Thinking about taking my 6.5x55 to do some wolf hunting this fall... The problem is, not being a varmint hunter, I have no idea on what bullet to load up? Obviously, I want to do as little pelt damage as possible, but I also want a quick kill. The lightest bullet I shot so far in my CZ550FS is the 100gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip. That's my deer load, very accurate, but punches through the deer everytime. Hoping for something that will only leave an entry hole.

Thanks,

Jim

My wife hunts elk with her custom 6.5mm Swede. The long bullet is famous for penetration.

Wolves do not have a thick hide at all. You'll be hard pressed to find a bullet for 6.5mm that stays inside. Try calling Sierra Technical Dept for ideas.

TR

Can't speak directly to the specific caliber you mentioned(6.5X55) but can tell you my take on the larger yotes and wolf bullets.

I was a guide in Maine for 'bout 20 years after I retired from the military. Towards the end of my career I guided almost strictly yote hunters, and hunted myself a few times just across the border into Quebec.

The yotes in Maine are rather large with a 50 pounder being not uncommon. My biggest was just shy of 55 and had reports from some game wardens that they shot yotes closer to 60lbs.

I got a couple of wolves in Quebec that were 85'ish, which are not overly large, but I was hunting the farmland in the southern part of the Province. Central and northern Quebec they are somewhat larger with 100+ lbs not being too uncommon.

My weapon of choice was always a 24" AR shooting a .223. The bullet was always a Sierra 52gr HPBT @ 3350.

With even a close to proper hit,I never had a bullet exit. Even on yotes as small as 30lbs. The two wolves that I killed died instantly after a shoulder and a lower chest(just in back of the front leg) shot.

The sports that I guided, that used weapons as "small" as .243's(pre 55gr years) and .25-06's always had pass thrus. And they were "ugly".

In a nutshell,my reccomendation would be,if you gotta use a 6.5X55,use the smallest bullet available,driven at the highest velocity possible. Hit COM chest or just behind the front legs angleing towards the front.

"Little pelt damage " equates to a small HP bullet going reasonably fast. NO FMJ of ANY caliber will leave you free of pelt damage. This is usually caused by "secondary missles" in the way of accelerated bones/bone fragments exiting the far side of the animal.

Any of the smaller calibers will do such as,.223,.22-250,220Swift,even the 6mm/243 shooting the 55gr. I have even killed some yotes using a 7mm Mag with handloaded 115gr Speer's(going>3500fps). This with no exit/pelt damage.

Believe me,a wolf is the chance of a lifetime,make sure you take all of him to the taxidermist.

Good luck in your hunt. Pls post the results. -----pruhdlr

Like T.R. says, the 6.5 is a great cartridge, but doubt if you could find any suitable bullet for it that would stay inside a wolf body, unless shot at extreme range.

If you're contemplating a mount, the taxidermist can generally repair any exit hole.

Actually, I was going to see, if I get lucky, if they can do a rug... You know, head and claws like a bear rug.

Jim

kdub, you were right on. Talked to Rich at Sierra... He said I would be better off with a deer bullet than one of their Varimenter bullets if pelt damage was a concern.

Jim

You don't need a specialized rifle to kill wolves. Anything that you would use for deer will work for wolves. Do expect some hide damage, but a taxidermist can usually fix any problems in a rung or mount. Folks in Alaska often combine a big game hunt with a wolf hunt up there using what they bring for big game.

I don't know if I'd go to the trouble of loading a different bullet than I use for deer hunting.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to find out for sure if that info is good this fall if we get to hunt wolves here in Idaho. Right now the "friends of the wolf" are suing the Feds to try to get them put back on the endangered list in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming after the Feds just took them off. They say that three times the Federally mandated population is still not enough.

Maybe the state should change the season from wolves to Friends of the Wolves. That way, everyone would be satisfied. :p

Exactly! I've always felt they should re-introduce the wolves back in Washington DC, but of course they would starve to death if forced to feed on the local fauna that populates those hallowed halls.

Exactly! I've always felt they should re-introduce the wolves back in Washington DC, but of course they would starve to death if forced to feed on the local fauna that populates those hallowed halls.

Change "fauna" to fecal matter and you'll be more accurate.

How do you go about hunting wolves? I saw one once up in NE Washington (state, that is) when I was deer hunting, but it vanished before I could even think about the three S rule.

Some of you guys are so perceptive!

If using the 6.5x55, I guess I'd go the other direction in bullet weight, in the 140 or 160, and you likely would have little expansion on a wolf (behind the shoulder that is). You'd have two holes, but both would be small. Anything 243 or above, I'd do the same - heavy-for-caliber. Below, I'd use the most explosive bullet available for expectation of no pass-through.

Wolf tags come in a box of 20....

I love the 6.5x55 (& the .260Rem) & they are both very good hurlers of deep penetrating bullets. I too would go heavy & in fact would opt for a FMJ in 139-142. It's going through both sides no matter what but if you don't hit bone will make a small hole on both sides

I shot a young wolf a few years ago in Ontario while bear hunting. The wolf was 30 feet away and I drilled it with my .45-70 Guide Gun shooting the Garrett +P 420-grain Hammerheads. There was no pelt damage at all. Little hole in, little hole out. I have a rifle similar to a 6.5x55 (6.5BRM) and I think my choice for it would be a Barnes TSX. I think they might give a clean zip-through on wolves.

How do you go about hunting wolves? I saw one once up in NE Washington (state, that is) when I was deer hunting, but it vanished before I could even think about the three S rule.

Me? I am going to go to where I bowhunt elk in the Sawtooth Mtns.; lots of elk and lots of wolves. Last season, the drainage I camp in had a wolf working the creek bottom at first light about every other morning. Another valley I hunt elk in, actually has two separate packs working it; it's a huge valley. Three of the four mornings had a pack running the length of the valley; 12 wolves running about 100yds. apart-- an incredible sight.
Planning on setting up in one of these areas in the morning, with my fingers crossed. Also, when I hear the pack, I will try to get above 'em and put the sneak on.:D

Jim

use an x bullet from barnes, don't worry about the weight but think about the ranges you might shoot and keep the velocities sensible and you'll be fine.

Barnes has a 110 grn banded solid for the 6.5. Small hole in and out.

But using a solid, how far are they going to run with such a tiny hole in their lungs?

Jim

I wouldn't recommend solids or full metal jacketed bullets. In many states their illegal and folks have found that they don't kill very well, at least on coyotes. Lots of run offs with them. Pelt hunters tried all that a bunch of years ago and it sure didn't work in .224 and 6mm. I can't imagine it working any better in 6.5.

But using a solid, how far are they going to run with such a tiny hole in their lungs?

Jim

Well that's the dilemma! Pelt damage with a quick kill, or little pelt damage and slow bleedout? One extreme or the other....or something in-between. I have to believe that something like a Nosler partition is a happy medium that won't open too much and overly damage the pelt, yet should kill quite well. They do that on deer.

By all means, check and see if the Idaho game department allows the use of solid or FMJ bullets for hunting. Know Arizona doesn't.

But using a solid, how far are they going to run with such a tiny hole in their lungs?

Jim

Maybe someone who's used them can say for sure. I loaded some up for a 270 Win but haven't shot any with them yet. But we're talking larger calibers and not 22 centerfires so I'd think they'd do a decent job in the 6.5 or 270s....but that's JMHO though.

I haven't checked lately but quite a few states used to allow solids for fur bearers.

As with any bullet, it depends on where you hit 'em as to how far they are likely to run.

Hit bone on the far side & a solid is going to make a big hole going out so it seems there is no perfect soloution.

this year saw deer killed with 243, 85gr sierra spt. about 3100 ft/ at 75 yds. Shot behind shoulder and nicked rib going in, internals were mush, no exit. Not what I want for deer but similar 6.5 might be what you're wanting.

Can"t miss fast enough to win!!

If you want to use solids that are legal, why not try some good old Beartooth Bullets hard cast lead bullets? They don't blow up, even hitting bone, and will penetrate.

The Sierra 120 grain bullet will work fine loaded one full grain below max...I like IMR 3031 in this caliber. If you are adventuresome however try a cast bullet from wheel weights with a gas check. You would be unlikely to get a lot of expansion and it will pass through with minimum of damage.

Thanks for the replies, guys! On Saturday, I watched four wolves for about 10 minutes... They were between 175yds. and 225yds. They are beautiful and rather fascinating animals to watch. Too beautiful, in fact, for me to shoot one with my 6.5x55mm. Yaaaa....I think I will get my hands on a CZ 527 FS in .222Rem. That way, I can be sure of only having one hole in the animal, and still get the clean kill I need.

Jim