.243 Win or 6.5 Creedmoor?

[Gravel Road]

The Precision Hunter ammunition has a speed of 2285fps at 300yds and then you throw centerpunching a rib into the picture and you get what you ended up with. Now, like I said in my earlier post, you can shoot 100 deer in the same spot and end up with 100 different results. I wouldn't give up on the bullet and load based on one deer. There are many people that have done the same thing you did and had perfect results with the bullet. The good thing is, she only went 30yds before dying. Keep in mind, just about any bullet you shoot can and will do exactly what this bullet did at some point in a hunting lifetime. It's when you have it happen over and over that you need to think about changing. Everything about what happened has to be considered, shot distance, bullet design, the animals skeletal density, amount of fat, etc. You could also throw in air temp and altitude if you wanted to get technical. The temp probably played more of a roll than altitude. Cold ammunition can have a slower velocity than warm ammunition(this is why I do load work up in the summer).

I understand that a one time incident and may never happen again. Or, you

You mention the Partition. Ever shot a deer in the same spot with the Partition that you did with the ELD-X? Have you ever shot a deer in the same spot with the Partition that you did the ELD-X out of the 6.5 Creedmoor? Have you shot the Partition out of the 6.5 CM at 300yds and hit a deer in the same spot as the ELD-X did? You really can't say one bullet is better than the other until you shoot it out of that rifle at any and all distances and put the bullet in the same spots and get better results.

The Precision Hunter ammunition has a speed of 2285fps at 300yds and then you throw centerpunching a rib into the picture and you get what you ended up with. Now, like I said in my earlier post, you can shoot 100 deer in the same spot and end up with 100 different results. I wouldn't give up on the bullet and load based on one deer. There are many people that have done the same thing you did and had perfect results with the bullet. The good thing is, she only went 30yds before dying. Keep in mind, just about any bullet you shoot can and will do exactly what this bullet did at some point in a hunting lifetime. It's when you have it happen over and over that you need to think about changing. Everything about what happened has to be considered, shot distance, bullet design, the animals skeletal density, amount of fat, etc. You could also throw in air temp and altitude if you wanted to get technical. The temp probably played more of a roll than altitude. Cold ammunition can have a slower velocity than warm ammunition(this is why I do load work up in the summer).

You mention the Partition. Ever shot a deer in the same spot with the Partition that you did with the ELD-X? Have you ever shot a deer in the same spot with the Partition that you did the ELD-X out of the 6.5 Creedmoor? Have you shot the Partition out of the 6.5 CM at 300yds and hit a deer in the same spot as the ELD-X did? You really can't say one bullet is better than the other until you shoot it out of that rifle at any and all distances and put the bullet in the same spots and get better results.

To make a long story short, I'm not impressed with the bullet performance. Some people like the bullet to stay inside and dump it's energy, and I'm not in that camp. I like a bullet that exits and this bullet did not after hitting small bone. To me it's in the failure column. Would I shoot another deer with it? Sure, but I would be careful in the shot placement. Life's too short to deal with bullets I don't trust, and there are way to many good options out there. I'll probably reload the Nosler 140 LR Accubond or one of the X-bullet variants to get better penetration. If you want to use the ELD-X then go for it. It's not for me. If I can't get a different bullet to perform better for large bucks then I'll drop the 6.5 Creedmoor for a round that I can count on.

 

[DocHolladay]

I shoot the 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip out of my .300Wby. I have shot 4 deer with it, with one passing through and 3 staying inside the animals. My optimum bullet performance would be for the bullet to fall out of the opposite side of the animal right after it dumps all of the energy inside, giving me two holes. I am still using the bullet, even though it failed to exit on 3 deer. Why? Two were DRT and two ran and fell over in sight. It killed all 4 deer, turned their insides to jelly(as in pour it out, not cut it out) and it detached one deer's sternum from the ribs. The bullet I did give up on was a 100gr Hornady Spitzer bullet out of my .257Wby. It made holes you could drive through. Pass through's are nice, but that was ridiculous.

Would I shoot another deer with it? Sure, but I would be careful in the shot placement.

Were you not careful in the shot placement of the second deer? Not trying to argue or to start an argument, just asking. The way you stated it, it makes it sound like you didn't try for perfect placement or got a little excited and messed up the shot.

 

[Gravel Road]

I shoot the 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip out of my .300Wby. I have shot 4 deer with it, with one passing through and 3 staying inside the animals. My optimum bullet performance would be for the bullet to fall out of the opposite side of the animal right after it dumps all of the energy inside, giving me two holes. I am still using the bullet, even though it failed to exit on 3 deer. Why? Two were DRT and two ran and fell over in sight. It killed all 4 deer, turned their insides to jelly(as in pour it out, not cut it out) and it detached one deer's sternum from the ribs. The bullet I did give up on was a 100gr Hornady Spitzer bullet out of my .257Wby. It made holes you could drive through. Pass through's are nice, but that was ridiculous.


Were you not careful in the shot placement of the second deer? Not trying to argue or to start an argument, just asking. The way you stated it, it makes it sound like you didn't try for perfect placement or got a little excited and messed up the shot.

Sorry for the confusion, what I meant was that I would probably only take a broadside shot and not try anything that would require heavy bone breakage or maximum penetration due to the angle.

I was very happy with the shot placement on the doe, although 2-3 inches high. No damage to either front shoulder or backstraps, just rib damage.

 

[Oak Hunter]

I have been using a .243 for the last 8 yrs and love it. I have killed deer and hogs from 20yds out to 250yds.I shoot the 100 grain Hornady Interlock and have had no issues.

 

[j-bird]

All I will say is that I spent time at a large gun show last weekend and to be honest I had not really heard of a 6.5 Creed, but it sure seemed VERY popular at the show I was at. Both in bolt guns and in AR type platforms..... I don;t know enough about it to know if this is just a "fad" sort of thing or if there is justification behind it.....but the 6.5 creed caliber certainly seems to be "in" right now from what I saw.

 

[mattpatt]

6.5 creed is a fad. The bullets are too damn expensive compared to .308.


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[Jason Broom]

Hunt long enough and shoot enough critters, you'll see things you can't explain. I wouldn't discount a bullet based on a single animal, but I will say that I don't want a bullet to just fall out the other side...I want it to have expanded well and leave a sizable exit wound that bleeds profusely.

The 6.5CM is the real deal; it will continue to be successful where rounds lime the 260 Remington languished. Factory support and a very good case design will make this one a winner. It is also being actively promoted for both hunting and long range competition. That will go a long toward ensuring it's success.

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[George]

I got 2 pass throughs this year with the ELD-X. Both holes through the big muley were about the same size, in between the lungs were a hand full of mush. Chopped a rib on the way in. I got a bigger exit hole yesterday on a little deer. No bone on the way in but a nicked rib.





G

 

[Gravel Road]

I got 2 pass throughs this year with the ELD-X. Both holes through the big muley were about the same size, in between the lungs were a hand full of mush. Chopped a rib on the way in. I got a bigger exit hole yesterday on a little deer. No bone on the way in but a nicked rib.

G

Was this with your 308 178gr?

 

[George]

yep .308 178gr.

G

 

[Bullwinkle]

I somehow missed this tread

Just went on this same quest myself

Settled on a Kimber 07-08. My kids youth 07-08 is punishing on deer without much of a kick. Plus the lighter caliper feels like more of s challenge. Gun hunting doesn’t do much for me

Ive shot a lot of deer with the 270 and it seems to me you don’t get the full energy of the bullet unless you hit bone. The 07-08 we’ve had different results

Wanted a gun to make old Betsy. 6 month wait for the gun, hoping I made a good choice. Wanted a wood stock, limited choices in this caliper.

 

[Kyle]

Both calibers are going to get the job done. With the ever increasing popularity and use of the 6.5 CM for long range competition and hunting as well as the Military looking at it as an option to replace the .308, the price will decrease and ammo will become even more available. We are already seeing this trend in just the last two years.
I would personally go with a 6.5 CM as I like to shoot long range and at distance, the 6.5 CM is a much better caliber than the .243. This post is primarily for hunting and I do not like to hunt out 300 yards for deer. So at those distances it will not make much of a difference. But for target shooting out to and past 1000 yards (When I can get to a range that has those distances) the 6.5 CM is much nicer.