunting bullet but I haven't tried them.
 
The berger target bullets are actually harder than the hunting, the inverse of what most brands do. Part of that is the hunting bergers have an extremely light jacket and play their hand specifically to grenading in the chest cavity. Not that that doesn’t work(it does) but a hybrid target is going to hold together a touch more.

I have had tremendous success with berger hybrid targets, but I’m shooting the 215 so maybe that bullet just does a lot better with the extra weight. It has not blinked at a deer shoulder. I’ve seen a lot of positive reports of the 140 hybrid on game online though.

Personally, I’ve moved past caring about pass throughs and care more about killing, and certain match bullets are tremendous killers. Hornady eld match is very destructive, berger hybrids are very good IME and Sierra tmk is reported as possibly the best. I will be trying that out this year.

I would not be scared of a 140 hybrid at all. The only negative of match bullets is you may need to use grid searching instead of blood trailing in the even you’re going looking, but in my experience you’re looking a lot closer anyway.

I will say the 143 eldx i shot a doe with performed more like a generic hunting bullet for the 40 yard blood trail. I did not open the chest cavity to review trauma regretfully. I prefer 147 and 140 match and imo most people saying they don’t work haven’t tried.
 
Last edited:
Downeast said:
I always get pass throughs with my ammo. I only have two bullets that I recovered from deer over the last 20 some odd years. Ranges are from 75 to 300 yards. Velocity is 2670. I'm old school and I limit my shooting distance to whatever distance the bullet retains 1,000 foot pounds or more of energy. The 6.5 Creed does well with 140 grainers. I use Ballistic tips because they cause a lot of damage and I'm shooting eastern whitetails that weigh around 130 pounds or so on average for a buck. Does weigh even less. Partitions are great too but they are much like the old Core-lock bullet and are designed for deep penetration and controlled expansion. Not really needed on our deer. Bullet placement is the key but I get the feeling you know what you are doing so I'm not going there. Several years ago a bird hunting pal of mine wanted to shoot some deer so he asked me about what rifle to get. At the time Wongmart had Vanguards on sale for around $300. I told him to pick one up in 6.5 Creed. For a scope I told him to buy a SWFA fixed 10 power scope for $299. He dropped everything off and ask me to put it together for him. He had several boxes of factory ammo (Hornady 140 something or another). So I mounted the scope, sighted it in at 200 yards and used the chrono for velocities. I gave him a ballistic table out to 500 yards, told him to shoot for the point of the shoulder and sent him on his way. This guy hadn't been deer hunting in 30 years! As a bonus no one in his family eats venison, so everytime he shoots a deer he calls me. Not a problem. ;) He shoots them out to 300 yards and most are DRT. At least he never calls asking me to help him track.

If you are worried, then find some scrap wood and nail it together to make it 3 or 4 inches thick and shoot it at 300 yards and see what kind of damage it does. If it punches through at that range it will punch through our scrawny deer. Staple a 10 inch paper plate and bingo, cheap target and penetration test at the same time.

Honestly, If you feel under-gunned and have no confidence in the 6.5 Creed (or any other cartridge for that matter) then get rid of it and use something else. You mentioned the .243. If it has worked in the past and you can shoot it then stay with it. It's a great cartridge too.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much- this is tremendously helpful and exactly the info I was looking for!

I have a “ few” other calibers to choose from in the safe - any of which are pretty darned effective on white tails ; but I think it’s the mountain of conflicting information I found … AFTER I ordered the rifle that’s thrown me off.

(Some of the noise is just silly, the bullet not expanding on a 40 lb coyote- people complaining because it isn’t a 300 WM with 243 recoil, etc.- poor shots, etc. But there’s enough noise out there that hearing actual real world results helps tremendously. )
 
Last edited:
DangerRanger said:
The berger target bullets are actually harder than the hunting, the inverse of what most brands do. Part of that is the hunting bergers have an extremely light jacket and play their hand specifically to grenading in the chest cavity. Not that that doesn’t work(it does) but a hybrid target is going to hold together a touch more.

I have had tremendous success with berger hybrid targets, but I’m shooting the 215 so maybe that bullet just does a lot better with the extra weight. It has not blinked at a deer shoulder. I’ve seen a lot of positive reports of the 140 hybrid on game online though.

Personally, I’ve moved past caring about pass throughs and care more about killing, and certain match bullets are tremendous killers. Hornady eld match is very destructive, berger hybrids are very good IME and Sierra tmk is reported as possibly the best. I will be trying that out this year.

I would not be scared of a 140 hybrid at all. The only negative of match bullets is you may need to use grid searching instead of blood trailing in the even you’re going looking, but in my experience you’re looking a lot closer anyway.

I will say the 143 eldx i shot a doe with performed more like a generic hunting bullet for the 40 yard blood trail. I did not open the chest cavity to review trauma regretfully.
Click to expand...
My son has been using the 100 or 106g Hybrids in his 243 that's been devastating on large deer liquifying the lungs and heart.
 
Downeast said:
I load my own BT's but this will work. A bit pricey but no reason why you can't kill 10-15 deer per box.

choiceammunition.com

6.5 Creedmoor 140 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Hunting~100% Hand-Loaded!!

6.5 Creedmoor 140 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tip
choiceammunition.com choiceammunition.com

Most of the time when I hear someone talk trash about a particular cartridge they know very little about the subject matter. No one cartridge is perfect. All have their pros and cons. The 6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent cartridge for both hunting and target shooting when loaded with the proper bullet with a knowledgeable shooter behind it. The latter being the weak link. :)
Click to expand...

Granted it was with a .308, but my kill last season was a Nosler Ballistic Tip and he was bleeding like crazy from the exit. I’d been using Barnes TTSX before that but honestly I was glad I switched in .308.
 
I'm not on the Creedmoor bandwagon, but I think the lack of blood trails is due improper bullet choice. You don't need the fancy named bullets. Handload any good old cup and core bullet and you'll be happy, the deer
not so much. This would be an excellent choice, they also have a 140 gr if you like heavier bullets - https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010474612?pid=266876
 
Last edited:
I think one of the problems that led to people criticizing the 6.5CM for deer hunting is using bullets designed for targets at extreme ranges and not bullets designed for hunting. Pick a bullet designed for hunting and you should have good results. Find something that expands readily (like a fusion or similar) but not explosively (varmint load) and it should work just fine.
 
Puddlejockey said:
@Downeast - just for my own clarification- are you getting pass throughs a with the 6.5 CM on a shoulder struck whitetail- and what size range animal? I know you’re “ rolling your own” - any idea of velocity?

I’ve added Nosler ballistic tips to the possibles list .. those, 140 gr partitions, and the 130 gr dual performance I’d mentioned earlier… so we’ll see which ones that particular rifle likes the best. But I’m a long time Hunter experiencing a very real crisis of confidence… and I need to be carrying. Rifle that I KNOW will do the job, so long as I do mine… I hope that makes some sense!
Click to expand...

@Downeast is a sage. Always my experience with him.

Sounds like you know enough. Don’t overthink it too much. I’ve only hunted with a 223 the last 5-7 years with a 60 exposed lead spirepoint, albeit neck shots, with the farthest poke being about 85-90 yrs. All DRT within jumping distance. MANY will provide mixed feedback on that approach. I like not loosing meat and is my primary driver in hunting other than being in the outdoors. Stay within the limits of what you know your capabilities are and just send it. Results will drive you from there. Heck, due to reasons noted on the local lay of the land, I don’t even bow hunt any more. Takes forever to find my deer. I want my deer hanging and cooling with in hour of its last breath. Anyone who thinks bow hunting is good to go for killing, should be ok with anything for 22 mag on up.
 
Last edited:
Rockchucker said:
@Downeast is a sage. Always my experience with him.

Sounds like you know enough. Don’t overthink it too much. I’ve only hunted with a 223 the last 5-7 years with a 60 exposed lead spirepoint, albeit neck shots, with the farthest poke being about 85-90 yrs. All DRT within jumping distance. MANY will provide mixed feedback on that approach. I like not loosing meat and is my primary driver in hunting other than being in the outdoors. Stay within the limits of what you know your capabilities are and just send it. Results will drive you from there. Heck, due to reasons noted on the local lay of the land, I don’t even bow hunt any more. Takes forever to find my deer. I want my deer hanging and cooling with in hour of its last breath. Anyone who thinks bow hunting is good to go for killing, should be ok with anything for 22 mag on up.
Click to expand...
I'm doing the same except using a 22-250 because I like the extra punch. Every base of neck and high shoulder shot has resulted in instant DRT.
 
Bigjim said:
Thought about the 6.5 for obvious reasons but the 308 continues to excel in getting them in the freezer. Last one I shot didn’t move at 200 yds.
Click to expand...
I've got a 308 in the safe that's a real tack driver- but it's got a 24" barrel .. and I didn't want to mess with changing it. Went with the 6.5 B/C of wanting a lighter recoiling round for a lighter rifle, with a shorter barrel ( see first post.. :) ) . The 308 isn't bad on recoil for sure, but all things being equal the 6.5 should have about 30% less felt recoil... and I've wanted an X bolt since they came out over 10 years ago... (15?) .
 
To muddy the waters a bit many seem to knock the 6.5 Creed but when you compare it to the .260 Rem or the 6.5 X 55 Swede there is not enough ballistic difference to spit. If you have one of those three calibers you don't need another one. And let's not forget the 6.5 Grendel that does well in an AR. To say that the 6.5 Creed "is a lousy round " is to say that the rest of them are "lousy rounds too". ;)
 
Last edited:
Downeast said:
To muddy the waters a bit many seem to knock the 6.5 Creed but when you compare it to the .260 Rem or the 6.5 X 55 Swede there is not enough ballistic difference to spit. If you have one of those three calibers you don't need another one. And let's not forget the 6.5 Grendel that does well in an AR. To say that the 6.5 Creed "is a lousy round " is to say that the rest of them are "lousy rounds too". ;)
Click to expand...
this. use a projectile intended for your target and carry on.
 
I see the recommendations for the heavier for caliber rounds:140, 143, 147, etc... I am new to the creedmoor as well and was actually one of those people who was tired of hearing from its fan boys. But over close to 30 years I have been successful with the 243, 6mm, and my most used cartridge, and favorite for years, the 25/06. For those who don't handload like myself, the creedmoor was introduced to me in a new light by a very experienced benchrest/target shooter and a longtime hunter. I was shopping for a new rifle in 7mm-08 early during the pandemic and after looking at ammo shortage, twist rates, barrel length comparison foe velocity, and the amount of different 6.5 rounds now, I was convinced to try the creedmoor. For southeast shooting distances while hunting, the wind drift is not a great factor as if I were shooting 1000 yard target ranges. I am preferring the 120, 130 class with more velocity. So as has been stated earlier, a properly constructed projectile for the task. At hunting distances the rounds I am using are very comparable to my former favorites and the 7mm-08 that I was wanting, in factory loads. The 2 rounds I have used very successfully so far is the hornady superformance 120 gr cx with stated muzzle velocity of 3050 fps and the 130 grain sierra gamechanger at 2950 fps(stated numbers on hornady and sierra's website for 24" barrel). Compare those to some other popular calibers if you need to see the ballistic chart comparisons; they compare very well.I think for this purpose a proper for purpose bullet construction with velocity(which is available in these loads) is preferred over a bullet 10 or 20 grains heavier. A deer, hog, black bear, etc, will not know the difference between 130 and 143 or 150 class. In summary, a creedmoor is no magic 1000 yard elk round neither is it incapable of what many other popular rounds that we have loved for decades are with the loads now available.
 
milehighman1 said:
I see the recommendations for the heavier for caliber rounds:140, 143, 147, etc... I am new to the creedmoor as well and was actually one of those people who was tired of hearing from its fan boys. But over close to 30 years I have been successful with the 243, 6mm, and my most used cartridge, and favorite for years, the 25/06. For those who don't handload like myself, the creedmoor was introduced to me in a new light by a very experienced benchrest/target shooter and a longtime hunter. I was shopping for a new rifle in 7mm-08 early during the pandemic and after looking at ammo shortage, twist rates, barrel length comparison foe velocity, and the amount of different 6.5 rounds now, I was convinced to try the creedmoor. For southeast shooting distances while hunting, the wind drift is not a great factor as if I were shooting 1000 yard target ranges. I am preferring the 120, 130 class with more velocity. So as has been stated earlier, a properly constructed projectile for the task. At hunting distances the rounds I am using are very comparable to my former favorites and the 7mm-08 that I was wanting, in factory loads. The 2 rounds I have used very successfully so far is the hornady superformance 120 gr cx with stated muzzle velocity of 3050 fps and the 130 grain sierra gamechanger at 2950 fps(stated numbers on hornady and sierra's website for 24" barrel). Compare those to some other popular calibers if you need to see the ballistic chart comparisons; they compare very well.I think for this purpose a proper for purpose bullet construction with velocity(which is available in these loads) is preferred over a bullet 10 or 20 grains heavier. A deer, hog, black bear, etc, will not know the difference between 130 and 143 or 150 class. In summary, a creedmoor is no magic 1000 yard elk round neither is it incapable of what many other popular rounds that we have loved for decades are with the loads now available.
Click to expand...
This makes a lot of sense! The reason I landed on the 6.5 CM was actually a comparison to what I think are far more applicable rounds.. I wanted something with more energy than the .243, and more ammo choice availability / less expensive than the 7mm/08 , 25/06 or 260 REM.

I see a lot of comparisons online to rounds that for me are apples to oranges…
 
Now if I ever get a chance to test some handloads, I would be interested in some of the newer 140+ class accubond lr, lapua, or berger hybrids if the velocity could be kept 2750-2800. This is for longer range, of course. I am still reading and learning. This would probably reduce barrel life to 6.5 prc equivalence and velocity may significantly effect accuracy. I am primarily hunting so my interest involves 5-7 hundred yards and less ballistics. So back to the 130 class, maybe 120 driven at 2900+ fps seems to be a sweet spot. I am interested in experiences of those that have a lot more time with this round as well. I am still only a little more than a couple of years in with this cartridge. With appropriate expectations, I think it has been worth it to this point.
 
Just curious if anyone is shooting any of the bergers, scenars, etc, or newest hunting rounds specifically in the 6.5 creed that they would share experience and/or data on. Still learning this cartridge and looking for people who objectively test or hunt with it.
 
milehighman1 said:
Just curious if anyone is shooting any of the bergers, scenars, etc, or newest hunting rounds specifically in the 6.5 creed that they would share experience and/or data on. Still learning this cartridge and looking for people who objectively test or hunt with it.
Click to expand...
Actually this question falls right into a follow up post I was about to write! I JUST got back from a Whitetail trip to Northern Michigan. Before that- I was hunting in SC.
CAVEAT - 1 data point doesn't make a trend. BUT...
Just a few weeks ago during the SC trip I shot a small doe ( maybe 100-110 lbs) as an eater at 40 yards with the 6.5 creed using the Black Hills Dual Performance 130 Gr . ( This is an all copper bullet developed specifically for WT hunting.) . The shot was a good hit, but high. Shooting a Browning X bolt Speed SR with an 18' barrel, so velocity should be 120 FPS or so lower than published.
The deer jumped straight up- donkey kicked with all 4 legs, kicked again when it landed, and stumbled a bit when it turned to run. I knew it was stung hard. The shot was in an open shootway, with the doe broadside to me and slightly quartering away.
The round did EXACTLY what I'd feared would happen.
After searching in a North to South Grid for over 100 yards each direction ( 2 hour search) I found ZERO blood trail of any kind. I called in backup who helped look for an additional hour or so. I literally walked/ crawled a grid 3-5 yards apart in a N-S 120 yard line. ZERO BLOOD.. no deer.
We tried to call in a dog tracker, but nobody was available that afternoon or evening. The next morning was when the heat came in- but I went back and tried again. No blood. No deer. No available dogs. The dog tracker folks commented that the " 6.5 keeps them busy" .
The deer was finally found - by smell and coyote- about 200 yards away under a deadfall. Zero blood trail until about 10 yards from where it died.
High double lung shot, hit the offside shoulder and didn't penetrate or appear to have done much damage to the shoulder bone.
I hate - hate hate losing deer. .. and generally blame myself.

I have the dope on the rifle for both the 130gr Dual Performance and 140 Gr Partitions, but I'm waffling on shooting the partitions, switching to the 143 ELDX , or just selling/ trading the new Browning for the same gun in 308. It's probably the best carrying sweetest shooting deer rifle Ive owned... but trust is trust. PM me if you want a deal on a few boxes of Dual Performance. :)

The day after that fiasco I went back out in the afternoon ( forced myself to go honestly) with my 45/ 70 shooting Buffalo Bore "reduced recoil" 405 gr JRN in a 16” barrel rifle. Coincidentally shot a big 6 pt on the same trail headed the other direction across my shootway- same body attitude - again a slightly high shot ( not sure what's up with that) - deer was quartered a bit more away from me- tipped the heart, pushed a 1”diameter plug of tissue out the exit hole after passing through the offside shoulder, and DRT. That tissue " plug" was laying 5 yards from the deer, and about 2 inches or so long. It looked like I'd apple cored the deer. ...nasty but fascinating!
 
Last edited:
I am wondering as well about using monos on deer if not going for shoulder/bone, spine anchoring shots. Maybe reserve those for the thicker bodied animals; hogs, etc and use the soft points that rapidly expand where legal for the dear. I have some 130 gamechangers that I want to try and maybe still bergers. There has to be a good recipe to be found for the creed for all the love that the 6.5 prc gets while bringing 100-200 fps more(depending on setup).
 
I think people get too hung up on bullet selection for whitetails. A good soft point will almost always penetrate and cause a large wound channel as long as it has enough velocity. Growing up we used Winchester power points in .270’s and .308. They might have given 1/2 moa accuracy but all were sub 1.5” and plenty accurate for the sub 400 yard hunting we did though we did have some sight lines that got up in the 6-800 yard range.

What do the .260 guys favor? I’ve always heard good things about that caliber’s performance and everyone I’ve met who used one loves it.
 
130tmk
2500fps impact
Kept it off the shoulder on this one, I’ll punch one through the shoulder next
Heavy blood trail for the 30 yards she ran like a normal heart/lung would

no issues, these appear slightly tougher than a berger/eld match and the wound is more elongated imo honestly i heavily suspect that tmk is a gameking with an aero kit
Exit
AADE3490-D7D3-49CB-9176-E5A1CA166F6F.jpeg
Exit
802FB6D5-CE8E-44AE-AA1D-EF0B89D3216D.jpeg

I personally think we are asking too much of all coppers to wound equally to more fragile bullets and to retain that weight. The violent upset of cup and core bullets is important for that extra permanent cavity and destruction, and when all your wounding is just poking a hole with 95% weight retention I think you need to be poking a much bigger hole (caliber increase) or relying on much higher velocity to make up for that(26 nolser/6.5-300)

3A074DC9-C41E-4C62-A9B3-9FF22D73B684.jpeg

CF95A2AB-571E-4488-9D57-C90E3FFA3081.jpeg
 
jimmyjames8 said:

This is what I would use assuming your rifle will shoot it accurately. I am picking up a Rem 700 CDL in 6.5 Creedmoor today. Hope it shoots that bullet. I load my own.
Click to expand...
I agree with where you are going on deer especially, and probably other animals of similar build as well. I don't have experience with the
eld-x yet so i can not speak to its effectiveness; it seems to get decent reviews(some mixed) on it's terminal performance but i have seen almost no one complaining that they couldn't get it to shoot accurately. I would just further your thought on a good expanding bullet with healthy velocity. This has had me leaning more to the sub 140 class 120-130, 135 gr loads that are available in 2800-2900+ out of a 22-24 in barrel in factory loads for typical hunting ranges of up to several hundred yards. With less concern for wind drift and drop at these ranges than the long range shooters will have, the emphasis on velocity and corresponding bullet performance seems to be the factors more important. For example, the 130 sierra gamechanger that I currently have or the hornady sst in a 129gr closely matches the old 117gr sst in my old 2506, at short to intermediate and slightly better at longer ranges, that I used for many years successfully. I have to agree with you as well on the monos being reserved maybe for tougher game, large hogs, etc, or places where lead isn't allowed.
 

6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

Seeing that the 223 thread is such a success, I thought maybe I would start one for the Creedmoor/260. Seems like people are asking a lot about using them and various bullets, especially for elk. I've used mine for the last few years almost exclusively. I have some pics of bullet damage, albeit...
rokslide.com rokslide.com

130tmk, 143 Eldx, 140eldm all pictured in this thread of almost 50 pages with on game performance shooting critters small and big. Plenty of other bullets too.
 
Last edited:
Speer or sierra did test on barrel length. Most published velocities are on a 24” barrel. They found approximately a 50fps loss per inch. Aka you are about 300fps slower than what the box of ammo states.

I ran some 140’s from a ruger youth 18”rifle and was getting 2360 to 2430 fps on the chronograph.

Try Winchester deer season xp ballistic tips in 125gr. That got the velocity up to over 2600fps. Had much better performance on deer.
 
Last edited:
Real world? I use Winchester Deer Season XP 125gr in 6.5 It's engineered to expand and transfer energy to create wound channel and it's good-to-go. As opposed to bullets designed to penetrate and retain mass - I never got Federal Fusion to expand at all - just passed through leaving a pencil sized wound channel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom