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I love these threads. "My .338 Magnum (200-225gr rounds?) puts bigger holes in elk than my .223 (55-70gr rounds?), so nobody but me should ever hunt with anything smaller than a .338 Ackley-Improved Ultra-Mag." :D

I haven't drank the Kool-Aide yet, but I'm a little jealous of my hunting buddy that has. His 6.5CM sure flings them 143-grain pills pretty good! The targets that others posted above don't surprise me; I've seen my buddy shoot some amazing 5 round groups from the 200 yard line with his inexpensive TC Compass (isn't the 100 yard line sort of like the red tees in golf?). I'm not sure if it's the caliber or the 5R rifling, but I can't seem to get anything I own to group quite as well his "Creed."

I've picked up a strange affliction that causes me to enjoy having to decide which caliber I'm going to carry on any given hunt based on the target species and terrain; however, if I were going to go back to only 1 hunting rifle for the lower 48, the 6.5CM would be on the short list. I started out as a 1-rifle guy, but my .300WM seemed like overkill on smaller game. There are a lot of cool rounds out there these days (and I'd love to have one of each - I'm getting close...), but I think either the 6.5CM or a 7mm Rem Mag are about the most versatile options for a general purpose rifle, and the 6.5 is more fun to shoot.

My vote is that you buy it, but maybe keep a .30 cal of some variety around in case you feel under-gunned for elk (I don't think the 6.5 is "under-gunned for elk inside 350yds, but confidence is as important as the actual caliber performance).
 
I like the 6.5x55 better than the 6.5CM for hunting since it pushes the 140 grain bullet faster, but either will do just fine and your game will be just as dead as if you killed it with something more powerful. The only thing you won't get is all the extra recoil, but you can always go to Harbor Freight and get one of their hunter orange dead blow hammers and have your buddy smack you in the shoulder with it.
image_20443.jpg
 
The 6.5 Creedmoor needs to grow up and gain some girth before it goes hunting. Wounding game with a rifle too small for the task is not ideal. I once shot a nice bull with a .223. Can you count on big game like elk to present a suitable position for a successful shot? Not likely. I passed on close shot on a young bull once since my only shot was from behind. I mostly hunted elk with a smaller caliber. .270, .280, 7mm Rem. Mag always with 140 grain bullets. A more powerful rifle is a better idea.
Well trying to draw a comparison between a .223 and 6.5 is slightly stupid.
 
Over the decades their have been several new "wonder" cartridges that the masses glom on to as the best thing since smokeless powder.
We hear these glowing reports of miraculous shots at long ranges, extolling the virtues of little bullets at warp speed.
What we never hear about are the dozens/scores, perhaps hundreds of animals that are shot by "Joe Average",, who is not an expert shot,, he misses a vital spot by a few inches and an animal crawls off to die a horrible death on the other side of some canyon.
'Couse his pipsqueak bullet doesn't leave a big/huge wound channel that will bring down an animal without the "perfect" shot placement.
People like to quote Jack O'Conner about using a .270 for almost everything.
But they never talk about another quote he said;
"When it comes to big bull Elk, you're getting into .375 H&H territory".
Big bullets make big holes, and bring down big game even if the shot isn't perfect.
Ask Brian Pierce about the Rino he shot with a .45-70,, the hard-cast went completely thru it, side-to-side,, and killed another one in the brush in the background.
 
I have 3 6.5 cm's and it's a great round for hunting and precision shooting. I just bought a precision rifle in 6.5PRC that drives tacks and bucks the wind with ease. I haven't hunted with it but I have seen videos of different people taking Moose,Elk and bears. Seems like a really effective hunting round and great for precision shooting.
cheers and good luck.
 
Over the decades their have been several new "wonder" cartridges that the masses glom on to as the best thing since smokeless powder.
We hear these glowing reports of miraculous shots at long ranges, extolling the virtues of little bullets at warp speed.
What we never hear about are the dozens/scores, perhaps hundreds of animals that are shot by "Joe Average",, who is not an expert shot,, he misses a vital spot by a few inches and an animal crawls off to die a horrible death on the other side of some canyon.
'Couse his pipsqueak bullet doesn't leave a big/huge wound channel that will bring down an animal without the "perfect" shot placement.
People like to quote Jack O'Conner about using a .270 for almost everything.
But they never talk about another quote he said;
"When it comes to big bull Elk, you're getting into .375 H&H territory".
Big bullets make big holes, and bring down big game even if the shot isn't perfect.
Ask Brian Pierce about the Rino he shot with a .45-70,, the hard-cast went completely thru it, side-to-side,, and killed another one in the brush in the background.
Well to stay on topic I think you could do a lot worse than the 6.5 creedmoor for an all around N. American bgc.

Bigger holes and more energy/shock are usually better for downing a big critter like an elk but lower recoil helps the average guy shoot more accurately and hitting vitals is the main objective. Finding a chambering that allows you to shoot accurately and still carries adequate energy for the task at hand is different for each individual. Find where the two parameters intersect for yourself and stay within the cartridges and your limitations and you are golden. The .270 is a damn fine all around cartridge, elk included.
 
If you believe in that quote that you need 375 H&H for elk, than we will never see eye to eye.
I suggest more haters try to shoot the 6.5 and see what the hype is all about. and maybe talk to Swedes why they have been shooting moose with it for 100? Years. Also correct me but moose is bigger than elk.
 
I looking to get an idea of the masses opinion on using 6.5 Creedmore as general purpose hunting caliber for non-dangerous game in the lower 48 states up to and including elk. The 6.5x55 is basically the Euro 30-06 and has slain a lot of beasts on that continent.

I plan on getting a precision rifle in 6.5CM and thought about getting a hunting rifle in the same caliber. What do you guys think?

Not quite.

The 6.5x55 was, until recently, the Scandinavian calibre for taking/controlling/culling of elg/elk. Europe has a lot of other calibres used for game, but only Scandinavia has elg/elk.
 
If you believe in that quote that you need 375 H&H for elk, than we will never see eye to eye. I suggest more haters try to shoot the 6.5 and see what the hype is all about. and maybe talk to Swedes why they have been shooting moose with it for 100? Years. Also correct me but moose is bigger than elk.

AND Norwegians, rifle AND Finns, and the Sami People.... Our usual interpreter's full-time job in Norway was as an operative for the Norwegian Wildlife Conservation Authority, and HIS rifle was his father's Husqvarna m/38 made in 1939. Until his dad passed it on to him, it had seen almost daily use in elg/elk culling, often at least one per day, 365. He took on his dad's job when he retired from it, and he had just left the Army, and carried on the tradition, taking another average on one per day, every day of his life.
 
The 6.5 Creedmoor needs to grow up and gain some girth before it goes hunting. Wounding game with a rifle too small for the task is not ideal. I once shot a nice bull with a .223. Can you count on big game like elk to present a suitable position for a successful shot? Not likely. I passed on close shot on a young bull once since my only shot was from behind. I mostly hunted elk with a smaller caliber. .270, .280, 7mm Rem. Mag always with 140 grain bullets. A more powerful rifle is a better idea.
I agree totally. I think the CM is just limited to deer-size game. I can not image ethically using the CM for elk or bear. None of my elk have stopped with no less than 2 shots of 30 06 or 338 under hunting conditions and both at about 90 -100 yards. jmho
 
I looking to get an idea of the masses opinion on using 6.5 Creedmore as general purpose hunting caliber for non-dangerous game in the lower 48 states up to and including elk. The 6.5x55 is basically the Euro 30-06 and has slain a lot of beasts on that continent.

I plan on getting a precision rifle in 6.5CM and thought about getting a hunting rifle in the same caliber. What do you guys think?
Actually, a 6.5x55 is probably closer to a .30-40, but they work, too.
Yes, I see no problem with using 6.5 Creedmoor on game up to large deer.
If you decide to go after something big, like Elk, use the largest bullet you can find in that caliber and keep the shots fairly close.
Paper ballistics can sway your judgement, but real world results may beg to differ.
Good luck.

Dean
 
Well to stay on topic I think you could do a lot worse than the 6.5 creedmoor for an all around N. American bgc.

Bigger holes and more energy/shock are usually better for downing a big critter like an elk but lower recoil helps the average guy shoot more accurately and hitting vitals is the main objective. Finding a chambering that allows you to shoot accurately and still carries adequate energy for the task at hand is different for each individual. Find where the two parameters intersect for yourself and stay within the cartridges and your limitations and you are golden. The .270 is a damn fine all around cartridge, elk included.

CUT! Print it.

Thats a wrap, folks. We're done here.



P
 
Actually, a 6.5x55 is probably closer to a .30-40, but they work, too.
Yes, I see no problem with using 6.5 Creedmoor on game up to large deer.
If you decide to go after something big, like Elk, use the largest bullet you can find in that caliber and keep the shots fairly close.
Paper ballistics can sway your judgement, but real world results may beg to differ.
Good luck.

Dean

As in popularity, not necessarily ballistic equivalent.
 

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