Looking for that Mountain Rifle out to 500 yards

[deerkiller]

6.5 is an extremely accurate caliber.
7mm08 is one of my favorites for whitetails. (love the Kimber Montana in 7-08 that I have)
When it comes to elk/moose or the bigger ungulates, I always try and err on the side of "BIGGER is BETTER!"
I like a .30 caliber +.
My Kimber Montana in .300WSM only weighs 6# 2 oz. Makes a great lightweight mountain rifle.

As far as the "6.5 on elk", sure it can be done and there will undoubtedly be a hoard of comments to follow, I didn't drink the Kool-Aid but what I DID do was get a CM, work up a load with a PREMIUM bullet (and it did not have "Hornady" on the box) and spend a season with it for all my elk hunts plus deer, etc - I travel for elk most years, THAT year happened to be all cow hunts - 5 ADULT cows, each taken with one well placed shot at very moderate ranges and considerable tracking with each as well - SURE they were "dead elk" but adult cows are NOT bull elk - if one has limitations ie; recoil sensitivity, younger or beginner hunter, those types of limitations, then it "will work" but so will a 7mm/08, .308, ... (but IMO "work" much better) The 6.5 CM was designed with a number of attributes driving the mission but #1 was to sell rifles and ammo - "mission successful", there will always be as good, or better choices for certain jobs in the shooting world no matter the commercial driving forces creating that "next big thing"
VERY hard to beat a .30 for elk or moose

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

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I have both a montana in 300wsm and an adirondack. Both are fantastic little guns. I can't weigh in on brown bear, but have no qualms about elk hunting with a 308 inside of your proposed ranges. The 300 is the only wsm cartridge that really interests me and is a SA version of the classic WM. It does everything it's big brother does with almost identical ballistics only in a scaled down action. It's really up to you. One thing to note about the adirondack is kimber (for whatever reason) didn't twist it aggressively. I've not tried 180's in mine yet and intend to keep it in the 168gr or less. It may shoot 180's but the twist in it would concern me if that was a necessity. If considering a 308 and wanting to shoot the heavier bullets through it Barret's fieldcraft is twisted right and offers the 18" barrel.

I looked at the fieldcraft specifically for the twist it’s just like 700 bucks more lol that’s why I was looking at the Adirondack

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

I mean honestly I probably won’t be shooting 500 yards that often at a game animal as I always try to get as close as I can but I’d like the capability.... however I like the shorter barrel for brush gunning as well.... I’ll re look at the field craft

 

[Matt W.]

I really wanted the Cooper M92 in 300WM to be this rifle for me .. but, it would not shoot heavier bullets like I expected it to. Someday I will put together a sub 6lb 300WM. I have a light weight (older Rem 700 Mt Rifle) .308WM that shoots very well, but need to try it out past 300 to verify.

 

[deerkiller]

I


I looked at the fieldcraft specifically for the twist it’s just like 700 bucks more lol that’s why I was looking at the Adirondack

a 150 Etip or TSX/TTSX will do a bunch of terminal damage from a 308 easily out to the 500 yd mark

 

[backcountry_hunter]

I
I looked at the fieldcraft specifically for the twist it’s just like 700 bucks more lol that’s why I was looking at the Adirondack

You sure? Cabelas has them NIB in their gun library for 1499, and I'd assume if you're patient you'd be able to find them here and there for a little less even? I haven't priced out an adirondack for some time but can't imagine their down to $800? I thought they were closer to 1300 real-world-price?

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

You sure? Cabelas has them NIB in their gun library for 1499, and I'd assume if you're patient you'd be able to find them here and there for a little less even? I haven't priced out an adirondack for some time but can't imagine their down to $800? I thought they were closer to 1300 real-world-price?

I’ve only been on Barrets website where they are like 1900..... that cheap is news to me thank you I’d much prefer the field craft if it’s at that price

 

[backcountry_hunter]

I’ve only been on Barrets website where they are like 1900..... that cheap is news to me thank you I’d much prefer the field craft if it’s at that price

https://www.cabelas.com/product/bar...Library&Ntt=fieldcraft&x=0&y=0&Ntt=fieldcraft

I know my FFL quoted me 1600 when they first were released and fore the most part on backorder, I'd bet he's down a little now closer to 1500 as well. MSRP will always be higher than real world pricing....

 

[justin davis]

Barret fieldcrafts look pretty sweet. I’d got with a 30 caliber for elk and stuff

 

[Amazer]

If your going after moose/ elk I personally would go with the .308 or larger caliber. The 6.5CM is just to light for big game as a general rule. The 6.5 can kill a moose/ elk but its a light weight bullet and IMO to light maybe if you only take broadside shots (double lung/ heart shots) like you are archery hunting, maybe. I bought the Kimber Hunter in .308 recently for $800. I put a light weight Leupold 3x9 on it and took the gel out of the stock and replaced it with foam. My rifle is just under 5#14oz now. If I cut the barrel down from 22" to 18/20" I can save another 2-4oz. It is shooting under an 1" MOA. I can't waite to take it our backpacking/ hunting this year.

 

[JeffRaines]

If your going after moose/ elk I personally would go with the .308 or larger caliber. The 6.5CM is just to light for big game as a general rule. The 6.5 can kill a moose/ elk but its a light weight bullet and IMO to light maybe if you only take broadside shots (double lung/ heart shots) like you are archery hunting, maybe. I bought the Kimber Hunter in .308 recently for $800. I put a light weight Leupold 3x9 on it and took the gel out of the stock and replaced it with foam. My rifle is just under 5#14oz now. If I cut the barrel down from 22" to 18/20" I can save another 2-4oz. It is shooting under an 1" MOA. I can't waite to take it our backpacking/ hunting this year.

What? Another Kimber that’s shooting well? Everyone knows those things can’t hit the broadside of a barn

 

[Jardo]

For me, I wouldn’t take long range shots on elk with anything less than 7mm but I’d prefer a 30 cal. I’ve killed a lot of elk with 270, but they were all spikes. A mature bull is a completely different animal. I killed a 6x6 NM bull with my 280 ai last year, but it soaked up two shots before giving up. Neither bullet exited. It was a 580 yard shot. Im not sure I would be comfortable shooting any bull with a creedmore at 500.

I’m going to WY this year and should kill a 330 inch bull. I’m taking the 300 win mag.

My lightweight rifles are a cooper backcountry and a rem mountain rifle. My backcountry is in 280 Ai and is good for deer size game out to 900 yards.

I’d look at a cooper backcountry but if your going 308 size case with a 6.5 to 308, I’d stick with deer size game. Cooper makes a backcountry in 300 win.

I realize this is an age old argument about what is big enough for mature elk and we aren’t going to settle it in this discussion or anytime soon. everyone has differing opinions based on their personal experience. A creedmore is probably fine within 150 yards but a long poke changes things in my experience. Just hope that you don’t learn the hard way that you really needed a little more gun than what the internet ninjas say you need.

Never seen any elk that was too dead because we used too big a gun on him.

JMHO



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[BeastOfTheTrees]

For me, I wouldn’t take long range shots on elk with anything less than 7mm but I’d prefer a 30 cal. I’ve killed a lot of elk with 270, but they were all spikes. A mature bull is a completely different animal. I killed a 6x6 NM bull with my 280 ai last year, but it soaked up two shots before giving up. Neither bullet exited. It was a 580 yard shot. Im not sure I would be comfortable shooting any bull with a creedmore at 500.

I’m going to WY this year and should kill a 330 inch bull. I’m taking the 300 win mag.

My lightweight rifles are a cooper backcountry and a rem mountain rifle. My backcountry is in 280 Ai and is good for deer size game out to 900 yards.

I’d look at a cooper backcountry but if your going 308 size case with a 6.5 to 308, I’d stick with deer size game. Cooper makes a backcountry in 300 win.

I realize this is an age old argument about what is big enough for mature elk and we aren’t going to settle it in this discussion or anytime soon. everyone has differing opinions based on their personal experience. A creedmore is probably fine within 150 yards but a long poke changes things in my experience. Just hope that you don’t learn the hard way that you really needed a little more gun than what the internet ninjas say you need.

Never seen any elk that was too dead because we used too big a gun on him.

JMHO



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Def. deciding between the .308 and .300 WSM

 

[Amazer]

I have the Kimber Hunter in .308 SS and a Tikka T3X Lite in 300WSM SS both are excellent rifles IMO. I was just a Tikka fan but dam my Hunter is sweet. If your going to shoot mostly past 300 yds I would go with the 300WSM it has the horsepower for all Alaska game for me. The .308 is my mountain/ hiking gun as ounces add up. I'm getting old and hiking up mountains is getting tougher each year.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

I’d hunt a 6.5cm no problem. I’d point it at anything I’d hunt a 7-08 with. 140gr accubond to the vitals is going to kill an animal, just saying. Mountain rifle wise I’m looking at lightweight being top priority.

 

[TREE ‘EM]

My son has a Kimber Montana 6.5 Cm with 12 rounds through it that he would sell for $1,050 shipped to your FFL.
He had similar criteria to you but wanted a 22” barrel for the ballistic advantage it offered. He bought a .270 and he likes it better so he’s selling the 6.5