Thread: First fail - 6.5mm 143gr ELD-X

Originally Posted by Tahr

...If you want to kill stuff consistently at longer ranges I would be stepping up in caliber and case size, but even then you will still get the odd unexplained failure...I think.

Yup and that was a definite consideration when I put this rig together. The challenge is in this instance is the repeated long shot strings, the heat generated, and the effort required to control a harder kicking rifle and maintain consistent accuracy, on iffy ground, usually sloping away from you requiring a high setting on the bipod. It's a compromise, the 6.5 Creedmoor - it provides the energy and the SD of a decent .308 - but its definitely not in the league of a 7mm Rem Mag, .270 WSM, etc etc when it comes to stopping power.

I've tried shooting the smaller magnums in 4-5 shot strings and its just nowhere near as bankable for me - or others I've watched try it. It's a proper pest control effort - if it was just one deer, then I'd have gone 7mm magnum no question - but its not just one, we'll be after 6 or 7 goats in the mob we can see, and as they scarper another mob will pop out from behind the spur and we need to hit them too! Man you should see how quickly we burned through 70 hand loads last week. The spotter ranges and calls, and single feeds the rounds. Very important for the shooter to remain in position and maintain the target in the field of view, otherwise in the rain and general shitty winter conditions it can be damned hard to find them again quickly at 20x plus magnification. Every time it stops, you shoot!