6.5x55 for mid Asian ibex?

[norfolk shooter]

Gents the question has been bothering me for some time. Would it be man enough to take one down at the sort of distance shots are taken out there??

Many thanks

 

[enysse]

I think so, I wouldn't do it. Way too much wind and distance. It you want to practice shooting and learn to live with the possible limited shots, go ahead. I would use nothing less than my 270 WSM or 7mm Rem Mag.

 

[Shootist43]

The 6.5 x 55 is my go to rifle. The 1896 Swedish Mauser is severely under-rated in its ability to handle pressures above 44,000 psi. BUT after reading Nathan Foster's writings about this great rifle I began loading mine like he does his. My hand loads consist of 46.5 Gr of IMR 4350 pushing a 140 Gr bullet at 2775 fps (avg. for 5 shots.) Compare that load to commercial loadings for the 270, 7 x 57, 6.5 x 284 and the 6.5 Grendel. There isn't enough difference to bother with. If you don't hand load, Hornady's 140 gr. Superformance will give you 2700 fps.

 

[norfolk shooter]

I have a 6.5 Grendel but feel as it's in an ar15 might not have the poke due to barrel length. I always found the 6.5 to perform well due to good BCs. I do hand load so could stoke them up a wee bit. In England anything with the word magnum is a pain to get cleared from the police.

 

[gillettehunter]

Been there done that so to speak. Ibex are relatively large animals that can take some lead. The 6.5X55 will do the job IF you place the bullet right. It is somewhat borderline. So the real question is are you willing to take the chance that you will get the perfect standing broadside shot at under 350 yds when you go? If not then a caliber with a bit more umph is in order. Ibex are usually in rugged windy places. Shots are rarely under 200 yds and usually over 300 yds. A good quality bullet that will penetrate and buck the wind a bit will make getting an Ibex easier. When you travel that far it seems to me that I want the odds in my favor as much as possible. Bruce

 

[Philip Glass]

Not a good idea. .300 RUM or Winchester would be better. 400 yard shots in the ice and snow at 13,000 feet at a 300 pound ibex are tough. I used .300 RUM and it was good medicine for them. I took two of them two years ago. Hard hunt take the best clothes and equipment you can.
PM me if you have questions I can help with
Regards,
Philip

 

[ChrisG]

I shoot my Ruger M77 6.5x55 all the time. With a load of RL22 and a 120 grain Barnes TTSX at 2800 fps, there shouldn't be any problem reaching to 400 yards. with a 250 yard zero, it is only 18 inches low at 400. It is definitely marginal at that range for a 300 pound animal though. I LOVE the 6.5x55, but when it comes to animals that could run past 300 pounds, I'm not saying it can't be done... but I have a .375H&H and a .416 Ruger that are always dying for some action so... Thats what I use. I think the other posters recommending at any of the .264 to .300 mags are giving solid advice. Make sure your chosen load has the speed to open up at 400+ yards. I can imagine that an Ibex would go a long way with a 1/4" pencil hole through the vitals from a round that didn't expand. Kill it... yes. A .223 with a 55 grain bronze solid through the lungs would kill it. You'll likely never catch up with it though.. Especially on the ground that Ibex are known to inhabit.

And then someone is going to come on here and say "W.D.M. Bell killed XYZ number of Elephants with his (Super tiny 6.5, 7mm, .318)". Yes... it can be done.... rifles in any caliber are very, VERY lethal if you hit something that has a lot of blood vessels or bile in it, or a nerve center. But the animals we harvest deserve more than a slow lingering death from slow bleed out or septic shock. Despite my love for it... I would advise against a 6.5x55 and go with something in the .264 - .300 Mag category. If you have one... a .375 H&H with a 250 grain Barnes TTSX at 2750fps would hammer them out that far and the TTSX expands down to 1800 fps. Best of luck on your hunt!

 

[norfolk shooter]

That settles it then my 375H&H will do it again. I always thought the bullet would drop too much past 300yrds. I was looking at something in the 6.5/260 category and not a magnum but if that's what it takes I might just take my 375 H&H. I guess I'll need more than x8 mag on my scope

 

[norfolk shooter]

Just been on the norma website and seen this about the 6.5x284;
On a recent hunt in Iran the 6,5x284 Norma was tested and proved capable of making an instant kill on an Transcaspian Urial ram at a distances exceeding 350 yards. One year earlier in the Sierra Gredos range near Madrid the same thing had happened to a Spanish Ibex, who presented a broadside shot at approximately 300 yards. The relatively small diameter of the 6,5 mm bullets is fully compensated by the deep penetration these long and slender projectiles always delivers. A huge Iranian wild boar standing broadside at 80 yards was effectively killed by a 140 grain bullet that went all the way through both shoulders. The animal ran less than 30 yards before collapsing - and turned out to weigh close to 600 pounds.

Ok the bit about boar is not of that much importance but impressive none the less. I'm thinking this cartridge combined with a nice tipped Barnes bullet will do the job. I guess the wind conditions will be much like the mountains of Afghanistan and if that's the case I should be ok with a bit of practise hear in the UK. In terms of shot placement if I'm not comfortable with taking it and feel that the animal would suffer I don't even put my finger on the trigger.

 

[stug]

A 140gr 6.5 projectile has a pretty good bc. The other cartridge to think about if you don't want a magnum is the 280AI. It will be only a little bit behind 7mm Rem mag velocities.
The 6.5/284 will prob be easier to find components load for though.

 

[Philip Glass]

Just been on the norma website and seen this about the 6.5x284;
On a recent hunt in Iran the 6,5x284 Norma was tested and proved capable of making an instant kill on an Transcaspian Urial ram at a distances exceeding 350 yards. One year earlier in the Sierra Gredos range near Madrid the same thing had happened to a Spanish Ibex, who presented a broadside shot at approximately 300 yards. The relatively small diameter of the 6,5 mm bullets is fully compensated by the deep penetration these long and slender projectiles always delivers. A huge Iranian wild boar standing broadside at 80 yards was effectively killed by a 140 grain bullet that went all the way through both shoulders. The animal ran less than 30 yards before collapsing - and turned out to weigh close to 600 pounds.

Ok the bit about boar is not of that much importance but impressive none the less. I'm thinking this cartridge combined with a nice tipped Barnes bullet will do the job. I guess the wind conditions will be much like the mountains of Afghanistan and if that's the case I should be ok with a bit of practise hear in the UK. In terms of shot placement if I'm not comfortable with taking it and feel that the animal would suffer I don't even put my finger on the trigger.

Sorry but none of those animals are even close to the toughness of a Mid Asian Ibex. Great info though!
Philip

 

[norfolk shooter]

@stug have you had any experience with the 6.5x284 over in NZ?? Or know people that use it out in the mountains on the big deer you get there?

 

[stug]

I've never used it but it is popularish here. People use it on Tahr, they would be close to Ibex, 300lb tough skin on a bulls shoulder, almost like a pigs sheild.

 

[norfolk shooter]

I've never used it but it is popularish here. People use it on Tahr, they would be close to Ibex, 300lb tough skin on a bulls shoulder, almost like a pigs sheild.

Based on that it should be effective on ibex with a good bullet

 

[norfolk shooter]

@Philip Glass how about 7mm-08??

 

[Philip Glass]

@Philip Glass how about 7mm-08??

Like many of our deer cartridges it would be fine as long as it is it too far of a shot. Many of the shots over there will exceed 300 yards. This is where the problem lies.
Regards
Philip

 

[dchamp]

I have a 6.5-284 that I've used on elk with a 140gr Berger VLD's at around 2870fps MV. I shot a cow pushing 500lbs on the hoof. She hunched up at bullet impact, tried to move and collapsed. The shot was only 264yds but what devastation. There was a entry and exit hole caliber size but the chest cavity was nothing but soup with some congealed blood.
My hunting buddy took a nice bull elk last month with a 6.5 Rem Mag and 140gr Berger at 590yds. It didn't go more the 20ft.

But hey when you're spending big bucks on a hunt there's no reason not to hedge your bet and go bigger.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Not to muddy the waters but a .35 whelen with a 225 grain bullet at 2800 fps makes a great Elk load out to 400 yards, so a 300 pound ibex won't be an issue.

 

[sheephunterab]

I wouldn't hesitate to use a 6.5 on ibex. I'd say you are well armed to 450-500 yards or so with proper optics.

 

[robertq]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/bell_elephants.htm