richhodg66
Well-Known Member
I shot two deer yesterday morning, right here in the back part of the property where recovery would be relatively easy and where it's rolling and heavily wooded. SHot distances were maybe 40 yards, I watched both do a death run and saw where they fell. Niether was anything to write home about, but meat in the freezer. On the whole, a decent day, but truck broke rather catastrophically on the way to the processer and I need to coordinate getting it towed in this morning. I kept one deer to butcher out myself, mostly ground, I think.
Anyway, the point of the thread; I was using this Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor. This is the third season for it. I am a traditionalist, but a few years ago I got curious about both the cheap but good entry level bolt actions nowadays and also the 6.5 Creedmoor and have been impressed by both. I slapped a Leupold rifleman (3x9) on it, put together some handloads with some Hornady and Speer bullets I had around and it ripped ragged holes at 100 yards out of the box.
I didn't have a lot of 6.5 bullets and all I could find during the shortage then were some 140 grainers made by PPU which seem odd, the have a big exposed lead point with a small flat on the tip and are also boat tails. I had a few guys give me the warning, "I'd never use cheap, unknown bullets that would risk a hunt", stuff. Also when you talk to those "in the know" you simply MUST use a powder no faster burning than 4831 and some kind of streamlined cruise missile bullet then zero your rifle for like 10 million yards becaue, ya know, it's a 6.5 Creedmoor.
I looked at that mdium sized case, picked a powder that works in medium sized cases (IMR4320 because I have a bunch) had to interpolate data from IMR4064, which there wasn't much of either. BAsically tried 35 grains and my cheap bullets and it shot well, so that was the end of it.
It's worked like expected but these two yesterday left blood trails which would [ut the best broadheads to shame. The second trotted right past me in its death run and I could clearly see blood spurting out the entry hole like some kind of horror movie special effect.
An awful lot of "experts" would tell me I'm wasting the potential of the cartridge, so be it. I hunt woods from tree stands like a bow hunter, generally. A lot of the "Fudds" will bad mouth the Creedmoor, but it is what it is, a good, well thought out, medium powewr level cartridge that seems just about perfect for deer hunting. I just load it like a .308 or .300 Savage and hit the woods.
I've gotten lazt the past few years and just let that rifle do the work, I need to get back to using cast and I think a .30-30 or .35 Remington will be on the docket next year, maybe I'll give the .351 another go.
Anyway, the point of the thread; I was using this Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor. This is the third season for it. I am a traditionalist, but a few years ago I got curious about both the cheap but good entry level bolt actions nowadays and also the 6.5 Creedmoor and have been impressed by both. I slapped a Leupold rifleman (3x9) on it, put together some handloads with some Hornady and Speer bullets I had around and it ripped ragged holes at 100 yards out of the box.
I didn't have a lot of 6.5 bullets and all I could find during the shortage then were some 140 grainers made by PPU which seem odd, the have a big exposed lead point with a small flat on the tip and are also boat tails. I had a few guys give me the warning, "I'd never use cheap, unknown bullets that would risk a hunt", stuff. Also when you talk to those "in the know" you simply MUST use a powder no faster burning than 4831 and some kind of streamlined cruise missile bullet then zero your rifle for like 10 million yards becaue, ya know, it's a 6.5 Creedmoor.
I looked at that mdium sized case, picked a powder that works in medium sized cases (IMR4320 because I have a bunch) had to interpolate data from IMR4064, which there wasn't much of either. BAsically tried 35 grains and my cheap bullets and it shot well, so that was the end of it.
It's worked like expected but these two yesterday left blood trails which would [ut the best broadheads to shame. The second trotted right past me in its death run and I could clearly see blood spurting out the entry hole like some kind of horror movie special effect.
An awful lot of "experts" would tell me I'm wasting the potential of the cartridge, so be it. I hunt woods from tree stands like a bow hunter, generally. A lot of the "Fudds" will bad mouth the Creedmoor, but it is what it is, a good, well thought out, medium powewr level cartridge that seems just about perfect for deer hunting. I just load it like a .308 or .300 Savage and hit the woods.
I've gotten lazt the past few years and just let that rifle do the work, I need to get back to using cast and I think a .30-30 or .35 Remington will be on the docket next year, maybe I'll give the .351 another go.
