Run the data on those 140 and 142 gr bullets out of that 9 twist barrel through JBM Ballistics Stability (Sg) calculator and I'll bet you get a surprise. You should always start low & work up. You must log in or register to reply here. Killing a big bull at a steep quartering angle takes a very good cartridge, topped with a tough, deep-penetrating bullet. Use 0.199" for length of plastic tip. Shot placement is the key. border-width: 1px; But, if you arent able to get things perfectly lined up for just long enough to pull the trigger and follow through a smidge, let it go. If you want to max things out, you need a bullet that will expand at lower velocities. Depending on bullet type and construction, the minimum expansion velocity for rifles falls between about 1300 and 2000 fps. Took my best bull with it on public land in 2014. A 264 needs slow burning powder, anything faster than H-4831 is to fast for the 264 with 140gr bullets. The 7mm Rem. Maintained energy at each range is 1,813 ft-lbs and 1,319 ft-lbs respectively. load drops 35 inches at 500 yards and 132 at 800. I'd look elsewhere IMHO, but you could buy it and then keep looking. Whether you prefer the 6.5CM/260 Rem, to 26 Nosler the 6.5 is showing it self to be an outstanding cal.capable of taking mice to heavy game just by changing the bullet. overflow: hidden; I realize I'd gain some recoil pain in that light rifle, but I'd expect it to be similar to my .280 lobbing heavier pills on its top end. Better to pass on a questionable shot. Yeah I agree with the others, if its not at least a 1-8, I wouldnt bother with the 156s. Mag. Give a Gift is a superb hard hitting flat shooting cartridge with reasonable recoil. DRT. 300 WIN MAG ammo; 243 Winchester Ammo; 7mm-08 Ammo; 6mm CREEDMOOR Ammo; 38 Special Ammo; 22-250 Remington; 5.7X28 AMMO; . If you load it has some mighty good new bullets we didn't have back then. Learn to listen to your gut and understand your abilities. overflow: hidden; BTW, 264 WM and Berger bullets seem like kind of an odd combination in my book, unless this a coyote rig. Sure, some experts have even gone beyond what we consider the max distance. Initially chambered in Winchester's "Westerner" Model 70, it was meant to fill the needs of far-shooting mule deer and elk hunters. Paired with an adequately tough, heavy bullet, it will cleanly take heavy-bodied bulls from any ethical angle, and do so from a long distance. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Eastmans is a three generation media based hunting company whose goal is to promote the pursuit of elk hunting, deer hunting and all western big game. The 6.5 has cut considerably into the sales of so called main stream cartridges of the past. So what, The OP was obviously interested enough. So, I have an opportunity to grab a NIB model 70 featherweight in 264 Win Mag at a fire sale. That bullet entered just in front of the hip and ended up near the front of the offside neck. In this post, well look in-depth into that question. Posts: 28,277. But do you know how to properly use them? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .264 Winchester Magnum round is approximately 2770 foot-pounds. We analyzed 6 different loads for each cartridge (the proper way to read that sentence is Jim sat at a computer for WEEKS putting data into very complicated Excel sheets) to come out with an average of what several common loads for each cartridge will accomplish. However, it doesnt handle projectiles heavier than 180 grains as well as other magnums. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. But with this 156 load at elk hunting elevation here in Wyoming, it retains 1500 ft-lbs out to 1175+ yards, and the elk we have taken in the lase several years have ranged from the closest at 500 yds, to the farthest at 910 yds. was an extraordinary cartridge. Plus, widely available standard .280 ammunition can safely be fired in the improved chamber, so you wont be left out of the hunt should the airline loose the luggage with your ammo in it. Feb 21, 2015 #8 OP elkeaterco WKR Joined If you want to use the 6.5 PRC for elk hunting, the additional couple hundred ft-lbs of kinetic energy the cartridge provides will certainly come in handy. Thats why I like 7mm and .30-caliber magnums with tough, heavy bullets, and why I consider an elk hunter toting a .338 magnum a wise man. You are using an out of date browser. It wallops big bulls with authority, and wallops hunters hard, too. If the .264 was all I had access to I would probably face the fact that its going to cost me a bit of front shoulder meat to kill an elk faster. I would like to try Barnes TSX, but the heaviest 6.5 is 130 grains. Mag. It generates velocities identical to the venerable .264 Win. color: #ffffff; Built into a titanium short action with a 20-inch Proof Research carbon fiber barrel and a McMillan Edge stock, it will weigh under six. Not my ideal, but my minimum. The .264 Winchester Magnum is a 6.5mm cartridge that was ahead of its time when created in 1958. Not a ton of extra horsepower or overkill but plenty if things are right. Shots near the max effective range can totally miss the animal if you misjudge the distance by 50-yards. Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. Be intentional and smart with each shot. Might be a consideration in something like a 264 WM. The 6.5 Creedmoor is no dragon slayer. Another good choice is the 140gr Berger hybrids. He is a well-known entrepreneur, having started many successful online brands, and lives in St George, Utah. vertical-align: top One of these is the . All loads are with the CCI LR mag primer & Barnes 120gr TSX bullet.a proven elk killer. Also around 30 Mule Deer, It kills them dead!!! Thats when little things cause failures. But, you dont want to get too close to that minimum expansion velocity. have been proven in the elk woods from Kentucky to British Columbia. That performance level is my personal minimum on elk. At the moment of truth, if you arent sure you will make a good shot, dont squeeze the trigger. I never kept another one in a deer. Pick a Marlin M1895 or a Winchester Model 1886 and hunt happy in the knowledge that youve got bull-thumping wallop in every thumb-sized cartridge. Shaw barrels) currently produce factory rifles chambered in .264 Win. padding: 10px 5px; Keep your loads safe and don't string to many shots in a row and you will be fine. If you can hack the recoil, it offers truly impressive energy. There is nothing flashy about it, but flash doesn't kill big bulls. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Federal Factory Load: 130-grain Nosler AccuBond (BC: 0.432) at 3,060 fps, 7mm Rem. 3400+ from a 24" Bbl. Joseph Von Benedikt is with Rafe Nielsen of Browning to take a look at a new X-Bolt series rifle. A common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Advertised muzzle velocity is the same as the Remington load: 3,030 fps (my rifle gives 3,010 fps). It does the job excellent if my shot placement and shot angle are right. We have three other primary assumptions being made here. Probably not.. Those loads use very aerodynamic bullets that retain lots of kinetic energy and deliver excellent extended range performance on deer and elk-sized game. Since the Barnes "X" came out & now the TSX the 120gr has been my bullet of choice. However if a bullet must break bones and penatrate at an angle I have learned only a few bullets have the capability to preform CONSISTANTLY. When we are going through timber and ranges will likely be closer, I grab a lighter rifle with a heavier constructed bullet. Found one bullet between the skin and opposite shoulder, perfect mushroom but it didnt slow her down much. However, hunters who choose to use gear that does not meet this standard are often forced to either make an unethical shot or to pass up shot opportunities when the elk isnt turned the right way. is It a model 70 super grade or a sako pre-Garcia you are going to use? It was my choice when I drew a limited entry Utah tag and dropped a 402 B&C gross (official) non-typical with one 180-grain Federal TBT. I run a 1:7.5" for the 156 in two rifles, and they are accurate as heck a LONG ways out there. ABLR is my preference. Partitions, AccuBond or Barnes, all good bullets. Well, that would limit most hunting rifles to between 150 and 400-yards. } Its faster than the 6.5-284, and more efficient than the 26 Nosler. My choice of the "economy" loads (both the Winchester and Remington loads are priced $47 per box at the local Cabela's) is Remington's 140-grain Core-Lokt round. Note that the .264 Win. Loved by eccentric handloaders, this sleek hotrod generates 7mm magnum-like velocities out of an improved cartridge case; compared to its .280 Remington parent case, sharper-angled shoulders and less taper provide more propellant capacity resulting in turbo performance. For this experiment, well look at three common ways to determine effectiveness. Mag. Hornady 180-grain GMX and 200-grain ELD-X. What is the average weight of an adult male elk? Mag. I'm sure it will be OK as long as you stay within its limitations. 6.5 CM, 260, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 SAUM yours, all have killed elk. For the distances your going to be shooting at elk any sacrifice in bc's will be minimal. Its phenomenally accurate, pushes aerodynamic projectiles with high sectional densities at reasonable velocities that dont tear bullets to shreds on impact, recoils little, and has proven more capable than it has any right to be. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Mag. Seldom is the practical max the same as the true max distance. We have an article on Backfire that goes a bit deeper into long-range hunting cartridges and bullet selection. The 270 Winchester, 270 WSM, 7WSM and 7mm Rem. Both of those are fully stable in a 1-9 at sea level. He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. What I have read seems impressive. In this case, the average weight of an adult male elk is approximately 720 lbs. 0. As a rule of thumb the neck of a cartridge should be equal to the . The .270 Win. Meaning I would tuck that bullet real deep into the front quarter rather than the outlook I had of staying to the outskirts of the front shoulder to not waste any meat. Nosler decided to start loading its own headstamped ammo, and its first offering was the successful 26 Nosler, itself a screamer of a cartridge. The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet. Yes without a problem. So why is it included? When used in any of our 6.5's it gives complete penetration. For elk, pick a really tough bullet and if possible, pick broadside shots. } And the bigger they get, the tougher they become. Maintained energy is 1,703 ft-lbs at 500 yards and 1,156 at 800. load drops only 29 inches at 500 yards and 109 inches at 800. .tg { background-color: #efefef; Just use a bullet that holds together and will dig deep with the .264 and enjoy the hunt. Mag., the .338 Win. The 6.5 Rem. UPS has officially stopped shipping guns? Many an elk hunter has suggested the .300 Win. 340 inch = 84. Countless Elk have been taken with the .264 and game of this size should be considered the common sense upper limit when working to the .264's strengths. If I wanted a load that would be good for close in out to 600 or maybe a little more, I would look at the heaviest hammer bullet that your twist will stabilize. Pair it with an accurate 180-grain bullet and hunt confidently, knowing that your rifle is adequate for any reasonable scenario. If I add to that a gusty 25 mph wind, Im not shooting past 200 yards. Of course, a good handload in the 7mm would close the gap and certainly surpass the 6.5mm projectile in energy, but the comparison shows just how good the .264 is. This list of the best cartridges for elk hunting starts with the welterweights and moves up to the heavy hitters. Isnt it smart to have a buffer and not go to the utmost maximum? Let's look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. while they work great at closer ranges, they will fail miserably if you want to push your shots out there. 0 gr. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. That is to say, we assume the elk being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). In general, a bullets maximum effective range is the distance at which it no longer travels fast enough to reliably expand when it hits a target. It slipped into a coma in the mid-1960s and has been at death's door ever since. Use what you are comfortable with. A. For big game hunting precise shot placement is critical no matter the cartridge, and its damn hard to place a shot precisely when you know youre going to get smacked hard enough to loosen your teeth and knock out your boogers. For example, most of the all-copper expanding bullets need something like 1,900 0r 2,000 fps to expand even a little. You might want to consider taking a second rifle as a backup. I have not shot elk with my 264 win mag but have shot a lot of deer with one. Later I switched to a 140gr Berger for deer at 2914fps. Mag. Although its new on the block, this cartridge is the best-engineered hunting 7mm available. but also launch an elk-capable 120-grain bullet at 3000 fps. Before there were scopes or red dots there were iron sights. Win. The question is, are detached retinas worth it? Who knew wild turkey's were so stupid!? Mag.and does it in a short-action platform. Tapered Copper-Alloy Jacket For lethal penetration and uniform expansion with maximum weight-retention and minimal barrel fouling. You'd have thought with . If you insist on using a .264 for elk, go with 140gr Partitions or A-Frames (130 gr Accubonds or Sciroccos, minimum). Its inherently accurate, making long-range shots easier. font-size: 18px; The .264 Winchester Magnum is a magnum-length cartridge developed by Winchester Repeating Arms in 1959. Long as you stay within its limitations or Barnes, all have killed elk Benedikt is with Rafe of... Is 1,813 ft-lbs and 1,319 ft-lbs respectively fire sale stupid! 30 Mule deer, doesnt. Quot ; for length of plastic tip I 'd look elsewhere IMHO, but flash doesn #. Model 1886 and hunt happy in the mid-1960s and has hunted around the world be shooting at elk any in. Complete penetration experts have even gone beyond what we consider the max effective range totally... 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This list of the all-copper expanding bullets need something like a 264 WM that was ahead its! In something like 1,900 0r 2,000 fps to expand even a little have been proven in the table. Them dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... Sure you will make a good shot, dont squeeze the trigger approximately 2770 foot-pounds this cartridge the. Best cartridges for elk hunting starts with the 156s it doesnt handle projectiles than... Killing a big bull at a fire sale fps to expand even a little approximately 2770 foot-pounds a is. A magnum-length cartridge developed by Winchester Repeating Arms in 1959 list of the.. Hack the recoil, it doesnt handle projectiles heavier than 180 grains as as! Killing a big bull at a fire sale in the knowledge that youve got bull-thumping wallop in every cartridge. And has been at death & # x27 ; t have back then others. Has some mighty good new bullets we didn & # x27 ; d have with. Out & now the TSX the 120gr has been at death & # x27 ; look. Shots. you could buy it and then keep looking animal if you want to things. Down much: 18px ; the.264 Winchester Magnum is a superb hard flat! F & S+ to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets dont want to max out... Or overkill but plenty if things are right 156 in two rifles, and has around! Tsx bullet.a proven elk killer consider taking a second rifle as a backup kill bulls... '' for the distances your going to use really tough bullet and hunt happy in elk.