6.5mm Creedmoor as a deer caliber?

[Chef777]

Thoughts on effective range and what is the largest animal you would be comfortable hunting with this cartridge?

 

[Turillo]

Thoughts on effective range and what is the largest animal you would be comfortable hunting with this cartridge?

6.5 Creedmoor would be more than enough to take down a Deer up to many hundred yards away. This round affords you a lot of accuracy and accuracy affords you precise shot placement.

Good to go in my opinion.

 

[Chuckbuster]

Ballistically, it's a modern equivalent of the 6.5 Swede; and a lot of moose fall to the latter in Europe. I don't think you have any performance issues to worry about.

 

[buji88]

Decent shot with a decent bullet will do the trick just fine, personally, I wouldn't take a moose with a 6.5 Creedmoor unless I was pretty close. YMWV.

 

[peterdobson]

6.5 Creedmoor is a fine deer cartridge for sure. Lots of great bullets should you wish to reload. Would also use on moose due to high sectional density.

 

[Mr. Friendly]

absolutely. in fact, I would consider some bullets good enough to drop an Elk...or even an Moose. really though, it's almost always about placement over the cartridge you use.

the 6.5mm family of cartridges shoot very capable bullets.

 

[260SnowBird]

I have taken quite a few white-tails and black bears with the 125 partitions going 2740fps out of a 260rem, I'd imagine the creedmoor would do the same, it's my main backcountry rifle for deer, bear and moose, looking forward to trying a new load with 130 accubonds this season. Like the above post, it's all about waiting and placing the shot.

 

[Ltbull01]

No problems at all for deer and larger game if you use the right bullet and have good placement.

 

[todbartell]

Ballistics suggest an effective range on deer probably 700 yards with certain bullets (ELDX 143gr) Largest game? Moose/Elk inside 400 and I'd run an Accubond, LRX or Partition

 

[MiG25]

It (and the 260 and the 6.5x55) are where I would draw the line for all around use.

 

[kolik1]

Would take a deer at up to ~600-700m with my 6.5CM. I think I'll stick to my .300 for moose though

 

[Jim870]

It is certainly capable of delivering effective on game performance to my personal limit of 400 yards. With a suitable bullet placed well there isn't a deer, black bear, elk or moose in Canada that wouldn't fall to it.
It would certainly ruin a brown or white bear or bison's day as well but wouldn't be my preference

 

[JEC]

Two years ago, nothing less than a magnum would kill effectively at distance....then along came the Creedmoor which in the right hands, will do pretty much anything

 

[383SB]

absolutely. in fact, I would consider some bullets good enough to drop an Elk...or even an Moose. really though, it's almost always about placement over the cartridge you use.

the 6.5mm family of cartridges shoot very capable bullets.

Which thread did you learn that in?? ;p

 

[beeman2]

I shoot a 6.5x47 so it is similar to the Creed. My 130 gr Berger load holds 1820 fps out to 750 yds. So for me that would be max to ensure bullet expansion. My other X47 shoots 130 AccuBonds. Have only harvested deer and one hog in Texas last year. Both bullets worked excellent. Under 400 yds with a AccuBond I think you could shoot elk/moose with proper bullet placement of course.

 

[loupnoir]

I picked one up just for the fun of it but trying to get info on best performing bullet is next to impossible. Looking for real world experience especially with Hornady Whitetail 129 gr.

 

[track]

Thoughts on effective range and what is the largest animal you would be comfortable hunting with this cartridge?

The 6.5 Creedmoor is a great cartridge for deer. Effective range? That will be in your control, if 300 yards is within the scope of your capability, then that's where it ends.

 

[Jim870]

I picked one up just for the fun of it but trying to get info on best performing bullet is next to impossible. Looking for real world experience especially with Hornady Whitetail 129 gr.

I know the 6.5 Creedmoor has only been gaining notice here in Canada for roughly the last 4-5 years when factory rifles started being chambered in it, a quick google search reveals fairly high praise for it south of the medicine line. It doesn't really do anything new though, a 6.5x55 has been launching the same projectiles at similar velocities since before the automobile was a common household product.
I can't speak to your specific load but have seen a lot of game killed with the same bullet loaded in a variety of 6.5mm cartridges up to .264 Winchester velocities. It is a capable bullet, I wouldn't be taking heavily raking shots with it but I wouldn't hesitate to hunt with it as long as it shot well.