Shout out to our Creemore fans. QUESTION: Is a 6.5CM or a 22CM the ideal Elk hunting rifle? Do you use one to hunt big game? If so, which game animals. How has it performed for you?
Before you excoriate me for being a Creedmore fanboy, let me explain. I have never used a 22 or 6mm rifle to kill any game animals larger than a coyote. Also, my idea of a good Elk or Moose round is a 7mm RM, 300wm or 338wm loaded with a heavy bonded or copper mono bullet. I do add that bullet placement is more important than bullet type, weight, energy, etc. Also, I do not like having to track my game animals for miles.
All that said, I have encountered examples recently where hunters used for example 223 to take Axis deer with stunning results. I have seen side by side tests on ballistic gel using Federal Fusion bonded bullets in 243, 308 and 30-06 where the 243 penetrated just as deep and did comparable damage along its path which would suggest that on game the result would also be similar (assuming a perfect broadside shot properly placed). None of that makes me want to trade my magnum for a 243 let alone a 22 CM for an upcoming Moose hunt.
This morning I was watching a new youtube video posted by a young Elk hunting expert (self proclaimed). He said that a 6.5CM was the perfect Elk round because it was accurate and did not kick too much. His personal Elk rifle is a 22 CM which he likes even more but which is not legal for Elk in some states. He also states that for most hunters and in his case, the recoil of a 308 is too much??? He did not have his hair pulled back in a man-bun but had enough hair to do so on a windy day, lol. Mr X-purt cited a number of studies about bullets, bullet weight and energy and affect of recoil on soldiers to conclude that bullet placement is everything to insure hunting success. Because according to him, a 22-Creedmore recoils less thus he shoots it better and therefore is more likely to hit his prey more correctly.
I will admit that one of my most accurate hunting rifles is a 243. Another is a 22lr. But using his logic I am not using either one for Elk or Moose. Some of my other most accurate hunting rifles are: 7mm/08, 7mm RM, and 375HH. All three of these are sub moa with most loads and close to 1/2 moa with there best load. I am of a mind that most men can be taught or can teach themselves how to shoot heavy recoiling rifles with a bit of practice and trial and error. I find it necessary to remember to hold the rifle snug into my shoulder pocket without tensing up or rushing the trigger pull. This is only an issue when range shooting and you never feel the recoil in a hunting scenario. Shooting big un-compensated magnums off of a bench can be unpleasant in some cases. I have a carbon-titanium super light 7mm Mag that is that way when I remove the muzzle brake. But it only weighs about 6.5lbs.
So, where do you fall on this Question? Is a 6.5CM or a 22CM the ideal Elk hunting rifle? Do you use one to hunt big game? Is so which animals have you hunted? How has it performed for you?
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