6.5 Creedmoor for hunting

[Mauser78]

I am South african. It took a year to get the creed licensed, and we can not just own as many as we want, normal people may own 4 Firearms and only one being for self defence. So we need to cover a couple of basis with one firearm.

So that 3 gun battery nightmare threads on here is actually our laws and reality. I was ok in Limpopo where you shoot 100 yards, but now suddenly I have to do Kudu and Gemsbok at 200-300 yards, and Springbuck at 350, so choices is limited to cover everything, if you hint for meat. Easy if you want trophies, then my 375 wil do.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

I am South african. It took a year to get the creed licensed, and we can not just own as many as we want, normal people may own 4 Firearms and only one being for self defence. So we need to cover a couple of basis with one firearm.

I understand your predicament. I regret the unfortunate impacts of your government's past regulatory actions.

In the USA, we make full use of my 2nd Amendment Right to keep and bear arms. Lots of them. Hell, I have more than four firearms in the corner at my bedstand and ALL of them are for self defense. Not because I need them, only because I want to. There are three more at the front door just because. There is a new AR15 sitting on the sofa, because I won it in a raffle and have not decided where to put it yet. There are several random items in the closet because the two safes are full and these are not that valuable. Then there are the hunting rifles, 22, 223, 6mm, 270, 7mm, 30, 338, 375 and 44, 458. Also the competition rifles and pistols. In the shop there are more that I am working on, or cleaning or just storing for the next use. If I had to limit my options to only four? I would probably shoot better since I would not be switching back and forth so much, lol.

I am a big believer in choosing a weapon that is capable of covering many bases. But, there are other calibers that I would choose before the 6.5 if I was limited to only a few. BTW- They are all for self defense. Defense from varmints, and snakes. Defense from evil. Defense from Cape Buffalo, lions and leopards, defense from boredom and lethargy, etc, etc.

 

[CBH Australia]

6.5 Creed is basically a bigger version of the 243 rifle that can shoot heavier, slower bullets.

Probably more like a smaller version of the .260rem as it is a 6.5

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

I joke around on here a lot with the Creedmoor and even .243 WINCHESTER owners/hunters, but the reality is that I’m sure they both work fine with good bullets on smaller to medium sized game animals at REASONABLE distances.

It’s proven that at least one of those works great…

The shooter has to their job well!

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Ok, i do know there are other calibers that can do the same, that the Creed is a target round ext. no i do not plan to have a man bun, or wear a bra.
I needed a rifle for Springbuck and Blesbuck hunting in South Africa for up to 400-500 meters.
I am loading 130gr Sierra GameChangers, and the rifle is a Mauser M18.
What have you hunted with a creed? What will you be comfortable to hunt with it?

If you know the rifle shoots predictably accurate and you are capable of shooting it at those distances, then of course it should work out. If you are not practiced at those distances or are not certain, it likely will not work out. You can always get closer. A bad shot is a bad shot with any rifle regardless of the caliber.

I limited my PG shots in the Free State to 380 yards and had great success on PG with a .243 with 80 Grain Barnes TTSX. The PH would have me shooting to 400 yards or further, but I wasn’t comfortable based on wind and the fact the Blesbok were in herds. We had to get closer and let them separate a little. I also shot a Barbary Ram, Lechwe, and Roan on that same trip with that .243.

There is a time, place, and/or circumstance for the rifle and caliber of your choosing. You, along with your PH will have that sorted long before you shoot. Just practice and know the limitations of the rifle before you start lobbing copper and lead.

The Difference may be in hitting the shoulder, not breaking it, and having it run off. Or trying for a heart/lung shot and drifting too far back for a gut shot and have it run off…

 

[Mauser78]

If you know the rifle shoots predictably accurate and you are capable of shooting it at those distances, then of course it should work out. If you are not practiced at those distances or are not certain, it likely will not work out. You can always get closer. A bad shot is a bad shot with any rifle regardless of the caliber.

I limited my PG shots in the Free State to 380 yards and had great success on PG with a .243 with 80 Grain Barnes TTSX. The PH would have me shooting to 400 yards or further, but I wasn’t comfortable based on wind and the fact the Blesbok were in herds. We had to get closer and let them separate a little. I also shot a Barbary Ram, Lechwe, and Roan on that same trip with that .243.

There is a time, place, and/or circumstance for the rifle and caliber of your choosing. You, along with your PH will have that sorted long before you shoot. Just practice and know the limitations of the rifle before you start lobbing copper and lead.

The Difference may be in hitting the shoulder, not breaking it, and having it run off. Or trying for a heart/lung shot and drifting too far back for a gut shot and have it run off…

Ok, it seems that 300-350 should me max, have to see how it plays out. Getting closer is not an option, they stand where they want, and I must stay in my chair. So after 350 yards I should just shoot rocks or something to get the animals to move on to the next guy.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

If you know the rifle shoots predictably accurate and you are capable of shooting it at those distances, then of course it should work out. If you are not practiced at those distances or are not certain, it likely will not work out. You can always get closer. A bad shot is a bad shot with any rifle regardless of the caliber.

I limited my PG shots in the Free State to 380 yards and had great success on PG with a .243 with 80 Grain Barnes TTSX.

This is the answer. The issue with the 6.5CM is only that it leaves so little margin for error, wind drift, animal moving after the shot, etc. Larger, more powerful cartridges also do not insure success but do allow a little more margin for when a shot gets muffed or the range is longer than usual.

OP asked: "Ok, it seems that 300-350 should me max, have to see how it plays out. Getting closer is not an option, they stand where they want, and I must stay in my chair. So after 350 yards I should just shoot rocks or something to get the animals to move on to the next guy."

300-350y is the max, Yes. Some discipline is required when hunting with a marginal rifle. Anytime, an animal is out of range but standing in the open, there will be the temptation to take a shot. Sometimes you can get away with that but often you will not. It is OK to pass up a shot that is too far way for your rifle. Too far is not defined by the range where you cannot hit the target. It is the range beyond which the bullet lacks the energy and mass to expand well, AND penetrate all the way to the vitals for the current situation. That is usually a much shorter distance than the shooter's accuracy limits. Especially true with the super accurate 6.5CM. If you are confined to a chair due to physical limitations, you might consider a better long range rifle for PG. 7mm Mag, 7PRC, 300WM all come to mind and offer at least another 100-200y of effective range.

Example: My 243 is capable of hitting 2" steel tgts at 400y with Hornady 75g Superformance v-max ammo from prone or a solid rest. It is accurate enough to hit the kill zone of a Springbok out to 600y or more with 80g Barnes TTSX ammo. But at those distances it is NOT an effective killer. The Hornady ammo is too frangible and will usually not be able to penetrate deep enough and the Barnes will be too slow at uber long range to expand reliably. It might??? work 3 out of 4 times but that is not being very respectful of the game animal or your PH/trackers. In my 50+ yrs as a hunter, I have only had one large game animal get away after I wounded it. I was young and dumb and made a shot with a 50cal round ball from a flintlock rifle on a whitetail doe at about 60y and placed the shot too far back. There was a good blood trail and the deer was going to die but we tracked it off of the property that we were allowed to hunt and the neighbor refused to allow us onto his land to track further. Result was lost game. I am not proud of that and have never repeated that performance. Does not mean it will not happen to me tomorrow, but I do take extreme measures to prevent it. It is part of being a good hunter and helps with my personal peace of mind.

You should do what works best for your and not worry about the rest of us.

 

[Hogpatrol]

@Mauser78 I've done these hunts. It's kill as many as possible. One hunt, I stopped counting after 250 springbok jumped the fence. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

As previously stated: "You should do what works best for you and not worry about the rest of us."

Any application that a 223 or 243 will handle adequately, should fit within the operating envelope of the 6.5CM. Worst case is you will wound some animals that continue down range to be finished by other hunters. Its all good. Actually sounds like a shit ton of fun. If the shooting chairs are like the ones used here for shooting Prairie Dogs, then they are almost as stable as a bench rest but with a swivel action. Absolutely adequate for Springbok and Blesbok culling. The best for 400-500y hunting? No, but who cares? Use what you got and have fun.

 

[Mauser78]

yes i own one but did not want one,

the chairs swivel 360 degrees, and have rifle rest, most front and back.

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@JG26Irish_2

 

[Mauser78]

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@JG26Irish_2

 

[Mauser78]

@JG26Irish_2

 

[Mauser78]

As previously stated: "You should do what works best for you and not worry about the rest of us."

Any application that a 223 or 243 will handle adequately, should fit within the operating envelope of the 6.5CM. Worst case is you will wound some animals that continue down range to be finished by other hunters. Its all good. Actually sounds like a shit ton of fun. If the shooting chairs are like the ones used here for shooting Prairie Dogs, then they are almost as stable as a bench rest but with a swivel action. Absolutely adequate for Springbok and Blesbok culling. The best for 400-500y hunting? No, but who cares? Use what you got and have fun.

It can be fun, if you have the right equipment. Otherwise it is boring sitting there shooting rocks so the animals can move if they are to far. My previous limit was 180 yards, i did not have a rifle capable of doing more. I did not want to use the 375.
Hopefully it goes better this year. The seasoned hunters in this type of hunting mainly do head shots. But i am not comfortable doing head after 200yards currently, so wil do shoulder from 200.

 

[Mauser78]

It can be fun, if you have the right equipment. Otherwise it is boring sitting there shooting rocks so the animals can move if they are to far. My previous limit was 180 yards, i did not have a rifle capable of doing more. I did not want to use the 375.
Hopefully it goes better this year. The seasoned hunters in this type of hunting mainly do head shots. But i am not comfortable doing head after 200yards currently, so wil do shoulder from 200.

 

[Mauser78]

So I took the rifle out for the first time yesterday. And what a dream to shoot ( I was shooting a 375H&H exclusively the last 5 years)Took it out to 400meters on steel, first shot hits. And the grouping on a 100 I am happy with with for now. Just fine tune the load a bit.

 

[Odinsraven]

I have used 6.5x55 culling on Bles and Spring - however - I have kept my range to 200m - as simple time of flight is against you - they work and drop everything - have shot perhaps 100 plus animals with the 6.5x55 - however - the 7x64 worked better they went down faster - 303 Brit was excellent - mind you the 8mm rem mag was devestatng on the same animals(was shooting them for cat food - dont ask ) - 30-06 worked well - 318 Westley richards was excellent(expensive) - everything works just close the range down to sensible - and hunt ! just my two pennies !