Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 6.5 Creed - moose bullets

Although I have several larger cartridges in associated calibers, I'm strongly considering taking my 6.5 Creed for a Sept Canadian moose hunt. Having never shot a moose, I'd like to hear from those that have.

Lets clear some hurdles:
1. I won't be shooting past 400 yards
2. I know a larger cartridge may be 'better'
3. I'd like to hear first hand accounts - either the poster or an eyewitness

My 6.5 Creed really likes the 150 LRAB at 2700. It kills elk well and will be my default pending hearing from people that have seen or done a 6.5 moose hunt.

Other bullets I'm considering: 127 LRX, 140 Partition

I've been a big fan of Partitions through the years. I'll likely shoot the LRX and NPT to see what groups.

For those with experience, what are your thoughts on 6.5 creed bullets on moose?

Thanks.

a moose hunt cost plenty money , moose meat is delicious to eat , you may only get one shot take a bigger caliber cartridge . my choice for a moose hunt with my rifle would be a 338 Win. 225 gr Nosler Partition or at least a 30-06 with 180 gr. Nosler Partitions.

A good friend recently shot a moose with his 6.5 PRC, a little more velocity but otherwise not much different than the Creed.

bwinters;
Morning sir, if you all are getting this latest cold snap then I hope you're either able to stay indoors or not get stuck out in it for too long a stretch.

Regarding direct experience with the Creedmoor on moose I have no offerings, however I have a couple questions for you, should you be inclined to respond.

Where up here is the moose hunt taking place?

Typically what is the size of the bulls the outfitter is taking out of that area, better said what body size.

The reason I ask is that here in our part of BC where we're on the border of what some call Shiras moose territory and some say "no they're Canada moose", we'll seldom see one that exceeds 450lb hanging carcass weight.

In northern BC and the Yukon, a buddy who now resides in Whitehorse has killed a couple bulls which doubled that number or came within a whisker of doing so, so animals in the 800lb hanging carcass weight.

A neighbor went up into northern BC during the Beer Flu caused cancellations and killed a bull that looked to me to be about at the 500lb carcass mark.

Lastly and very personally, I grew up eating Saskatchewan moose that my late father killed with a .303 British, .250 Savage and a .308.

The area he and my uncle and family hunted had Canada subspecies moose.

All that to say, there's moose and then there's moose, you know?

If you've had good success with your Creedmoor on elk however, going off of what friends who kill bull elk and bull moose have found, you'll be golden if the size is similar.

All the best.

Dwayne

If you feel that you “must” use a smallish cartridge/caliber…..you should, at the very least, use a good controlled expansion or better yet, a good mono bullet! The Barnes 127 LRX immediately comes to mind! memtb

My son and I did a moose hunt in central BC last fall and we killed 2 bulls. My son used a .30-06 with 168 grain TTSX and I used a .338 WM with 225 grain TTSX. I used the M70 .338 mostly because I've had it for a while, don't hunt with it often, and this was a chance to use it on some appropriate game. My son's bull dropped at the shot. Mine ran a ways because the shot was slightly low. As always, shot placement is the most important thing.

No doubt your 6.5 CM will do the job. I shot a big boar hog around 300 pounds with a 6.5 CM and the 127 grain LRX, and the bullet penetrated well through the shield and was found under the off side hide. I would think it should work for most moose with good shot placement. The 140 grain Nosler partition should also work fine and if the 150 LRAB works for bull elk it should be good for most moose too. But BC30cal makes a good point about size differences in moose subspecies. If you're planning to hunt the big Alaska-Yukon moose you might want to consider a cartridge/bullet combo that penetrates a bit more.

I live in moose country, and although I don't one a 6.5 CM, I have shot a few with the 6.5X55 160 Sierras, and have quite a few friends who use the 6.5CM and they have no issues killing big moose and elk cleanly with 140 grain and larger cup and core bullets. I don't think any are using monos for them.
Put the danged bullet where it is supposed to go and the critter will die.
Cat

6.5x55 and Moose are a match made in Scandinavia!

There isn't a moose that walks that I wouldn't hunt with a 6.5 creed and a 139 scenar at 2800 FPS....

Your outfitter may have some comments and recommendations. Years back I was set up with a guy for a Canadian sub species hunt with a family southwest out of Fort St John. He expressed doubts about my favorite rifle at the time, an 8mm-06 with 196 gr RWS H Mantle bullets.
My employer canceled my hunt and paid the retainer fee, so it didn't happen. Point being...he thought my choice was a little light, LOL...I think he was of the school that was convinced that the .338 Mag could hit a chin whisker and kill a moose stone dead. But...he was the guy who had to get a dead moose out of a bog or willow thicket....sooo...

I would start here.

I guide Alaskan moose. And have a creedmoor. ITs not my moose rifle as I have to take iffy shots at times as a backup, that goes to my 338-06 and barnes.

If using my 6.5 it would be 127 LRX and go in soft for sure. The heavier bullets will loose weight as they hit due to design and the barnes will retain as much if not more than the others IMHO.

I"ve never had a 6.5 client. But had one ask if he could and I said the same. He came with something else though.

I've had a few clients with 308. 165/168TTSX all of them. Every bull fell quickly. There is simply not really a need for a big round unless you want it. If you can shoot it well. And just because.

Hi Dwayne,

You hit on why I'm considering the 6.5 creed - the hunt is in Ontario. A 40" moose is pretty good for the area, lots of smaller bulls, plus we have 2 cow tags. I'm an invited guest and not opposed to a cow. In fact, I'll be the youngest guy there and expect to spend alot of time being a sherpa. I've seen more than a few and they look Shiras moose size. I'd guess 700 lbs on the hoof with cows a bit smaller.

My GF shot a mature cow moose with my Swede, with me at her side. 130 grain accubond, running moose, slightly quartering way. Moose ran maybe 100 yards and stopped in a cattail slough, stood for 30 seconds and laid down. Finisher to the neck. Bullet was found underneath hide on the oppsite side. I shot one the same trip with a 30.06 165 grain Interbond, reaction and time to death was roughly the same. I was happy .

I've shot quite a few Alaska/Yukon moose in my time, at least half with my .270 win.. My best killing .270 round by far was the 140 gr, Failsafe. About 20 or so years ago I got my .338 wm. Mostly got it for Bison regs., but I like it. What I've found is that i get almost no meat damage with the .338, compared to any .270 bullet that I ever used. I also picked up a .375 R in an Alaskan a while back and get similar results. I hunt moose for a lot of reasons, but meat is really important to me, so my choice is clear.

I have never shot moose but I have consumed alot of first-hand reports over the years as I am somewhat of a ballistics fanatic (internal/external/terminal). The general consensus seems to be that while moose are very large, they are no tougher than elk (most seem to believe they die more easily). While not quite the same, I shot a mature bull elk this fall with a 7mm-08 and a 140 fusion factory load around 350 yards. He died quickly and without any drama. I also shot a mature cow with a 143 ELDx from a 6.5x55 a couple years back and it also worked fine. All this to say, I don't think I would necessarily start there for a moose hunt but if that's what I opted for, I really don't think it would be a big deal. I would personally choose something along the lines of 140 accubond or partition or a 120-130 mono (barnes, hornady CX, etc).

Why? Unless you have some disability limiting what recoil you can handle, show respect for the moose by using an appropriate caliber. If you are dead set on it, I'd use a 129 LRX or a 140 grain Partition. I have killed deer with the 140 Partitions but prefer a bigger cartridge even for them.

A 6.5 PRC is closer to a 7mm magnum than a 6.5 Creedmoor. It also has significantly more energy than a 270 Win. It still wouldn't be my choice. And before people start lecturing me that a 223 Rem would kill a moose, this is an issue why. I know it would kill a moose but why cause more suffering than necessary if you have better options. Now, if you are handicapped or have a shoulder issue preventing you from using something bigger, then do what you have to do. I would use at least a 3006 with a 180 grain bonded bullet.

as a guide for moose.. I've seen the smaller rounds put them in the dirt faster than the bigger rounds. The only fairly quick dirt from a big round was from a 375 HH. Sample of one. but various 300 win and 338 win mags and a few 7 mags and one 30 PRC and the quickest has still been the guys with the 308s... FWIW. Its not what I would have thought. But its sure what Iv'e seen.

Moose are NOT hard to kill at all. The do take a long time to realize they are dead though.

30-30 sufficed for years for us.

You mean other than torn labrum surgery, the 5 pins and 2 pieces of cord holding my shoulder and biceps tendon together?

I've been in on the shooting of a bunch of bull moose with 6.5CM/7-08-class rifles. It's extremely difficult to have enough power in a shoulder-fired rifle to pole-ax a bull moose from sheer horsepower. They tend to absorb a bullet to the vitals and then run off 100 yards, and stand there until they collapse. Bullet size makes little difference. I've seen the 127 LRX penetrate to the hips with a frontal shot on a bull moose, and I've seen the 162 AM, 140 TTSX, and 180 ELD break bones and penetrate plenty, either exiting or being recovered in the offside hide after breaking bone.

If you expect a longer shot at 300+ meters, then I would confidently use the 147 ELD, but it sounds like it'll be 300 and in. I'd simply load the 127 LRX and not worry about it.

Well, that's why I stated the exception. It will work and, in your situation, it makes sense. I would use and LRX or Partition. That's a good reason to use a lighter cartridge like a 6.5 Creed.

"Moose are NOT hard to kill at all. The do take a long time to realize they are dead though."

True that. They don't know what it is to be shot or dead. It's often like, 'Ouch! I don't feel well, I'll just ease over to this safe place til I feel better'. The well placed bullet is usually the kill shot.

"Moose are NOT hard to kill at all. The do take a long time to realize they are dead though."

True that. They don't know what it is to be shot or dead. It's often like, 'Ouch! I don't feel well, I'll just ease over to this safe place til I feel better'. The well placed bullet is usually the kill shot.

OOPS! Sorry about that

This, I had a 6.5 Swede for a while, I used 140 grain Fusions out of it. I never did shoot a moose with it but having gotten to observe the deer/ moose crossover performance of similar combinations, I would not have hesitated to use it. Those bullets would tear through 4' of deer and leave a pretty clean exit wound.

My own opinion on hunting moose with a 6.5... IMO moose are simply too large for systemic shock to reliably play a major roll in putting them down. Unless you are shooting a real cannon you simply need enough penetration to punch through the boiler room, prefferably from sub-optimal angles since they are often hunted in thick bush. You put a bullet or two through the lungs, let the moose finds somewhere it feels safe to lay down, give it 1/2 hour and go collect your dead moose. This is about all you can expect whether you are shooting a 6.5 Swede or a 300WM IMO.

My own observations are that a wounded moose will only go as far as it needs to feel safe, much like a deer. In open terrain this might sometimes be 100 yards, in the timber it usually seems to be about 40.

The one exception I've seen to this is in the late season when bulls will run together in a group. Anxiety over being left behind seems to keep them on their feet longer, and if you one-lung a bull in this situation its going to be a long day.

You must get into some really big and tough deer.

bwinters;
Afternoon sir, I hope the day's behaving and you're well.

Thanks for the reply and clarification on the what and where as that's absolutely a piece of the puzzle.

Aimed at no one whatsoever either, there are a few topics that seem to bring out people's definite opinions, the best cartridge for "Fill in the blank" surely seems to apply there.

In the "for whatever it's worth category and not that they need it, but I've corresponded back and forth with Jeff - Rost495 and Jordan for decades now and if they're cool with whatever, it'll be based upon experience.

Also Jordan and I have a mutual friend here who I have sat down and shared a meal with and who tolerates a little old guy from BC calling him on the phone so again that lends to their credibility for me.

As ytlogger said in his post - and may I say my late father used to say the very same thing - they sometimes need a bit of time to decide they're going to die.

They sometimes don't die immediately after being struck by a loaded logging truck either by the way - well or the train - so again I'm of the belief Jordan is onto something when he suggest shocking them might not be possible.

My brother in law used to shoot them in the brain with a .303 whenever humanly possible as he was positively allergic to water retrievals! He was up near Horsefly and Likely in the Cariboo for his, so a bit bigger than ours I'd say but not the northern cousins either.

Regarding shooting a cow....

I'm of a certain age that I very vividly recall my late Mom giving my late Dad the gears over shooting a bull. Then of course Dad had the temerity to hang the rack over top of the garage entrance, where Mom could be reminded of his inability to shoot a tasty cow or calf and bring home a "stinky old bull" instead!



This was an earlier bull and I want to say the garage bull was a tad bigger, but that's definitely a much younger version of the old guy typing this reply.

Since it's a bit of a favorite here, I'll end with this photo of the results when a pair of BC rednecks have their pickups all apart, but it's moose season....

When there's a will there's a way.

That Civic by the way, had the gas tank ripped out and it ran with a 5 gallon Jerry can in the back seat apparently.



It sounds to me like an epic family adventure in all ways. One you'll all remember and talk about for as long as you're still here.

All the very best to you all on that hunt - well and until then too.

Dwayne

Agreed. I used running 100 yards as an example, but the point is that they don't tend to "drop right there" unless you hit CNS, regardless of chambering. Destroy vitals and they will die, they usually just take a minute to do it.

I have spent the last 30+ years in BC, well over half of that in the northern half of the province.

I will just say that hunters on the campfire worry a lot more about the artillery “needed” for tipping over a moose than the typical hunters in BC who do it every year. Bring your Creedmoor, call it good.

156 Norma Oryx

You will be more than fine with your 6.5 and a Partition or any other bullet on the softer side.

Moose die fast from soft bullets in the front half, they have big lungs and suffocate quickly from big holes in them.

I’ve killed three bulls in the last three years with ELD m’s, and they died faster than the three bulls I killed in the three years previous with 150 TTSX’s.
Those three died about the same as the three I killed in the three years before THAT, with 168 TSX’s.
And those were about the same as the ones I shot with 180’s in TSX and PSP’s…

I’m with Rick, I’d take the same load you used for elk Bill. It’ll not be the bullet or cartridges fault if it falls short. I think you have a winner.

The guides I talked to in Newfoundland held the .308 win with the cheapest 150 factory ammo in high regard, but thought of a 7mm-08 as a lady's gun.

Balistic knowledge from the Canadian maritimes is best taken with a grain of salt in my experience. I once worked with a New Brunswicker who would disdainfully claim the 30-06 "had the tragectory of a slingshot", but held both the 30-30 and .303 Brit in high regard. A good friend of mine refers to this type of thing as the "Diss da way we doo's tings" factor.

Couple other points for the OP to consider, not that I'm discouraging the use of a 6.5: Firstly, you cant leave a wounded moose overnight. I've heard a few people claim otherwise, but any time I personally know of someone trying this the meat has spoiled. Even with relatively small moose in pretty cold weather.

Secondly, I know more people (myself included) that have been charged by a mostly dead moose than any other critter. I dont know that its worth factoring into your rifle choice, but do make sure to hit them good and give them time to expire before you get too close. If you need to do any tracking, keep your rifle in-hand and make sure the scope is turned down as low as it will go (that last point was nearly my undoing).

Exophysical;
Evening sir, I hope the fire burns bright out your way if you're getting this latest chilly blast.

Your comments about "mostly dead" moose reminded me of a story my late Father told.

Somehow he'd approached around the front of what he remembered as a big bull, when it stood up suddenly.

He fell backwards into the willows, and either lost his rifle or had left it propped behind the bull, that part is lost to memory now.

He'd been hunting with his brother's son and when Dad called him over to put down the bull, somehow in the melee he either forgot he had his .264 slung or it was somewhere else - I'm not sure sorry - but eventually the moose got shot between the eyes with Dad's .308 - by my cousin.

It really shook Dad up and if I'm not getting the years mixed up it might even have been the year he had his first major heart attack not long after getting back from their annual moose hunt.

While Dad and I did chase moose here, we never got one together, nonetheless he'd often warn me with something quite similar to what you've said, more or less be ready when you approach a downed one.

Thanks for stirring up the memories from long, long ago tonight. Otherwise they'd have stayed unrecollected and I've enjoyed remembering listening to some of Dad's moose hunting stories as a result.

All the best.

Dwayne

In my case, it was the best damn shot I've ever made... at 15 yards, whilst running backwards, and without actually aiming because all I could see through the scope was hair!

Fast forward a couple seasons later, I shot a bull at last light that ran into a river, fell over, then started drifting away. I basically had no choice but to immediatly wade out to the bull and get a rope around his antlers... up to my chest in water, rifle back on the bank, I was pretty darn scared. I figured if that moose got back up I'd have to dive for the bottom and just stay down there as long as I could.

127 LRX out of a 6.5-06 at Creedmoor speeds did the job on my 2016 BC Moose. Went in below the right eyeball and passed thru the spinal column and lodged on the offside shoulder. Lost all the petals one pierced the lungs. This was at roughly 50 yards so it was still at pretty much max velocity.

I would be curious to hear your experience with this bullet on moose. Thanks!

Not sure of your location or temps in season. But we have left moose overnight a few times and had zero issues. I don't like that. But it works fine.

That said I would be surprised if a 6.5 creed just wounded a moose. As noted they just are not that hard to kill. Just takes em time to die. 338 win down to 308 so to speak. They just don't bleed out that quickly typically. They fall over fast sometimes, but not dead when they hit the ground for some time.

In Scandinavia the "moose load" for the 6.5X55 is the 156 and 160 gr round nose. The advent of bonding makes them even better. Norma offers a very good 156 bonded bullet but I fear it may be difficult to find in the US. I use the 156 grain PPU bullet and it has been simply excellent but I have never kills anything larger then a buck deer with my 6.5X54. I have killed both antelope and deer with both the 160 grain Sierras and the 1650s gran Hornady and both (especially the Sierra) broke up to a degree that I would not trust them for something as large as a moose.
Bullets I'd look at are the Swift 140 gr A frame. both the PPU and Norma offerings, the 140 grain Nosler partitions (I have some of these to sell at $50 a box)
and the 160 grain Woodliegh

Maybe. I don't know. I have shot three deer with the Creed and none went down the way they should have. Two of them stood there wounded after the shots and required 2nd shots. The other one ran off and left such a faint blood trail I was never able to find it. I know that is a small sample size but have not been impressed with the killing power of the Creed. All shots were within 40 yards. I have killed deer with 308 Win, 30-06, and 338 Federal and never lost a deer shot with any of those cartridges and they went right down within 30 yards. I may have just been unlucky but I don't see any advantage to the Creedmoor in Northeastern deer woods where the shots are short. I may try the Creedmoor again but I love the way my 338 Federal anchors them.

My experience after this year is exactly the opposite. 3 deer, 1 elk all fell quickly to a single 150 LRAB from the Creed. I've shot alot of deer with various cartridges, bullets, and calibers. The creed with the 150 has been as solid as anything I've shot deer with. The elk to me was telling albeit a sample of 1. Quartering to at 50 yards or so. 1 shot tucked inside the left shoulder. No exit but a blood trail apparently from her nose/mouth Stevie Wonder could have followed. She was literally bouncing off trees within 50 yards and managed 75 yards straight downhill. Of course it was into black timber on a 45 degree angle......

I've shot a 270 with 130-150 grain bullets a fair bit. I think of the 6.5 creed/150 LRAB as a SA 270 because the performance has been identical despite the 200 ft/sec "handicap". I think the bullet and it's terminal effects is the deciding factor in about anything between 6mm and 30 cal.

As an aside, the 270 gives up its initial speed/trajectory advantage by about 500 yards. The creed definitely drifts less at all ranges over 200 despite the 200 ft/sec. If you're into KE, the creed carries more KE past 400 yards than the 270/150 gr.

Use better bullets, or make better shots.

Yup, this.

Really weird. We moved from 308 to 6.5 creed years ago. Probably a hundred animals with each by now. I've never seen any difference between the 2 really. Other than one is flatter obviously.

Deer just dont' take much to kill.

How long did those wounded deer stand around after the shot? Before you shot again? I can shoot deer twice pretty often if I really wanted to or panicked for whatever reason. They simply don't die quickly no matter the case. They may fall over quickly sometimes or at the shot but they are not dead just because they hit the ground. For a heart to stop and or to loose blood pressure, even with a head shot, it takes time.

I used a 6.5 CM for the first time this past season and dropped two WT does with 120 gr Scenar. Both DRT. WT deer are not that hard to put down.

you wanna use a 6.5 Creedmoor and yes its a good cartridge for regular deer go right ahead . i hunt for bigger bucks up north and when i pull the trigger i want that buck to go down called DRT , i hate tracking bucks sometimes those smart old bucks don`t die easy as do bigger elk bulls sometimes a little more power can give you an edge if you can handle the recoil.

The one I shot last year stood there for at least a minute or two while I rooted in my pack for another bullet. I have no idea what the issue was. I am shooting these deer at bow ranges so the shots are always through the vitals (I don't aim for shoulder bones). Maybe I've just had some bad luck but it was enough to make me leery. The two I shot twice would have died anyway but I don't want them standing there suffering until I take a second shot. Maybe I will experiment more. These three were shot with 140 grain bullets so I am guessing the velocity was around 2,600 fps. The only ever cartridge I have used that is slow like that is the 338 Federal and that wallops them. I know deer can be easy to kill -- I personally saw a doe killed with a 22 wmr to the vitals and it ran about 100 yards before dying. I am just stating my experience so far with the Creedmoor. I have quite a few rifles so I've been using other ones recently. I put a McMillan stock on the rifle and a more powerful scope to use it for longer range target shooting. I may give the Creedmoor another try this upcoming year to see if I can get better results.

I kind of feel the same way. In all honesty, I don't really notice a recoil difference between the Creedmoor and my 308s, 30-06s or 338 Federal. Maybe if I shot them back-to-back at a target range I would notice but none of them have a bothersome recoil. The only gun I have shot where the recoil made it unpleasant was shooting 12-gauge slugs at targets. Those shots can be uncomfortable. Maybe that, and the fact that I am a woods hunter taking short shots, is the reason I don't find any real advantage in the Creedmoor for my kind of hunting.

I hunt big bucks even further north, and bullet placement and construction is the only way to guarantee DRT. The 6.5 CM has DRTd moose, elk, and deer for me and those I hunt with.

My friend and one of his sons have been using the 260 Remington (6.5 Creedmoor ballistic twin) at the camp for close to twenty years. The loads, factory and handloads by me, have used 120 grain Ballistic Tips, 120 grain Accutips (an SST undercover in Rem. factory ammo), 129 grain Interlocks, 125 grain Partitions and maybe others I've forgotten about. The results have been uniformly good.

If you're strictly a rib cage shooter I suggest using a faster moving bullet. Put a 120 grain Ballistic Tip through that chest.

140 NP!!!

I have not been happy with the dead moose from partitions. They have never exited including right weight for MV caliber uses. In fact I've seen them stopped in the 2nd lung twice.

Dead yes. Go anywhere nope. Take a longer than normal time to bleed out the rest of the way, maybe.

But other bullet styles have made the exit easy or at least to under the skin off side.

Just my take from having seen quite a few bulls shot over the years.

YMMV and if you are happy run em for sure.

.
We run a lot of 140 bergers on deer. Ribs only as he says. I have yet to have a single issue with killing deer or pigs with those bullets. The ones shot with 127 LRX aren't flopped quite as quickly yet very dead. But I've never seen a none expansion 140. Usually I'm wishing we would have used the 127s due to extra damage if you accidentally nip shoulder meat in our out.

OTOH if you don't care about meat damage etc... faster and lighter and more explosive usually is more impressive assuming it always gets far enough in the get the job done.

I've shot so many pigs with the 40 vmax in 223 that should NOT work but rib shots and head shots always work so there is that. But the ones I use that on are generally not meat pigs so no big deal on the damages.

This has been a very informative thread - thanks and keep it going!

I'd opine that the Nos LRAB has to be about perfect for deers. They put a golf ball size hole through everything they hit and exit, at least the 3 from last year did. If you're shooting a 6.5, have a look at the 150 LRAB. Some guys report they couldn't get them to shoot. Mine likes both the 142 and 150 under Re16 or H4350.

I haven't heard much about the 150gr LRAB yet, would you be ok deliberately taking a shorter range shoulder/high shoulder shot on whitetail with LRAB (129/142/150) at swede creed speeds? I have an area where even a short run can be a problem, and was leaning towards TTSX or LRX this year.... thanks

There have been far too many elk moose and deer killed up in Northern Alberta with all manner of 6.5 bullets at varying velocities to dismiss that caliber , regardless of the case it came out of .

Cat

In my opinion (with limited on-game experience), the ABLR would probably be a better match for a 6.5 Creedmoor than a standard Accubond. They are designed to expand at lower velocities but are still bonded. The softer bullet should work well with the lower velocity you get from a 6.5 Creedmoor. I have about 100 rounds of the factory loaded ABLR in 6.5 Creedmoor for this reason. I have only taken one deer with it (a doe of about 150 pounds live) and it worked as expected. I used the 142 grain version and it was a full pass-through on a broadside shot with a good exit. My shot was high (a couple inches below the spine) and the trauma to the spine dropped the deer immediately.

I hadn't really put much thought into what occurred -- besides my immediate frustration -- until recently. I reached a similar conclusion. I was a bow hunter for 9 or 10 years before I owned a deer rifle so all of my first several deer were shot with a bow. I have always aimed a rifle at the same spot I aim my bow - right behind the shoulder crease. I know a high shoulder shot and even a shot on the shoulder joint drops them, but I prefer to aim for the ribs. It causes less meat damage, is cleaner when skinning, and is less likely to cause lead fragments to end up in meat. I think the reduced hydrostatic shock has caused the slower death compared to my .30-06, etc. I always used 150 grain bullets on deer from the 30-06 so the velocity was significantly more than a 6.5 Creedmoor. I may try my 25-06 this year and see if I get better results from the high velocity impact.

I'd shoot a deer anywhere vital with the 150 LRAB at creed speeds. It will leave some bloodshot meat around the entrance/exit holes - but I've never worried about a pound of meat.......

The worst damage I've ever seen was early 7mm 140 AB. I shot several deer with them from a 7WSM at close range. You could see through the deer. One had the shoulder hanging on by skin, I cut it off with my pocket knife. It was gruesome. I swore off AB for a long time at magnum velocities but in hindsight think I got a batch that weren't bonded. I've since killed elk, deer with various cartridges and calibers without the mess from that first batch of AB. In fact, I like the AB alot.

I never want to track or let an animal suffer, if I can help it. Yes, I’ve ruined some shoulders. I will probably try my 6.5 Creed next season, but when I am aiming at a buck the last thing I notice is recoil. Adrenaline is a powerful thing.

I have killed just over 20 bulls, with a variety of head stamps from .338WM down, including a 12 ga. slug, and .243. Average range is about 65-70 yards, farthest one was about 160.

The last two seasons I've carried (unsuccessfully, due to lack of opportunity)) a .260 with 140 gr Corelokts, and feel it adequate for my moose hunting purposes, in which range is unlikely to exceed 75 yards - most likely 50 and under. It's thick in there.

The rifle has taken a number of caribou to 400 yards, an elk at @ 150, and a wolf at 30. I have no hesitation to using it on a moose. .

Lung shot moose give slightly better meat due to bleed-out, but I prefer CNS if I can get it, for obvious reasons. Your 6.5 Credit will do fine with good loads, either placement.

I do admit a gallon of steaming bear poop gives me pause for a few seconds, however. No matter what I'm packing.

If I have to go back after the meat, I'm carrying the .338WM. That's just my take. Do whatever you are comfortable with.

Jordan, Dwayne, and others have good advice.

Some add on - My moose are the big Yukon/Alaska ones. I've not done any great amount of load development for 260, but I know in factory it doesn't like anything other than 140 gr. The Barnes TSX (120?) had the worst groups of anything! 140 C&C go MOA or less. I wanted to shoot lighter, but ....So it goes with the rifle's preferences... . I suspect the preference to date is due to the fact that it is a Remington stainless TI barrel, with factory twist, whatever that is. Rumer has it that it wasn't exactly the best choice, but I'm good with 140's out of it.

I have had 3 experiences with "mostly dead" moose. The first two (slow learner) taught me to not approach one from the front, and to put an insurance shot into their head from a few yards out. One was with a 30-06, 180 gr., the second was with a .338WM with 210 Partition. The third, was with .338WM, (225 or 250 ). After the "insurance" shot, I parked the rifle on shore, waded out into the 16" of mud and water, grabbed the forky by the antler to get him ashore, and he blinked.

That was exciting.

Are you shooting a ELD X in your Creedmoor?

1st good for your experiences with the Creedmoor ,i do own a couple of Creedmoors too . the cartridge i use is a 257 Weatherby mag. i use 100 gr. Nosler Partition at a velocity of 3800 FPS out of a Custom Ruger #1 with a Nightforce scope and this rifle shoots 1/2 - 3 shot groups at 100 yards . but until you or anyone else uses this combo you will never understand how fast this rifle / cartridge knocks bigger bucks down stone cold dead out too 500 yards with my handloads.

I’ve seen that combo on game, and I’ve also seen and used the 25–06 with various bullets. It works well, but animals sometimes still run if the CNS/skeletal structure is not hit.

your partly right with slower cartridges , but a 257 Weatherby mag . is 400 -500 FPS faster than a 25-06 with accuracy, when i use my Ruger #1 which is a lot stronger receiver than any bolt action made. i can actually shoot 4000 FPS but the sweet spot is 3800 FPS, my handloads have been tested at a ammo factory too 56,000 PSI , factory ammo tester/ shooter was impressed .
> but the Creedmoor is a decent cartridge lower recoil and very accurate too. ,Pete53

Ultimately, it’s vital tissue destruction, not just impact speed, that highly correlates with how quickly an animal goes down on heart/lung hits, and that is a function of both bullet construction and impact speed.

100%, despite using the 6.5SE, 30-30, and .303 brit, the worst terminal performance I've personally experienced on deer was with the 30-06 and .308, using bullets that were too tough. IMO its an easy problem to have with the standard 30 Cal rounds, particularly in heavyer bullet weights, because a notable percentage of the same 180 grain pills that are getting loaded for the 30-06 are also being used in the various 300 mags, and bullet design becomes more of a compromise. A hunting partner of mine recently switched from the 25-06 to a 7-08 as his main deer rifle, and more or less made the same observation. Its not that theres anything wrong with the cartridge, just that it becomes easier to end up with a bullet that isn't performing the way you expect.

That said, when those same bullets hit something solid, like a moose, the results were typically excellent.

This^^^

No. I generally avoid Hornady unless it is my only option.

Use the 127gr LRX or go heavier with a 140gr Partition, Swift A-Frame etc. Moose will die IF you hit vitals.

I never use Berger bullets (not a hunting bullet), Hammer bullets (Quality control issues) and others that aren't proven on game animals.

I’ve shot 22 Scandinavian moose.

5 - 9.3x62 with 12 shots. Couldn’t see reaction or strike (recoil) so kept shooting.

9 - 308 suppressed with 17 shots - a couple of incidences of poor shooting. Lethality didn’t seem any different.

8 - 30-06 suppressed with 9 shots. Old worn 06 giving only 308 velocity. Rifle a bit heavier, me more experienced and taking my own sticks way more important in improving the shots per animal

I’d say your shooting ability is way more important.

You first have to place the bullet correctly. For sure. But if you place a [bleep] one there it can do almost no good...

BTW how do you wear an 06 out to where it is 308 slow? Even with 223s over 12, 000 rounds in the barrel we could keep the speeds where they were when we started. Just the accuracy started being horrible.

Isn't the ole 6.5x55mm Mauser "moose" load a 160 gr. RN?

Same/Same.




GR

1957 ZG47 - no throat, rifling starts about 12” up the barrel. Judging by the pitting it’s had corrosive ammo and a lot of use. It is however a pussycat to shoot as a result and amazingly accurate

1. What other chamberings do you have that would be suitable as well?
2. Why is the 6.5CM your strong consideration?

We cut a barrel down like that once. It was still no trouble to keep up the speed, Its why we keep readings on speed and adjust the load as the MV starts to decrease.
But ours finally just would not hold a 12 inch group at 600 yards anymore and was hard to win anything like that.

Yep, and a great price too at less than $50 per 100. It's got the weight, weight retention and wide expansion:

https://ravenrocksprecision.com/norma-6-5mm-264-156gr-oryx-bullets-100-ct-box/

The only moose that i have shot, fell to a 160 Partition, from a 7 mag-shot through the neck at about 175 yards. That being said, I have shot my Creedmoors a lot and have killed loads of deer at all ranges out to past 400 yard. One bullet that does not get much mention, that penetrates and expands well, is the 140-grain Speer Gold Dot. It is a bonded bullet and has impressed me on deer. The penetration, even past 300 yards, has been outstanding with a very good wound channel. I did kill one elk with it, but it was a spine shot, so not really a test. With what I have seen from this bullet, I would have no problem shooting a big animal-if I did not have my 7 mag to use.

I am going to shoot a bison in another week or so. I was really considering the Creed, but just could not pass using my trusty 160 Partitions.

Good Luck with your moose hunt…..and good decision on the cartridge! memtb

I've owned a 257 Wby. In fact, I was with Jordan when we got a dandy buck with said 257 Wby. And, there's a punchers chance that buck would be right there with most of the BIG BUCKS you're always yammering about in northern MN.

It didn't kill any deader, better or faster than the last 10 bucks I've killed with the 6.5 Creedmoor.

The Weatherby is gone, the 6.5 Creedmoor(s) remain.

I wish we had more of those.. less than 20 boxes left. We'll try to get more. We do have some 143gr Bondstrike in stock as well https://ravenrocksprecision.com/norma-bondstrike-6-5mm-143gr-100/

I only read the first couple of pages. Something most responders haven't touched on is the distances at which they got their moose. Since the O.P. is prepared to shoot out to 400 yards I would recommend something bigger than what he is proposing. I've killed a fair number of moose with a .270 and 150 gr. Nosler Partitions but the longest was at 300 yards. At that distance the moose turned and walked away from the shot. I found him not too far away but don't know what would have happened with a lighter caliber.

A buddy killed either one or two with a .243. However, these were called moose shot at under 100 yards. At the time this was a rifle of necessity not of choice.

The majority of mine were also called in and shot at 60 to 70 yards. The quickest one I ever killed was in later years with a .338 Winchester.

I am unfamiliar with why some shooters are hell bent to use light calibers when there are better available. But as O'Connor said "well it's all fun and games." (That may be paraphrasing a bit.)

Jim

Because they don't buy the assertion that bigger is better.

The Swedes have been slaying moose for 100+ years with a 6.5 caliber bullet and they don’t consider it a light caliber.

The Indian and the arrow and all that.