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Robie
.275 member

Reged: 04/04/03
Posts: 61

6,5x57R on Zebra?
#23303 - 03/01/05 11:13 PM

I read some articles where 6,5mm (with 140 gr Nosler P.) have been used successfully on Zebra and Wildebeest. I wonder if anyone here have tried f.ex Norma's 156 gr Oryx or Hornadys 160 gr RN in 6,5x55 and '57R on Zebra?

Robie J.

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Will
.333 member

Reged: 04/02/03
Posts: 303
Loc: Kansas

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Robie]
#23322 - 04/01/05 12:54 AM

In my opinion, you are just asking for trouble, using cap pistols to hunt Africa. Wildebeest can take a .375 in the right place and still run off a ways.

IMO, again, quit screwing around with questionable cartridges and use a .375 H&H, which is what it was designed for in the first place.

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_________________________________________________
Bill Stewart

Once you have been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.

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vapodog
.300 member

Reged: 28/12/04
Posts: 237
Loc: Nebraska USA

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Robie]
#23327 - 04/01/05 01:19 AM

Will

In reply to:

you are just asking for trouble, using cap pistols to hunt Africa

I love the 6.5 MMs and the .257s as well they sure do a fine job on American whitetails.

For things like an Impala or a Springbok or other plains game of that size the 6.5 MM is a superb gun.

Will's advice however is very good for the bigger stuff. I'd far prefer to use a lot more gun for Wildebeest, Zebra, Eland, Kudu, Gemsbok and such. At least something a lot closer to the .375 H&H than the 6.5MMs

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Taos
.300 member

Reged: 09/05/04
Posts: 169
Loc: Nevada, U.S.A.

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: vapodog]
#23337 - 04/01/05 03:04 AM

On my one and only trip to Africa I used a .264 with 140 grain X bullets to take 3 Gemsbok, 1 Zebra, Kudu, Leopard, and a Hartebeast. Only 1 Gemsbok needed a 2nd shot.

This last season my son and I took 4 elk with a .260 and a 6.5x284. We used nosler 140's. All went down with one shot.

I would listen to the folks with much more african experience than I on what rounds to use but the 6.5 will do the job if you place your shots well.

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member

Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Robie]
#23346 - 04/01/05 03:42 AM

Similar to the 45-70 questions. Yes you can kill with it, but it really isn't ideal. I prefer using a caliber that will get the job done under less than ideal conditions. I want to be able to drive a bullet into the vitals from any angle,other than one facing directly away, and not have to wait for a broadside shot.

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vapodog
.300 member

Reged: 28/12/04
Posts: 237
Loc: Nebraska USA

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Taos]
#23406 - 04/01/05 06:44 AM

In reply to:

I used a .264 with 140 grain X bullets to take 3 Gemsbok, 1 Zebra, Kudu, Leopard, and a Hartebeast. Only 1 Gemsbok needed a 2nd shot.

Taos, with all due respect for the fantastic .264 WM it's also 400-500'/sec faster than the mentioned 6.5 X 55 and 6.5 X 57. I've read many stories of folks using their .270 Win with similar results and would never discourage someone from using it unless they had a .30-06 or .300 mag.

If I was only allowed a 6.5 X 55 and 140 grain bullets on a return trip I certainly wouldn't let it stop me.

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DETCORD
.224 member

Reged: 20/04/04
Posts: 8

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: vapodog]
#23410 - 04/01/05 07:25 AM

I HUNTED IN AFRICA IN SEPTEMBER, 2004 AND BROUGHT ONLY ONE RIFLE WITH ME. I USED A .416 WEATHERBY MAGNUM WITH 350 GRAIN BARNES X BULLETS. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO OBTAIN A ZEBRA,WILDEBEAST,KUDU,WATERBUCK AND A GEMSBOK, WITH ONE SHOT EACH. ALTHOUGH A FEW THOUGHT I WAS USING A RATHER LARGE RIFLE, THE ANIMALS ALL EXPIRED QUICKLY AND HUMANELY, WITH VERY LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE CAPES. I MET A FEW HUNTERS WHO WERE TRACKING THIER WOUNDED ANIMALS FOR DAYS, SOME WITH THEIR INTESTINES HANGING OUTSIDE OF THEIR BODIES. THESE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS DESERVE TO BE HARVESTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN USING ENOUGH GUN.

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butchloc
.300 member

Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 230
Loc: faribault mn

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Robie]
#23421 - 04/01/05 08:34 AM

you probablycan kill a truckload of zebra with a 22 shooting them all behind the ear, but the zebra is one tough customer. Remember 2 things in africa when using a light caliber. 1st you are going to pay for the animal if you hit him and he gets away. 2nd you will loose hunting time tracking wounded game.
For my part I would not recommended anything less than a 300 mag for zebra, and preferably something bigger.

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40594
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Robie]
#23426 - 04/01/05 09:04 AM

From my personal experiences I decided I wanted something a little heavier than a .30-06 for zebra, wildebeest and eland sized African game.

However the 6.5x57 is very similar to a .270 and that most classic of African 'small' calibres the 6.5x54 M-S. All have killed game out of their size. If you want to and shoot it well, why not?

Haven't tried those bullets mentioned but they should have good penetration.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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VFR
.224 member

Reged: 02/03/04
Posts: 5

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Robie]
#23498 - 05/01/05 04:43 AM

In Namibia,I used a 9.3x64 with 286gr Partitions on oryx and I think the zebra is about as tough. Used a 300H&H on the smaller stuff, including kudu, without incident. For zebra, I think I would use something heavier than the 6.5 although the rancher I hunted with used a 7X64 for all plains game including elan.

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40594
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: VFR]
#23518 - 05/01/05 01:21 PM

BTW "BigFive" a South African on these forums everynow and again uses a .243 on everything up to and including eland.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Will
.333 member

Reged: 04/02/03
Posts: 303
Loc: Kansas

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: NitroX]
#23529 - 05/01/05 08:25 PM

Hooey.

--------------------
_________________________________________________
Bill Stewart

Once you have been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40594
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Will]
#23537 - 05/01/05 11:34 PM

Why?

When the bloke sometimes shoots 200 or 300 animals in culls in a week, and I'm not talking about chest shots, don't you think he can't hit what he shoots at?

Will,

How many game animals do you shoot in a year?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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ATHiker07
.275 member

Reged: 10/12/04
Posts: 51
Loc: Florida

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Robie]
#23568 - 06/01/05 03:17 PM

I have this same argument with my partner at work regularly. He feels that since the old timers killed many elk with a .30-30, then there is no reason to go with a .300 mag or whatever you might choose. I feel that as hunters we owe it to the animal to kill it as quickly and humanely as possible, and this generally requires "using enough gun". I could easily kill an elk with a .243, but what if my shot placement isn't perfect? I'd rather have the comfort of a cartridge that offers better penetration and energy. I would have to imagine that the same goes for zebra or anything else.

--------------------
Take a child hunting, they are the future of our sport!

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Will
.333 member

Reged: 04/02/03
Posts: 303
Loc: Kansas

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: ATHiker07]
#23582 - 07/01/05 12:38 AM

This is the same old stuff...."I know a guy that killed an elephant with a .22 LR."

So what?

As soon as the 6.5x57 bounces off a zebra leg bone....

--------------------
_________________________________________________
Bill Stewart

Once you have been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40594
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: Will]
#23584 - 07/01/05 01:04 AM

Would a 156 or 160 gr .264 projecile bounce off a leg bone?

Hooey!

They have amazing penetration abilities.

PS I know a guy who culls 200 to 300 antelope in a week with a .243 (head and neck shots) and also uses the same rifle on eland.

Maybe he just shoots more than five rounds a year.

***

If I was looking for an ideal calibre for gemsbok it definitely wouldn't be a .375 OR a 6.5x57. I think a decent flat shooting calibre such as a .300 Mag with 180 gr projectiles would be about ideal. I've never seen a wild gemsbok up close.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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EricD
.416 member

Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: NitroX]
#23601 - 07/01/05 03:40 AM

In reply to:

If I was looking for an ideal calibre for gemsbok it definitely wouldn't be a .375 OR a 6.5x57. I think a decent flat shooting calibre such as a .300 Mag with 180 gr projectiles would be about ideal. I've never seen a wild gemsbok up close.

I've shot various PG with a 300Wby (although not Gemsbok, which I shot with a .375H&H) and was not very impressed with the cartridge. Which is why I later sold it.
Of the various Gemsbok that I have seen in the true wilderness of Kaokoveld and Damaraland in Namibia, quite a few would have been a least easier to shot with a flatter shooting cartridge than say a 30-06 (or 375H&H). This was in open areas with little or no cover. And far from any population save a few Himba families here and there. But, then most Gemsbok hunting in Namibia is done in areas where shots aren't so long, and thus a regular .308 or 30-06 or simular should be fine IMO. In fact, my old mother shot a Gemsbok with her .308 with no problems. Shot placement is what counts!

Erik

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ATHiker07
.275 member

Reged: 10/12/04
Posts: 51
Loc: Florida

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: EricD]
#23608 - 07/01/05 06:38 AM

Erik,
I agree that shot placement is of critical importance. However, none of us who have hunted for any time can argue that EVERY shot goes exactly where we think it was pointed. And at that time it's nice to have a little insurance in the form of a heavier well constructed bullet.

--------------------
Take a child hunting, they are the future of our sport!

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EricD
.416 member

Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: ATHiker07]
#23609 - 07/01/05 06:42 AM

AT,

which is why I personally use a .375H&H for many "lesser" animals. But shot placement is still vital!!!

Erik

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ATHiker07
.275 member

Reged: 10/12/04
Posts: 51
Loc: Florida

Re: 6,5x57R on Zebra? [Re: EricD]
#23625 - 07/01/05 09:55 AM

In reply to:

which is why I personally use a .375H&H for many "lesser" animals. But shot placement is still vital!!!

Erik,
I absolutely agree, I probably shoot 100 shots at the range for every shot taken at game for that very reason. I chased an antelope for a half mile a couple years ago after I hit it too far back and while a larger caliber than the 7mm I was using probably wouldn't have made any difference, I still always try to go as large as is reasonable. That experience left a sour taste in my mouth.

--------------------
Take a child hunting, they are the future of our sport!

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