6.5 CM as a hunting cartridge... why?

[FREAK]

SST is generally a really expansive (explosive?) bullet, even more so than ELDX and ELDM. I know those have problems in close range, high velocity scenarios. For example, my brother shot a bull with a 145 ELDX (270 Win) at around 80-90 yds this year and the bullet didn't exit.

I was reading somewhere that I should consider the 123 gr. ELDM. I may give that a shot and see how it goes.

 

[Doublecluck]

I shot this buck with a 6.5 Grendel, 150 yards right in the sweet spot with a 123gr. SST. He walked off like nothing happened. Caught up to him 80-100 yards later and hit him again in the neck. Put the rifle away and haven’t used it since 2014. This thread has me thinking I need to give it another shot with a different bullet. View attachment 356814

SST’s sucked up close, took a couple Jr’s out with 243’s and same thing happened, pretty much perfect shots at less than 100. Two In the same day. Luckily both were recovered but it wasn’t pretty. But that’s really the takeaway of these threads, bullets matter more than head stamps.

 

[sclancy27]

I was reading somewhere that I should consider the 123 gr. ELDM. I may give that a shot and see how it goes.

I'm pretty sure they have a thicker jacket than the SST. Could look at 130 ELDM or 130 TMK too

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

I was reading somewhere that I should consider the 123 gr. ELDM. I may give that a shot and see how it goes.

I tried that one too. Probably the most accurate bullet I shot from the Grendel. Cloverleafs at 200. Did give the best expansion in deer (sample size of one) that I saw. Go for it.

 

[Doublecluck]

I was reading somewhere that I should consider the 123 gr. ELDM. I may give that a shot and see how it goes.

Eldms work great on deer and lope, mixed results on elk. Kids took a couple with 147’s without problems but I watched my buddy put 3 180’s right in the boiler room of a cow at 300 out of a 280 AI and it sucked em up and went a half mile before going down.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

SST’s sucked up close, took a couple Jr’s out with 243’s and same thing happened, pretty much perfect shots at less than 100. Two In the same day. Luckily both were recovered but it wasn’t pretty. But that’s really the takeaway of these threads, bullets matter more than head stamps.

I'm starting to see that bullet performance varies so much from situation to situation that it's hard to draw any firm conclusions on bullet performance. I mean, go look at the 7mm-08 140 Fusion vs 120 TTSX thread. One guy says Fusion without a doubt and the next one says 120 TTSX hands down. I think it's useful to keep in mind three things here - 1) we're dealing with VERY small sample sizes, and 2) every single real world situation is unique (going back to point 1), and 3) critters do not have a monolithic makeup, meaning some shots hit soft tissue and some shots hit bone.

 

[Brad]

You can keep waiting. I owe you nothing, especially when you come into a discussion swinging insults and providing no real value.

Insults? Please show me one insulting thing I've said.

 

[Rie Bread]

This thread caught fire like a Los Angeles suburb

 

[Brad]

This thread caught fire like a Los Angeles suburb

This is a forum full of actual hunters who are less concerned with ballistic masturbation. Guys here are more hunters first, rifle nuts second (or fifth). There are exceptions of course, but that's the general vibe. I think the OP doesn't fully appreciate that.

Anyway, I'd like to resurrect Charles Sheldon and have the OP explain to him the mountain of dead game he killed with the 6.5x54 would have been deader with a 7x57 or 303 British

Pole vaulting.

Mouse turds.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

This is a forum full of actual hunters who are less concerned with ballistic masturbation. Guys here are more hunters first, rifle nuts second (or fifth). There are exceptions of course, but that's the general vibe. I think the OP doesn't fully appreciate that.

Anyway, I'd like to resurrect Charles Sheldon and have the OP explain to him the mountain of dead game he killed with the 6.5x54 would have been deader with a 7x57 or 303 British

Pole vaulting.

Mouse turds.

Well, you have the hedge's approval so you should be very proud of yourself.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

This thread caught fire like a Los Angeles suburb

Thanks to a few arsonists, yes it certainly did.

 

[Brad]

Insults? Please show me one insulting thing I've said.

 

[Ought Six]

This year, I killed an antelope with 140 Power Shok, a deer with 140 Sellier & Bellot Soft Point, and my wife and I killed 2 deer with 140 Accubonds out of a 6.5CM. All 1 shot, longest track job was 6 steps. Some different 6.5 bullets and deaths I thought I’d add to this wonderful conversation.

 

[Brad]

Well, you have the hedge's approval so you should be very proud of yourself.

Hedge is already a friend.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

Hedge is already a friend.

You deserve each other.

 

[Brad]

You can keep waiting. I owe you nothing, especially when you come into a discussion swinging insults and providing no real value.

Please show me the insults...

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

This year, I killed an antelope with 140 Power Shok, a deer with 140 Sellier & Bellot Soft Point, and my wife and I killed 2 deer with 140 Accubonds out of a 6.5CM. All 1 shot, longest track job was 6 steps. Some different 6.5 bullets and deaths I thought I’d add to this wonderful conversation.

Clearly, the 6.5 CM was made for 140 class cup and cores. I think we've learned that here, if nothing else.

I guess this shouldn't be surprising, since the 6.5x55 also earned it's reputation with long, slow, heavy bullets.

 

[Brad]

You deserve each other.

Speaking of "trying to be insulting"... #fail.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

Please show me the insults...

And people ask me if I'm bored...

 

[Dave N]