What's Your Next Purchase? V5

[bushman505]

Those aren't bad looking. For the price I hope it isn't flimsy, (flimsy enough to jack with Accuracy)
https://kineticresearchgroup.com/product/bravo-chassis/

It dosent seem flimsy at all, it’s pretty solid actually, I’m also only shooting a 6.5cm with it so not exactly a heavy recoiling rifle.

 

[Gregolian]

It dosent seem flimsy at all, it’s pretty solid actually, I’m also only shooting a 6.5cm with it so not exactly a heavy recoiling rifle.

You enjoying it I take it.

 

[bushman505]

You enjoying it I take it.

I am, it’s a different thing for me since I generally stick with just with normal hunting rifles the shape of the chassis really gives a good solid feel on steeper angles and from prone.

I’ve been practicing shooting all different distances and angles, across canyons etc with this thing as well as shooting it uphill from un natural positions and it’s working well. I also like that I don’t have to baby the thing...ding it??? Who cares....not that I’d care anyways but you get it.

Now I’m half thinkin about switching the t3x superlite 6.5cm for a lite 300wsm. The Marco Polo sheep I’ll be hunting are huge, I’m wondering if 6.5cm is the right choice.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

I am, it’s a different thing for me since I generally stick with just with normal hunting rifles the shape of the chassis really gives a good solid feel on steeper angles and from prone.

I’ve been practicing shooting all different distances and angles, across canyons etc with this thing as well as shooting it uphill from un natural positions and it’s working well. I also like that I don’t have to baby the thing...ding it??? Who cares....not that I’d care anyways but you get it.

Now I’m half thinkin about switching the t3x superlite 6.5cm for a lite 300wsm. The Marco Polo sheep I’ll be hunting are huge, I’m wondering if 6.5cm is the right choice.

Whats your usual range when hunting sheep?

Just googled Marco Polo sheep, there pretty impressive specimens

 

[bushman505]

Whats your usual range when hunting sheep?

My longest has been 430yds but I try not to do that, sheep hunting really is t a long range game because you need to be able to judge the curl of the horns and you also need to be careful to anchor it instantly with the first shot so it dosent sprint off a cliff or sprint away and die somewhere you can’t get to.

With the Marco Polo hunt trip coming in almost exactly a year, I’m really trying to touch up on the long range game since the hunt won’t take place in areas with huge cliffs, mostly high altitude, wide open, windy, cold slopes.

Edit to answer your original question. I try to shoot dall sheep at 300yds or less, under 200 is better given the terrain. I’ve gotten 4 of them, one goat, and a bighorn in Montana. I’m skipping sheep this year because I’m still recovering from my shattered ankle so next year, I’ll get a Barbary sheep down in Texas, head back up here to AK for a dall sheep hunt and that will be the tune up for the Marco Polo sheep hunt.

 

[bushman505]

Just googled Marco Polo sheep, there pretty impressive specimens

The really are and I honestly never thought I’d get the chance to hunt them, it’s expensive but I’ve become friends with a guy whose gone 3 times, he put me in contact with his buddy who works as a guide and that brought the price down almost 1/2. It was still a big chunk of $$$ but my wife gave me the go ahead for half the money since I just put her through nursing school. At that point, I realized that if I could manage 10k the trip was paid for so it’s quite doable at the moment and probably only this moment my whole life.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Now I’m half thinkin about switching the t3x superlite 6.5cm for a lite 300wsm. The Marco Polo sheep I’ll be hunting are huge, I’m wondering if 6.5cm is the right choice.

Should be enough horsepower. It should starch anything in North America within 300 yards. Europeans have been dropping big game(stag, moose, etc) with the 6.5x55 Swede for years. High sectional density ,1650 fpe, 2275 fps at 300 shouldn't be an issue I wouldn't think.

From Hornady's site, 143 eld-x

Will you have the opportunity to try it on other animals before then?

Not sure if you've seen this.

6.5 creedmoor on a safari hunt.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/.../shooting-65-creedmoor-african-safari#page-11

One of the excerpts on a 1000+ lb bull Eland at 250 yards.

As the sun was coming up the next morning, we were hiking in a different part of the conservancy, up a mountain valley flanked by lush, forested hills covered in a tangle of wild olive trees and vines. We were looking for eland, the largest species of antelope in the world. The bulls can reach 2,200 pounds, outclassing even American bison in size.

We glassed the steep slopes and spotted a bachelor group of five bulls about a mile off and moved quickly on foot to catch up to the animals, which can cover a surprising amount of ground in a short time despite their size.

There were two good bulls in the group. One was a young stud with long, sleek horns, who was clearly in his prime, but the bull that caught my eye was an older male, his spiral horns worn smooth and tipped with ivory, and his coat a ghostly shade of gray.

We got within a quarter mile of the eland before they became aware of us. This started a game of stop-and-go: We would freeze when their eyes turned our way, moving a step or two once their heads dipped to feed. Tyson and I slowly closed the distance to the bulls by crawling, shredding our hands and knees on the thorns that littered the ground. We eventually made it to a spot that opened up enough to allow for a good shot about 250 yards away from the bulls, where I settled in the shade of a crooked tree. I leaned back against the trunk, set up on my shooting sticks, and waited.

The old bull finally limped clear of the trees where he was feeding, his sagging dewlap swaying as he stepped. I put the bullet just behind the bone in his front leg. That little 6.5 smashed through a rib, cut across the chest--tearing up both lungs and the heart--broke a rib on the offside, and came to rest in the meat of the off shoulder. The bull walked about 30 feet, fell, and rolled for nearly 100 yards down the steep mountainside--a one-ton avalanche smashing trees and dislodging rocks--before he came to rest.

 

[bushman505]

Should be enough horsepower. It should starch anything in North America within 300 yards. Europeans have been dropping big game(stag, moose, etc) with the 6.5x55 Swede for years. High sectional density ,1650 fpe, 2275 fps at 300 shouldn't be an issue I wouldn't think.

From Hornady's site, 143 eld-x

Will you have the opportunity to try it on other animals before then?

Not sure if you've seen this.

6.5 creedmoor on a safari hunt.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/.../shooting-65-creedmoor-african-safari#page-11

One of the excerpts on a 1000+ lb bull Eland at 250 yards.

I hadn’t seen that article, thanks for sharing it. I’ll probably press this rifle into the hunting rotation next summer with the Barbary/audad hunt down in Texas, then again in Alaska for sept/aug sheep (not sure if it will be the brooks range or the chugach, possibly even unit 9 on the northern part of the peninsula) then off for the Marco Polo, if things are good there, I’ll probably get an ibex as well since it’s a once in a lifetime trip.

The only reason I’m thinking about a more powerful cartridge is that from what I hear, the shots are often 500+ yards with windy conditions and angles to deal with, it’s going to be an interesting hunt, like 20 hours in a truck driving out then long horseback ride to the higher camps at 14-15k feet, nothing up there to break the wind or hide behind from
Animals so it’s going to take some special gear that I otherwise wouldn’t need.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

I hadn’t seen that article, thanks for sharing it. I’ll probably press this rifle into the hunting rotation next summer with the Barbary/audad hunt down in Texas, then again in Alaska for sept/aug sheep (not sure if it will be the brooks range or the chugach, possibly even unit 9 on the northern part of the peninsula) then off for the Marco Polo, if things are good there, I’ll probably get an ibex as well since it’s a once in a lifetime trip.

The only reason I’m thinking about a more powerful cartridge is that from what I hear, the shots are often 500+ yards with windy conditions and angles to deal with, it’s going to be an interesting hunt, like 20 hours in a truck driving out then long horseback ride to the higher camps at 14-15k feet, nothing up there to break the wind or hide behind from
Animals so it’s going to take some special gear that I otherwise wouldn’t need.

Well in that case and with the cost of the hunt stepping up just in case probably isn't a bad idea.

 

[bushman505]

Well in that case and with the cost of the hunt stepping up just in case probably isn't a bad idea.

I need to look at some numbers or whatever and see how much more ass a 180g from a 300wsm has over a 143g from the 6.5 our past 300yds.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

I need to look at some numbers or whatever and see how much more ass a 180g from a 300wsm has over a 143g from the 6.5 our past 300yds.

Quite a bit.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/300-wsm-165-gr-gmx-superformance#!/

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/300-wsm-200-gr-eld-x-precision-hunter#!/

 

[wvboy]

This guy has some some opinions on the 6.5 creedmoor. I've watched a bunch of his videos, and he knows what he is talking about. I've never understood why 6.5 creedmoor has exploded in popularity in the hunting community. At normal hunting ranges (400 yards or less IMO) I think the 308 or 7-08mm are the best choices. If I was going to shoot at an animal at a longer distance then I would prefer a magnum cartridge. But to be honest where I live if you can get a 150 yard shot you are lucky so caliber choice isn't super critical.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

This guy has some some opinions on the 6.5 creedmoor. I've watched a bunch of his videos, and he knows what he is talking about. I've never understood why 6.5 creedmoor has exploded in popularity in the hunting community. At normal hunting ranges (400 yards or less IMO) I think the 308 or 7-08mm are the best choices. If I was going to shoot at an animal at a longer distance then I would prefer a magnum cartridge. But to be honest where I live if you can get a 150 yard shot you are lucky so caliber choice isn't super critical.

800 yard elk gun, absolutely not and I've never heard that before. Target shooting past 600, absolutely, it's one of the most popular long range competition rounds out there. Hunting at the same distances as .308, absolutely, even further depending on the animal.

It's better in most ways to .308 imo.

Less recoil, flatter shooting, more energy past 200-400 yards vs almost all .308 rounds, better sectional density, much better ballistic coefficients, longer range, etc. There are only a couple .308 rounds that are superior up to around 400-500 yards in energy or trajectory. 6.5 is still getting better and better as well.

Where the .308 has significantly more fpe it's at distances like you said that don't really matter.

Muzzle - 500 yards near the bottom of the page

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/6.5-creedmoor-147-gr-eld-match#!/

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/308-win-178-gr-eld-x-precision-hunter#!/

Also vs a great hunting round, superformance even, something that isn't yet out for the heavier 6.5 creedmoor rounds. That 6.5 round has more energy at 300 yards.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/308-win-165-gr-gmx-superformance#!/

Comparing that 6.5 147gr to probably the most popular .308 target rounds, fgmm 168 gr smk & 175gr smk.

6.5 147 eld

168 smk

175 smk

The performance difference is massive at 1000. 100" less drop, 37-45" less drift (10 mph), 400ish more fps, more fpe past 200-250 yards (easier to hear steel at longer range).


Edit to add like said a couple posts ago, 6.5 has a long history of hunting in Europe as well.

 

[Gregolian]

I always viewed the 6.5 Creed as a target shooter's caliber where you get handloaded accuracy out of a factory load.

30-06 is my go to hunting cartridge for non-bird hunts. To quote a YouTube channel I have watched on the matter:
"If it walks, or crawls, on almost any portion of this Earth the 30-06 has PROBABLY killed it"

 

[jlagman]

Seriously considering upgrading my glass before the end of archery season, serious in-field use has left me wanting. I currently use entry-level Nikon Prostaff 7s 10x42, I'm looking at Vortex Razor HDS, 10x42 or 10x50.

 

[bushman505]

I always viewed the 6.5 Creed as a target shooter's caliber where you get handloaded accuracy out of a factory load.

30-06 is my go to hunting cartridge for non-bird hunts. To quote a YouTube channel I have watched on the matter:
"If it walks, or crawls, on almost any portion of this Earth the 30-06 has PROBABLY killed it"

I really like the 30-06 as well, it’s got an ice wide range of bullets to get whatever job done. I was using my 30-06 today for the last day of moose season, actually, I used that rifle exclusively for all of moose season this year.

The 6.5cm is really a fun I got for a very specific sort of hunting, peobably not something I’d use as an all around cartridge though.

 

[bushman505]

Seriously considering upgrading my glass before the end of archery season, serious in-field use has left me wanting. I currently use entry-level Nikon Prostaff 7s 10x42, I'm looking at Vortex Razor HDS, 10x42 or 10x50.

Yeah man, nice glass makes a huge difference. My advice, save longer and really invest in some lifetime glass, I did what you did and went from low end to middle of the line to higher end up to forever glass, I could have saved a lot of $$$ by waiting. And just buying the high end.

I’ve been using Swarovski ELs and they are sweet.

 

[jlagman]

Yeah man, nice glass makes a huge difference. My advice, save longer and really invest in some lifetime glass, I did what you did and went from low end to middle of the line to higher end up to forever glass, I could have saved a lot of $$$ by waiting. And just buying the high end.

I’ve been using Swarovski ELs and they are sweet.

That's what I keep hearing too, but I also consider the type of hunting I do and where I do it. Southern Saskatchewan is something like 85% private land and I'm hunting inside of a fenced quarter section.

On a side note, yesterday sucked balls. The wind did not cooperate at all and the fucking truck hunters were out in full force.

 

[bushman505]

That's what I keep hearing too, but I also consider the type of hunting I do and where I do it. Southern Saskatchewan is something like 85% private land and I'm hunting inside of a fenced quarter section.

On a side note, yesterday sucked balls. The wind did not cooperate at all and the fucking truck hunters were out in full force.

Dude....I pulled the ultimate Hail Mary, went to take one last chance at a moose for the season, went out at about 8:00 and boom, saw a bull. 3 rounds from my 30-06 and he was down in a pit.

Ended up leaving it there, heading out of the valley to call some buddies, I JUST walked back in the door at 6:27am. Got me a moose in the last hour of the last day of the season. Got it packed out and hanging up. Not a massive bull, probably like 34”but I’d say I got at least 400lbs of meat.

I’m fucking pumped right now. Also, left the guy pile there, I’ll check that over the. EDT few days to see if I can get a bear there as well.

 

[jlagman]

I know I can be wishy-washy, but oddly enough, my recent pistol qualifier made me want to try dabbling in long range precision rifle again. As weird as it sounds, I felt that in hindsight, compound archery out to 60 and 70 yards made our 25 metre pistol stage feel so close. I'm now convinced, more than ever, that shooting longer ranges helps many aspects of marksmanship.

So I've been mulling over a budget rig, likely 6.5 Creedmoor in either a Savage or Ruger American offerings and throwing a Vortex Viper or something like that, with a 50 mm objective on it.