The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Hunt

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old January 13, 2019, 12:43 PM   #1
altereddezignz
Junior Member
 
Join Date: January 13, 2019
Posts: 2
6.5 creedmoor white tail hunting in the south

Myself and my wife both picked up new 6.5 chambered rifles a couple months back. Mine is a ruger Predator and hers is a t/c compass.

The first deer shot was with hers at about 10 yards max using Hornady 143eldx and it blew a baseball side hole in the entry with no exit.
The second was my deer at 110 yards with pin size entry and pin exit with no blood at all for first 50 yards and ran about 120 yard.
Second was my deer at about 100 yards with pin entry no exit but i shot high and hit lower of spin and she dropped in her tracks.
Next was shot with hers at about 50 yards and made a pin size entry and very small exit with blood starting at about 35 yards.
Next was mine at about 30 yards and no blood for about 50 yards and ran almost 250 yards.

All shots where placed just behind the shoulder all perfect broadside hits. All using the same batch factory load 143 ELD-X ammo.

My question is even tho all harvests were recovered i am very leery of the blood trails and the recovery's. I am curious if i would be better with a different round for deer hunting. We only have a few fields i could shoot out to about 300-350 or so and most are 200 or under with a vast majority being around 100 or under. I look to one day being able to bear hunt as well as hog, larger deer and maybe just maybe an elk hunt but i have a 300wm for that but i think the 300 is a little overkill for white tail deer.

I am just looking for knowledgeable information here to help myself and my wife along in our hunting journey. I would like to do this without having to buy a different caliber rifle bc if i do i would be buying 2 as my wife and really myself like us both having the same caliber that we hunt with the most being the same as it help with ammo and issue that may come about.

Thanks in advance!!

Last edited by altereddezignz; January 13, 2019 at 01:05 PM.
altereddezignz is offline  
Old January 13, 2019, 12:55 PM   #2
xandi
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 10, 2015
Location: ga
Posts: 321
What kind of bullet were you using for the others shots?eld x for all? Or just the first
I’d say tired something else a see it it works better for you,
xandi is offline  
Old January 13, 2019, 01:04 PM   #3
altereddezignz
Junior Member
 
Join Date: January 13, 2019
Posts: 2
Sorry, Yes all where 143 eld-x
I thought about trying the federal non typical as i have read several reviews about them shooting very well and accurate with great results out of these 2 rifles but gun season is over now so i have a while to test. Just looking for knowledge.
altereddezignz is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 12:17 AM   #4
bamaranger
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 2009
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 8,273
comment

I'll qualify these comments with the fact that I do not own a 6.5 CR. My only experience 6.5 is observing and listening to a pals comments regards the .260 Rem he hunts.

But in reviewing your data from this past season, I wonder if you really need the premium ELD-X "long range" type bullet for what appears to me woodlot hunting for average size whitetails. You don't mention internal damage on your kills, but the small exits make me wonder if you couldn't stand some more velocity and expansion courtesy of lighter, "softer" bullets.

Were I to hunt a 6.5CR, I think I would explore the midrange weights in the 125-130 range, provided accuracy was acceptable.
bamaranger is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 03:24 AM   #5
Old Stony
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2013
Location: East Texas
Posts: 1,705
bamaranger has the right idea, concerning bullets. I use a Creedmore a lot, but mostly all of my shooting is with the Hornady 123 SST bullet. I have shot a lot of deer and hogs with that bullet with no problems. It does pretty massive damage within the animal, and I haven't had to track one over about 20 yds so far. I shoot hogs through the middle of the front shoulder generally, or up in the neck area if possible with very good results....they generally drop right on the spot.
Old Stony is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 05:24 AM   #6
std7mag
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 23, 2013
Location: Central Taxylvania..
Posts: 3,609
While i'm not shooting a 6.5, i have read of spotty performance with the ELDX on other forums.
I usually use the Hornady SST for range practice. Although i've read of exceptional performance with them on game in certain calibers. (The 117gr in 25 caliber for example)

For hunting i usually use Nosler Ballistic Tip, or Berger VLD Hunting.
Both perform very differently.
The Ballistic Tip will mushroom, quite well, and usually stay together and have an exit wound.
The Berger will penetrate about 3" then open up. Rarely an exit wound. Usually find jacket under offside hide. At closer ranges that you state, 10 yards, this may be an issue for this bullet.

Another option, should you decide to go lead free, is the Cutting Edge Raptor.
Expensive. But good accuracy. Penetrate about 3" then 4-8 petals break off, while base continues through. Extremely devastating on internal organs.

Good luck in your research!
__________________
When our own government declares itself as "tyrannical", where does that leave us??!!

"Januarary 6th insurrection".
Funny, I didn't see a single piece of rope...
std7mag is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 07:16 AM   #7
mete
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 14, 2004
Location: NY State
Posts: 6,575
Fads are not my thing but I.ve used a 6.5x55as my primary deer rifle since 1970 I have no complaints using typical 140 gr hunting bullets .Only the last few years I've used premium bullets . Try some 140s .It doesn't take all that much to take a deer .
__________________
And Watson , bring your revolver !
mete is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 08:02 AM   #8
Mobuck
Junior member
 
Join Date: February 2, 2010
Posts: 6,846
With those results, you should STOP using that bullet for hunting.
Mobuck is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 03:50 PM   #9
std7mag
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 23, 2013
Location: Central Taxylvania..
Posts: 3,609
Once again, i wholy concur with Mobuck!
__________________
When our own government declares itself as "tyrannical", where does that leave us??!!

"Januarary 6th insurrection".
Funny, I didn't see a single piece of rope...
std7mag is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 05:12 PM   #10
Wyosmith
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 29, 2010
Location: Shoshoni Wyoming
Posts: 2,713
I also have used a 6.5X55 Swede in the past. The CM is about 98% to 99% of the Swede if you have the same barrel length and the same pressure. So I'd say my results are going to be the same as yours will be if you use the same bullets.

I had excellent luck with the 125 Grain Nosler Partitions as well as the 140 grain Hornady Spire Points and both the 160s round nose bullets by Hornady and Sierra. Sierra dropped theirs now, so you can't use them. But PPU makes 156 grain that I hear good things about.

I also used some Remington Core-Lokts 140 grain bullets and had good results with them too, but they were less accurate then the Nosler and Hornady bullets. Still plenty accurate to kill deer and antelope with, even out to several hundred yards in Nevada, Idaho and here in Wyoming. Out of my old Mauser they would shoot about 1.5 MOA. The others I listed shot well under MOA from my rifle.
Wyosmith is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 06:27 PM   #11
jmr40
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10,792
The ELD-X is the hunting bullet, ELD-M is the match bullet. I've not shot any game with either, in any caliber. But lots of people have reported the results online.

So far I've not read of anyone not finding game after being hit with one of these bullets. I'm talking about all calibers. The biggest concern is that they tend to expand more than some guys like, and penetrate less than some would like. But they just seem to work.

Your experience is the 1st I've read of bullets exiting with no apparent expansion, the bigger concern is just the opposite. The other observations seem typical. A small entry hole and no exit isn't a bad thing. In reality they don't seem to perform much different than any old school cup and core bullet of the same weight. And since all of them are heavy for caliber they usually penetrate deep enough even though they do expand a lot.

The trend today is shooters wanting full penetration, but bullets that stay inside tend to put game down faster. I've seen too many positive results to write off the bullet. Maybe you just got a bad batch. But with those results I might be willing to try something else.

And your 300 WM won't kill any animal in North America any deader than your 6.5. Just do it a little farther away,
__________________
"If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong"

Winston Churchill
jmr40 is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 07:11 PM   #12
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
I read a lot of threads about which bullets are used, and why.

For a long time, all I've used are Sierra Game Kings. All but a very, very few of my kills have been bang-flops. I've never had to track a buck.

Mostly neck shots. A couple of head shots. A couple of coup de grace. A couple of bad hits where a quick second shot ended the affair.

Somewhere around four dozen bucks, during the two-a-year limit in Texas.
Art Eatman is offline  
Old January 19, 2019, 01:29 PM   #13
Red Devil
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 26, 2010
Posts: 269
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wyosmith View Post
I also have used a 6.5X55 Swede in the past. The CM is about 98% to 99% of the Swede if you have the same barrel length and the same pressure. So I'd say my results are going to be the same as yours will be if you use the same bullets.

I had excellent luck with the 125 Grain Nosler Partitions as well as the 140 grain Hornady Spire Points and both the 160s round nose bullets by Hornady and Sierra. Sierra dropped theirs now, so you can't use them. But PPU makes 156 grain that I hear good things about.

I also used some Remington Core-Lokts 140 grain bullets and had good results with them too, but they were less accurate then the Nosler and Hornady bullets. Still plenty accurate to kill deer and antelope with, even out to several hundred yards in Nevada, Idaho and here in Wyoming. Out of my old Mauser they would shoot about 1.5 MOA. The others I listed shot well under MOA from my rifle.
THIS ^^^.

Out to ~ 300 yards in the field, the 6.5 CM - is just a 6.5 Swede or 260 Rem.

Use game bullets designed to work in that envelop, and forget the 6.5 CM's very long range magic trick.




Red
Red Devil is offline  
Old January 21, 2019, 12:20 PM   #14
hooligan1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 18, 2010
Location: Independence Missouri
Posts: 4,582
I use the 140 grn Accubond for my Creedmoor on deer and it works fine, I do load 125 Partitions for it also but haven't tried those on deer yet.
The 129 grn Hornady Interlock is also another decent hunting bullet coupled with the speeds a 6.5 Creedmoor can muster, I'm still testing these.
__________________
Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.
hooligan1 is offline  
Old January 21, 2019, 01:11 PM   #15
clockwork65
Member
 
Join Date: January 21, 2019
Posts: 37
If you can get them in enough bulk to be worth it, the 129 Hornady Super Performance Interbonds (discontinued) are excellent for Whitetail. Good SD and great mass retention. Last deer at about 80 yards had a pinhole entry and a plum sized exit. Was a heart shot, so it ran 40 yards, but the trail was Michael Myers-esque.

You can still get them online for $25-30/box. (I'm hoarding them whenever possible.) Not 100% sure why they discontinued, but my hunch is that they were clearing out competition for the 143 eldx.
clockwork65 is offline  
Old January 21, 2019, 01:58 PM   #16
Tallest
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 23, 2016
Location: West of the Atlantic
Posts: 418
I agree with a lot of the recommendations, especially the ones that mention the Nosler Partition.

I have also had great penetration, expansion and exiting from the Federal Fusions. Granted, mine are 7mm-08, but I don't see you encountering a significant difference going to 6.5CM. For informational purposes, they are used on white tail ranging approx. 90-140 lbs.

Indeed, I would like to see that bullet sold for reloading.
__________________
Matthew

"All men are ignorant. The topics of our ignorance may vary, but the nature of the world is that no man may know everything." ~ R Jordan
Tallest is offline  
Old January 21, 2019, 02:11 PM   #17
RC20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 10, 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 7,014
My lattest re-loader magazine has a good article on ballistics and the results.

Too close and the velocity is too high, too far and its dropped off.

2500 fps was sort of a good spot. But that depends on the type of bullet form a FB LT to BT types, bonded and non bonded.

Lead core jacketed shed weight and lower penetration above 2500 fps

Under penetration was better and they would mushroom correctly.

Your best bet is per Art E, use a bullet that has been proven by hunters with the results not just I got it.
__________________
Science and Facts are True whether you believe it or not
RC20 is offline  
Reply

Tags
6.5 , creedmoor , precision , whitetail hunting

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:34 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06337 seconds with 8 queries