6.5mm Elk

[BigHorn WBY]

Wandered out east to the west side of the Powder River Breaks. Have been using a 6.5x284 for most of the season, but it is a big heavy rifle and I am old and out shape. I had traded for a much handlier 6.5 andd that rough country made using it seem to make sense. It is a stainless/synthetic Tikka T-3 in 6.5x55mm. With a 3x9 Conquest in Tikka mounts it is indeed handy. Loaded with 140gr Noslers at 2820fps, it is more than enough for any elk walking.

Anyway found them about noon bedded in the junipers. After a mile or so hike and a easy crawl in, I dispatched a big old (but regrettably wet) Cow at a lasered 192yds. I am far from tough anymore, but no sissy either, it took all I had to roll her over. I am guessing she weighed 500+ pounds dead at my feet. I do know the carcass, sans lower leg, head and guts weighs 300lbs. So using the 40% rule.......500ish walking.

Anyway a dinky 6.5mm seemed to work, one shot broke the upper leg bone, both lungs, secondary projectiles cut heart loose, exit hole bewteen ribs on off side.

 

[.260 james]

Good show old boy, I wish my 7x57 ( dads actually ) would have had a chance. Funny from everything I seen online , you should have needed like a .338 RUM at least for a 192 yd shot on an elk ........
It was a good season and I am waiting for the invite to try out one of that old girls steaks!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nomad47]

Congrats on a good shot. And that was a very good choice for a carry rifle. While passing thru OK on our way to AZ, I witnessed an 82 year old gentleman hit a 11"x17" target at 500 yards with a Swedish 6.5x55 . . . . with open sights.

 

[BigHorn WBY]

Good show old boy, I wish my 7x57 ( dads actually ) would have had a chance. Funny from everything I seen online , you should have needed like a .338 RUM at least for a 192 yd shot on an elk ........
It was a good season and I am waiting for the invite to try out one of that old girls steaks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. Indeed was hoping you and the 7 would catch a Bull this weekend. .....

Ha' a friggin big 33. Terrible things, you know me........ yeah NOT. Back in the old days when we where kids, remember that a 300 or a 358 was a pretty normal sight back then. Good thing Dad taught us to hunt and shoot, as opposed to read twaddle and by some cannon. Good thing we used .243's, .257's, and some real big ones them .30'06's. Actually for this on I am thinking of a old 4x Zeiss to make it a bit lighter

After the butchering, you will be invited, no worries.

 

[BigHorn WBY]

Congrats on a good shot. And that was a very good choice for a carry rifle. While passing thru OK on our way to AZ, I witnessed an 82 year old gentleman hit a 11"x17" target at 500 yards with a Swedish 6.5x55 . . . . with open sights.

Thanks, just a chip really, no big deal. This is a very accurate rifle, very easy to hit with. This Tikka will get to wear a big scope and be fed some Bergers this winter to play at extended ranges.

 

[Glenn Powell]

Say it ain't so! 6.5×55 killing an elk!? Well I guess since they have been using that round for moose it should be no surprise. Way to go, good shootin, just goes to show proper bullet placement is key, not ft.lb. But I don't think I am gonna trade in my 358 Norma in for a 6.5×55

 

[Erik Cortina]

I used to hunt South Texas white tails with a 6BR and 105 Bergers.
The other hunters at camp shooting magnums (some had 30-378 Weatherby's for whitetails!) would tell me it was too small to hunt with. So I proved them wrong and I would tell them "All you guys do with those magnums is miss real fast!" ;D

Congratulations on your kill bigHorn!

 

[WyleWD]

Loaded with 140gr Noslers at 2820fps, it is more than enough for any elk walking.

Anyway a dinky 6.5mm seemed to work, one shot broke the upper leg bone, both lungs, secondary projectiles cut heart loose, exit hole bewteen ribs on off side.

And you didn't even need a fancy & expensive bullet either. Good shootin', great story, and I'm sure good eating as well. Thanks for the post. Gotta love the 6.5's. WD

 

[Mr. Ten-X]

Nice work

I have a 6# 3oz rifle with scope attached in 6.5/06 and it is poison on elk. Have never felt under-gunned.

 

[onelastshot]

Wandered out east to the west side of the Powder River Breaks. Have been using a 6.5x284 for most of the season, but it is a big heavy rifle and I am old and out shape. I had traded for a much handlier 6.5 andd that rough country made using it seem to make sense. It is a stainless/synthetic Tikka T-3 in 6.5x55mm. With a 3x9 Conquest in Tikka mounts it is indeed handy. Loaded with 140gr Noslers at 2820fps, it is more than enough for any elk walking.

Anyway found them about noon bedded in the junipers. After a mile or so hike and a easy crawl in, I dispatched a big old (but regrettably wet) Cow at a lasered 192yds. I am far from tough anymore, but no cat either, it took all I had to roll her over. I am guessing she weighed 500+ pounds dead at my feet. I do know the carcass, sans lower leg, head and guts weighs 300lbs. So using the 40% rule.......500ish walking.

Anyway a dinky 6.5mm seemed to work, one shot broke the upper leg bone, both lungs, secondary projectiles cut heart loose, exit hole bewteen ribs on off side.
[/quote


Had my first 6.5 284 built last February. Used an Italian company, purchased a nice short action from them, had my favorite shop barrel it for me and added a synthetic stock. Late August I finally had a chance to sight it in.

At 300 yards the rifle groups expected for 100 yards. Let's just say I found my long range deer-Elk- moose- Caribou- Whatever rifle.

 

[Roe]

Thanks for sharing!

With the good 130-140gr bullets the 6,5 kills extremely well. 6,5x55 is an extremely popular calibre here (Norway) and downs deer and moose in the thousands every year.

 

[Joe C]

Great story and congrats on a fabulous hunt! Always loved the swede myself. Great round. Heard many hunters used to use them to kill pachyderms in Africa. Something about the penetrating ability of the round for head shots. Anyways, if it'd work on them it'd surely work on an elk.

 

[acloco]

Reminds me of my 6.5 story.

Brother in law was stationed in Texas during his tour with the Army. Thanksgiving found him at our house. He asked to borrow a rifle to hunt deer with in Texas. But, he said it needed to have open sites do to the heavy brush area they would be hunting.

No problem. Handed him my M96B. His look said it all.....THIS old military rifle? He did not think it would be accurate, too heavy to carry, and not enough power.

I advised this round and rifle are perfectly suited for your needs. Albeit a touch long if in a blind, but manageable.

Long story short, everybody in camp made fun of him, until the end of the trip. This rifle accounted for over half of the deer taken. Some of the other rifles had mechanical issues, etc, etc.

After the hunting was done, about half of the group were invited to try a little long range shooting with the Swede. They could not believe that this old rifle could hit whatever it was pointed at....AND cover distance.