Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting have you seen a 6.5 used on elk

Am looking into possibilities for an elk rifle. Was looking at a 280 AI, but I am not as happy with the platforms available in my budget. So I was looking at platforms, and seeing what chamberings were available. One that keeps popping up is a 6.5 prc. Just wondering about real world experience with any 6.5 on elk. I do handload, and am familiar with matching the bullet to the intended game. I would probably use something in the hammer bullet line. I am open to either good or bad experiences. I am trying to stay away from heavy recoiling guns, so am not really interested in something like a 300 win mag.

What rifles have you looked at? Also, what are the top three features that you are looking for in a rifle? As to the 6.5 on elk, I'll leave that to others. My friend shot a bison 6 times with a .264 win mag before using my 30/06 to finish the job. If you aren't planning on taking potshots at an animal from the next county over why not just use a .308? It is available in pretty much every rifle made, and will put an elk down just fine out to about 500 yards.

Might have.

Buckle up.

Lots of people on here, including myself have nothing but positive things to say about 6.5mm cartridges on elk.

Bullet construction can be a bit contentious in associated conversations, but the caliber generally is not.

Yes. Killed a decent bull at 590 two years ago with a single poke with a 6.5 SAUM spitting a 143 ELD-X. No drama and tipped over about 10 yards from where i shot him.



Watched TDN dump a nice bull on the opener last year at 425ish with his semi-custom 6.5 PRC. Same 143 ELD-X bullets. Bull made it about 30 yards from initial impact spot.



143 Bullets extracted from Tim's bull...




If a guy can't get it done with a 6.5 PRC, golf should probably be his hobby.

Dave

1. Manageable recoil
2. Price
3. 400 yd capability

Was looking at the Mauser M18. Is in my price range, if they had it in 280 I would be all over that. I am not opposed to a 270 either...just like to shoot less common chamberings. But that is neither here nor there.

In that price range you might also check out the Weatherby Vanguard series 2 rifles. I have one in 7mm-08 that was like $650 out the door with a Vortex scope. I would use that to 400 yards no problem. I'm not trying to talk you out of a 6.5 whatever. I love my Swede and it kills FAR above it's paper ballistics. Heck, a Swede or even a Creedmore would work if you aren't going past 400.

I would rate them:

1. .270 gets #1 just because I have killed a bunch of elk with one.
2. 6.5 Creedmore
3. 7mm-08

All three would work. Ammo availability is great for all three and they all have reasonable recoil, although the .270 is noticeably stiffer than the other two. At least in my experience.

I was looking more and looks like in the 700-800 range I would have options in 270 wsm... Tikka Browning winchester etc

I personally have never killed an elk with a .264" diameter bullet, but I have seen it done quite a few times.
Cartridges were;
6.5 Swede. -- 9 times Most were good kills with 2 being not so good. Bullets used were from 123 to 160 grains. The "not so good ones" were thinly jacketed 140s and one time with 123 grain bullets.
264 Win Mag -- 1 time. Winchester 140 grain factory load. Seemed fine.
260 Remington. -- 5 times. 4 different hunters with 3 having very good results and 2 having bad experience with bullet that shattered and didn't penetrate well. Bullets from 130 to 160 grains. All the bad ones were "super accurate" but just didn't hold together.
6.5/06 -- 2 times. One good kill and one poor kill that took 2 shots both hitting the back end of the lungs and we still had to track it for about 1/4 mile.

All did fine when mated with bullet that hold together, but the only bullets I have seen used that gave exits wounds all fired Barnes X or 140 grain Partitions. Even they don't exit about 1/2 the time, so placement is important because if the elk doesn't drop fast you may be in for a challenging tracking job, if you have no exit wound to leave a good blood trail. Hit right with 6.5s the elk don't go far.

If you were going to use a 6.5 PRC for elk I would say Solid Expanding types are what you'd want to look at pretty hard.

T. Inman said it best;
Bullet construction can be a bit contentious in associated conversations, but the caliber generally is not.

Using good hunting bullets instead of "target bullets' I would hunt with a 6.5 with no great concern. I have not done that yet, but tit doesn't mean I would not. As of now I only own one 6.5, and it's the old 1903 6.5X54 M/S. Yet with the 156 and 160 grain bullets I choose to mate it with, I would not even hesitate to kill elk with it. Renowned hunters from about 1904 clear through the 1940s used it and said a lot of good things about it, so a 6.5PRC is going to do everything the old Mannlicjer will do and more. Just don't shoot bullets that break up because they are "more accurate" . Elk are not small.

More deadly is WAAAAAAAAAAAY more important then more accurate.

^^^^^This^^^^^

Yep. I've used a 6.5x55 Swede on a could in my native CO. Tipped them over without any trouble.

One elk 6.5X55, 200 yards, 140 grain Cor-Lokt, one shot ,dead elk, never moved.I am and have been a believer in the 6.5 aka .264 caliber since the mid 80's.

1 elk with the 6.5X55 140 gr. Partition. Taking a 6.5 Creed this season using the 143 gr. ELD-X.

Not expecting any drama.

LOL.

OP,

Please explain why you are thinking you're ready for 800yds.

Thanks.

John, goddammit.

I read that to say 700-800 price range, but I could be wrong.

Just askin.

Guy comes here wondering about bullet diameters and suddenly want to whack bulls at 1/2 mile with an incredibly compromised cartridge.

LOL.

Right or Wrong what a great example of how we all should slow our roll.

Thanks for adding the input.

Sorry meant in the 700 to 800 dollar price range. I am not planning on shooting anything at 800 yards

John, I think he meant in the $700-800.00 price range. In an earlier post he did mention 400 yards. We know the creedmoor or sweed is more than capable of taking elk at that range. I'm surprised you didn't post your YVZ video of him taking that bull at 600 yards. Old Wayne did look surprised the creedmoor worked on that big bull though..