6.5 Creedmoor for Gemsbok – The Desert Warrior

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The gemsbok aka “The Desert Warrior” is a formidable and feisty elk size African antelope. It is formally known as Oryx Gazella.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemsbok

It has been imported successfully to Texas. In Africa, it has been known to skewer lions, and hunters alike. My African Safari Professional Hunter nearly died from being skewered by a Gemsbok he thought was dead. Remembering this, evoked the words of my PH, “It is the dead ones that will kill you!”

 

The low recoiling 6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent choice to harvest gemsbok as it is similar in size to elk size game and I believe the 6.5  is top rated in penetration with a 140 grain class bullet due to it stellar ballistic coefficient and amazing long distance accuracy. With a very high ballistic coefficient it holds its energy at long distances extremely well and flatter shooting as compared to non-magnum 30 calibers.

The minimum striking energy often associated with elk size game is 1500 ft-lbs. The 6.5 CM is capable of this energy with a 2700 fps 143 grain bullet at 350 yards and a Max Point Blank Range (MPBR 6 inch) to 274 yards. At 150 yards this bullet is still traveling over 2400 fps and delivering 1900 ft-lbs.

That said, a gemsbok is can be successfully hunted with most whitetail deer and elk calibers such as the 308 Winchester, 30-06 and .270 Winchester and 6mm calibers provided you do your job in bullet placement with a well constructed bullet.

Here is a Safari from Outdoor Life I found that used the 6.5 Creedmoor to kill all the way up to Eland weighing over 1800 pounds.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/hunting/2012/02/shooting-65-creedmoor-african-safari/

 

On my own Safari it was a well placed arrow that did the trick some years back.

My African Safari with Rifle and Bow e-book can be found on Amazon.  The e- book has a wealth of knowledge. Just remember that you may encounter dangerous game in some Safari’s where lion and cape buffalo roam so be sure to USE ENOUGH GUN! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TBEOWQ?tag=sa-b2c-new-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1

Good Hunting!

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About Ed Hale

I am an avid hunter with rifle and Bow and have been hunting for more than 50 years. I have taken big game such as whitetail deer, red deer, elk, Moose and African Plains game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Blesbok, and Impala and wrote an ebook entitled African Safari -Rifle and Bow and Arrow on how to prepare for a first safari. Ed is a serious cartridge reloader and ballistics student. He has earned two degrees in science and has written hundreds of outdoor article on hunting with both bow and rifle.