Which 6.5 Creed load for sable sized PG

Matt Corbell

Matt Corbell

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I will be taking my kids to SA for PG in 2027. The largest animal hunted will be Sable & Waterbuck. They have taken several Whitetail in TX with the 143 ELDX out of the 6.5 CM. I’m wanting a tougher bullet for the safari. I’m thinking the 120 CX, 130 Sirocco II, or the 140 Nosler Partition. Anyone have experience with any of these bullets out of the 6.5 Creed? Or something different that worked well?
 
A 6.5 CM will certainly kill a sable.. but it honestly wouldn’t be my first choice with any bullet.

Sable are a large, tough, animal, with a hefty price tag associated… a less than perfect shot could very easily result in losing an entire hunting day tracking, or even the unfortunate entire loss of the animal..

For me, the bare bones minimum for a sable is going to be something more like a 308 shooting a heavy a-frame or TTSX… I’d actually prefer something a little heavier…

Again, that’s not to say that lots of sable aren’t killed every year with smaller calibers like 6.5, 270, etc… it absolutely can be done…

there’s just a lot of limitation there that you wouldn’t experience with a larger caliber…
 
Out of the three you mentioned, I would go with the 120 CX. We run four 6.5mm Creedmoor's as camp rifles for game up to eland and including sable, amongst other calibers (.270 win, 7x57, 7x57 AI, .308, .30-06, 9.3x62 and .375 H&H). One of the 6.5CM's are fed 120gr CX and it works well.
Provided you use a decent bullet (which the 120 CX is), and they place their shots in the vitals (which is easy with the 6.5 CM) there will not be any problems.
 
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If I were using a 6.5 creedmoor in Africa, I’d opt for the 130 grain Swift Sirocco or the 130 grain Federal Terminal Ascent.

A few years back I took a gemsbuck and many other smaller antelopes using 120 grain Barnes TTSX.
 
6.5 Creedmoor falls in the same category as a 243. I applaud you for taking your kids to Africa but Sable and Waterbuck are not Texas Whitetails and agree that something bigger for Africa. I built a
6.5-308 Ackley Imp for my daughter when she was 8yo (total loaded, scoped wt. 5#) Restocked it when she was 13 and she killed many deer, antelope and 5 elk with it. A properly built 7mm-308 or 308 with
a good break or suppressor would be a much better choice IMHO!
 
Sciptus said:
If I were the PH I wouldn‘t let you shoot a 6.5. On impala and springbok ok, but not when you are after sable and waterbuck. I would recommend a .30-06.
Click to expand...
Do you know what happens when a sable is shot through both lungs with a tough 130 grain bullet going 2700?

It dies - simple.

His kids can’t shoot a 30-06. I’m sure his PH will have zero issue.

Cheers
 
What region will you be hunting? I think 156 gr Norma oryx would be a good choice in Limpopo.

6.5 Creedmoor

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Matt Corbell said:
I will be taking my kids to SA for PG in 2027. The largest animal hunted will be Sable & Waterbuck. They have taken several Whitetail in TX with the 143 ELDX out of the 6.5 CM. I’m wanting a tougher bullet for the safari. I’m thinking the 120 CX, 130 Sirocco II, or the 140 Nosler Partition. Anyone have experience with any of these bullets out of the 6.5 Creed? Or something different that worked well?
Click to expand...
Matt,i think for your hunt is a perfect AccuBond 140gr. Also,you won't go wrong if you continue to use ELD-X
 
As a PH, I offer clients, who do not bring their own rifles, a choice of 4 calibers, a 6.5 Creedmoor, a .30-06, a 9.3x62 and a .375 H&H for plains game hunting. The 6.5 CM and the .30-06 are the most popular. Both are supressed, which probably has something to do with it. If a client shoots the .30-06 as well as he does the 6.5, I recommend the .30-06, otherwise the 6.5 CM.
6.5mm rifles have been killing plainsgame in Africa for more than a century, the 6.5x54, 6.5x55 and 6.5x57 all used to be popular. The 6.5CM can do what those calibers did without any problems. Added to that bullet construction have greatly improved.
My two personal 6.5CM's have accounted for 959 head of game, including 30 black wildebeest, 66 blue wildebeest, 57 eland, 31 gemsbok, 29 red hartebeest, 3 sable, 25 waterbuck and 8 zebra.
If it did not kill cleanly and reliably, I would have stopped using it long ago, nobody benefits from tracking wounded game, least of all a PH.
Before I started using the 6.5CM, I used a 6.5x55 as my light rifle, that rifle, in my own hands and those of clients accounted for more than 1200 head of game, before the barrel gave up the ghost and I had it re-barreled to 9.3x62.
I do enjoy using different calibers and regularly use, apart from the 6.5CM, a 6mm CM, 7x57, .30-06, 9.3x62, .375 H&H and .416 rem mag. Arguing about calibers is great fun, but honestly if most hunters spent less time worrying about calibers and spent more time actually practising their shooting skills there would be a lot fewer wounded animals.
 
ThinusS said:
Arguing about calibers is great fun, but honestly if most hunters spent less time worrying about calibers and spent more time actually practising their shooting skills there would be a lot fewer wounded animals.
Click to expand...
Dude, you just erased 70% of the posts on every hunting forum on the internet with a single sentence. Expect the Hornady Unnecessary New Cartridge assassination team to knock on your door very shortly.
;)
 
ThinusS said:
As a PH, I offer clients, who do not bring their own rifles, a choice of 4 calibers, a 6.5 Creedmoor, a .30-06, a 9.3x62 and a .375 H&H for plains game hunting. The 6.5 CM and the .30-06 are the most popular. Both are supressed, which probably has something to do with it. If a client shoots the .30-06 as well as he does the 6.5, I recommend the .30-06, otherwise the 6.5 CM.
6.5mm rifles have been killing plainsgame in Africa for more than a century, the 6.5x54, 6.5x55 and 6.5x57 all used to be popular. The 6.5CM can do what those calibers did without any problems. Added to that bullet construction have greatly improved.
My two personal 6.5CM's have accounted for 959 head of game, including 30 black wildebeest, 66 blue wildebeest, 57 eland, 31 gemsbok, 29 red hartebeest, 3 sable, 25 waterbuck and 8 zebra.
If it did not kill cleanly and reliably, I would have stopped using it long ago, nobody benefits from tracking wounded game, least of all a PH.
Before I started using the 6.5CM, I used a 6.5x55 as my light rifle, that rifle, in my own hands and those of clients accounted for more than 1200 head of game, before the barrel gave up the ghost and I had it re-barreled to 9.3x62.
I do enjoy using different calibers and regularly use, apart from the 6.5CM, a 6mm CM, 7x57, .30-06, 9.3x62, .375 H&H and .416 rem mag. Arguing about calibers is great fun, but honestly if most hunters spent less time worrying about calibers and spent more time actually practising their shooting skills there would be a lot fewer wounded animals.
Click to expand...
That’s a lot of experience speaking here. Thank you for your input. It carries weight for sure! I feel good about bringing the 6.5, as does my PH. Thanks again sir!
 
ThinusS said:
As a PH, I offer clients, who do not bring their own rifles, a choice of 4 calibers, a 6.5 Creedmoor, a .30-06, a 9.3x62 and a .375 H&H for plains game hunting. The 6.5 CM and the .30-06 are the most popular. Both are supressed, which probably has something to do with it. If a client shoots the .30-06 as well as he does the 6.5, I recommend the .30-06, otherwise the 6.5 CM.
6.5mm rifles have been killing plainsgame in Africa for more than a century, the 6.5x54, 6.5x55 and 6.5x57 all used to be popular. The 6.5CM can do what those calibers did without any problems. Added to that bullet construction have greatly improved.
My two personal 6.5CM's have accounted for 959 head of game, including 30 black wildebeest, 66 blue wildebeest, 57 eland, 31 gemsbok, 29 red hartebeest, 3 sable, 25 waterbuck and 8 zebra.
If it did not kill cleanly and reliably, I would have stopped using it long ago, nobody benefits from tracking wounded game, least of all a PH.
Before I started using the 6.5CM, I used a 6.5x55 as my light rifle, that rifle, in my own hands and those of clients accounted for more than 1200 head of game, before the barrel gave up the ghost and I had it re-barreled to 9.3x62.
I do enjoy using different calibers and regularly use, apart from the 6.5CM, a 6mm CM, 7x57, .30-06, 9.3x62, .375 H&H and .416 rem mag. Arguing about calibers is great fun, but honestly if most hunters spent less time worrying about calibers and spent more time actually practising their shooting skills there would be a lot fewer wounded animals.
Click to expand...
That’s an impressive list! Just proves that shot placement and bullet construction are the two most important factors.
 
ThinusS said:
As a PH, I offer clients, who do not bring their own rifles, a choice of 4 calibers, a 6.5 Creedmoor, a .30-06, a 9.3x62 and a .375 H&H for plains game hunting. The 6.5 CM and the .30-06 are the most popular. Both are supressed, which probably has something to do with it. If a client shoots the .30-06 as well as he does the 6.5, I recommend the .30-06, otherwise the 6.5 CM.
6.5mm rifles have been killing plainsgame in Africa for more than a century, the 6.5x54, 6.5x55 and 6.5x57 all used to be popular. The 6.5CM can do what those calibers did without any problems. Added to that bullet construction have greatly improved.
My two personal 6.5CM's have accounted for 959 head of game, including 30 black wildebeest, 66 blue wildebeest, 57 eland, 31 gemsbok, 29 red hartebeest, 3 sable, 25 waterbuck and 8 zebra.
If it did not kill cleanly and reliably, I would have stopped using it long ago, nobody benefits from tracking wounded game, least of all a PH.
Before I started using the 6.5CM, I used a 6.5x55 as my light rifle, that rifle, in my own hands and those of clients accounted for more than 1200 head of game, before the barrel gave up the ghost and I had it re-barreled to 9.3x62.
I do enjoy using different calibers and regularly use, apart from the 6.5CM, a 6mm CM, 7x57, .30-06, 9.3x62, .375 H&H and .416 rem mag. Arguing about calibers is great fun, but honestly if most hunters spent less time worrying about calibers and spent more time actually practising their shooting skills there would be a lot fewer wounded animals.
Click to expand...
Do you try .243 win? I mostly used 243 in Europe. (95gr SST for roe deer,muflon,goats,dama dama,fox,wolf,jackal and Eld-x 90gr,AccuBond 90 and Norma Oryx 100gr for hogs). Only red stags i dont shoot wit him. I'm interested in how it would working on larger antelopes and if it would lag behind the 6.5?
Thanks
 
My PH said a 6.5 CM was on his good list for PG up to kudu. We weren't hunting Sable or Waterbuck, so I don't know his opinion there. I wound up taking a .308 for personal reasons, but if I had taken a 6.5, I'd felt confident. Just remember, it's the kid's trip. Just like it's the wife's wedding. The guy just drives home.... Have fun, Dad!
 
Well no experience with sable but my kids used a 6.5 creedmoor in Africa. Warthog, blesbok, impala, all fell. Watched my brother use the same gun to drop a gemsbok in its tracks. It was the outfitters gun and I’m pretty sure it was loaded with some sort of 140gr softpoint. No tracking was required. My buddy killed a really nice 330 class bull elk from 350 yards this year with his 6.5 creed shooting a 124gr hammer bullet. I think if you use a good monolithic bullet like the hammers or Barnes or Hornady Cx you should be good to go. Shot placement seems to be the best indicator of whether you will be tracking or not. Better a 127gr Barnes through the lungs than a 200gr .300 win mag round through the guts.
 
As I wrote up in an earlier thread, while on a primary tiny ten hunt this past summer, I was able to take a kudu with 6.5 creed with 143 ELDX at a range of 90 yards and a fallow buck at over 325 yards. One shot dropped the one horn kudu while I needed a followup on the fallow--user error not weopon error. I would have preferred a heavier bullet for the larger game but a Kudu and a bush buck fell to one shot each. I think if my primary weopon was 6.5 creed for larger antelope I would go cx or hammer and have them keep shooting until you leave!!!
 
@Matt Corbell another thing is practice! Like lots of practice. And then practice some more. My kids probably shot 2000 rounds or more of .22lr in the year leading up to our hunt and also practiced with a youth model 7-08rem. (Another good cartridge choice). And I don’t mean shooting off a bench. I set them up with a tripod to simulate shooting off of sticks. Paid off big time. 9 shots with 7 dead animals between my two kids and no tracking required for anything. The only animal that took more than one shot was my daughter’s zebra which stood there and soaked up 3 perfectly placed rounds before going down. The warthog, blesbok, impala, steenbok, blue wildebeest, and springbok my kids shot all dropped with single shots.

Practice and then practice some more. Also get a copy of “the perfect shot II” and show them the animals and shot placement. It really helps.
 
It's not so much the caliber, but the puny cartridge. Use the .264 (nearly highest SD bullet due to its length, relative small diameter and relative high weight) in Win Mag, Rem Mag, or the RSAUM/WSM wildcats, and various larger Wby cases (RPM and prob. the best iteration for African PG, the 6.5-300, and then you've truly got something. None of them recoil particularly much, but the needmore belongs in an AR platform (for defense related purposes on smaller varmints.) 140 NPT or Swift A-Frames are good (0.29 SD), 160 Woodleighs (>0.3 SD) even better, but I'd personally like to see the V well above 3,000 for a 6.5. The 156 Berger Hunter is superior (in larger cased 6.5s) for longer range accuracy and terminal performance. Leave the plastic tips at home. Even springbok and impala can be a challenge for a needmore, especially with tricky shots and/or the wrong bullet choice. After using the 6.5 WSM extensively in Africa for PG, I'd strongly suggest leaving it at home (in favor of using "more gun," and that certainly doesn't discount 30-06, 7mm mags etc. that really don't recoil too much.) I gave up my age 30-30 at age 11 for a 30-06, and graduated to a 300 WM at 16. Kids can shoot these guns!!! Throw a slip on-pad or brake on if it's an issue. Better to see the kids succeed than to simply be consumers of ad campaigns.
mdwest said:
A 6.5 CM will certainly kill a sable.. but it honestly wouldn’t be my first choice with any bullet.

Sable are a large, tough, animal, with a hefty price tag associated… a less than perfect shot could very easily result in losing an entire hunting day tracking, or even the unfortunate entire loss of the animal..

For me, the bare bones minimum for a sable is going to be something more like a 308 shooting a heavy a-frame or TTSX… I’d actually prefer something a little heavier…

Again, that’s not to say that lots of sable aren’t killed every year with smaller calibers like 6.5, 270, etc… it absolutely can be done…

there’s just a lot of limitation there that you wouldn’t experience with a larger caliber…
Click to expand...
 
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