Path / News / Afrika / 2004 / 6,5 mm Copperbullets in Africa
Content Copperbullets | 6,5 mm Lutz Möller Bullet | African Steinbock | Sick Oryx | Sound Oryx | African Steinbock II | Warthog Keiler | Texan Heart shot on Oryx | Jackal | Small Pigs | Lonely Cheetahs | Sudden Kudu | 6,5-mm-KJG-kurz | Five Pack | On Track | The last half Day | Conclusion | Christmas Greetings - Ratelfontein | 6,5 mm KJG for 6,5x68 | Tanzania
November 2004 gave Evidence to 6,5 mm small bore Copper bullet performance on small and bigger Game in Africa In one Sentence I conclude , "The solid 6,5 mm Lutz Möller bullet (long or short) comfortably kills any African Game, save the Big Five, under all, including the most adverse Conditions fast and reliable. I would like to add "For Lack of Recoil the 6,5 mm Lutz Möller bullets are a Pleasure to fire, shoot flat, reach out far and Noise is moderate.
The 6,5 x 65 Cartridge pushed two slightly different 6,5 mm Copper bullets, first a 33,5 mm long, 7 g heavy, hollow pointed to Speeds around 1.000 m/s.
6,5 mm KJG lang; 7 g heavy; 33,5 mm long; 0,8 g Splinter for 87 mm long 6,5x65 RWS Cartridge, Attention! 3 mm over CIP L6 65 cm Barrel, BC 0,523; GEE 223 m; ± 5 cm Point blank range → 267 m
Path and Performance at 0,8 g Splinter
Penetration was calculated up to one Meter in Flesh. See the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet in the Picture left numbered 1. Some Hunts went as follows.
African Steinbock
grows half Roe deer size. That means to some 8 kg. The African Steinbock is a very tine Animal. One stood with a bowed Back next to the Road, when we passed and moved strangely. We halted the Car and approached the small brown Antilope. It only used three Legs and flew not way, even when I was 10 m close. So I shot him off Hand and cleanly missed by far. Well, that was badly flinched. Now, with Concentration the next Shot penetrated his Back. The Steinbock fell in the Bang. One Front leg was broken. The poor Animal most likely had a Car accident in the previous Night. Entrance was Caliber sized. The 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet penetrated the Spine. The Exit hole was some 2 - 3 cm Ø. Very few Meat was lost. The Bullet can successfully be applied an very small Game on important Meat, less smashing the poor Critter into unusable Pieces.
Next a Neighbor called. He sighted a rather thin adult Oryx, that would net flee from a Human, approaching 20 m close, which is quite unusual for a wild Animal. We drove to the said Place, searched the Area with a Deutsch Drahthaar Dog and found the sick Oryx bull lying head up behind a shallow Bush, looking at us 15 m away. I shot the Oryx frontally off Hand in the Neck at about its Backs Height. In the Bang the Oryx head fell on the Ground and never raised again. Legs still shivered some time, as to be anticipated with Central nervous shots. The poor Oryx looked so bad, not even the always hungry Boys wanted the Meat. First Examination shew, beside some Worms, a weak and soft Heart. But that cased the Sickness! After the Meat was stripped, a broken Jaw bone appeared to be the Root cause for the Sickness. Oryx often fight. So this one was probably a Victim. We shortened his Pain.
Once we were in Oryx country, the Idea to actually get something for the Freezer popped into Mind. Two Man in the Cabin and three behind on the Platform bring a lot Eye sight to detect. Mine didn't. The Farmer called "Stop", the Car halted and he jumped off to the left. I followed with my Copper pump and we stalked some Bushes in 150 m Distance. The Farmer pointed in some Direction, I looked, a big Oryx stood 80 m further quite broad sided, when I shot him off Hand in the slightly angled Chamber. The Bullet hit sounded well, the Oryx jumped partly sideways, ran a small Death spiral and broke within 10 to 15 Meters down and never raised again.
The Hit was a "Liver knot shot". The Liver has a connection to the Diaphragm, called the "Liver knot". That place is very sensitive, as the Diaphragm measures Lung pressure to adjust the Breath. A well placed Liver knot shot passes through the Chamber walls, destroys some Lung, then rips up the Diaphragm, faces high Resistance in the Liver, opens it up to bleed well, and then leaves the Body before the Stomach, so the Body insides stay clean, off Green.
The combined Liver knot - and Liver hit greatly disturbs Breath regulation and hurts like a Kick in the human Stomach. So the fast Fall was more a nervous Reaction, than forced by approaching Death. Next bleed the partly damaged Lung into the Chamber and more so the blood flooded Liver into the Body. By the Time, the initial nervous Reaction fades, and the Animal could under normal Circumstances without the Wounds move as before, so much Blood is lost from Lung and Liver, Sight and Consciousness fades into Oblivion, that Animal won't rise again. The Aim, compared to plain Chamber shots, is about the same Size, when the Animal stands at 60°, but the Effect is much greater then from a plain Lung shot. Flee distances after a Liver knot shot are usually much shorter that from Lung - or Heart shots. So that one was a Showcase Liver knot shot!
A Stalk, even when short, with a fast Offhand shot and a big Animal taken with only short Flee, raises Pride and Satisfaction. This even more, when the 6,5 mm 7 g KJG Copper bullet took a big Oryx, that is said to be very tough and hard to kill. The main Contributors to this Success were a quick and well placed Shot, not the Bullet. Penetration was not so much needed, but didn't hurt either. Of course the Bullet was never recovered, as it flew much further.
On a Hunt farm some Skinner mistakenly cut the Feet from Steinbock cape, that the Trophy hunter wanted to be fully mounted. So I was granted the Chance on another Steinbock. We drove on the open Car, when we saw one nearby. A Clap on the Car roof alerted the Driver to halt the Car. From the Car the Steinbock got the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet through the Chamber and fell in his Tracks. Entrance and Exit were about Caliber size. The Professional Hunter and Farm manager was very pleased to see the valuably Skin so little damaged and the former Trophy hunter will never know, his Trophy is not his Trophy, but mine.
medium Warthog Headshot
Again on the Car, traveling on a Ridge with wide View over the hilly Landscape, we watched some distant Oryx, Hartebeest and Kudu, when wee noticed a Sow with four adult Yearlings. As another Trophy hunter missed some medium sized Tusks from another Fault in the Trophy Process, I was granted the Chance to get this Sow. We halted the Car, then stalked the Sows. We were lucky as the Sows stalked us in the open Bush and came into close Shoot distance. The professional Hunter set some Shoot sticks and pointed me to rest the Rifle on them Not being used to such Aid, this slowed the Hunt. To avoid a Discussion, I obeyed and shot from the Stick frontally on the Sow through the Nose lengthwise into the Spine. The Sow fell in the Bang and never raised again. The PH like a Reflex said "Good Shot". Well, the shot was just 15 m! On the Picture Bullet # 4 is the one. The Flattening resulted from the angled Hit on the Spine. Penetration was some half Metter with including some 20 cm shredded Spine.
Strangely enough the Sow appeared to be Male, a "Keiler"!
Oryx
The last granted Chance on the Hunt farm was a well known Oryx with a damaged Trophy, namely a half missing Horn. Some Driving brought us to the Heard. We encountered a flat Tire in the Bush and lost some Time to replace it. The next two Heard sights gave us no Chance to shoot. Meanwhile the Heard noticed, they were hunted an became alerted, let us not come any close. Finally we had the one broken horned Oryx 200 m in dense Bush, probably thinking it was well disguised. That was not the Case, as he stuck his Arse out, looking away from us. So the only Chance to kill the Beast, was to shoot the Heart trough the Arse. Never try that with a Lead bullet! Steadily resting the Rifle on the Car roof I aimed at the Back enough off Center, not the hit the Leg Bone. The Bullet traveled its 200 Meters and a loud Bullet hit Bang was heard. The Oryx stood still. We approached the Oryx with the Car and the Oryx ran. We split the Group. One Tracker followed the Tracks and we others quickly surrounded the Hill on Wheels to catch him frontally. When we reached the other Hill side the Tracker already had spotted the Oryx lying under a Bush. The PH and went to the Bush and saw the Oryx underneath still moving. I was warned, not to move too close. A Final shot was deemed unnecessary, but the Oryx still kept not still. That Status took some while, until we noticed, the Oryx lay dead as a Stone, but the Bush moved slightly in the Wind. Its moving Shadows made us belief, the Oryx was still alive. He ran maybe 200 m. The 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet traveled from the Hind trough Intestines, Liver, Lung, scratched the Heart, but was unfortunately not found. Noteworthy is the proclaimed deep Penetration together with perfectly straight Wound channel.
While I do not tout this "Texan" Hart shot for regular Hunt use, I consciously fired it, to showcase the extreme possible KJG - Performance, only after Gelatin tests and other previous Experience assured me to safely land the Copper bullet in the desired deep Place, less any Deviations.
The small 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet performance impressed both PHs, who ordered some .300" Win Mag and .416" Rigby KJG Copper bullet Cartridges, that I later personally delivered in Afri~ The first one will be used on Eland, the latter on Buffalo and Elefant.
Sitting on a Hochsitz, two Jackals (Americans say Coyote) stalked me in the Dawn. I got one slowly moving one in 60 Meters Distance too way behind in the Soft. It fell on the Spot, but kept the Head up, so was not dead. A follow on Neck shot immediately killed that Beast then. The soft shot ruined the Fur, as it blasted a big Hole out!
A small Pig got the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet from Front quarter through a Front leg and fell on the Spot and never raised again nor flew. The Bullet traveled through. On another Occasion some Yearlings near a Water place disappeared behind the Water tank. I left the Car, walked up closely and stalked right around the Water tank, when I saw some Movement from the Left. The Pigs stalked me also around the Water tank, but from the other Side! I quickly turned, my Rifle flew to my Chin and another Yearling got a diagonal Shot. It ran some 5 m until it fell. Sometimes one must be quick on the Draw. I was too slow for a second Pig.
Lonely Cheetahs
A moving Farmer heard Fight noise. He saw a Cheetah attacked an Oryx calf and the Mother interfered. He shot the Cheetah. The Cheetah was a female Mother with Children. So the Farmer placed a Trap with the dead Mother inside next to a nearby Water pan. As Plan B, I was asked to sit in the Evening nearby and catch the two juvenile Cheetahs. Both Cats appeared together at Dusk and went to the Water pan to drink. Next to a Termite hill I sat well hidden behind a Bush. To well hidden, as I could not aim through the Bush. My Move alerted the young Cheetahs. So the right Cheetah looked straight at me, when I placed the Copper into his Chest. The spotted Cat immediately fell and its Tail move fiercely. Such are Spine shots. Distance was short. The Cat never raised again.
Then I moved behind a close Tree, sat behind and waited. Sun sank and the Sky grew red. Light faded and nothing happened. My Scope is an old Schmidt &; Bender 3-15 x 50 Reticule 4, well up to hunt at Night. Before the full night sank, a big Cat walked into the Scene from the left. I must admit, my Pulse accelerated. Anyhow I shot it fully broadside behind the Shoulder. It flew so fast to where it came from, that I thought, I had missed. Later the Farmer came to pick me up and we searched the Place with Dogs and Flashlight. When we found Blood, a Miss was no longer a thinkable Option. My Pulse went even higher. The Dogs were of no great Help, when we searched the Bush for a possibly wounded big Cat. We almost gave up, when on our Way back we found Cheetah #2, not further than 10 m away from the Hit point. It was not a big Cat, but the young Cheetah. My Imagination or possibly the Leitz scope just let the spotted Cat appear in my Mind bigger than in Reality.
Entrance on both Cats was caliber sized. The Exists were maybe 2 cm. Also in this Case the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullets damaged the valuable Fur not noteworthy. The two juvenile Carnivores had to be taken, as they were still to small to successfully feed on their own. The Place is full of Cheetahs. One Neighbor even has two tame ones. She raised them from lonely Babies. If one wants to tame large Carnivores, one must start in that Age. Those two I shot were almost 2/3 grown and much to old to be tamed.
When I was on a Hunt farm to get some Meat, I was not allowed to damage any Trophies. Except for three Pigs, that day was not crowned with big Luck, as all Hartebeest and Kudu, we saw, were too good for the Freezer. Pigs were abundant. Sun shines bright. So if the Hogs move out the Gras, their Tits, if any, can easily be seen, to decide, whether a Sow has small ones, or not. To hunt Trophy Keiler was there also forbidden. One Sow was on the Trail some 180 m away. Her Tits were short, so she had no little Suckers. The Rifle rested firmly on the Car roof. The Sow looked at me, when I pulled the Trigger for a frontal Shot. Bang! The Sow fell on the Spot and never raised again. "Waidmansheil", yelled the Farmer and we had some more Meat. He meant "Three small ones make up for one big!"
I had only one 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet left and wanted to save that for something big. So I told the Farmer, I would use his .243" Win with jacketed leaden Soft points on the next Pig. That shew up an short Gras an got the 6 mm Lead Bullet broadside into the Chamber. The Swine ran away into the high grassed Bush. This Time the Drahthaar dog worked better and barked 100 m away. There lay the Swine with its Chamber hit. No Exit wound, nor Blood in the Tracks. Compared to the Copper Bullet the Lead performed poorly.
Light in the Sky and Gas in the Tank vanished, so he had to head Home. Already on the rural Road Sun was gone and Dusk there, as I noticed in my Eye side something. I clapped the Car roof, the Driver stopped, two Kudu turned and started to move away, when I placed an offhand Shot on some smaller female Kudu about 40 m from the Road. Next to the Roads are usually wide open Stripes, so the Shot was a 50 m one, not difficult in Light, but hard to aim on a grey animal in dark Twig light. The disappearing Kudu quit the Hit with a Jump, moved then back, stumbled left against a shallow Cow Fence and fell, to never raise again.
First we all thought, it were a younger Kudu cow, because she was small, but the Teeth revealed she was old, very old! The Teeth were already grinded down to the Flesh. So again the Prey was just the right one. Look at the Picture at Bullet #3 or the Copy right here. The Kudu moved away from me. My Shot came from may 155° from behind, entered the Rib cage, smashed five Ribs. Those ribs are at least 2 cm wide, so a good 10 cm Bone were smashed. Diaphragm and some Organs before were damaged, as was Lung and Heart. So one can place a Heart shot from behind. The Kudu cow could not flee more than say 10 to 15 m! Ammunition went low and I continued with
above 6,5 mm Lutz Möller Bullet - kurz
6,5 mm KJG-kurz; 5,5 g heavy; 27 mm long; 0,8 g Splinter; BC 0,372
Path and Performance
A Farmers 8x57IS Husqvarna Rifle was equipped with a Scope that failed. Suddenly the View was blurred. Probably the Glue between a two-Piece-lens broke. I shall help him to get a replacement 6 x 42 Reticule 4 from Germany. Here most Hunters nowadays build big 3-12 x 56 Glasses on their Guns, to hunt at Night. The older 6 x 42's, that were common for decades, are now abundantly available at very reasonably Prices. So there is a good Chance to replace the broken Glass cheaply.
First the Farmer was not there, when we arrived on Time. A Cow was detected to have her Leg broken end hence had to be shot an slaughtered. That caused the Delay. So I was asked to go alone with the "Boy", an adult local Negro who fluently spoke three Languages, and I did. The "Boy" drove the car to some prospecting Places and I took my Rifle to the Platform. Later he stopped the Cart, so we would stalk Oryx in an Area, where Oryx were commonly seen.
I walked behind the Boy at brisk Tempo under the tropical sun through moderately dens Bush with open Places in between, when he pointed to an Oryx some 200 m forward in the Bush. Then the Boy bowed down, pointing to rest my Rifle on his Shoulder. I was prepared for an offhand Shot, not this combined Position. Anyhow, not to speak or discuss wordless, I followed the Invitation, but Time was already lost. Hunted Animals are often curious, but seldom dumb. Once detected, the Hunter has not much Time to attack. You have to expose Yourself from the Hide to reach for Your Prey and that will be noticed.
The Shot broke. I heard no Hit. The Oryx disappeared. It pays to prepare some Ground Rules, when you hunt with someone else, else you shall face sudden Surprises, such as an offered Shoulder, that distracts Your focused Mind from the Prey to something else. The Result is obvious. In this Case the Bush was probably too dense on the 200 m Path and a close Branch slightly disturbed the Bullet direction.
The hunt went on. The Night before Rain fell. Fresh Tracks were easily to be seen, not just for the Boy, but for me too. An unusual curved grey Something caught my Attention. Warthogs close behind a Bush on a small open Pan. The Rifle flew at my Cheek. The Hogs noticed us and watched us frontally. I placed the Shot slightly Quartering on the Front Leg directing toward the Spine. The Shot broke. The Swine fell and never raised again from the Spot.
I was prepared to carry our Prey to the Car, but the Boy suggested just to leave it unmarked and untreated there to immediately continue our Hunt for Oryx. Actually most of the Meat was destined to be given to the Boys and their sometime large Families on the Farm. I can understand, why a 250 kg butchered Oryx counts more than a 25 kg Swine, more Meat! So we hunted on . . .
Next I saw over some Bushes far behind big Pan some brown Animals. As the Farm was a Cattle Farm I assumed them to be Cows. Nothing could have been falser. The Boy corrected me to say they were Hartebeests, a Bull, a Cow and a Calf. Notice: I had a Scope but the Boy had none. he was right! Anyhow, when we stalked closer into Shoot position the Place was empty and some previously undetected Hartebeest flew as well. Later I learned from the Farmer, we had seen a well known Herd of about ten Hartebeest In November they have Calves, so to hunt them was tricky. No Shot could make no Mistake so we went on until we noticed Lunch time neared. No one wants to miss Lunch. The Boy found the unmarked #1 in Bush, that I never would have been able to and we headed Home. To know ones Place truly helps!
Again the Farmer was not there on Time. An Ox was detected that look bad. He had swallowed a Steinbock Head. No! African Cattle lives no carnivorous. They just eat Bone to get rare Calcium. The Steinbock head still had the 8 to 9 cm long Horns on. Those stuck in the Throat. The Ox could neither eat or drink and would in the hot African Summer alone have died within two or three Days. His Jaws were kept open with some Device and the Farmer pulled the stuck Head from the Throat. He saved the Ox' live!
Farmers need to combine many Talents and Crafts to keep the Business running sound. The Man was too old to shoot well over open Sights, as he said, and could not fix a broken Rifle scope. I could neither. Everyone has some Limits. So my working Scope and offered Help to fill the Freezer was gladly accepted on the Farmer Convention two Nights before.
Before Lunch a Dive in the Pool washed Sweat and Dust way, took some Time and finally the Farmer arrived, so we could have Lunch with his Wife. Now the Farmer was on Board. The Drive into the Farm lead us near a Water place for the Cattle, where a big Keiler roamed. I clapped the Car roof, the Car halted and I placed a quick frontal quartering Shot on the alert Hog offhand maybe 30 m away. The long toothed Pig quitted the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet with a Side jump, ran some 8 m and fell, shivered and died. "That is a good Bullet", exclaimed the Farmer, as he saw the quick Kill.
We drove to other Places, to find Oryx, when I suddenly saw some Kudu cows in the Shade under some Camel thorn tree, about 150 m away. I clapped the Roof. The Car halted. Kudu were no longer visible. I jumped off the Platform and stalked through the Bus in the know Direction to catch Sight again. After some 70 m I caught Sight on a mostly brad side standing Kudu cow. None had young Calves in that Time. I raised my Copper pump and shot here through the chest. She jumped in typical Kudu manner high an far and ran. I caught her Tracks and followed them about 70 Meters, when I found her laying dead under a Bush. The Hit was a diagonal Lung shot and again the small little 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet did the Trick. The lightweight Rifle and little Recoil pleases the Hunter, as the Bullets can be very comfortably launched. That helps to place Shots accurately.
Another Pig was bagged, but I cannot recall the Detail. I just remember we caught three Pigs that Day.
I do not recall how often we went back to unload the Meat an slaughter it, but the Boy insisted to show me an Oryx. Finally the Boy noticed two Oryx 500 m in the Bush, because they wagged their Tails. I noticed absolutely nothing. We jumped off the Car, stalked through the Bush and approached them. Again: I saw nothing. After some Way the Boy waved me in Front and I saw an Oryx quartering at us in 200 m or so. Distances are hard to judge in uncommon Territory. So pleas take all Distances jus as a Guess. Sure I had my Laser Range finder in Africa, but found never Time to actually use it, except on the Range, to mark Target Distances. From previous Experience I now expected the offered Shoulder. He, form previous Experience, opened his Mouth and stuck two Fingers in his Ears. I shot and the Oryx responded with a clear Bullet hit sound. I walked to the perceived Hit location, found the Tracks and followed some 50 to 70 m until I found the Oryx dead under a Bush. I was very proud, to finally actually hit an Oryx that Day on such Distance.
The Boy whispered "Noch ein Keiler", meant "Shoot one more Swine!", but the Farmer mentioned, Freezer Capacity was filled also by the unexpected Cow, so for that Day the Hunt was over. We had time for a well deserved Beer and some Talk in the House. The Farmer handed me an Warthog Tooth Beer Bottle opener as a Gift and invited me to come back. Maybe he thought, the Performance was Right. The Boy already had briefed him, I was a fast Shooter. The Farmer considered 6 Shots for 5 Animals a good Record and mentioned other Germans, who hunted his Ground before were usually very slow to decide upon a Shot.
On the Opposite I noticed the Oryx were unusually shy Game, a strange Behavior for a Farm where the Boss cannot hunt for a broken Scope. Heavy Poaching is the nears Explanation. A quick Draw helps there too! Remember these Hunts were in the African Bush!
The Farmer drove later in the Evening back to my Hosts and we saw much Game along the Road along the short mowed Roadside strip, including a grey Cat.
Another Time my Host sat me in the Morning on an Hochsitz before a Water tank. Some Swines disappeared, when I appeared. Wise Swines, I say! The Wind went bad and I left for a Walk. In the Next 1 ½ Hours I surrounded the next Camp. The Night had Rain and all Trek were fresh: On Oryx came and two Oryx left the Camp. In one Area many Hartebeest left Tracks. I actually saw them disappear. The left on Calve, that passed some 5 m.
I moved over to the next Camp, into that the Oryx tracks lead on a well used Path. Unfortunately I lost the Tracks in some und impassable Haacki (The wait-a-bit Thorn bush, that so often slows a Stalk). But Fresh Sow Tracks were an Alternative, especially, because they lead against the Wind and diagonally through the Camp towards the next open area next to the Cow fence. My Mood raised when I noticed fresh green Hog shit. Hogs get a nervous Arse when they are hunted, so that signed me I was close. As we approached the Fence, I moved sideways to get open Sight next to the grassless Area beside the Fence. I was right. The two Keilers appeared some good 60 m before me out of the Bush and Gras and one was better visible in the Open than the other still in the Gras. They both moved away from me. I kneeled down and shot it almost lengthwise from behind in the Side. The Hit was just audible. Both Tuskers disappeared in the Bush gain.
Knowing I hit deadly, I walked up the Hit point and then turned into the Bush, not really caring for Tracks as grey Beast must lay closely. So it did within 30 m. Unfortunately it jumped up, when I was 5 m close. Sure I shot it, but also sure I missed it probably by a Meter. I was not prepared to find a living an wounded Keiler with long Tusks! I was glad, he was more afraid of me, than I of him.
To follow an alerted wounded Keiler in obscuring Territory makes no Sense, so I walked back to the Hochsitz. Before it passed three Trophy quality Oryx, that I had to pardon, but anyhow they looked great. The PH later came, picked me up. We had Lunch and then came back with the Boy and the Drahthaar. The Dog was not too keen to follow the Tracks. The Boy actually found the dead Keiler under a Bush some further 70 m away, while I worked the Tracks but very slowly. The locals are in the Discipline to track Game just unbeatable by foreign Hunters! Exclamation Mark! Full Stop ●
I forgot the actual Wound and further Bullet Performance as I was just too glad to have tracked Sows in unknown Territory, outpaced them on the Spur an out witted them to catch them in the open and place a difficult shot well enough to kill within reasonable Escape distance. Now that was Hunting, as I like it. Sorry to miss the Bullet Stuff, but be assured such Hits need at leas 0,5 Meter full Meat Penetration to work out well from behind. Not man other Bullet deliver that and no 6,5 mm I know. so the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet performed in my View again very well!
The Morning before I had to fly back, a Game Farmer also needed some Meat. I appeared on Time, but he was snot there. Some Kudus broke his Game fence the Night before and he had check the Damage and order some decisions. Well, such is a Game Farmers Live. we
While above Photo is from a different Place and Time, the Scene looked quite the same, when we roamed still another Farm, where Meat was needed. I saw some Kudu bulls standing out the Sun under a tree in the Shade, just as the one Bull in the Picture above, except they were four and further away. A Clap on the Carr roof halted the Car. I jumped off and stalked well hidden behind the Bushes towards a good Shot Position. Everyone else remained mounted and visible to the Kudus, so I was well disguised. After some 100 m I slowly looked around a bus and sow one Bull close by, maybe 50 to 70 m. One Bull presented his Chest in a slight Angle. I placed the Offhand shot between Chest and Neck. Bang! The Kudu ran, and I did too. After maybe 100 m he stopped under the next Tree in the Shade and stood still. The next Offhand shot in the Spine grounded him immediately and forever. we left him there unmarked to continue.
Further down our Trail the Driver saw some Oryx in the Bushes. I was pointed in the Direction and saw two in the Bushes, hardly visible. I stalked the one close one and noticed the other one disappeared. Therefore the remaining Oryx heard Noise from two Sources. Again I was well disguised. The Bush was rather dense and I was maybe 30 m close, when I noticed his Silhouette behind a Bush. Knowing Copper would not be stopped or meaningful diverted by a Bush close before the Target, I fired through the Bush offhand direction Heart. The Oryx was so close and the Bullet so fast, I could not distinguish the Hit from the Bang. The Oryx ran off. I went to the Hit place, took the Spur and found the Oryx lying maybe 30 to 50 m further. Again we left him unmarked and continued.
Further down the Line again the Boy pointed to another Oryx in the Bush. We both jumped off the Car and stalked the Oryx maybe 200 m until I saw him, a big mature Trophy bull! As I was on a Game, not a Hunt farm, this one was for me, respectively simply considered walking Meat. You can't eat them, while they walk, so he had to die first. I placed a rather long Offhand shot onto his "Knopp" the Shoulder joint and the mighty Oryx ran off. His deep Tracks were easy to follow and we found him dead under a Tree, maybe 70 m away. Hurray!
Look at the tiny 6,5 mm KJG kurz Copper bullet in the right Picture. Left is an unfired one sideways shown, right the Bottom and in the Middle the KJG that broke the mighty Oryx bull the Front leg and further penetrated Lung, Diaphragm, Liver and partly Stomach. It was found in the Stomach. The off Center Bone hit at around 1.000 m/s caused the uneven deformation.
Coming to the End, I have two more Stories to tell. One in a smaller Oryx I stalked near a Water Place in the Bush. I came as close as maybe 30 m, but the Bush was very dens. The Oryx was free to see, but the Front was hidden, just the Horns overlooked the Bush. I fired through the Bush into the Front middle. The Oryx jumped and fell and never raised again. The Jump was 2 m to the side. The Bullet hit the Spine high above the Front legs. To know, you can fire through minor Obstacles like a Bush or a tree and be assured the Bullet holds together and keeps is Path is very helpful in dense Bush. just can't do that. They would explode before the real Target and only superficially wound the Animal, not penetrate any more.
Let me now tell the last Story from previous Days on a Hunt Farm to illustrate the straight Penetration even better. We drove towards a Water place with Gates. Before the Gate were some Cows and behind the Gate some Swines. We approached up to maybe 100 m and looked through our Scopes. Two Trophy class Keiler had to be pardoned for paying Guests but a medium Female less children was chosen to fill the Freezer. A well rested Shot on the broad Pig grounded it on the Spot. No Flee! When we loaded it up I was rather astonished to see a uncommonly large Entrance wound of maybe 2 cm an was completely knocked off Understanding, when the 25 kg Pig shew no Exit hole. What happened. Well, I hit the Spine and there was some Bone, but the same tiny little 6,5 mm KJG kurz Copper bullet had previously shredded more than 10 cm Bone in a Kudu and broke the sturdy Shoulder joint of a big Oryx Bull. No, there could be no Explanation in the Swine. The Farmer laughed, when he pointed to the 7 m distant opened Gate. The Gate was out of Iron Tubes with Wire. I had shot through one Tube, maybe 22 mm Thick with 2 or 3 cm Walls. The inside was shining red Copper! Now consider you shoot on 100 m well aimed at a clear visible not to big Target and hit it well AFTER you penetrated an Iron tube off center 7 m before. I would say the Hit was not more than 5 cm form where I aimed, but that is just a Guess.
In a good Week the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullets in 7 and 5,5 g performed extraordinarily well on around 25 Animals from 8 kg to maybe 300 kg live Weight. The small Animals were not heavily destroyed, not their valuable Fur demolished (except for the soft Shot on the Jackal (Coyote). The bigger animal exhibited unusual short Flees or fell on the Spot, if the Copper Bullet hit central nervous Areas. The Animals were taken from all possible Angles in the Circle, that are frontal, quartering, broadsided, hind quartering and (forgive me) even rectal from the Back with the "Texan" Heart shot on an selected Oryx, were no other Chance were. The Animals stood free or in the Bush und were shot through various Obstacles before them, mostly Bush but in one Case also an Iron Tube of around 8 mm penetrated Thickness.
The Gate post was an old Steel from a Railroad track, maybe a cm thick, that the Hunt Farmer said his .375" Holland &; Holland Rifle would with certain Lead bullets have Difficulties to penetrate. Just to proof, I shot a perfect Hole through it.
I thank all the People who helped me to conduct these Test, especially the "Boys," who were so helpful in the Bush to show me Game, I would have never seen alone. In one Sentence I conclude "The 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullet (long or short) comfortably kills any African Game, save the Big Five, under all, including the most adverse Conditions fast and secure. I would like to add "For Lack of Recoil the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullets area Pleasure to shoot, reach out far and Noise is moderate.
You cannot compare such experienced Performance with anything available or thinkable in Lead. The 6,5x65 Cartridge help with the Performance, but the .260" Remington, .264" Win. Mag.; 6,5x55 Swedish Mauser or 6,5x57 Mauser would be just as good to launch the deadly Copper well.
Lutz Möller 4th December 2004
Rainbow in Hochfeld
Hello, Lutz. I see the 6,5 mm KJG Copper bullets in 7 and 5,5 g performed extraordinarily well on African game of very different sizes. My particular 6,5 x 57 R gun shoots the 5,5g kurtz very, very accurately at 1.040 m/s with Norma 203B. Recoil is almost non existant and so far they always exit. The reaction of the animal is always the same, a jump high in the air and a short death run (40-100m) with a nice blood trail that my bayerische G ebirgsschweiß hund „ Polka” easily unwinds to my satisfaction.
Alvaro &; Polka
I am a little concerned of how they will performance with long shots because of the speed loss at big distance... I am glad to hear from you and I wish you the very best for these Christmas and for the coming year. Alvaro Dienstag, 7. Dezember 2004 09:08
Thank you Lutz You are fast becoming a real African! Regards, Leon-David Viljoen, Dienstag, 7. Dezember 2004 13:20
Hi Lutz! Thank you very much for the article about your recent hunt in Afri~ Your 6, 5mm bullet seems impressive indeed! I have a question: Is 6,5 x 65 something like 6, 5-284 Norma in terms of performance? LM: Yes!
It's not a caliber we see around here in North America so I don't know it very well. (a note: your link to this caliber on the page you sent me doesn't work) I have shot a few rounds in 6,5 x 55 though and, as I told you before, I really love the cartridge. My next rifle will probably be a Sauer 202 in this caliber. I haven't had much chance for hunting this season yet. I didn't get a moose tag and my duck hunt (see the picture and link below) happened to be on a rainy day so three of us shot only 5 ducks:
cheers, Omid S. Jahromi, Mittwoch, 8. Dezember 2004 21:39
Hello Lutz, Dear Omid, sorry for the Ducks and no Moose. Yes the 6,5x65 has about the same Powder Capacity as the 6,5x284, so they perform almost equally. You will have Fun with your 6,5x55 schwedisch Mauser, I tell you! Maybe you like to com to Afrika too? Sincerely, Lutz I was in the rifle range one day late in summer and there was a guy next to me with some very old-looking rifles. One of them was particularly long and looked very interesting to me. I asked him if it was a Mauser 98. He answered that it was a Swedish Mauser made by Carl Gustaf. He then allowed me to shoot a couple of rounds with it. I was quite impressed by the rifle still working fine (it was made in 1926!) and the recoil was mild compared to my own 7 mm and 300" Wby rifles. I always liked the 6,5x55 Swedish Mauser (I remember you and I talked about it on the phone) but I had never fired rounds in this caliber before. So, that day in the range made a great impression on me. This Sunday one of my hunting friends (the one in white cloth in the picture) and i are going to a gun show near Toronto. I will see if I can find any good rifles in 6, 5x55 there. I'd love to hunt plains games in Africa at some point but I have never been there and I don't like to go alone. I would prefer to be in the company of some experienced hunter I know (apart from the PH) so that I can learn the skills. Do you have any plans for returning to Africa in 2005? May be we can go there together and I'll be your apprentice?! Regards, Omid S. Jahromi
Dear Omid,
I go once in a While to Africa and you are wellcome to join. No firm Plans exist right now, but I will remember. If Your .300"Wetherby kicks too much, then you need a good Muzzle brake:
Do You want one shipped to You?
Lutz Möller 10th December 2004,
Dear Lutz, Thank you so much for your informative article on the 6,5 mm bullet performance. I think one could be well satisfied with such results. I have just returned form a successful rhino hunt. We took a good 27” white rhino bull and some good scimitar Oryx and other.
Also just a quick note to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and a very happy new year. Hoping to see you again soon. Your friend, Jan Westdyk, Samstag, 25. Dezember 2004 06:44
Our leading Professional Hunter and Hunting Outfitter, Jan Westdyk, will guide you on your quest for your African trophies. Registered as a PH throughout South Africa and Namibia, Jan knows the land well. With patience, skill and intimate knowledge of your sought after trophy, you will be lead to success. Hunting is mostly done by walking and stalking. Vehicles and horses may be used to assist in the hunt when necessary. http://www.ratelfontein.com/ (2004)
Now in 2011 You find Jan in Africanrosette
left 6,5 mm 6 g Lutz Möller Bullet) for 2005
Dear Mr. Moeller, I am a hunter from Macedonia, I would like to ask you something about Lutz Möller KJG bullets. I wrote your story on Inet about your 6,5 mm hunting in Africa, and because I use 6,5x68 Cartridge, almost exclusively (I already hunt many European and African animals with this Cartridge, included big animals like ibex, boar, kudu, oryx, gnu, even zebra and many more), but until now I used 7.8, 8.1 and 9g Nosler part. and 8.2 g KS -RWS. I used 6g only for chamoix hunting in Macedonia. In December I plan to go in Tanzania, and I want to try to hunt with KJG bullets and I am a little bit afraid to hunt with so light bullets, I would like to hear your opinion about this (please take in consideration that I would like to hunt wildebeest, hartebeest, zebra and similar animals that are quite heavy in kg). Also please inform me if Lutz Möller KJG is produced in heavier bullets, like 9 grains for example. I hope for your soon reply. Best regards, Saso Ivanov, Mittwoch, 8. Juni 2005 16:34
Dear M. Ivanov,
the current 2005 6,5 mm KJG with 6 g Weight performs out of a 6,5x68 in 100 m as follows
Path and Penetration at 1,8 g Splinter und Bolt rest body
sees the Speed over Penetration graph as follow. This assumes 100 m Distance, 1050 m/s Impact velocity, 1.8 g Mass loss, 1 mm widening to result in 62 cm Penetration in full Meat. Lung cannot be considered Meat as it compressible and lees dense as Meat.
Actual Africa Bullets from 2004
6,5 mm KJG kurz 2004 short 5,5g 0,8g Splinters
6,5 mm KJG - kurz, after it cracked an Oryx (!) the Shoulder joint
6,5 mm KJG 2004 long 7.0 g 0.8g Splinters
6,5 mm KJG after a frontal Warthog head shot
6,5 mm KJG cracked 5 Kudu ribs each 2,5 cm lenght wise
6,5 mm KJG penetrated a Warthog lengthwise
I made the Test trip to African to find out, if I have to offer two different 6,5 mm Bullets. One for the 6,5x68 with 250 mm Twist length and another one for shorter Twist. The African gave ample Evidence, both Bullet perform good enough. No need to differentiate exits from a Wound ballistics View. Then I elongated the old 6,5 mm short for the long twisted 6,5x68 Cartridge as possible. We test shot the new 2005 6,5 mm 6g KJG in a 6,5x68 and it shoots well, so You may use it with good Exterior ballistic results.
The old 2004 6,5 mm KJG splintered 0,8 g and the long one penetrated up to a Meter. Who needs that? I suppose no one. So 2005 I bore the Hollow Point not deeper to get 1,8 g Splinters. This means to increase the wound ballistic effective Cross section (Bullet + Splinter Area multiplied by Impact speed to the Square). So the 2005 6,5 mm KJG will perform even better, that the 2004 version. To sacrifice 30 - 40 cm Penetration for more that double Destruction on smaller Game seems to me a better Optimisation.
Is the 2005 6,5 mm KJG up to the Task to successfully hunt "wildebeest, hartebeest, zebra and similar animals that are quite heavy in kg" with the 6,5x68 you ask.
My first firm answer is a wound ballistic Yes! proven to above 300 kg Animal weight in Afri~ So Your Target species have to watch out! My second firm answer is an exterior ballistic Yes! With the Rifle sighted in at 150 m + 5 cm high you hit Spot in 249 m and have a ± 5 cm Point blank range of 290 m! This means for all practical Hunting You just aim Spot on any Animal (No Rhinos, Elefants, Hippos or Buffalos though) from any Angle, except directly rear , and reach the Heart and kill. If less that 60 cm Meat will be passed, the Bullet will exit.
My first firm answer is a wound ballistic Yes! proven to above 300 kg Animal weight in Afri~ So Your Target species have to watch out!
My second firm answer is an exterior ballistic Yes! With the Rifle sighted in at 150 m + 5 cm high you hit Spot in 249 m and have a ± 5 cm Point blank range of 290 m! This means for all practical Hunting You just aim Spot on any Animal (No Rhinos, Elefants, Hippos or Buffalos though) from any Angle, except directly rear , and reach the Heart and kill. If less that 60 cm Meat will be passed, the Bullet will exit.
So the 6,5x68 is well up to the Task.
Must I use heavier Bullets, You ask.
My firm Answer is, with the 6,5 mm 6 g, No!
Pleas note Copper bullets do not explode in the Target surface like many other bullets from the fast 6,5x68, but penetrate deeply. Most KJG now are adjusted for about 60 cm Meat Penetration or 14 cm Bone Penetration, sufficient to kill any Animal running, except Rhinos, Elefants, Hippos or Buffalos with frontal Head shots. While You throw unnecessary Weight over Boar the KJG flies much flatter stretched and further. The rather flat Trajectory give especially in the 6,5x68 Case a superior 290 m reaching ± 5 cm Point blank range of risk free shooting.
Can I shoot through Bushes?
That depends how close Your Target animal stays behind the Bush. If the wildebeest, hartebeest, zebra stand some Meters behind a Bush, You may well shout through the Wood an expect full wound ballistic KJG performance as stated above. KJG need Meat or some other Liquid to expand. Wood, Leaves or Gras are no such Things. Achtung! Beware of Branches close to the Shooter before a far away Target. In that Case You will miss.
So I'm glad You asked those Question and heartily recommend the 6,5 mm KJG out of the powerful 6,5x68 to hunt anything on earth near and far, except the Big Five.
Waidmannsheil to Macedonia, Good Luck in Tanzania, 8th June 2005, Lutz Möller
Continued in Afrika 2005 | more Afrika