What 6mm Bullet Would You Use On A Deer Or Elk Hunt?

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
I was asked "
What 6mm Bullet Would You Use On A Deer Or Elk Hunt?"
I've never understood the rational, of trying to use or select some of the lightest and less powerful rifle cartridge's available to hunt with,
you'll likely only be called on to fire one or two shots on a hunt,
I've read many similar threads and related responses , concerning a caliber selection,
several times ,
and while I've used a 6mm remington on deer and seen dozens shot with a 243 win,
its never impressed me like a 257 roberts or 25/06, have.
I've always felt a 6mm is a bit under powered for elk,
and while train loads of deer and elk are killed with a 243 win or 6mm rem,
there are much more effective lower recoil level cartridges
(I'm thinking 25/06-270 win or 6.5 Swedish)
and was struck by the very obvious conclusion that what some people expect the 6mm bullets to do on impact,
must be vastly different, than what other people are expecting .
In my case I expect deep consistent penetration , yet matched with reasonably fast but controlled expansion,
so the games vital organs can be reliably destroyed if you accurately place your shots into the vitals.
yes its your responsibility to take only reasonable shots at ranges and angles that allow reasonable chances of success.
some of the bullets suggested will have explosive expansion and Id be amazed,
if the consistent depth of penetration is nearly comparable, to the speer gs I've used.
or a 100 grain hornady interlock, nosler partitions
https://www.speer.com/bullets/rifle_bullets/grand_slam_rifle_bullet/19-1222.html
now if you've done a bunch of post mortem exams on large game ,
you know that a shot into the heart/lung area from a broadside bullet impact,
even on an elk is more than likely rapidly fatal , but you don't always get that ideal shot angle,
and a varmint type bullet expansion bullet, on impact will be considerably less at a raking angle
while most likely eventual fatal, a raking shot would allow wounded game to cover hundreds of yards ,
risking loss.
after bullet impact than a bullet that had penetrated too maybe twice as deeply ,
that deeper penetration would have easily prevented.
all I'm suggesting is you need to match the bullet design to the intended application
 
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I don't think that I would try that on an Elk I have too many better choices I may try my mew M-18 Mauser in 243 on deer this deer season depending where I sit this season in the tree I will do the 243 I built a blind on a power line right of way that reaches out to 450 yards that will either be a 300 Win Mag or the 7mm Mag
 
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