Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 6.5 Creedmoor on Elk

Anyone here use a 6.5 to hunt elk? Heading to Colorado in Oct and will be carrying my Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creed. I carried it last year and was able to take a my first mule deer. I hand load and shoot the 143 eldx bullet. Have pretty good success with H4350 powder although its not the fastest shooting round ever it is very accurate. Any success stories or experience would be appreciated.

The same would apply to 260 and 6.5x55 users. Maybe 100fps separates the three.......

Yeah I have looked at a 260 before and then though do I really need more speed. Then I think to my self, I do like guns and why not. lol

You fellas can hunt with whatever lets you sleep at night, but in my opinion there is no better elk load than a Barnes TTSX launched from a fast 7mm or .300 magnum. I don't use .257's or 6.5s for elk and never will. I'm a huge fan of the .257 Roberts and .250-3000 Savage, just not for elk sized beasts. One of two possibilities is likely; cripple and lose an animal and hate yourself for a long while or get lucky and put one in the dirt and join those who pride themselves on using the smallest caliber possible to kill the largest critters. Happy Trails

Yes. Still working a load for the ELD-X. Killed 3 with the 129SST, 2 with 140. Longest was a cow at 698 yds. It will do the job if you can.

I am with you WAM, but here, many of the elk areas are in very open country.. It lets a guy take his time and place a shot.. If you have ranged the possible shot, when it comes you are ready.. I just feel that sometimes a small caliber lets game escape.. I am certain I have had less than satisfactory results on game much small than elk with light calibers..

I'm sure my CM would kill an elk. I've loaded a number of bullets to test, 147 ELD's, etc.

But, if I'm gonna pay the money, take the time, travel a long ways to bag an elk, think I'll take my 7RM with 160 gr. NAB's or equivalent. Maybe my 300 WM with 180's. Probably leave the CM at home, use it on WTs, etc.

Just me.

DF

WAM has a good point no doubt. I know my gun and my limits and will only take shots accordingly. I actually drew a mule deer tag and will be hunting them in CO and was thinking about also buying a elk tag. I am still trying to decide what to take.

Don't underestimate any 6.5 cartridge, they kill way above their pay grade, even the lowly 6.5X55 with lowly core-lokt ammunition. 15 years without a lost animal so the 6.5 Creedmor should do it even better. Last year's mule deer (killed with my Creedmor) dropped as if hit with the hammer of Thor much like all the rest with the old 6.5X55 I owned, which dropped a 5X5 elk at close to two hundred yards never moved from the spot it was hit. Imagine the paltry muzzle velocity of factory Remington ammunition in that caliber hitting the neck of a bull at 200 yards, pales in comparison to a 7 Mag or a .300 Winny or Bee but same result,very verydead bull!

I intend to try my elk hunting this year with my 6.5X54 Mann/Scho, but I don't trust the "long range" bullets as much as I trust the older tried and true 160 grain RN bullets. if I had a CM I'd use the heavier 160 if they will fit, and if not I'd go with the 140 Gr Nosler Partitions.

I've had erratic results from the "tried and true" 160 RN bullets in the 6.5x54. Wouldn't hesitate to use any of the smaller 6.5's on elk with the 140 Partition.

6.5 Creedmoor or 260 will work fine... seen it!

I'll have a Creedmoor loaded with 140-grain Hot Cores or Interlocks on our elk hunt this winter, if that's worth anything. If something goes wrong with both of the Creedmoors, I guess I'll have my 6.5-284 out there(?). I don't own a rifle of larger caliber than 26 any more, and I don't feel under-gunned.

I'm real pleased with my 264 win mag for elk or anything else that walks around here in CO. And I have shot a 300weatherby, 30-06, 35 Whelen, 325WSM among others, There's not much difference between a 140gr .277 bullet in a 270 and a 140/143gr in a 6.5

Another opportunity to buy a new rifle.....squandered. Damn shame.

Andy3

I'm pretty confident with my creedmoor and shoot quite abit. Looking forward to October.

John tell me about the erratic results.
I have found only 2 bullets that feed in my M1903, a 156 gr PPU and the 160 gr Nosler.
The old 160 gr Sierra did too, but they stopped making it.
I have not had bad results with the 160 gr Hornady, but then I have only used in in the past in 260 Rem and in 6.5X55. Of all the deer and antelope I have seen killed with it, the total is only 5, and there are 3 elk I know of killed with it, but not by me. So any details are appreciated.

That combo should work fine. What the 7mm RM 160g Speer Grand Slam load I used for 20+ years will do at 500 yard, the 6.5 CM load will do at 400. The Grand Slam load never failed me.

I sure hope I get the chance to find out.

Another perspective is "money saved to fund another hunting trip"...