6.5 calibers for big game hunting question

Glock4ever said:
. My big things is shooting an animal and having it die ASAP not running off and bleeding out. I have been watching youtube videos on the 6.5 kills with smaller deer and I notice that a fair number run off before they die so it does concern me a bit that it may kill too slow for my liking with the bigger game. Any experienced 6.5 hunters out there that can give me the skinny on this round?
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Its not the caliber, its the bullet.
I would suggest Bergers.
 
I picked up a Winchester low wall 6.5x55 for packing up in the Mountain it is a sweet rifle and feels good in my hands
The 6.5x55 is such a Versatile Caliber and one of my Favorites
I still need a scope for the low wall sumthing reasonably priced and lightweight
 
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pete dobinson said:
The OP is asking about 500-800 yds, which is a big difference.
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not really when you take into the account the difference in bullet weight , with a 20 inch barrel and a mauser96 action .......
in other words , heavier bullet launched at a slower speed , out of a action that should be loaded to a lower pressure , using a short barrel , which will further reduce bullet speed .

what I have experienced at 4-500 yards should be very comparable to the longer ranges in terms of how the bullet performs when starting out with a bit more speed
 
I'm only comfortable shooting out to 300 yard on game but prefer shooting at around 75 yard !
Out to 300-400 yard the 6.5x55 is a excellent hunting round but I never could get into the whole long range hunting thing
 
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galamb, I picked up a bit on the end with the 708 for moose,
what projectile are you using for this? what have u tried an what do u prefer?

sorry to ot

WL
 
I have every confidence in the 6.5mm projectile for any big game in this province (moose, caribou, black bear). Shot placement is always key, regardless of cartridge. Too many hunters get freaked out when their shot doesn't produce an "insta-kill". Too much Hollywood, I suppose. I've had to dispatch caribou - which aren't particularly hard to kill - with a close range second shot when the first shot (from a .30-06) split the heart in two. Game animals don't always drop dead on the spot - just a fact of life. If your shot placement was on the money, don't get too excited about it.
 
The 6.5s will drop the animal. If you can hit them proper. Do you shoot enough to hunt at the distance you want to shoot at? My longest was 489 yards into a deer. That was 12 years ago. Better eyes and admittedly Id practiced a lot back then. Wouldn't do it now, even shooting the 6.5/284 that I now use. I'd say if you aren't shooting a lot, long range hunting should be left alone.
 
bearkilr said:
To some extent, but Berger isn't on my list. I watched a bull moose soak up several rounds from a 300 WM with Berger's last fall. Penetration was dismal, only one lung damaged, distance about 450 yards broadside. IMO it's the worst fad as far as hunting bullets go.
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This is my firm opinion as well.
You can talk about instant kills all you want, but using such a fragile bullet, particularly on bigger animals, is going to bring grief, sooner or later.
 
burnt_servo said:
not really when you take into the account the difference in bullet weight , with a 20 inch barrel and a mauser96 action .......
in other words , heavier bullet launched at a slower speed , out of a action that should be loaded to a lower pressure , using a short barrel , which will further reduce bullet speed .

what I have experienced at 4-500 yards should be very comparable to the longer ranges in terms of how the bullet performs when starting out with a bit more speed
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Yes Really! Any bullet combination from a 260 rem or creedmoor is minimal at 500 - 800 yds on moose or elk. A 300 mag is a better choice. I personally won't be taking shots at big game from those ranges.
 
Glock4ever said:
What range is that? It sounds very close if you are at 3000 FPS. Would you shoot further (say +500m) with this cal on an elk?
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yes i would shoot stuff out to 5-600 with this combo in my rifle, another one is the 127 lrx and possibly the 130 accubond. My plan worked and had a slow walking shot at close to 100yrds, better than the quartering away brisk walking ones at 350-450 i passed up the day before. bled out real nice lungs were white and cavity jelly.

with the 260/ creedmoor velocities i might limit myself to 350ish yards on elk/moose to ensure proper bullet performance as they don't start as fast, or get a fast 7 with fancy bullets :)
 
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WhelanLad said:
galamb, I picked up a bit on the end with the 708 for moose,
what projectile are you using for this? what have u tried an what do u prefer?

sorry to ot

WL
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I loaded 140 grain Partitions (would have loaded A-Frames but couldn't get the 140's when I needed them so went with the Noslers).

Shooting them over 41.5 grains of Varget I'm getting just on 2800 fps @ the muzzle. That means it's still packing over 2200 fps and 1500 ft/lbs out at 300 yards - further than I would ever shoot a moose.

I hunted moose for years with a 30.06 - in 1982 when the A-Frame came out and Remington loaded it in their 180 grain "Safari Grade" ammo I switched to that and kept shooting the A-Frames until I retired the 30.06. When I went to the 7.08 (turned into a recoil pussy) there was no doubt that I was going to shoot a partition style bullet - I do prefer the A-Frames because they are like a Partition on steroids and I trust them expand in non-magnum calibers - unlike the mono's (TTSX, GMX etc) which need "velocity" to expand properly - no big deal on a deer, but when I hit a moose I want "expansion" with enough weight to push it through - I get that from Partitions/A-Frames (I did consider some of the premium bonded - Scirocco's or Accubonds - but their real benefit is their longer range ballistics - again, something I don't need when 100 yards is a "long shot" for me) - but if I was "reaching out" either that I mentioned would be high on my list to load).
 
Glock4ever said:
Gents, while I appreciate the effort to take to respond, I am not interested in knowing if 6.5 cal can kill in close (<300m), I already know that it can kill in close. I am trying to decide if this calibre is sufficient at long range shots (>500m up to 800m) on large game (moose/elk) because of the LR hype that I have been seeing, I was considering it for a long range hunting.
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If so, then - 'no'. But shot placement with the right bullet could do it, "I guess". I picked a small light bullet that was encysted out of a moose many years ago. I can only guess it was a long range shot and that it was a light calibre (270 or less).

Elk can be tough to put down. Moose not as much. I think one of the new monster 6.5 barrel eater supreme 'gotta have it' calibres (6.5 Nos & 6.5/300 Wby) would do a good job... I just don't want to replace a barrel every 250 rds!!
 
Check out Swift Scirocco's if you want something with a high BC (180 grain .520 BC) or the Nosler ABLR with an insane .640 BC in a 190 grain bullet and both will expand at much lower impact velocities than mono's.

Both were made to "reach out and touch something" :)
 
For the $1200 or so for rifle and scope in a 6.5 buy better bullets and practice with your 300. I'm not a fan of long range big game hunting. It's to easy to loose even a well hit animal
I am guilty of shooting coyotes and crows at extended ranges with my 25/06. I was lent a 260 to load for from a friend and took 6 shots at a coyote sitting 705 yards away. After the 6 th miss I figured he deserved to live. That or I couldn't stand the kick to my pride if I missed again. I recovered 5 of the fired bullets sst I believe 129gr from the snow. Besides the rifling marks they look brand new. I doubt they would have expanded if I'd hit the coyote and they're soft bullets. I don't have confidence with them on big game
 
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