Hi,

What's the biggest game you've taken with a non-magnum 6,5mm? I'm thinking 6,5x55 but if you've used others, please post!
Please also mention the bullet used if you have the info.
What is the biggest game you'd feel confident and comfortable taking with a non-magnum 6,5mm?

I'm not looking into becoming a new Bell, but the 6,5mms tend to have sterling reputation so I'm quite curious.
I posted the same regarding 7mm on the medium calibers forum. Oughta be interesting to compare notes!

- Lars/Finland

A fine 5X5 whitetail

6.5 X 55 120 Northfork, single shot, 120 yards....

DRT

Mule deer 300# maybe more estimated weight. 6.5 Carcano 140 grain Speer psp .164" dia.. Center of chest shot angleing down and to the left at 25 yards. actually knocked the buck on his ass. bullet was recovered between the meat and the hide angleing along ribs near rear. 6x6 point. roger

6.5x284

A smaller Texas hill country whitetail buck and antelope.

200# hog. 6.5 Rem mag.

Blue wildebeest and gemsbok with 6.5 JDJ using Nosler 120 gr. solid base. Load was running around 2400 fps.

I read where Greg Rogriguez's kids shot numerous African plains game animals to include Zebra with 16-1/2" Ruger's in 260 Rem shooting 120 TTSX.

Alan

Two big 275# whitetails with a 6.5x55 and Nosler 140 Partitions. One shot kills shot at 100 yards with about 20 yards of wobbling till down. This was done at a ranch in Michigan. The ranch owner was so impressed he has switched to a 6.5x55 as his client loaner gun.

I took a very large cow elk (700lbs on the hoof) in Wyoming with my 6.5x55 and 130 gr Nosler Accubonds. One shot DRT.

~850 bull elk. Later measured the shot at 273 yards with a laser range finder, 160gr. Sierra launched about 2350 fps at the muzzle. Entered behind near shoulder, angled up through the lungs and the top of the heart then through off shoulder. Slug found under the hide on the far side. Reatined 73% of it's weight if I recall correctly and put the bull down in less then 20 yards.

There is no non-dangerous game that I wouldn't hunt with the 6.5x55, although I would probably use a different bullet now days for the tough stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by Biathlonbrad:

There is no non-dangerous game that I wouldn't hunt with the 6.5x55, although I would probably use a different bullet now days for the tough stuff.

Something in specific in mind...?

- Lars/Finland

Moose cow 470p carcass weight. Bullet 155gr Lapua mega finnish qvality bullet!

Killed a couple of hogs that would exceed 300lbs with my 260 and 120gr Nosler BTs.

WOW, it looks like I was overgunned, compared to those posting before me, shooting a 120# whitetailed doe with a 6.5x284 Norma. I would have used a 25ACP, but the state outlawed semi-auto pistols for big game hunting.

Axis buck, unsure of weight, at 170 yards with a 6.5x55 using 120 Ballistic tips @ 3,000. One shot, 20 yard run, and down. Couldn't ask for much more.

300-lb hog, 6.5 x 55 CZ 550 FS,110 yds, handloaded 130-gr Barnes TSX over Rl-22. Hit just behind left shoulder, hashed the aorta and vertebral bodies, dead right there.

Big game or small, near or far, a medium-capacity 6.5mm appropriately loaded is up to the task and will do so with minimal recoil, superb accuracy and excellent terminal performance.

I’ve used everything from the little 6.5 TCU in a 10” Contender barrel through the 6.5-06 in a heavy-barreled 26" rifle and – matched to the circumstance at hand – they all perform well. Most of the animals below were taken with a 6.5x30-30 AI (aka 6.5 Bullberry IMP) using a long-throated 26”/1:8 Contender barrel from Match Grade Machine. With a 140 grain GameKing at 2501 fps or either a 129 grain Hornady SP or 130 grain Accubond at 2600+ fps, it efficiently takes care of any deer or hog inside of 300 yards.

The best thing about the various 6.5s is that the bullet selection is superb, and most projectiles perform like a premium given modest starting velocities. Then, too, they don't waste a ton of meat as bloodshotting with the 6.5s is minimal compared to many other cartridges.

As to the original question, the largest thing I’ve taken with a 6.5 was a brute of a hog at just over 250 yards using a Swede-chambered Encore and the 140 grain Hornady Spire Point.

Great foto collection ,Bobby. Only ate wild bore one time. Didn't really care for it as I remeber. I guess from all those hairy porkers you've shot you must like the flavor ???? roger

a 145# white tail at 310 yrds. 260 rem. 120 ballistic tip. to me i think the .260 rem. is one of, if not the best deer size game round to come alone..

My brother shot several Moose with his 264 Win Mag.
He used the 140 Win factory load. Several Blackies as well.

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
Great foto collection ,Bobby. Only ate wild bore one time. Didn't really care for it as I remeber. I guess from all those hairy porkers you've shot you must like the flavor ???? roger

Wild boars I shot a few years ago were turned into breakfast sausage.....great stuff.....but with enough spice added I think ground shoe leather would taste good too!

Wild Red stag at 125 meters with sako 6.5X55 using 125 Mosler partition at 2980 fps. One shot between the shoulders from above it. Stag would have weighed about 175 kg live. Another spiker also with same combo DRT.

My special one was this Faloow hind shot with my 6.5X54 Mannlicher Schoenauer with my two older kids. I used the 160 gr Hornady RN at 2200 fps. The bullet hit the throat and penetrated about 10 inches of spine. No meat damage!

I killed a few decent whitetails with 140 grain A-Max bullets loaded in the 6.5x55. A pretty good combo at 2550 fps.

Quite a few whitetails in western Nebraska with a CZ 550FS in 6.5x55 using 140gr Hornady SPs clocking around 2600 fps (give or take). Also took a 6 pt meat buck and a nice doe with a Kimber 84 in 260 Rem using a 129gr Hornady SP. All deer were DRT or piled up in less than 30 yards. No follow-up shots necessary and no bullets were recovered, all completely penetrated.

Antelope, Montana. 6.5-06 240 yards. 140 gr Berger VLD.
Shotgun

12' alligator with a 6.5 Jap Arisaka. Norma ammo. One shot in the head.

6.5-06 , wyoming antelope at 325 yds. 140gr noslers @ 2950 mv. Dropped her on the spot. The hydrostatic effect made a mess of her heart/lungs. Rifle is a 1908 orbendorf mauser, shilen barrel, timney trigger, Leupold vx2.

10pt Indiana whitetail, weighed 190lbs field dressed. Shot with a Savage Striker .260 Rem, 120 grain Nosler BT.

Cow elk (Rocky Mountain) with 6.5-280 using a 129 Hornady SP at 3150 fps. Quartering away shot behind shoulder forward through heart lungs and exited between off shoulder and brisket at about 220 yards (paced). Didn't hit a single bone! DRT.

Larry Gibson

Blue wildebeest in South Africa @ 125 yards with 155 Lapua Mega factory loads in a 6.5x55.

Several pronghorn with the 130 Swift Sirocco II in my 6.5x57R.

Numerous northern white tail with both.

Having a light weight 6.5x284 made now. Plan on the Siroccos and 140 Accubond being my primary bullets of choice in the 6.5x284.

With my 6.5s and my 9.3s (x62, x64 and x74R) not much I don't have the rifle to take.

Very nice Antelope with a 6.5-06 and a Sierra 120 Game King @ about 120 yds DRT. Coyotes as well.

Roger, had wild pig from Texas on Tuesday night. An 8 lb roast, leg I believe. I roasted it in the oven, after I had peiced it with garlic slivers, then covered the top with Poupon Mustard, salt and pepper and Dill. Cooked it at 200' for about 8 hrs covered. When the guys showed up for dinner, it was boys night, not a scrap was left. I did shoot a big ol porker up in Coalinga Ca, years ago, and that one was a bit rank. We ate it though!

Jerry

12' alligator with a 6.5 Jap Arisaka. Norma ammo. One shot in the head.
Doug thats classic

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Eden:

Roger, had wild pig from Texas on Tuesday night. An 8 lb roast, leg I believe. I roasted it in the oven, after I had peiced it with garlic slivers, then covered the top with Poupon Mustard, salt and pepper and Dill. Cooked it at 200' for about 8 hrs covered. When the guys showed up for dinner, it was boys night, not a scrap was left. I did shoot a big ol porker up in Coalinga Ca, years ago, and that one was a bit rank. We ate it though!
Jerry

Thanks for the slow cook receipe. Have done that with some tough, gamey venison and it came out tender and not too bad tasting.
Our boy's days use to consist of smoked trout, pretzels with musturd and beer. Haven't done that in a lonf while. roger

junked school bus abandoned by some Hippies who use to live in it...

Biggest animal I have shot with a 6.5mm is a Bull Moose at about 1000 pound live weight.

I shot it at 230 meters with my 6.5-06 and a 120grain Swift A-frame bullet.

The bullet hit the ridge of the scapula on the entrance side broke it, penetrated both lungs and stopped just under the skin just behind the other shoulder.

The bull staggered for about 6-8 meters before it dropped.

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
junked school bus abandoned by some Hippies who use to live in it...

Whitetail buck with my 6.5-284 Norma. I would not hesitate to use it for elk.

Got my first ever moose this season, a cow with 140gr Berger VLD, next shot was with the 140gr partition. Still get excited as I'm about to shoot so my shot placement although killing is never as perfect as at the range. this shot was measly 106 yards. FS

quote:

Originally posted by DannyH:
12' alligator with a 6.5 Jap Arisaka. Norma ammo. One shot in the head.
Doug thats classic

The're excellent on the barbeque pit too.

I shot a 8' plus brown bear with an old model 70 Winchester. It was chambered in 264 Win. Mag. and loaded iwth 140 grain Win. factory loads.

I shot it in the lungs at about 150 yards, and the bear took off running, where i put a second one into him. He ran about 100 yards into a big spruce forest.

I went back to camp, that was close by, traded rifles for a .338 win. mag. loaded with 300 grain soft points and followed up the bear. I found it dead about 100 yards into the forest...

The bullets had exploded making the lungs look like they had been shot with a shotgun, i wasn't too impressed. lol

Definitely the wrong bullet for "that" job!

DM

Last year I took my daughter musk ox hunting and she used her 260 in Tikka T3 to kill her first musk ox.
Bullet used was Remington 140gr core lokt. One shot kill
Joe