New deer rifle

I’m looking at new deer rifles. I’m doing some research on the 6.5 creedmore any one use or have any info on that caliber or any other advice would be great thanks

I love the 6.5 great distance with little drop. Best part is very little recoil.

I’m looking at going to the 6.5 Creedmore also. Tough part is finding good deals on the Tikka.

Here is a great article comparing the 6.5 to a 25-06 andf 270 WIN. A lot of good info in this

https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/25-06-vs-6-5-creedmoor-vs-270/

Used a 6.5CM the past two seasons now. Love it. Flat shooting and low recoil. Rounds easy to find as its popular right now. My Tikka likes the Hornady ELD-X 143gr.

My FIL bought a Browning as well this summer in 6.5CM and was happy with the performance this deer season.

I’m considering starting a custom build with a shorter barrel and a suppressor.

Just bought a Bergara b-14 Ridge in 6.5 CM and could not be more happy with it so far. After of years of research and going back and forth on bolt guns I finally settled on this and so far I’m really enjoying it. As far as hunting rifles go it leans toward the heavier side (I’m a big guy so I don’t mind) which when paired with the 6.5 CM seems like it kicks less than my AR. Haven’t had a chance to stretch it out yet, but shooting at 100yds, after the barrel break in, it was doing 4 shot groups that I could cover with a quarter. She only has 47 rounds through her so far. I picked it up at Scheels in Rochester and after that experience I will probably buy the rest of my future guns there. The customer service is outstanding they did a great job going over optics, mounting options, bore sighting, and fitting everything to me. Hopefully this helps you with your decision.

10-4 on Rochester Scheels. They were excellent building a new A220 Savage for me earlier this year.

I was curious if it has long range knockdown power. When I say long range I’m talking 400 plus. I’m also talking about deer hunting too

If you are TRULY planning on stretching this thing out in hunting situations past the 400 yard mark, then you might be better suited looking at a rifle in either 6.5-284 or 6.5 PRC. Both using the same DIA bullet as the 6.5 CM but with a little more mustard, but cartridges like the 6.5 CM or .270 will certainly get it done to the 500 yard mark.

Keep in mind, making ethical shots out past 400 yards takes a lot of repetitions on the range.

The 30-06 will kill an elk at over 700 yards, my cousin has pictures from a few years ago. I have an AR in 308 and I have no reason to get the 6.5 CM as I rarely have any shots over 250 yards and I have gone out to sight it in and have had the first 2 holes in the target touching each other at 100 yards. My father has a Savage SR-10 in 6.5CM and it shoots good but it is not enough to sell one to me

Kyle hulke wrote:

I’m looking at new deer rifles. I’m doing some research on the 6.5 creedmore any one use or have any info on that caliber or any other advice would be great thanks

There are so many chamberings that will kill a deer that you could hunt with a different one every season and not get through them all in 3 lifetimes.

The Creedmoor and the rest of the 6.5s are certainly seeing their heyday. I have to chuckle because I wonder all the time how many 6.5 bores have been bought by shooters that just a decade ago would have told you that anything smaller than a .270 is “too small” for deer…

The 6.5 chamberings are perfectly adequate for deer. Just don’t buy the “long range” hype. Long range shooting is a tiny bit about the rifle and a whole lot, lot, lot about the skill of the shooter. Most shooters fall dramatically short when it comes to shooting skill, ESPECIALLY when it comes to real-life conditions where a field rest must be used and there is wind and thermals that cannot be precisely accounted for.

The bottom line is that game animals are NOT targets and an ethical hunter knows in absolute terms his limits and stays even further within them for the sake of the sport and the game.

Jeremy wrote:

The 30-06 will kill an elk at over 700 yards, my cousin has pictures from a few years ago.

The problem with claims of 700 yard shots on the internet is that we always hear about “success” stories no matter how dubious the claims. We never hear of the epic fails. The wounded animals that are wasted. Having shot varmints extensively at 400+ yard ranges, I can tell you that even an above-average shot could NEVER claim that he is prepared to make an ethical hunting kill at 700 yards with any rifle, under any conditions.

I’m also consistently amazed at how many claimed 400+ yard “kills” are actually less than 300…

Grouse

I’m also consistently amazed at how many claimed 400+ yard “kills” are actually less than 300…

Grouse
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Kinda like all the 10 lb walleyes that are about 8.5!

A 30-06 sighted in at 100 yds only drops about 11 feet at 700 yds. You can do better if you sight it in at 200 yds. If you use a 20″ deer chest to calculate a long shot, that would be 7 deer chests high. Maybe the new scopes make this a piece of cake.

http://gundata.org/blog/post/30-06-ballistics-chart/

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Kyle hulke wrote:</div>
I’m looking at new deer rifles. I’m doing some research on the 6.5 creedmore any one use or have any info on that caliber or any other advice would be great thanks

There are so many chamberings that will kill a deer that you could hunt with a different one every season and not get through them all in 3 lifetimes.

The Creedmoor and the rest of the 6.5s are certainly seeing their heyday. I have to chuckle because I wonder all the time how many 6.5 bores have been bought by shooters that just a decade ago would have told you that anything smaller than a .270 is “too small” for deer…

The 6.5 chamberings are perfectly adequate for deer. Just don’t buy the “long range” hype. Long range shooting is a tiny bit about the rifle and a whole lot, lot, lot about the skill of the shooter. Most shooters fall dramatically short when it comes to shooting skill, ESPECIALLY when it comes to real-life conditions where a field rest must be used and there is wind and thermals that cannot be precisely accounted for.

The bottom line is that game animals are NOT targets and an ethical hunter knows in absolute terms his limits and stays even further within them for the sake of the sport and the game.

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Jeremy wrote:</div>
The 30-06 will kill an elk at over 700 yards, my cousin has pictures from a few years ago.

The problem with claims of 700 yard shots on the internet is that we always hear about “success” stories no matter how dubious the claims. We never hear of the epic fails. The wounded animals that are wasted. Having shot varmints extensively at 400+ yard ranges, I can tell you that even an above-average shot could NEVER claim that he is prepared to make an ethical hunting kill at 700 yards with any rifle, under any conditions.

I’m also consistently amazed at how many claimed 400+ yard “kills” are actually less than 300…

Grouse

Well I know my cousin and his father was at my fathers farm shooting prior, hilltop to hilltop at targets. I wasn’t there to watch but I have shot 300 yards between those hilltops on the flat ground between them, that is when I found out my AR with 1:9 twist don’t like 77 grain bullets as they keyhole

My cousins father is detail oriented and likely had his rangefinder and an app on his phone to help with the shot

Dennis Williams wrote:

A 30-06 sighted in at 100 yds only drops about 11 feet at 700 yds. You can do better if you sight it in at 200 yds. If you use a 20″ deer chest to calculate a long shot, that would be 7 deer chests high. Maybe the new scopes make this a piece of cake.

http://gundata.org/blog/post/30-06-ballistics-chart/

I agree with what your saying for the “old fashion hold-over” which is ridiculous and leads to many failed shots. Higher end scopes from quality manufactures are produced with much higher tolerances and much higher quality components. Sure, one company may use Grade A HD Lighthouse glass and one may use a B grade glass from SHOTT which is ground and polished by some other company….But by that time your into very fine optics. Along with VERY good glass is the addition of reticles that offer MOA, MIL, MRAD with tree-plex designs. Each manufacture (Burris, Vortex, Nightforce,..all have various designs. This is in addition to dialing your shot. For example, the Burris XTR-III has 120 MOA internal elevation – which is enough for sending a 270SWM, 6.5, or some other calibers over a MILE.

I’m NOT a mile+ shooter yet. Long ways from it. To me, the hardest to read/understand is wind. Elevation is pretty much child’s play. Any one of hundreds of apps with give you what your elevation for a given distance is. BUT, timing on the wind between full gust, subsiding gust, gaining…all factors in. The target below is 400yrds, Harris swivel 9″ bipod, shooting prone with a 270WIN – 130gr Barnes TSX. 3 shots at subsiding gust with the mil on target, (no hold-off ) for wind. I wanted to see exactly what the wind was doing to my bullet. I was measuring a 26MPH full crosswind and had 3″, 8″ and almost 10″ of drift. I account some of the 10″ drift shot to the wind actually moving my muzzle.

I generally try to avoid most of these conversations that talk about “long range”. First of all, long range to someone in WI or MN is a heck of a lot different than someone in WY or CO. I practice 900M all year long. I won’t shoot a critter that far….but I sure the heck don’t hesitate on 400-500 meter shot when the correct conditions apply.

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I haven’t shot rifle near as much as most the other guys on this thread (shot all of my deer within 50 yards with a 12 gauge bird barrel and a front bead sight), but one thing I gather and considered heavily into the decision of the rifle I recently bought is to shoot A LOT. So one thing I tried to keep in mind is ammo costs and recoil. There are plenty of rounds that fall into that category (.308,.270,6.5, and others). They don’t have as much snort as the magnums, but thats for you to figure out if you need that or not.

You are going to get every answer under the sun for what “caliber” to buy for a new deer rifle. If you have your sights set on a 6.5CM then research them and where you will be using it and go from there. Don’t let others push you from one to another because you’ll be hearing it all day. I personally have a few guns that I use for differing scenarios and I like guns so more will be coming. If you ever plan on hunting out west just make sure you’re comfortable with what you buy and its abilities. The 6.5 craze is here and everyone is making a cartridge for it, I personally own a 6.5-300 Weatherby but that was my choice based on what I wanted it for.

6.5 cm is fun. I love that I can shoot and keep the scope on the target during recoil. I can’t do that with my factory .270. the 143 gr ELDX hunter performed as advertised on a doe tag I filled in November, but it was only a 105 yard shot.

Alex Roers wrote:

I haven’t shot rifle near as much as most the other guys on this thread (shot all of my deer within 50 yards with a 12 gauge bird barrel and a front bead sight),

tornadochaser wrote:

I can’t do that with my factory .270. the 143 gr ELDX hunter performed as advertised on a doe tag I filled in November, but it was only a 105 yard shot.

This really shows us the reality versus the fantasy when it comes to the “need” for the vast majority of deer hunters as it relates to “long range” chamberings.

I took 2 deer this year, one at 72 yards, one at 44 (both laser ranged). I took both with a a 6 MM Winchester Long Range Powermaster Magnum and dropped both in thier tracks.

Ok, well, it was actually a .243, but it sounds more impressive when I say 6MM Winchester Long Range Powermaster Magnum…

Grouse

My 6.5 choice was a 6.5×284 Cooper XLR, but it was heavy and long for hunting purposes. I next bought a Tikka in 6.5 Swede which I still own and love. I’ve recently aquired a Sako Bavarian in 6.5 Swede and handload for both. While the Sako is a masterpiece, the Tikka shoots just as well and I like the action on the Tikka especially when scoped. Mills Fleet Farm has some Tikkas at great prices.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

This really shows us the reality versus the fantasy when it comes to the “need” for the vast majority of deer hunters as it relates to “long range” chamberings.

I took 2 deer this year, one at 72 yards, one at 44 (both laser ranged). I took both with a a 6 MM Winchester Long Range Powermaster Magnum and dropped both in thier tracks.

Ok, well, it was actually a .243, but it sounds more impressive when I say 6MM Winchester Long Range Powermaster Magnum…

Grouse

I’ll “need” long range next fall as my only tags will likely be SD west river, hunting public land. 450+ isn’t out of the question where we’ll be hunting.

Have you ever taken a 450 yard shot at anything from a field position or rest?

You may see game at those distances, but what is in or out of the question as far as taking an ethical shot is 95% down to how dedicated you are as far as logging hundreds or maybe even thousands of rounds in practice. I think the hunting media and manufacturers have led many to assume that buying the right rifle and gear has altered this equation and made 400+ yard shots much easier than they really are.

I have developed, loaded, and shot thousands of rounds through a half dozen varmint rifles from 22 to 6mm. After numerous trips west, I’ve shot hundreds upon hundreds of rounds at varmints at distances of 400++ yds. What I’ve learned from that is that from a field rest, even under VERY favorible conditions, executing a well placed 450+ yard shot on an animal is a very difficult proposition.

What I hope everyone understands is the clothes don’t make the man as it were. We owe it to the sport and the game to know and strictly abide by our personal limits as established through practice and experience.

Grouse

For those in MN, where are you finding a place to target shoot/practice these 400+ yard shots? Shooting clubs? I would have to shoot diagonally on the one field I own to get out that far. I’m interested in doing more precision shooting at longer distance for fun, but don’t really have a location to do so. Most of my deer shots are <75 yds in the Minnesota woods.

Lot of good advice, but be realistic,700 yard shots don’t come along very often, and if you’re going to take that shot you had had better have had allot of trigger time on the shooting bench.
another caliber that is fairly flat shooting with very little recoil is the 7mm-08, recoil similar to a 243, knockdown of a 270 with a 130 grain bullet.

If you’re looking at a 6.5cm you can get a heck of a deal right now at lockedloaded.com, they have the Tikka T3X blued/black for $469.99

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

What I hope everyone understands is the clothes don’t make the man as it were. We owe it to the sport and the game to know and strictly abide by our personal limits as established through practice and experience.

That applies as well to the thousands of hunters that have their rifle in a closet for 51 weeks a year. Only to “miss” a 50 yard shot and then we find gut shot deer days later or see deer limping by with shot up lower legs….
It’s not the distance, it’s the efficiency one has with their tools. I glanced back through a few years of whitetail pics and couldn’t find one I shot under 250ish yards and most at 330-350yrds. For us, that’s short distance. Most of the places I go out west are 350 to over 500 as the norm. We build our rifles and practice accordingly.
Just wish the closet hunters would quit littering our property with their injured animals

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Thanks for all the advice everyone. I ended buying a Bergara 7mm and put a Leupold scope on it can’t wait to shoot it it’s gonna be a lot of fun

Nice! Which bergara did you end up picking?

Kyle hulke wrote:

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I ended buying a Bergara 7mm and put a Leupold scope on it can’t wait to shoot it it’s gonna be a lot of fun

One of the many good choices to get a deer dead. Tough to go wrong with a 7 mm.

Grouse

Not sure where that price is on lockedloadad. When I went in to the site it was $621!