What 6.5 cartridge?

[CTK]

I would think that a 7mm of some sort would be the ticket here. 100 gr bullets for the varmints and 140-160 gr for the bigger stuff. 7mm-08? Obviously both are somewhat of a compromise. My 2 gun hunting battery is a 6.5x47 (whitetail and coyotes) and a 280AI for whitetail + mule deer and elk in future. In process of getting another 280AI built. 6.5x47 will be my only whitetail gun this year.

 

[Zero333]

Thinking out loud here so I'm gonna state my opinion based on no actual experience so don't roast me but...

I think the 260/260ai or the 6.5 Creed could be enough for elk and moose, but only up to 200 yards MAX shooting handloads with the Hornady 160 Round nose Interlock.
This bullet out the muzzle at 2,700+ fps will carry over 1,500 ft-lbs energy at 200 yards and strike at 2,100 fps.
In Scandinavia, more moose fell to a 160 gr 6.5mm Round Nose bullet than any other.
Most of them fired in old 6.5x55 Swede rifles that probably didn't exceed 2,600 fps out the muzzle.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Just about anything will kill an elk or moose from 100-200 yards with a perfect shot. A friend killed an elk a couple years ago with a 60 grain sierra out of a 243 wssm at around 100 yards. Problem is, in my neck of the woods a 600 yard shot with plenty of wind is much more likely than a 100 yard shot. So many guys get bent out of shape when people push big rounds for elk. What they dont get is, we are not recommending the bigger rounds only because its an elk, but also because of the distance and conditions you will likely find yourself making the shot in. I have watched 3 elk with their hearts destroyed make it 100 yards. 2 were 300 grain bergers and the other a 195 berger. They are not like whitetail.

 

[CTK]

Just about anything will kill an elk or moose from 100-200 yards with a perfect shot. A friend killed an elk a couple years ago with a 60 grain sierra out of a 243 wssm at around 100 yards. Problem is, in my neck of the woods a 600 yard shot with plenty of wind is much more likely than a 100 yard shot. So many guys get bent out of shape when people push big rounds for elk. What they dont get is, we are not recommending the bigger rounds only because its an elk, but also because of the distance and conditions you will likely find yourself making the shot in. I have watched 3 elk with their hearts destroyed make it 100 yards. 2 were 300 grain bergers and the other a 195 berger. They are not like whitetail.[/QUOT

I am planning to use a 280AI for elk. I would think that it is on the low end of "enough" cartridge for elk. I am not skilled enough to take a 600y shot with "plenty of wind". I would not attempt that shot right now at a whitetail either. I plan to practice with pack rest and sticks next year at 500 and 600y. I will evaluate my max range at that time.

 

[Nature Boy]

.308 for the do all

 

[B23]

Does it have to be a 6.5 something or other? If not, what about just a straight .284?

 

[hogpatrol]

Just about anything will kill an elk or moose from 100-200 yards with a perfect shot. A friend killed an elk a couple years ago with a 60 grain sierra out of a 243 wssm at around 100 yards. Problem is, in my neck of the woods a 600 yard shot with plenty of wind is much more likely than a 100 yard shot. So many guys get bent out of shape when people push big rounds for elk. What they dont get is, we are not recommending the bigger rounds only because its an elk, but also because of the distance and conditions you will likely find yourself making the shot in. I have watched 3 elk with their hearts destroyed make it 100 yards. 2 were 300 grain bergers and the other a 195 berger. They are not like whitetail.

I hear you on the horsepower for your condition but the whitetails in the east with a shredded, pulverized heart will run 100 yards, sometimes more if going downhill. For me, all that hit 'em in the shoulder, heart, blah blah blah isn't my m.o. That's why I go for the lung shot. Break that balloon. They can't run if they can't breathe. Heart shots are if you want to track a blood trail or get them closer to the truck/horse.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I hear you on the horsepower for your condition but the whitetails in the east with a shredded, pulverized heart will run 100 yards, sometimes more if going downhill. For me, all that hit 'em in the shoulder, heart, blah blah blah isn't my m.o. That's why I go for the lung shot. Break that balloon. They can't run if they can't breathe. Heart shots are if you want to track a blood trail or get them closer to the truck/horse.

I dont aim for the heart, I aim mid way up. If things go perfect its high heart and low lungs. One of those elk took that 300 through the shoulder, heart, and lungs. Nasty. The 195 took a shoulder, heart, and one lung. All 3 with large exits. All I am saying is they are tough. Surprisingly tough. I have a picture of a nice Id. bull a customer killed at 640ish with a 6.5x47 I built him. It did the trick, but If the wind would have blew that 140 into the shoulder it may have been a bad deal. I dont like to see anything suffer. Maybe it has something to do with just about every time I have seen Joe-hunter shooting game you would swear they think the vitals are in an ass cheek. When people see elk they act "different".

 

[perry42]

6.5x55 or 6,5x55AI

perry42

 

[JBT47]

I dont aim for the heart, I aim mid way up. If things go perfect its high heart and low lungs. One of those elk took that 300 through the shoulder, heart, and lungs. Nasty. The 195 took a shoulder, heart, and one lung. All 3 with large exits. All I am saying is they are tough. Surprisingly tough. I have a picture of a nice Id. bull a customer killed at 640ish with a 6.5x47 I built him. It did the trick, but If the wind would have blew that 140 into the shoulder it may have been a bad deal. I dont like to see anything suffer. Maybe it has something to do with just about every time I have seen Joe-hunter shooting game you would swear they think the vitals are in an ass cheek. When people see elk they act "different".

Good post. Having hunted elk several times with bow, I can attest to elk making a person act “different”.

 

[sbhooper]

I have shot quite a few elk and I, personally, think that pound for pound, a white tailed deer is tougher than an elk ever thought of being. Any critter is subject to running a ways, if heart, or lung shots are taken. I took out both front shoulders on a big doe a couple days ago and she made it 60-70 yards. Elk are bigger and so it amplifies the problem somewhat, but they are not bullet-proof. Penetration is the whole key with elk, making the bullet choice more critical than caliber, if heavy bone is a possibility.

 

[CaptnC]

I know this might sound crazy, but to actually try to fulfill all three roles with one gun, you might consider a .308 or 30-06. You could run 3300-3500fps with 110gr bullets for a flat shooting PD load, 3000fps with 155's for steel and deer, and shoot 215's-230's on elk. Barrel life would be a non-issue. The biggest problem would be throating it for all three bullets, and the answer would be to throats it short for the 110's and seat everything else deep. Loosing that case capacity would suck for a .308, so the 30-06 becomes a better candidate. For each of those roles there is a cartridge that would be quite a bit better, but to span the whole range, the cartridge would actually be adequate.

If you stick with the 6.5 and use the thinking above...you come up with the 6.5-06...I built one for my wife and the more I work with it the more I like it...I'm getting near 264mag numbers on a standard bolt face. You can find brass on every trip to the range (25-06, 270, 280 or 30-06). When I first decided to build one I was thinking how terrible it was going to be to get brass, but I've warmed up well to the idea of making my own.

Like said...the Sweds have been killing moose for years with the 6.5x55, so knowing you have to be a better hunter is not such a bad thing! My wife has been ringing steel out to 400yds since I built the 6.5-06 for her. Then my wife shot her first deer (an exceptional 8pt) at 307yds with my 264wm on her first trip into the woods with her first shot ever at a live animal. I know that's not a monster long range shot. But it was a bang flop...DRT...my point she had the confidence to take the shot becasue of all the trigger time with her 6.5-06...I'm sure if I had her 06 with us the results would have been the same.

6.5-06 might be a little tough on a D-Town...but how often are you going to do that? My bet you will be ringing plates more regularly than shooting rats.

For the life of me I can't understand why the 6.5-06 is not more popular! I'm going to build one for myself...I pick up 6.5 Creedmoore brass on every ranger trip and just can't waste the money on one knowing I could have a 6.5-06!

 

[mikeinct]

If most of the shooting will be long range steel plinking...I really like my 260 Rem AI...you don't have to load it crazy hot for target shooting..& when you need the extra powder/bullet weight..You can step it up with hunting loads & better bullets for longer [maybe 600 yards] shooting...mike in ct

 

[ImBIllT]

If you stick with the 6.5 and use the thinking above...you come up with the 6.5-06...I built one for my wife and the more I work with it the more I like it...I'm getting near 264mag numbers on a standard bolt face. You can find brass on every trip to the range (25-06, 270, 280 or 30-06). When I first decided to build one I was thinking how terrible it was going to be to get brass, but I've warmed up well to the idea of making my own.

Like said...the Sweds have been killing moose for years with the 6.5x55, so knowing you have to be a better hunter is not such a bad thing! My wife has been ringing steel out to 400yds since I built the 6.5-06 for her. Then my wife shot her first deer (an exceptional 8pt) at 307yds with my 264wm on her first trip into the woods with her first shot ever at a live animal. I know that's not a monster long range shot. But it was a bang flop...DRT...my point she had the confidence to take the shot becasue of all the trigger time with her 6.5-06...I'm sure if I had her 06 with us the results would have been the same.

6.5-06 might be a little tough on a D-Town...but how often are you going to do that? My bet you will be ringing plates more regularly than shooting rats.

For the life of me I can't understand why the 6.5-06 is not more popular! I'm going to build one for myself...I pick up 6.5 Creedmoore brass on every ranger trip and just can't waste the money on one knowing I could have a 6.5-06!

I just built a slightly smaller 6.5 with the idea being slightly better barrel life than a 6.5-06. It's beating 264 WM velocity, likely because of a 30" tube and coated bullets, and on the two muledeer I just killed with it, it's been BAD medicine. They died as fast or faster than any deer I've ever killed. I'm not even sure DRT captures it. I also intend to re-chamber to 6.5-06 AI at about 1000 instead of setting the barrel back. However, the barrel life likely won't be anything like 6BR or .223 or .308 barrel life. If you're really trying to shoot PD's plus something else with one gun, barrel life has to be a consideration, and the 6.5-06 doesn't rate very high on that front. Otherwise it is an entirely underrated cartridge.

 

[mikeinct]

I want to hear more of this 6.5 - 06 of which you speak...Mike in Ct

 

[CaptnC]

I just built a slightly smaller 6.5 with the idea being slightly better barrel life than a 6.5-06. Otherwise it is an entirely underrated cartridge.

Don't leave us hanging...What ya shootin'/

 

[fyrewall]

I have always had 2, 6.5-06's. Now, I have a FN Mauser with a 1-10 PacNor that I use with 100 - 123 grain bullets. I use lots of 4350's with the 100's and Re 23 for the 123's. My other rifle has a 1-8 McGowen shooting 123's with Re23 and 140's with H1000. The 100's out of the 1-10 are flat shooting and hard hitting out to 400 (about 3350 fps) but heat up real fast and burn barrels but lots of fun requiring self restraint. The 140's Barnes match burners out of the 1-8 have shot less than 1 inch groups at 200, the best being .4 or so at 200.

I buy cheap once fired .30-06 brass, anneal, neck down, turn necks down to .288 and they are ready to go having a slight crush fit.

Probably the best practical wildcat. A toss up for long range varmint shooting with the 6mm AI.

For volume shooting a 6.5X47 or .260 or .260 AI or 6.5 Creed.

 

[CM21VE]

Just last sunday I had a Whitetail run about 100 yds with a heart that was destroyed, they are pretty tough- I have no knowledge of Elk as I have never had the chance to hunt one but I can say whitetail are pretty tough. Just as info anyone using a 6.5x55 swede in competition? I don't really hear of anyone using them.

 

[fyrewall]

The 1-8 McGowen 6.5-06 is my ugly rifle sort of treated like a tool. My views of the 6.5X55 are that is an excellent but somewhat peculiar cartridge because of its somewhat larger, non standard rim size. Velocities are only about 100 fps or so behind the 6.5-06 with normal pressures. Periodically, I see or read about people who expect to use .473 type shell holders with 6.5X55 brass and have problems. I have a Rem 700 and the bolt will not accept 6.5X55 ammo - this means better check things out or spend more money with bolt/extractor modifications should you plan to use a Rem 700.

I would guess that availability of 6.5X47 Lapua, .260 Rem, and 6.5 Creedmoor has reduced popularity and use of the 6.5X55.

 

[Slim13]

I’ll bite. Yes, you can get away with one 6.5 rifle. It’ll be great at one application but will suffer at others. You’ll have to pick which one you want it to best at. You can safely take an elk with 140 grain bullets (260,6.5 creed, etc.) but you’ll have to shoot at relaxed animals at shorter distances. As another replied, with that setup (barrel twist, freebore etc.) you’re out of the prairie dog game. I’ve taken cow elk, deer and even a Mountain Goat with my .260 and it performed flawlessly with Berger 140 VLD’s. All the above being said, I also have a 7mm Remington Magnum that throws 168 VLD’s at 3030 FPS. That’s my go-to for hunting elk and deer though. I can safely take either out to 850yds with complete confidence in a humane shot. With hunting rifles, it’s all a trade off. There’s no one size fits all.