6.5 Creedmoor bullet for mule deer & cow elk

[ShamrockShooter]

I will be going on a mule deer hunt and cow elk if I draw that tag in Wyoming. Our guide has a strict 300 yd shot maximum.

I just picked up a 6.5 Creedmoor with a 22 inch barrel. If I can get it to shoot good I might opt to try it for the mule deer and possibly elk.

Looking at the 129 and the 142 AccuBond long range to handload. At 300 yds they are virtually identical in ft lbs of energy but the 129 ablr has an inch or so less drop.

Thoughts on bullet selection and best powders to try?

Thanks.

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[fightthenoise]

Any bullet will do 300 yards easily so I would change your focus to cover a possible sub 100 yard shot. Those soft long range bullets are much more likely to fail at close range than 200+. I would opt for a Partition, regular AccuBond, or a solid like a GMX or Barnes bullet. My Tikka 6.5 Creed likes the 129 GMX factory load from Hornady and I feel a lot better about taking elk with a tougher bullet.


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[69gto]

For my wife's Creedmoor I load RL 17 with 129g ABLR, 2830 fps from 20 in. barrel. Max load from Nosler book, 1/2 in groups.

 

[ShamrockShooter]

Any bullet will do 300 yards easily so I would change your focus to cover a possible sub 100 yard shot. Those soft long range bullets are much more likely to fail at close range than 200+. I would opt for a Partition, regular AccuBond, or a solid like a GMX or Barnes bullet. My Tikka 6.5 Creed likes the 129 GMX factory load from Hornady and I feel a lot better about taking elk with a tougher bullet.


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That is a good point about the close shot. Honestly the cow tag is to fill the freezer so I won't be taking anything but a broadside standing still shot. I don't want to mess up any of the meat I'm driving 4,000 miles to get.

I think it will also come down to how they shoot and bullet availability. I checked Cabela's and Bass pro and many of the 6.5 nosler bullets were on backorder.

I have shot bull elk with regular accubonds and partitions but have not used the long range acb yet.

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[ShamrockShooter]

For my wife's Creedmoor I load RL 17 with 129g ABLR, 2830 fps from 20 in. barrel. Max load from Nosler book, 1/2 in groups.

Thanks. I have some imr 4350 on hand so I will probably try that first with 140s. Our ammo supply dealer closed for a few weeks so I might not be able to get a good selection of powder for a bit.

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[Anonymous]

The local folks are all shooting the 143 ELD-X and everyone is happy with the results on game.

I'd have no qualms on a broadside shot with one up-close.

 

[DrMike]

I would have no problem packing my Creedmoor loaded with the 129 ABLR and tackling elk and/or mulies (or black bear, whitetail or moose). My experience with the 150 ABLR in my 280 has been quite positive (elk and mule deer, consequently).

 

[ShamrockShooter]

The local folks are all shooting the 143 ELD-X and everyone is happy with the results on game.

I'd have no qualms on a broadside shot with one up-close.

I picked up few boxes of the Hornady 143 eldx factory loads to break in the barrel. So if they fly good I might have to consider them too.

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[ShamrockShooter]

I would have no problem packing my Creedmoor loaded with the 129 ABLR and tackling elk and/or mulies (or black bear, whitetail or moose). My experience with the 150 ABLR in my 280 has been quite positive (elk and mule deer, consequently).

What powder worked best for you and the 129?

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[DrMike]

I haven't completed my work with the Creedmoor. I used the 1150 grain ABLR in one of my 280 Rems. The powder was N560. I'll likely focus on RL17 or RL26 (though MRP and RL22 are promising) when I get around to focusing on the 129 grain ABLR in the Creedmoor.

 

[gbflyer]

Get yourself some 140gr Partitions.

 

[EOD Diver]

For inside of 300, sign me up for the regular 140 or 130 AccuBond. Pushed slow or fast they always deliver a beautiful mushroom and 70% weight retention. Just my .02.
V/R,
Joe

 

[SJB358]

I would have no problem packing my Creedmoor loaded with the 129 ABLR and tackling elk and/or mulies (or black bear, whitetail or moose). My experience with the 150 ABLR in my 280 has been quite positive (elk and mule deer, consequently).

Same here, at the speeds a 6.5 CM launches a 129 or 142 I wouldn’t have a danged concern for how they’d work... get a good load and have at it... chances are that 143 factory ammo will shoot amazing and be a good back up for what you’re doing.

 

[ShamrockShooter]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I noticed the alliant website only has loads posted for reloader 16. It looks to have a similar burn rate to reloader 17 but is listed as a temperature stable powder. Has anyone used reloader 16 or think it would be a good choice for hunting? Assuming of course I can even find someone that carries R-16

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/ ... ?gtypeid=2

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[Songdog]

First..... I’d find a new “guide”. Their job is to find critters.... your job is to shoot them. Any guide who would have the audacity to tell what shots I can/can’t take.... is a pompous jerk, and wouldn’t see a cent of my money.

Second.... the 130 AccuBond at 2750-2900 FPS has worked very well on a couple cow elk, several deer, and a couple antelope too. Tough to find a better all-around bullet for the Creed/.260/Swede.

 

[ShamrockShooter]

First..... I’d find a new “guide”. Their job is to find critters.... your job is to shoot them. Any guide who would have the audacity to tell what shots I can/can’t take.... is a pompous jerk, and wouldn’t see a cent of my money.

Second.... the 130 AccuBond at 2750-2900 FPS has worked very well on a couple cow elk, several deer, and a couple antelope too. Tough to find a better all-around bullet for the Creed/.260/Swede.

Thanks for your thoughts. The reason our guide has a 300 yd limit is we are hunting private land leases and if you wound and don't find it, you don't get to shoot another. So our guides experience over the years with the average Hunter is to get as close as possible to ensure a high percentage shot. 300 yds is as far as I can practice anyway and honestly the farthest I feel comfortable shooting at a living animal. I actually prefer not to go over 200 yds, and all my out west hunts I've never shot over 250 yds. My personal feeling is that the game animal should be close enough that it can see or smell you and not be 600 yds away. But that is a topic we best save for another time.

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[ajs04b]

I typically use 140+ grain bullets for my 6.5 Creedmoor, 140g Nosler Partitions or 143g Hdy ELD-X, IMR 4451 or Ramshot Hunter powders have done well on paper for me. No on-game results yet, a situation I intend to remedy this season, both with mule deer and elk.

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[ajs04b]

I typically use 140+ grain bullets for my 6.5 Creedmoor, 140g Nosler Partitions or 143g Hdy ELD-X, IMR 4451 or Ramshot Hunter powders have done well on paper for me. No on-game results yet, a situation I intend to remedy this season, both with mule deer and elk.

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I've also loaded some Barnes LR-X 129g that shoot very well from this rifle too.

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[rjm158]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I noticed the alliant website only has loads posted for reloader 16. It looks to have a similar burn rate to reloader 17 but is listed as a temperature stable powder. Has anyone used reloader 16 or think it would be a good choice for hunting? Assuming of course I can even find someone that carries R-16


I have used RL-16 as well as RL-17, Varget, and H4350. So far, my two Tikkas and a Weatherby Vanguard have liked RL-17 better along with the H4350. Bear in mind, this is primarily using 142 Matchkings to poke holes in paper but I've loaded 129 and 142 ABLR's with 16 and got credible results.......but better ones with 17. I've tried several other hunting bullets with 17 and got good to great results there too. I don't have any first hand knowledge of the temperature tolerance of the two compared.


Ron

 

[ShamrockShooter]

Well we got lucky and got our leftover cow elk tags in the Wyoming draw so looks like it's mule deer and elk for sure. Time to get to the range.

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