6.5-06 and Elk. Your thoughts please

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by 220swifty

I'm also considering focusing my energy on shooting more with one rifle, and being so comfortable with it, it is like an extension of my body. I used to be there with my .243, I couldn't miss. It seems as if I have slipped away with that, and catch myself overthinking the ballistics on a shot, and missing more coyotes than I am used to. I'd like to get back to that with my 6.5

Well if you want to commit to using only one rifle, and coyotes are a big part of the equation, then I guess the 6.5 makes sense. Otherwise my original preference stands. Good luck.

[58thecat]

Love it, simply love it as a bunch of people barking about 300, 600 yard shots, about forty of us one day had sometime at the range and guess what only 10 consistently hit the rams at 300 yards the rest were hot winded, full of excuses meatheads...6mm, 7mm, 300 yabadabadoo is useless if you can not accurately place the first shot and if you are a hunter, a true hunter you will get closer to insure a clean ethical kill. Oh yeah the 6.5-06 will do just fine.

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Love it, simply love it as a bunch of people barking about 300, 600 yard shots, about forty of us one day had sometime at the range and guess what only 10 consistently hit the rams at 300 yards the rest were hot winded, full of excuses meatheads...6mm, 7mm, 300 yabadabadoo is useless if you can not accurately place the first shot and if you are a hunter, a true hunter you will get closer to insure a clean ethical kill. Oh yeah the 6.5-06 will do just fine.

As above exactly.

At least once a year, usually during the off season, I always question whether or not my 7mm08 has enough 'stopping power'. I watch the debates, read the specs and opinions from a variety of published sources and I find my self considering the short mags, trying to balance the recoil and weight that I hate with the idea that a more powerful gun will deal with a broader spectrum of situations. Oddly, it's a question that never comes into my mind when I am bow hunting.

inevitably for me, it always, always comes down to the fact that I don't take shots past 300 yards. I can certainly shoot reasonably accurately out to that distance and beyond at the range but when my hearts pumping and I am using a stick or tree to rest the rifle, 300 yards seems like a long way to make an accurate shot that is within my 95% surety that I am hitting in the right spot.