6.5mm bullets, enough for Elk?

[wbm]

Berger bullets have changed since the "blue film days."

The Hunting bullet line is proving to be the most lethal big game hunting bullets available. All of our Hunting bullets are made in the VLD design. The VLD design incorporates a sharp nose that allows the bullet to penetrate 2” to 3” before it starts to expand. After the bullet starts to expand it will shed 40% to 85% of its weight as shrapnel into the surrounding tissue (internal organ). The combination between the shrapnel and the hydrostatic shock produces a massive wound cavity within the vital area (internal organs) that will be 13” to 15” long. This massive wound cavity results in the animal dropping fast since most go into shock after such a tremendous blow. Those animals that don’t go down immediately will soon succumb to blood pressure loss and/or organ failure producing a quick ethical kill. Our bullets don't poke through like an arrow (high weight retention, deep penetration bullets) but instead dump their energy where it is most effective, inside the animal. Using the Berger VLD will result in an animal that goes down fast so you can enjoy the results of your hunt without having to track the wounded animal after the shot.

[Uncle Jack]

A little sidebar to this conversation.

In the refridgerator I am currently marinating some little medallions of elk loin in Pinot Grigio, garlic, rosemary and black pepper. Later I'll roll them in bread crumbs, saute them in butter and EVOO and finish the sauce with more garlic, mushrooms, capers and some sour cream. That will make a nice supper with some egg noodles and a little salad.

This particular elk was shot in the neck by my buddy with a 100 grain .243 Hornady. I can assure you that it is very dead.

uj

[wbm]

I am currently marinating

How long dost thou marinate them?

[Uncle Jack]

I am currently marinating

How long dost thou marinate them?


If you do it a room temperature about an hour...in the fridge about 3 or 4 hours. Doing it in the fridge gives you more time to finish the bottle of Pino Grigio

uj

[Deserthunter]

wbm, I'm sorry, I miss typed before when I typed "Berger"..... I've never used Berger bullets for hunting. The Blue film bullets were from "Barnes"..... I don't know if it was because of the distance and high velocity (about 100yrds and 3100fps), but. There were .277" holes in and less then .5" out..... I found the second bullet (spent, near the animal, weight retension was better than 99%)

I do shoot Berger in both my AR-15 1-8 twist 75 Berger VLD (.224") and in my 6.5x47Lapua..... I love them, just never hunted with Bergers before..... Walt Berger was kind enough to furnish me with reloading data on the 6.5x47Lapua some time ago, I appeciated it a lot.....

Uncle Jack, Pardon my lack of knowledge, but with is EVOO?

Thanks,

[Uncle Jack]

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

It is more pungent and aromatic than regular olive oil. EVOO is just a shortcut we aloof and arrogant gourmet chefs use.

uj

[Deserthunter]

LOL

[wbm]

I'm sorry, I miss typed before when I typed "Berger"..... I've never used Berger bullets for hunting. The Blue film bullets were from "Barnes".

No Problem!

One of the coolest "gotchas" ever was when Barnes took Berger to task over Berger's claims about Berger hunting bullet performance. Barnes did lots of testing with their bullets against the Bergers. Berger in turn took the results of the Barnes testing and used the data in their advertisements to demonstrate that the Bergers were better. Ouch!

[Deserthunter]

"Pino Gringio", is that the same as "Ripple"? lol....

[Uncle Jack]

No, you're thinking of Pinto Gringo.

uj

[wbm]

Sooo it's like Boone's Farm "Strawberry Hill" only more expensive? ;D

[Deserthunter]

Ferrari-Carano Pinot Grigio 750ml 2007
Sku: 1475614*

With its delicate aromas and delicious flavors, the Ferrari-Carano Pinot Grigio is a perfect, light, white wine for sipping or as an aperitif. Sister wine to the popular Ferrari-Carano Sangiovese-blend red wine SIENA, our 2008 Pinot Grigio offers green apple, citrus and white peach on the nose, complemented by clean, crisp honeydew melon and lime flavors. The refreshing mouthfeel is balanced by a light citrus finish that is delicate yet vibrant.

very expensive..... wow, Dessert Wine get it.... Desert-hunter......

I feel really bad, I quite about 10years ago.....

OK, it's really off topic......

[Uncle Jack]

Sooo it's like Boone's Farm "Strawberry Hill" only more expensive? ;D


No, your confusing that with "Cracklin Rosie"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOk9V0Rwlj0

uj

[Deserthunter]

I think I was at that concert......

Fits your elk fixin'


(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysxw7EON5xc&feature=related)

MY ALL TIME HUNTING AND FISHING MUSIC -- As the late spring sun rises above the horizon, I start the engine, let it warm, one of my friends put the coffee on, I gently bring the boat onto plane, a 45 min run from "Good Hope Bay to Iceberg Canyon.,... By the time I pull into the mouth of the canyon, bacon is done, eggs are scrambled, hashbrowns are toasty and the toast has home made grape jelly ready... A "Bloody Mary" tops the morning off... I drop off of plane, start the trolling motor and head into the back of the canyon, looking for Crappie and Bass on the chart recorder.... Found a big school of Crappie, action lasts for hours, many bigger than dinner plates..... Deer down to the shore line, watering..... A late lunch among the Indian ruins, look but don't touch the pottery, arrow heads etc..... beautiful.... That's how the day starts, all the while listening to the "Moody Blues".....

Come to think of it, there weren't many time my old friend Paul and I didn't listen to the Moody Blues, even while elk hunting, he with his 300 Weatherby and me with my tiny 270 Win..... Guess who killed the most animals....

I loaded Paul's shells for him. With full power factory loads, he couldn't hit the proverbial broad side. When I started loading his rounds down to 30.06 velocities he stopped flinching and started hitting the animals he was aiming at.... He never did understand why, it didn't matter.... "HE" still shot a 300 Weatherby.....


(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lazdg-eqmQ)

[bugholes]

I have a 6.5x284 that has shot several deer and 2 elk with the 140 berger vld. Velocity is about 2900fps energy should be fatal out to about 1200yds for deer and 700-800yds for elk. My experience has been great with this combo both elk never took a step high shoulder shot dropped them in their tracks. Only down side to this combo is meat destruction when you hit large bone but this is better than tracking a lung shot elk for long distances. Good luck and remember accuracy and confidence in your gun are the most important factors.

[AskDrTodd]

6.5 vs buffalo: (6.5 wins)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwtOBLrmLiw

[Captain Finlander]

The 6.5x55 Swede has been successfully taking moose in scandinavia for over a century with results akin to that buffalo video. The swede does not offer spectacular velocities or trajectories but does offer good sectional density bullets that hold together and penetrate deep making for good elk medicine. People get caught up in the velocity game and forget all about terminal performance. That buffalo video clearly demonstrates the opposite is true.

[ThndrChkn]

Hey guys, I'm new here but thought I'd share my experiences with the 6.5's and elk. My son & I shoot 6.5x284's, topped with the 140 gr Hornady A-Max. I shot a spike bull elk here in Montana back in November, from 465 yds. Not only did he drop in his tracks with a high shoulder shot, but the bullet exited. I would say yes, they will work just fine for elk. ;)
Here's a picture of the beast.
http://i336.photobucket.com/albums/n331/67Galaxie557/1119100759.jpg

Here's a picture of a recoverd A-Max from my whitetail buck. Shot @ 300 yds in his bed, and taken just below the throat patch. I found the bullet about 3" in front of the left hind quarter when I cut out the backstraps. Just over 30" of total penetration. It retained 53% of it's original weight. 8) :o
http://i336.photobucket.com/albums/n331/67Galaxie557/Recovered140grA-Max53retention.jpg

Doug... 8)

[Tracer]

Hello folks! I guess I am the new kid on the block but not to hunting big game. I been doing so since the mid 50's. Now to answer the question about the recoil between the two mentioned calibers, .300 Ultra mag and the .338 Win mag. Two of wish I do own and shoot but that .300 Ultra magnum develops close to 42 pounds of recoil to the shoulder and that spells a Big OUCH!!! The .338 Win mag is not peaches in cream either in the recoil department comparing it to a 30-06 or 270 Win. but is certainly more tolerable than the .300 Ultra mag. My .338 Win mag in a model 70 Winchester rifle, with 225 grain bullets develops 35 pounds of recoil and 5 pounds of recoil is a whole bunch to most shooters.
j
The .300 Ultra mag develops almost as much recoil as the .375 H&H caliber, which many hunters choose for hunting those big brown type bears and critters on the dark continent kown as Africa. I myself use a .416 Remington magnum with a 350 grain Swift A Frame bullet on those bears.

Now the caliber in the 6.5 diameter is certainly large enough for elk if the bullet is constructed proper for that big game animal. A premium bullet in a 6.5/284 will drop the biggest bull on the planet under 400 yards and penetrate deeper than a 30-06 at that range, if the shot placement on the money. I personally use a wildcat caliber known as the .264/06 (I hate metrics) or 6.5/06 and I know that a 160 grain Hornady bullet will punch clean through an elk from brisket to the hams. It has a .328 Sectional Density and B.C. of .283, it is for close to medium range on big game.

[bushrat]

An old friend of mine kill a lot of elk with a 256 Newton and thought it was the best, he was however a very good shot which make all the difference. That was all before the premium bullets of today.