Which 6.5 Creed load for sable sized PG

[Miletic]

A Manbunn, aka 6.5 Creedmoor is considerably more capable than a 243 Win. On paper it carries about double the energy at long range of a 243. In practice with good bonded bullets it hits hard for its diameter and recoil. It seems to have that perfectly configured balance that makes it punch above its wieght class. As I think the 6.5 Swede does.

I hunted in Africa with it over 10 years ago with a much smaller variety of factory loads available. I used 129 grain Hornady Interbond Supeformance ammo with great penetration and very nice controlled expansion. I am not a Hornady fan but they got a lot right developing this cartridge. If you can get a Federal Premium load with a good bonded or TSX bullet. Or Barnes ammo. I think it will perform well.

My first PH loved it. I was mostly hunting with a 375 but he'd often ask me to bring the Creedmoor. On one walk around a mountain he told me to grab the Creedmoor and I asked "what if we see a good kudu?" He shrugged and said "then we'll shoot it with yhe Creedmoor."

Thanks

 

[dchum]

Since you’re shooting on the shoulder vs behind it like you would on deer, I think you’re on the right track with a tougher bullet than the ELDX.

My first choice would be the Federal Terminal Ascent (you didn’t list it), followed by the Sirocco and TTSX. Unless you’re hunting in the EC or Free State where long shots are the norm the LRX isn’t needed. You might also do well with the original TSX for a little more expansion.

I was under the impression that the TSX open up less than the TTSX? thought that was well documented.

The LRX is actually the softest of the Barnes so “more expansion” at lower velocity’s.

I may be wrong.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Have had excellent results with another brand but as posted by experienced users, the 6.5 CM and 130 grain CXs will work fine on all of those animals. For shot placement, suggest the book, Perfect Shot II and see what type of sticks your PH uses, buy a set and practice with them.

Amazon.com

 

[Matt Corbell]

Have had excellent results with another brand but as posted by experienced users, the 6.5 CM and 130 grain CXs will work fine on all of those animals. For shot placement, suggest the book, Perfect Shot II and see what type of sticks your PH uses, buy a set and practice with them.

Amazon.com

Yessir I purchased Kevin Robertson’s book last night and have the same sticks my PH uses in hand! Excellent advice.

 

[dgr416]

I dont trust the 6.5 cm on game above 140 pounds below that its awesome .I was huntimg with a 260 rem about same as 6.5 cm using 155 gr lapua megatips .It worked awesome on does but i made a good shot on a giant buck and lost him .My gun a savage model 10 jammed after the first shot also which didnt help .I couldnt find any blood trail saw him stumblimg at 200 yards I shot him at 20 yards .I had taken two 8 points about 140 pounds no problem .This buck i lost was about 200 pounds in full rut .This was a 160 class whitetail made me sick lost faitth in that gun .I went back to my 338 win mag ruger 77 till I have a 338 federal ruger 77 built .I had the same thing happen with 243 win lost faith in it also .I take kids hunting all the time in Alaska I let them use my 375 win big bore 94 they loved it .They liked my 260 and got alot of smaller deer up to 140 pounds fine .

 

[BryceM]

I’d also prefer a .308, but, 6.5 can work. Wait for a true broadside, get close. Get steady. No problem. Suppressed, kids can handle a larger round than you might think. Food for thought.

 

[BonUm16]

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.

Thank you for your post, Thinus. It’s refreshing to read about extensive real world experience with a cartridge as opposed to the typical internet “expert” bloviations.

 

[txtrout75218]

I will say that the mono or bonded bullets you listed will be fine the the 6.5CM.

My daughter used a 7-08 with 140 grain Barnes TSX bullet to take a zebra stallion, so only a marginally bigger than what you are looking to use. The bullet at a Quartering angle went thought the shoulder , lung, heart, lung, rib and came to rest under the opposite side. Good shot placement, bullet construction and practice trump any feed back you receive that the 6.5 won't work. It will, with shot placement and bullet construction as you are asking about.
This is much bigger and stronger animal than what is on you list.





One more thing, the PH will limit the shot distance based on how the kids do during the sight in of the rifles. In much of RSA and Namibia the shots are usually not more than 100 yards. Thus the need for strong bullet up close is important and needed to prevent over expansion at close distance. Also keeps the energy up with a short distance.

Have fun, Dad!

 

[steve white]

Well, hush my mouth. I anticipated all manner of objections to use of the creed more. I look at the tiny case, the small bullet, the kids using it, and the horns of a Sable if walked up while still alive, and said to myself, "nope." But apparently there are thousands of testimonies to the contrary.
After all nobody talks down the 6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer.

 

[IvW]

6.5 no matter the load is not suitable for sable.....especially in the hands of a kid with no experience on African plains game.

6.5 is a great caliber open plains springbuck. Blesbuck, redhartebeest but thats about where it tops out....

There are also caliber restrictions for different animals for good reason.....do your homework.

 

[spike.t]

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.

Out of interest....why not stick to a small amount of calibres that are proper?... .....

 

[spike.t]

My last trip over in 2023 I used the PH’s gun in 6.5 Creed. 143 grain ELDX, not sure on the powder but he did say 2900 to 3000 FPS is ideal as it hits a little harder not so blister fast. I took roan and zebra both one shot kills with short track jobs. When PH told me what I would be using I thought he was joking around. Not a big fan of 6.5 but it worked just fine if you have good placement.

At that velocity be a total fkup here.....sorry but pissy little bullets going hyper...forget it....seen 300 ultra mag blow up ....absolutely not interested.... .....

 

[txtrout75218]

Well, hush my mouth. I anticipated all manner of objections to use of the creed more. I look at the tiny case, the small bullet, the kids using it, and the horns of a Sable if walked up while still alive, and said to myself, "nope." But apparently there are thousands of testimonies to the contrary.
After all nobody talks down the 6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer.

The 6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer is exempt under the Antiquities Act of 1941..

 

[realsamthompson]

127gr LRX from the factory Barnes VOR-TX LR range of ammunition are accounting for about 300 red and sika deer a year with us… I rate them highly for that job, it’s an excellent bullet in an easy-to-shoot-well rifle for us.

 

[TOBY458]

I’ve seen several people mention the 143gr ELDX bullets here. From the limited amount of experience I’ve had with them on deer and antelope, I would never trust these on anything larger than a deer. I’ve failed to get a pass through on deer in 280AI and 270 Win, even on broadside shots. Both of these were at extended ranges around 400 yds. So even at the lower velocity, they expanded too much and didn’t penetrate that well. If I were using a 6.5 in Africa, I’d definitely go with a tougher bullet.

 

[Matt Corbell]

I seen several people mention the 143gr ELDX bullets here. From the limited amount of experience I’ve had with them on deer and antelope, I would never trust these on anything larger than a deer. I’ve failed to get a pass through on deer in 280AI and 270 Win, even on broadside shots. Both of these were at extended ranges around 400 yds. So even at the lower velocity, they expanded too much and didn’t penetrate that well. If I were using a 6.5 in Africa, I’d definitely go with a tougher bullet.

I had the same experience this year with a TX whitetail buck. 7 PRC 175 ELDX at 2900. Broadside high shoulder shot at 100 yds. No exit! I’m good with that on whitetail however I use hammer or CX on anything bigger!

 

[Art Lambart II]

Sable are big, tough, and expensive, I took mine at 220 yards with a single frontal chest shot using a 35 Whelen. If I was using a 6.5CM that day I would have passed on that shot. I'm in a very similar situation with my daughter, I’m planning a family safari in 2027 and if she can’t handle our 7mm-08 I will probably look at a 6.5CM or a suppressed 308.

 

[Rimshot]

I've tried a lot of bullets in my 6.5x55 combo gun (identical ballistics to 6.5CM). I've killed piles of deer and other critters over the years with the Hornady ELD-X, Barnes TTSX, Hornady Interlock, Nosler Accubond, and Nosler Partitions.

When I took it to RSA in '25, I loaded 140gr Nosler Partitions to 2690 fps. IMO this is the best all around bullet available for the 6.5s in this velocity range. Even at close range you always get exits on deer sized game (not true with ELD-X or Interlock). At long range, the wounding is better than the Accubond, Barnes, and I would assume Swift A-frame (because of bonding). I shot a whitetail this year at 440 yards and a coyote at 460, and the wound channels were quite good still considering the low impact velocity.

I didn't get to shoot anything as big as a sable or waterbuck with it (used my 9.3x74R for that). Had the opportunity presented on these larger animals I would have used it, provided it was a closer and near perfect broadside shot. For what you want to do, I'd say Swift A-Frame, Barnes, Hornady CX, or Partition would be adequate. Keep the distance and shot angle reasonable on the big boys and you'll poke both lungs and get your animals. This will probably mean passing on some shot opportunities. I took shots with my 9.3 that I definitely would not have taken with the 6.5 SE.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I was under the impression that the TSX open up less than the TTSX? thought that was well documented.

The LRX is actually the softest of the Barnes so “more expansion” at lower velocity’s.

I may be wrong.

You’re right, I meant controlled expansion. The TSX doesn’t have the tip to create quicker expansion, so the standard TSX has a more controlled expansion because it’s based on impact velocity and impact location.

 

[dchum]

You’re right, I meant controlled expansion. The TSX doesn’t have the tip to create quicker expansion, so the standard TSX has a more controlled expansion because it’s based on impact velocity and impact location.

Ohh I see! Thank you for clarifying