Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 6.5 Creedmoor on Elk

And I bet the people who came up with that rule had killed a minimum number of elk.

Elk are big so killing them must require a big cartridge. It's quite logical...

I've yet to see anyone make a post stating they used a 6.5 Creedmoor/260 on elk and it didn't work...

You have to consider SD, kinetic energy, and hydrostatic shock, it all figures in.

Those 6.5 and 260 users who failed are too embarrassed to admit it on a public forum.... for to think of it few people admit to failure on these forums. I'll share that I switched to Barnes after a Nosler Ballistic Tip failed to penetrate ribs on a good sized bull - shrapnel in the lungs killed him after a 500 yard run through the snow (easy tracking job thankfully) and shortly after that from 7mm to 300 Weatherby for a little more range and stopping power.

If I start hunting in the middle of a private ranch on flat ground I'll be glad to downsize my elk rifle. While they can travel down steep canyons or off public I'll stick to the more powerful loads.

Compared to Western States yes, but it is a small State too.
Right now they estimate 11,000 and growing at a good clip.

I think most people are hesitant to post that they screwed up or that things didn't go as planned. regardless of the cartridge or bullet or other circumstances involved.

Texans and Kentuckians talking about elk in any capacity is always funny.

I've killed 2 public land/general season bulls with my 6.5x284 at appx. 2800 FPS...no issues, FWIW.

I dare to include I used the 140 AMAX on both of those bulls too...

I have taken a lot of Elk at long distance with a 264 Win Mag. I wouldn't hesitate to take one with a 6.5 120 BarnsTTSX. Either in a Creedmore or a 260 Rem.

Actually Elk as well as Bison cougar & beaver were native to Kentucky unfortunately they were killed out by the. Long hunters about75 years before there was a Colorado. At that tine I believe the locals favored Bows and flintlocks from 40-58 caliber. Hearing people from Colorado talk like they invented hunting is pretty funny too. Oh and for what its worth it was a guy from KY that drew the map so you could find Missouri Iowa Nebraska Colorado, the Dakotas Montana Oregon. ;^)

A bit off topic, but you can run 140's at 3K with RL-17; 48 gr. runs 140 VLDs at 3K in my 26" 6.5-284, half MOA, zero pressure issues.

I can run them around 2,750-2,800 in my CM.

DF

I hit pressure signs somewhere around 2900 with H4350...and backed off a fair ways to save brass life. I think I am between 2800 and 2825: somewhere in there. Don't have my rifle notes book with me. Stupid accurate with H4350; else I'd look at RL17.

Since 140 AMAX are now discontinued and availability of the 143 and 147 ELDs are erratic, I decided to pucker my ass hole and use bergers for this season 'till ELDs are more reliably available. Still with H4350.

I started with Vv n-165 when I first built my 6.5-284. Target shooters were using it, so why not.

It topped out at 2,950 with 140 VLDs. I found accuracy nodes along the way; it's a great powder.

RL-17 is a whole different animal. I didn't see hard accuracy nodes, just consistently good groups as the loads increased. Now, n-165 at an accuracy node is slightly more accurate than RL-17, but by just a little. I pushed RL-17 to 3,100 fps. No real pressure signs, but a half MOA gun was now shooting 1 1/2" groups. So, I backed it down to 48 gr. and that's where it's been since.

I know RL-17 doesn't show pressure signs like conventional powders, probably due to its flat pressure curve. It is a very high performance powder and I like it. Don't see me going back.

DF

Well aren't you cute! I'm a native Texan and I've been hunting elk in your state for over 30 years, and I've killed my fair share of them. So your welcome for all of us Texans pouring millions of dollars into your economy. Assuming that just because someone doesn't live in elk country that they don't know anything about elk is pure ignorance. Some people. Now, GFYS.

Lots of great input but also a lot of assumptions that I would be hunting long range. lol Don't believe I once mentioned long range in my question.

Very well said

Take the hunting rifle that you shoot most accurate with in the shooting position that you anticipate that you will be making the shot from. lots of hunters bench shoot their magnums from a lead sled but can't replicate their shots standing. Pick a good bullet. I like Barnes and accubonds. Make certain you shoot within your limits.

Fact is..... if you're shooting a .260 (or Creed, or .243, or .257 Bee, etc) at elks, then you're gonna have to pass on some shots that a dude with a .338 could probably take.

Shot placement is #1..... only if you've got enough gun/bullet for the shot at hand.

Example:

Bull at a hard quartering away angle, moving his cows out of the meadow 125 yards away. "Great shot placement" with a 210 Partition outta the .338 is just in front of the near hip, aimed toward the off shoulder.... this is a shot many of us would take in a heart beat. Bullet ideally plows through the guts, grass bag, liver, diaphragm, both lungs, blows the heart up, and comes to rest in the middle of that opposite side front shoulder.... bull hunches up, takes a couple steps, and face-plants.

My question:

Is it still "Great shot placement" if your shooting a .260 with a 140 Partition at 2750 fps, in the same scenario above? How about a 140 Amax.... or a 139 Scenar?

Can you be under-gunned even with "great shot placement"?

I'll bet a 140 Partition from a 260 would equal or surpass the penetration of a 210 Partition from a 338 WM.