Another question for those experienced with 6.5 Creedmoor and it's performance on deer. With good hunting bullets (not target rounds), do you typically get full pass throughs on shots, either shoulder shots, or behind the shoulder lung shots?
I gave up using a .243 Win with 100 grain soft points (both Federal Premium and Hornady Custom) years ago after difficulty tracking several deer that were shot behind the shoulder. Both deer were eventually recovered after running into thick brush with absolutely zero blood trails. Both deer had .243 inch entrance holes, but no exit holes, which resulted in no blood trails. Vitals were destroyed, but one deer managed to run just over 100 yards, and the other about 50-75 yards. Getting torn up in thorn thickets wondering if you are ever going to be able to find the deer was very disheartening.
My thoughts are that with the slightly larger diameter and heavier bullet (129 -143 grains), there would be enough weight retention, even after expansion, to push through and exit the deer's body on a typical broadside shot. That is just my theory so that is why I am asking those of you with real world experience with the 6.5 Creedmoor for your observations and experiences on full pass through shots on deer.
If you guys typically get pass throughs, does it appear the rounds dump a significant amount of energy and transfer it to the vitals while passing through. I know there is a fine line where you want a round to dump most of the energy into the target, while holding together and punching through the opposite side to offer a decent blood trail if the deer doesn't drop within sight. If the latter has been your experience with the 6.5 Creedmoor, what factory rounds do you use to achieve this performance?
I grew up hunting with a .243 Win. hunting over big wheat and oat fields in north Texas. Deer would typically run 25-50 yards after being lung shot. I was always able to watch them fall in those fields, and never had any concerns using the .243 Win for deer. After switching over to hunting east Texas thickets, mainly hunting narrow roads, is when the lack of visibility and pass through shots became problematic. Switched to a .270 Win and the problem was solved. Issue now is getting my wife, daughter-in-law, and growing grandson interested in deer hunting, but with a round that has relatively low recoil, good performance on game, to include full pass throughs, and really good selection of available factory hunting rounds found on shelves (during normal times). Shots will be under 300 yards.
Looking forward to your feedback.
I gave up using a .243 Win with 100 grain soft points (both Federal Premium and Hornady Custom) years ago after difficulty tracking several deer that were shot behind the shoulder. Both deer were eventually recovered after running into thick brush with absolutely zero blood trails. Both deer had .243 inch entrance holes, but no exit holes, which resulted in no blood trails. Vitals were destroyed, but one deer managed to run just over 100 yards, and the other about 50-75 yards. Getting torn up in thorn thickets wondering if you are ever going to be able to find the deer was very disheartening.
My thoughts are that with the slightly larger diameter and heavier bullet (129 -143 grains), there would be enough weight retention, even after expansion, to push through and exit the deer's body on a typical broadside shot. That is just my theory so that is why I am asking those of you with real world experience with the 6.5 Creedmoor for your observations and experiences on full pass through shots on deer.
If you guys typically get pass throughs, does it appear the rounds dump a significant amount of energy and transfer it to the vitals while passing through. I know there is a fine line where you want a round to dump most of the energy into the target, while holding together and punching through the opposite side to offer a decent blood trail if the deer doesn't drop within sight. If the latter has been your experience with the 6.5 Creedmoor, what factory rounds do you use to achieve this performance?
I grew up hunting with a .243 Win. hunting over big wheat and oat fields in north Texas. Deer would typically run 25-50 yards after being lung shot. I was always able to watch them fall in those fields, and never had any concerns using the .243 Win for deer. After switching over to hunting east Texas thickets, mainly hunting narrow roads, is when the lack of visibility and pass through shots became problematic. Switched to a .270 Win and the problem was solved. Issue now is getting my wife, daughter-in-law, and growing grandson interested in deer hunting, but with a round that has relatively low recoil, good performance on game, to include full pass throughs, and really good selection of available factory hunting rounds found on shelves (during normal times). Shots will be under 300 yards.
Looking forward to your feedback.
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