6.5 Creedmoor and whitetails - bullet weight poll

[Lead Slanger]

For those that hunt with a 6.5 Creedmoor, what is your bullet weight of choice for deer? Also, not in the poll, what is your average distance of deer taken?

 

[C.E.Smith043]

For those that hunt with a 6.5 Creedmoor, what is your bullet weight of choice for deer? Also, not in the poll, what is your average distance of deer taken?

65 yards

 

[bulldog284]

I wonder why no one uses a 140 grain bullet?

 

[choprzrul]

85gr Hammer Hunter out to 300 yards. 3420 fps out of a 20” barrel.

 

[Lead Slanger]

85gr Hammer Hunter out to 300 yards. 3420 fps out of a 20” barrel.

I bet they hit like a lightning bolt.

 

[Lead Slanger]

I wonder why no one uses a 140 grain bullet?

My guess is going to be, low velocity.

 

[Knotwild]

I had weird experiences with the Creedmoor while I was experimenting with different bullets for deer. When the took place prior to 2003, my main goal was to reduce the population of whitetails on the property I managed, and leave the bucks for the owners. 95% of the shots were less than 200 yds and I normally used the 6mm Remington, with 100gr factory bullets, a 243 AI with 85gr Sierra GameKing, and 5.56 with 77gr SMK or 55gr Varmaggedon. These worked great for neck and high shoulder shots -really great.

Meanwhile, during the Obama era I got a chance to purchase a Tikka CTR 20" in 6.5 Creedmoor. The first night I tried it, I realized it was too heavy and long for use out of a pickup window at night. But I did shoot one doe broadside at 50yds the point of the shoulder just to see what happened. I was using a 130gr Norma loaded by Prime ammunition which the rifle shot really well. Anyway the result was she stood there for a minute before dropping and I could hear the air going in and out of her lungs. I guess it worked fine, but if it had been a tough big buck, he would have run off I'm sure.

I figured I would go with something lighter for neck/high should shots. I mean destructive. So I bought a box of Nosler 90gr Varmageddon. I just knew this would be the one! I shot two does in the neck where the head joins the neck. One weighed about 130lbs. Both were paralyzed, but still able to look at me and try to kick when I went to load them. Each got a 22lr in the ear. No blood, no exit, no obvious entrance. Some would call it a magic bullet! I call them a failure.

Last was the 105gr Sierra Prairie Enemy. It gave me what I wanted - a fist sized exit and instantaneous death.

If I hunted big deer up north, I would be using 129-130 gr. because that's what my rifle is accurate with. If hunting down here where I am, I'll stick with the lighter guns that I normally use. At the short ranges we have to hunt here, the smaller cartridges work better for me.

 

[Superjet]

Not a Creedmoor but an 18” 6.5X47 running 130 Berger ar hybrids at 2650-2700. Performance has been excellent on whitetails. Harvests from 50 yards to 487 yards. Longest track was 70 yards with most not going farther than 10.

 

[marchx]

I do 140gr or 143gr at 2720.

 

[Doug Casner]

My grandkids have killed a half dozen with federal factory loads. I think 129 gr. all pretty close. Doug

 

[HandgunHTR]

I actually have two preferred bullets. First is the 130 grain TMK, the other is the 143 grain ELDX. My shots are from 10-600 yards.

 

[White Eagle]

taken many whitetails with the Creedmoor
first was 140 gr bullet but lately I have switched to the 120-130 gr weights
seems like the mid weight range of the cartridge, at least in my line of thought
never go far

 

[Lonny in ID]

85gr Hammer Hunter out to 300 yards. 3420 fps out of a 20” barrel.

Would you mind sharing the results on deer killed? The 85 has my interest for shooting in my 17" 6.5 CM.

Thanks!

 

[choprzrul]

Would you mind sharing the results on deer killed? The 85 has my interest for shooting in my 17" 6.5 CM.

Thanks!

I've noted that for some reason, deer run in circles after getting hit with Hammers. 85gr .264, 90gr .257, and 122gr .277 I've seen this in.

2022 I hit a buck with that 85gr at about 75 yards. He ran in a full circle and piled up about 25 yards from where I hit him. We deboned that deer the next day after hanging overnight. The bullet hole in the opposite side shoulder was quite literally 'eat right up to the hole'.....I didn't have to trim anything. I was, and still am, quite amazed.

The 122gr HHT that I used this year in my 270 WSM going 3450 fps had similar terminal performance, the buck ran in 1 1/2 circles and piled up 30 yards from where I hit him. However, that HHT has (IMHO) much greater 'explosive' performance and I ended up with bloodshot meat similar to what I'd expect from a lead core bullet.

90gr AH in 25-06 going 3611 fps have also left me with minimal bloodshot meat....but a little bit more than the 85gr HH in 6.5CM

 

[drop_point]

I use a 130 gr. Accubond. It shoots well and it holds together.

 

[MikeRu]

I ordered some 6.5 mm 140 accubonds for this fall whitetail season, I shoot 140 gn Berger target bullets at 2800fps, will see how it goes.

 

[Lead Slanger]

I ordered some 6.5 mm 140 accubonds for this fall whitetail season, I shoot 140 gn Berger target bullets at 2800fps, will see how it goes.

What barrel length and powder/charge are you using for 2800 with the Bergers?

 

[MikeRu]

The barrels have been Bartlein 8 twist Remington Varmint 29” barrels from Bugholes.com, or else a Hawkhill that’s a little heavier profile but similar length. Several of the Tac class BR (IBS or Freedom) or mid range F class folks around here use H4350 at 41.5–41.7 grains, 2775-2810 fps, with Berger 140 hybrids. It’s a nice cartridge because multiple different barrels have liked the same powder/bullet combo, so very easy to tune. I always work up from a lower powder charge, you need a few fowlers anyway.

 

[Bill K]

Well I don't hunt Whitetail, but do Muley's in my state and with the lead free ammo we must use on game I shoot the Barnes 120 SSTX BT. Five muley's fallen to that bullet with one shot kills, placed in the lung/heart area and not move further than 20 yrd after the hit, some dropped in their tracks. It flat out works for me anyway. Range of those deer have been from about 80 to 250 yrds.

 

[Lead Slanger]

The barrels have been Bartlein 8 twist Remington Varmint 29” barrels from Bugholes.com, or else a Hawkhill that’s a little heavier profile but similar length. Several of the Tac class BR (IBS or Freedom) or mid range F class folks around here use H4350 at 41.5–41.7 grains, 2775-2810 fps, with Berger 140 hybrids. It’s a nice cartridge because multiple different barrels have liked the same powder/bullet combo, so very easy to tune. I always work up from a lower powder charge, you need a few fowlers anyway.

Thank you for the response. I'm about 45 rounds in on a factory Howa 26" varmint profile barrel. I'm getting 2710 with 42.1gr of H4350 shooting a 140gr Hornady BTHP. Once I get a DBM setup for it so I can get the length I need, I'm fixing to start loading up new Peterson SRP brass, H4350 and 140gr VLD Hunting bullets. We'll see how that goes. I'd like to see the velocity come up a little.