6.5-300 Wby performance in Africa?

[randallhebert]

Greetings randallherbert,

Having experienced my own occasional disappointments, plus having witnessed other hunter’s occasional disappointments, with the now-and-then erratic behavior from various calibers and brands of hollow pointed bullets (rifle and handgun alike), I do not use them myself or recommend them to others.

That said, when deciding to use the present day Barnes monolithic expanding line of bullets, you are right in not choosing their heaviest weights in this instance, as their metal composition is noticeably harder than lead.
Therefore in this specific case, extra velocity is called for to increase your odds of the bullet properly deforming against soft tissue.

In all fairness to the latest version of Barnes expanding bullets, they have gotten better about opening up as preferred, instead of zipping through critters like an ice pick.
Most of the time they work.
Apparently, the higher their velocity is, the more reliable they become.

Again hollow pointed bullets, no matter what brand, (including but not limited to ones with a plastic thingy in the hole or not) are not my thing.
However, my opinion is worth no more than anyone else’s two cents worth and maybe it’s only worth a lot less.

Well anyway, cheers for now.
Velo Dog.

2 of the slugs found

 

[StevenQ718]

We shot my wife's 6.5 PRC (similar to your cartridge) last year with decent results. My problem is that I still think it is a bit light for the bigger game and the 143g ELDX absolutely destroyed some of our Springbucks. I have the bad mounts to prove it! Too small of a bullet and too much velocity.
Please do not use Berger bullets for Hunting Africa. They are simply not a hunting bullet.
With my .300Win shooting 180g Barnes (as with most Barnes) I can take down the big stuff and not ruin the little stuff.

Eldx is absolutely inappropriate for large plains game at close range.

 

[Philip Glass]

Eldx is absolutely inappropriate for large plains game at close range.

I agree and am sad to say Hornady has still not addressed all the issues with their bullets.

 

[Philip Glass]

The hunt is scheduled in the Thabazimbi area, so I do not think long shots will often be taken. I may use this as an opportunity to buy a larger caliber. Has anybody had experience with 338 rpm? I would acquire a 300wby, but my dad's pride and joy is a 300wby and that would bring redundancy.

Get a .300Win and never look back! I wish I would have bought one many years ago. Only one problem........If you buy and hunt with the .300Win all these posts and debates will disappear

 

[Philip Glass]

I think there is another point to ponder here and that is what about the next safari? Everyone thinks Africa is a one time deal and it rarely ever is. Why not be looking at a caliber with more versatility for your subsequent safaris? No one would take a 6.5 of any flavor to Zim! The .300 and the .375 of course come to mind when thinking toward the future.

 

[WheelsUpDarren]

We shot my wife's 6.5 PRC (similar to your cartridge) last year with decent results. My problem is that I still think it is a bit light for the bigger game and the 143g ELDX absolutely destroyed some of our Springbucks. I have the bad mounts to prove it! Too small of a bullet and too much velocity.
Please do not use Berger bullets for Hunting Africa. They are simply not a hunting bullet.
With my .300Win shooting 180g Barnes (as with most Barnes) I can take down the big stuff and not ruin the little stuff.

I was wondering if anyone had taken a 6.5 PRC to Africa. I've only shot two pronghorn with mine, with the ELD-X. Explosive results, seemed almost too much.

 

[375Fox]

@piratensafaris did you ask your outfitter on your 6.5 rifle/bullet combo? What was his response?

 

[Dr Ray]

We shot my wife's 6.5 PRC (similar to your cartridge) last year with decent results. My problem is that I still think it is a bit light for the bigger game and the 143g ELDX absolutely destroyed some of our Springbucks. I have the bad mounts to prove it! Too small of a bullet and too much velocity.
Please do not use Berger bullets for Hunting Africa. They are simply not a hunting bullet.
With my .300Win shooting 180g Barnes (as with most Barnes) I can take down the big stuff and not ruin the little stuff.

Good point
I’ve had similar issues w 25/06

 

[Flewis]

I have a 6.5-300, but for deer only. But for bigger animals ( PG), it’s almost always the 300win. It is easy to shoot for about anyone and just plain works.

 

[Tgood1]

I've hunted from thabazimbi to limpopo region several times, take .375, bring some solids, hunt not shoot. My opinion

 

[B0MBOY]

You have a flat shooting rifle you trust you’re halfway there.

Find some monometal bullets and experiment with those you will need a tougher bullet for through the shoulder shots.

 

[Jetjockey]

In Zambia in June, my PH said pretty much everyone comes to him with 300WM’s. I had a 300WSM shooting 200gr Accubonds and it worked with boring regularity. My PH also said he loved the 270 as well. Personally, I’d stick with tried and true cartridges shooting tried and true bullets. You REALLY don’t want to pay the trophy fee for an animal that gets wounded and lost.

 

[Berettaco]

Whatever rifle you choose, shot placement (1st) and a premium bullet heavy for caliber (2nd) considerations. Everyone has their opinion on the best caliber, bullet etc. but I would wager most of your shots will be under 200 yards and realistically closer to 75 to 100.
Premium bullet suggestions from what I have used and have had excellent results:
1. Swift A frame (works great for shoulder shots)
2. Swift Scirocco (longer range bullet but holds up even at 100 and under)
3. Nosler partition- good all around bullet (will make it through the shoulder but also stellar for lung shots)
4. Barnes TTSX - ideal for shoulder or quartering shots but not my first pick for lung shots. Found they perform better at high velocity.
There are other bullets out there that can and have worked quite well but these are what I put my faith in as I have used all of them. I try to pick a bullet that performs well in my rifle but also has the ability to perform at short and long distances. I look for penetration and durability over expansion.
In Africa I have used 243 (PH’s truck gun) 270, 7mm, 30-06, 375HH, 404J. Last trip I used my 270 with 150 A frames and was extremely impressed with its performance. Next trip only taking 375 with 300 A frames

 

[dchamp]

If you are set on getting a Weatherby caliber rifle, then I would suggest either a 340Wby or a 375Wby. If I am not mistaken 375H&H ammo will shoot safely out of a 375Wby. There are others in this forum who would know better than me.

My sons and I have used a 357H&H, a 9.3x62, a 8mm Rem Mag and a 8X57. All worked flawlessly and we never felt undergunned nor overgunned with any of them.

 

[Luederitz]

You should not use a .264“ / 6,5mm caliber in Africa on larger game like Oryx, Kudu and Eland because it is illegal (at least in Namibia and Zimbabwe).
Although many PH do not care as long as you pay, but a conflict with local justice is the worst I can imagine.

 

[0002S]

shot placement, bullet construction, caliber.....choose wisely

 

[bobdahunter84]

I wouldn't show up to Africa myself with less than a 30 caliber. You seem to like weatherby. 300 WBY is probably the best all around weatherby cartridge for everything short of DG. Nothing wrong with the 340, 375, 378 WBY if you don't mind the bite of a little recoil.

However, if it were me, I'd probably just go with a 375 h&h if you wanted something that covered ALL your bases.

And as far as bullets, I pretty much exclusively use TTSX for all my hunting with a few exceptions. And if you do plan on using any weatherby, that velocity is only going to help the performance of the TTSX.

 

[ChrisG]

I think it has been proven that Roy Weatherby was wrong. Shoulder fired, hypervelocity cartridges when used on large game (read over 500ish lbs) simply will not "overwhelm" the animal with hydrostatic shock. Break big bones or punch into or near the CNS with them and a quick drop is in order, but otherwise, all that a hypervelocity 6mm, 25, 6.5, 7mm, 300, etc. is, is a cartridge that is suitable for its caliber size of game animal at a slightly longer distance. Ex. Lets say a 6.5x55 would be effective and reasonably ethical on something cow elk sized to maybe 300-350 yards. I know it will kill further and there are a lot of variables, but lets use that as a benchmark. So the 6.5-300Wby is not then going to kill bigger animals more effectively because it is faster. It is still only going to extend the range at which that effective killing is done. Lets say 450 yards. It isn't somehow an effective Brown Bear or Lion Rifle because it is faster and has more energy that the 6.5x55. A 300 mag isn't magically an elephant gun... it is still just a 30 caliber. It is a .30-06 you can shoot effectively a little further with.

So all that said, I will absolutely agree with everyone else here that the moderate cartridges are more than adequate and more effective out past the ranges where you are likely to be firing at game. Routine Long range hunting is a fools errand in my opinion and results in a lot of wasted time, animals and money that could have easily been stalked closer and taken cleanly. Never seen a .375 300 grain cup-n-core bullet "splash" because it was pushed too fast from a .375 H&H.

I am with the .30-06, .308 etc. crowd. If you want something with actual power for knocking down bigger beasts... buy yourself a .375 H&H/Ruger. It'll kill better than that 6.5-300 Weatherby and probably be a heckuva lot less $$$$ to feed.

All with the "Just my opinion" grain of salt added.

 

[Str8meat]

200 yard mule deer buck. 6.5-300 weatherby 140 grain nosler accubond at 3250 fps. This is the entrance. Heart destroyed,lungs were soup and bullet never did exit nor did I find any fragment. Deer traveled 40 yards and succumbed.

 

[ChrisG]

200 yard mule deer buck. 6.5-300 weatherby 140 grain nosler accubond at 3250 fps. This is the entrance. Heart destroyed,lungs were soup and bullet never did exit nor did I find any fragment. Deer traveled 40 yards and succumbed.

View attachment 573068

On a bigger animal that like would have been a splash wound and miles of trailing would have likely been required to recover it. And with a premium bullet too!! If that had been cup and core, you may not have that picture of a downed deer.