I have a 6.5 wildcat that I built to achieve similar performance and it’s flat out sick on mule deer with Berger VLD’s. I’ve had it up to 3300 over a Chrony with 140’s, but got ejector marks and backed down. I thought I was shooting 3315fps with 140’s on the first muley I killed, but got home and figured out I had put 130gr billets in my 140gr box after coating them. The hottest load it will shoot good groups with using 140’s is running 3175fps. That’s .26 Nosler territory if you look at load data, but it’s not meeting the loaded ammo numbers. The two mule deer I killed with it were hit with VLD’s leaving the barrel around 3300fps, and they were most likely 130gr VLDs. The first was at about 120yds, and the second at about 380yds. Both were pretty much instant kills. I just got back from my first elk hunt and used 140gr Elite Hunters at 3175fps. The first shot was a gut shot due to wind at 670yds. It exited. The second shot was at about 30yds and hit the shoulder joint. It slipped in before blowing up, completely eliminated the entire joint area leaving a half a numerous and a scapula with no socket, and destroyed the lungs, but did not exit. The elk stood up, walked 40yds on three legs and laid down and it was over. I’d have shot him again, but I didn’t have any more ammo on me. I would prefer a larger caliber bullet for elk. I think a 7mm or .30 cal would be better. I also recommend getting closer. It was a now or never moment, and I thought I was a lot closer than 670yds. For mule deer the gun has been amazing.
Upon further reflection I don’t think I would have hit the elk without it. I had taken a 30-06 in a wood stock and the 6.5 was a backup. The weather turned so I was carrying the 6.5. It turns out that at 670yds the 30-06 would have dropped 31” more than the 6.5 and drifted 6” more in a 10mph crosswind. So the ‘06 might have been better on a hit, but I would most likely be eating tag soup instead of my first elk hunt being a wonderful success.
