Who’s hunting with the 6.5 cm?

[greg vess]

I would not hunt with the ELDX bullet from a 6.5 Creedmoor. While it does kill them dead, there is a good chance you will have no blood trail. Some people don't care about that. Since I've only ever taken double lung shots, I just feel better knowing there will probably be a good blood trail. Otherwise, they work well.

6.5 Creedmoor isn't much different from the 6.5x55 and that's tried and true.

6mm Creedmoor isn't much different from the .243 and that's tried and true.

So I think they're both going to do a good job.
[/QUOTE]
Shot placement was key with that projectile. That was the whole purpose for that round. A perfectly placed shot 2 inches above the shoulder would cause the rear legs to fold up and dropped the dear in his tracks. No need for a blood trail. If the shot was executed correctly the animal never moved a foot.

The outfit I am referring were Custom Gun manufactures out west. They would only take the shot as long the deer gave them the right opportunity. I watched several impact shots and they fell like a sack of wet clams. One and done and no searching for the deer. That was the whole purpose for the particular round selection. The guns were optimized for that cartridge and it was effective every time. I will see if I can pull up the video.

Of course everyone has their own method of harvesting their game and I respect that. Do what works for you. No question. There is no wrong way to take a deer as long the kill is humane and quick. Shots that stop the animal with no risk of injury and loosing the animal. I wasn't suggesting it was the only way but that the 6.5 Creedmoor was very much a effective round if used correctly. Just another perspective on the 6.5 creed cartridge.

 

[kc30121]

So with everything being said so far, I realize that there is a lot of bullet options when it comes to the 6.5 and being new to the round specifically for a Hunting and not long range shooting what would be the best round for hunting in the North American Whitetail Woods were shot over 200 yards is very rare. Looking for a decent bullet that is going to give the best expansion in that 100 to 200 yard range. Not looking for a fancy ELDX or probably even a SST as i know they have expansion issued unless you get out to the longer ranges. Ive sighted my wifes 6.5 in with remington core lokt as thats about all i use in my other rifles. Its deadly and holds a good enough group for hunting in all my other rifles. I dont see the reason to spend $40-$50 or even $60 a box of bullets even in the last 35yrs of hunting i could count on 1 hand how many times i could of taken a shot passed 200yrd. I hunt in the woods and not the power lines or anything like that so maybe hunting techniques are different but thats the main problem I’ve always heard with the 6.5 is people get caught up in these high dollar “long range” bullets and forget they are hunting whitetails and those high dollar bullets wont expand properly under normal hunting conditions.

I guess with all that being said, and reading what I just wrote, it comes down to what everybody has been saying, and that is just choose the right bullet for what you’re using it for. Mine is the core lokt for general hunting needs on any high powered rifle. Now if I head out to our families farm in Nebraska for antelope it’s going to be something a little different so being able to adjust and know what you got and need is part of being a educated sportsman

 

[thevalueman]

I don't see anything wrong with a Remington "core'Lokt"...tried a true...for years

 

[Dundee]

To the OP's question to who's hunting with it, I most likely will be soon.
Keep seeing deals on nice rifles chambered for it, it's not really the round I'm after, it's the rifle model going for a deal.
Accidently snoozed on a gun I was bidding on that I wanted to have a look at on GB. A used CZ 600 in 6.5CM that went for <450$.

 

[GTN]

So with everything being said so far, I realize that there is a lot of bullet options when it comes to the 6.5 and being new to the round specifically for a Hunting and not long range shooting what would be the best round for hunting in the North American Whitetail Woods were shot over 200 yards is very rare. Looking for a decent bullet that is going to give the best expansion in that 100 to 200 yard range. Not looking for a fancy ELDX or probably even a SST as i know they have expansion issued unless you get out to the longer ranges. Ive sighted my wifes 6.5 in with remington core lokt as thats about all i use in my other rifles. Its deadly and holds a good enough group for hunting in all my other rifles. I dont see the reason to spend $40-$50 or even $60 a box of bullets even in the last 35yrs of hunting i could count on 1 hand how many times i could of taken a shot passed 200yrd. I hunt in the woods and not the power lines or anything like that so maybe hunting techniques are different but thats the main problem I’ve always heard with the 6.5 is people get caught up in these high dollar “long range” bullets and forget they are hunting whitetails and those high dollar bullets wont expand properly under normal hunting conditions.

I guess with all that being said, and reading what I just wrote, it comes down to what everybody has been saying, and that is just choose the right bullet for what you’re using it for. Mine is the core lokt for general hunting needs on any high powered rifle. Now if I head out to our families farm in Nebraska for antelope it’s going to be something a little different so being able to adjust and know what you got and need is part of being a educated sportsman

The Remington core lokt is a fine GA whitetail bullet. It falls in with many soft tip lead core bullets from many manufacturers that all perform very similarly. These are not typically used for long range hunting not because they aren't lethal but because they typically do not have the best bullet coefficient andexpansionis not as reliableat longer distances. This type bullet has probably killed more Whitetail deer than all the others combined.

Bottom line is like I said earlier pick a quality hunting bullet, KNOW how your bullet is supposed to perform, take ethical shots that your comfortable taking, don't get buck fever and run one in the guts. That bullet doesn't give 2 sh/+$ which casing it came from. Not every hunting bullet is going to drop em in there tracks, they all weren't designed to do so.

And yes the eldx and berger hunting bullets do perform at closer ranges but expect some meat loss if you hit bone.

The end all do all close range to long range bullet in my mind is a Nosler accubond.

 

[greg vess]

The Top 6 Most Reliable Deer Hunting Bullets - Petersen's Hunting

This is the Top 6 Best Bullets for Deer Hunting

www.petersenshunting.com

The ELD-X is listed as one of the top deer cartridges. Of course that's just one take on the selection and I am sure someone else would list 6 different ones.

 

[basstracker89]

I just did some research on this 6.5CM. It appears to not have any more velocity than a 308Win. I would think the smaller and lighter a bullet is, you would have to rely on hydrostatic shock to help you out. I really like a 1/4 bore. But I'm using a 257 Wby mag. I started using that as my open plains shooting, flat trajectory. Almost always drops them in their tracks. And for heavy brush, I use a 375 H&H. I can punch through the heaviest brush and always hit my mark. Instant blood trail and I don't mess up any meat

 

[GFB]

The Top 6 Most Reliable Deer Hunting Bullets - Petersen's Hunting

This is the Top 6 Best Bullets for Deer Hunting

www.petersenshunting.com

The ELD-X is listed as one of the top deer cartridges. Of course that's just one take on the selection and I am sure someone else would list 6 different ones.

Have you had good exit wounds with the ELD-X or did it grenade internally, leaving no blood trail?

 

[300_whisper]

140 grains SMKs all the way

 

[greg vess]

I am saying if used properly it can be an effective round. I use a 30-06 with core lokt rounds. The old but effective cartridge that has done the job almost since the beginning of time. Almost!