First Blood for .50 Beowulf and 6.5 Creedmoor

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  • Double Naught Spy
    Chieftain
    • Sep 2013
    • 2560

    First Blood for .50 Beowulf and 6.5 Creedmoor

    I checked with bwaites about posting here. I realize that neither caliber is a Grendel, but they are both a little related. I am shooting his Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf upper (shooting AA's Hornady XTP 350 gr.) and my buddy, Ed, is shooting a 6.5, only it is a Creedmore (Hornady ELD-X 140 gr.). bwaites challenged me to shoot some hogs and see what the damages would be with the Beowulf and this is the first opportunity. Turned out to be the first opportunity for Ed's new Creedmore build as well.

    Due to the recoil, I am using a Sig Echo 1 thermal reflex- type sight. It is a 1x sight zoomable to 2x and pretty much is about perfect for hog hunting with the Beowulf. It does not have video-out and so there is no video of the shot from my rifle and the confines of the sendero we were hunting resulted in things happening pretty quick, so much so that Ed did not get the recorder going on his Pulsar Apex thermal scope. So no kill video. Sorry.

    We set up an electronic caller in a sendero where we killed hogs 5 weeks ago. The sendero is actually a 30' wide swath cleared for a fence line and the fence hasn't been installed yet. On the one side is a huge field of ragweed we hiked through to get to this location and the other was bordered by heavy mixed brush, oaks, etc. The terrain rolls and we were on a terrace overlooking a gully that leads down to the Red River. The gully is dry, but appeared to be a thoroughfare for hogs based on our last hunt here. So we set the caller upon the other side, about 100 yards out.

    The first hog came in from the oaks side just a few yards higher up the slope than the caller, passed the caller when he realized something wasn't right, and was into the ragweed before anybody got off a shot. We revised our plan.

    The second hog came into the caller about 30 minutes later, also from the oaks. While more prepared, Ed was unable to get recording before the hog was to the other side and disappearing into the brush. He said, "Ready" and when I replied in the affirmative, "3, 2, BOOM/BOOM" and the hog was down.

    We called for another hour or so, before giving up on that location.

    The hog was shot at 110 yards. Both shooters connected. Ed's head shot turned out to be a very interesting double eye shot. My shot with the Beowulf was entered behind the shoulder and exited behind the other shoulder. Damage was impressive. We did a quick partial necropsy reveal lots of some tissue damage, large holes, and 2 broken ribs. We got some pictures and Ed got some video (we think) with his Contour II action camera. I will review that later and see if I can put together a nice little video explaining the damages done by the calibers.

    We tried calling coyotes later, but no luck. All in all, a good hunt. Ed got his first kill with the Creedmore. I got a first kill with the Beowulf. The hog got its first kill with both calibers.

    Kill a hog. Save the planet.
    My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange
  • rabiddawg
    Chieftain
    • Feb 2013
    • 1664

    #2
    So how do you like shooting the Beowulf?

    How is the recoil? Gentle push like Grendel, sharp bounce like (my) .223 or big booming wallop? I've only seen pictures of it.
    Knowing everthing isnt as important as knowing where to find it.

    Mark Twain

    http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showt...2-Yd-Whitetail

    Comment

    • Kikn
      Warrior
      • Nov 2011
      • 689

      #3
      Nice. I like my beowulf. Hogs not so much...lol.

      I am a bit confused though. We're you calling in the hogs or trying to call in coyotes? If you were calling in hogs what call was it that you used?

      Comment

      • JASmith
        Chieftain
        • Sep 2014
        • 1620

        #4
        My one experience with the Beowulf suggested thinking abiut a 12 gauge shotgun of similar wieght.
        shootersnotes.com

        "To those who have fought and almost died for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."
        -- Author Unknown

        "If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished!" -- Milton Berle

        Comment

        • Double Naught Spy
          Chieftain
          • Sep 2013
          • 2560

          #5
          Originally posted by rabiddawg View Post
          So how do you like shooting the Beowulf?

          How is the recoil? Gentle push like Grendel, sharp bounce like (my) .223 or big booming wallop? I've only seen pictures of it.
          I like shooting it just fine. I was pleased to find that off the bench, recoil did not hurt me. I find shooting my .308 and 12 ga. from a rested position often results in some uncomfortable marks on my shoulder. This has not been the case with this Beowulf. Recoil is stout, but not unpleasant. I have yet to maintain sight picture after firing a shot (unlike with my Grendel where I am still on target). It is pretty much like what happens when I shoot my .45/70.

          Here is a short, cheesy video I did that shows it. You aren't the first to ask... https://youtu.be/1_ZSgULkgFc

          Originally posted by Kikn View Post
          Nice. I like my beowulf. Hogs not so much...lol.

          I am a bit confused though. We're you calling in the hogs or trying to call in coyotes? If you were calling in hogs what call was it that you used?
          We were calling hogs. After numerous conversations with Glenn Guess on the issue and watching some of his personal field videos where he has done it, I thought we should give it a go. Glenn has spent a lot of time on the issue, raises hogs, and has done a lot of experimenting. Where most folks get into trouble is by using overly aggressive, macho calls, like boars fighting noises and such. The calls that seem to have the most appeal are calls that conjure up solidarity, protection, or curiosity. For example, a call that works to attract both males and females on the Foxpro system is called Sow Protection. It is basically a sow making defensive noise in the protection of herself and piglets. Sow protection also has some distressed piglet sounds mixed in as well. Piglet sounds are good including piglets in distress (which may also bring in coyotes). Really macho/aggressive calls (often used when they should not be) are best left for when you have tried everything else and nothing has worked. Calls such as boars fighting may actually drive away sows and sounders.

          It really does work, but it works like calling coyotes. They don't always come. If you use the wrong calls, you may not get good results. It helps of you know animals are already in the area for the calls to work. Hogs may come from quite a distance (Glenn showed me a video where this was going on), but the call is going to really have to be meaningful for them to do so.

          What I found interesting is that we placed the call up hill from a gully where we had plenty of hog traffic shown, a hog thoroughfare, if you will, but neither of the hogs came out of the woods down in the gully. They came out of the woods in different location, up on the hillside fairly close to the caller. Once getting out into the open and where there were no hogs around to go with the sounds being made, they seems to experience a couple of second of confusion before starting to leave. Of the two hogs we called in to the sendero, there was less than 20 seconds in which we could have shot...sort of like if you were to call coyotes into a small clearing. They often take off when they realize something isn't right.
          Kill a hog. Save the planet.
          My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

          Comment

          • EPeterson
            Bloodstained
            • Nov 2014
            • 84

            #6
            Originally posted by Double Naught Spy View Post
            Here is a short, cheesy video I did that shows it. You aren't the first to ask... https://youtu.be/1_ZSgULkgFc
            I don't much care for shooting my Beowulf from the bench, especially with a 350gr bullet over a stout load. Recoil standing isn't bad, and is almost "pleasant" with the mild 500gr loads. I use mine for when I'm out hiking. Will you be putting more videos out on hunting pigs with the Beowulf?

            Comment

            • Double Naught Spy
              Chieftain
              • Sep 2013
              • 2560

              #7
              The Echo 1 sight does not record directly from it. In order to record kills, another thermal scope has to be used. I had hoped to have one on the hunt on a separate tripod, but managed to break the tripod. Ed was going to try to get the view from his rifle, but his timing was off.

              Wednesday night, I will try for hogs at my place with a stationary thermal set up for recording the target area...or that is the plan. I have hogs coming, so I am hopeful to have an opportunity. With that said, between my neighbor and me, we have tried for hogs at my place 6 times now and managed not to get one. Trying is all that can be done.

              Still working on the terminal ballistics and general hunt video for this hog.
              Kill a hog. Save the planet.
              My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

              Comment

              • bwaites
                Moderator
                • Mar 2011
                • 4445

                #8
                Hopefully the answer is YES on more Beowulf hunts and video. I find DNS's videos to be the best hog hunting videos on the web! I like the down to earth analysis, and the fact that not every hunt ends with way expected! That's been my experience hunting coyotes in the past, and I think that is what happens in real life, vs. the videos of every shot dropping something!

                Comment

                • Kikn
                  Warrior
                  • Nov 2011
                  • 689

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Double Naught Spy View Post
                  I like shooting it just fine. I was pleased to find that off the bench, recoil did not hurt me. I find shooting my .308 and 12 ga. from a rested position often results in some uncomfortable marks on my shoulder. This has not been the case with this Beowulf. Recoil is stout, but not unpleasant. I have yet to maintain sight picture after firing a shot (unlike with my Grendel where I am still on target). It is pretty much like what happens when I shoot my .45/70.

                  Here is a short, cheesy video I did that shows it. You aren't the first to ask... https://youtu.be/1_ZSgULkgFc



                  We were calling hogs. After numerous conversations with Glenn Guess on the issue and watching some of his personal field videos where he has done it, I thought we should give it a go. Glenn has spent a lot of time on the issue, raises hogs, and has done a lot of experimenting. Where most folks get into trouble is by using overly aggressive, macho calls, like boars fighting noises and such. The calls that seem to have the most appeal are calls that conjure up solidarity, protection, or curiosity. For example, a call that works to attract both males and females on the Foxpro system is called Sow Protection. It is basically a sow making defensive noise in the protection of herself and piglets. Sow protection also has some distressed piglet sounds mixed in as well. Piglet sounds are good including piglets in distress (which may also bring in coyotes). Really macho/aggressive calls (often used when they should not be) are best left for when you have tried everything else and nothing has worked. Calls such as boars fighting may actually drive away sows and sounders.

                  It really does work, but it works like calling coyotes. They don't always come. If you use the wrong calls, you may not get good results. It helps of you know animals are already in the area for the calls to work. Hogs may come from quite a distance (Glenn showed me a video where this was going on), but the call is going to really have to be meaningful for them to do so.

                  What I found interesting is that we placed the call up hill from a gully where we had plenty of hog traffic shown, a hog thoroughfare, if you will, but neither of the hogs came out of the woods down in the gully. They came out of the woods in different location, up on the hillside fairly close to the caller. Once getting out into the open and where there were no hogs around to go with the sounds being made, they seems to experience a couple of second of confusion before starting to leave. Of the two hogs we called in to the sendero, there was less than 20 seconds in which we could have shot...sort of like if you were to call coyotes into a small clearing. They often take off when they realize something isn't right.
                  Very nice. I wouldn't mind seeing that in action...

                  I have a fox pro also did you get the audio file from their website? I haven't tried installing Any additional calls yet but if you had a link to it i'd definitely give it a try next time in out on a pig hunt.

                  Comment

                  • Unclered
                    Bloodstained
                    • Sep 2016
                    • 29

                    #10
                    Kicks like a 2 3/4" slug. Not bad. I load for it. A 350 xtp @ 2000 fps has a good kick as does the 500 xtp @1550 fps. Not as bad as a 1 oz 3" 12 ga slug. I smoke deer with the 350 load. I really like the round
                    "It's a long shot with a limb in the way but it beats suckin' pond water"- Jed Clampit 1964

                    Comment

                    • Double Naught Spy
                      Chieftain
                      • Sep 2013
                      • 2560

                      #11
                      Alright, here is the video. FYI, plenty of blood and such, so may not be safe for work or family...just sayin'.

                      Kill a hog. Save the planet.
                      My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

                      Comment

                      • customcutter
                        Warrior
                        • Dec 2014
                        • 452

                        #12
                        If one is a meat hunter, then CNS shots are the call of the day, not shoulder shots!

                        Comment

                        • Double Naught Spy
                          Chieftain
                          • Sep 2013
                          • 2560

                          #13
                          Hey, I missed the shoulder and still messed up both of them, LOL!

                          After doing some reading, the XTP bullet from Hornady has a reputation for violently coming apart, which would explain a lot of the damage.
                          Kill a hog. Save the planet.
                          My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

                          Comment

                          • RicosRevenge
                            Warrior
                            • Jan 2016
                            • 146

                            #14
                            DNS... any more thoughts on the Echo 1? I don't have the jack to go full blown "proper" $8-12K thermal and honestly; I wouldn't use it enough to justify it anyway. But, the Echo 1 may not be out of range (along with the Armasight Predator 336) rather than going with a more traditional NV monocular.

                            Comment

                            • Double Naught Spy
                              Chieftain
                              • Sep 2013
                              • 2560

                              #15
                              You know, the Sig Echo 1 is a functional thermal optic. I figure that it has about the same functional resolution as my PS32 (240x140) thermal scanner despite having less physical resolution (206x156). I believe this to be because it has a more narrow FOV, effectively giving you about the same amount of image per pixel.

                              Here is a little video I did with my cell phone behind the Echo 1...


                              In the video, I am using the red palette, which is 1 of 8 color background choices you have. I have gone with a green (1 of 4 colors) box dot reticle (1 of 6 including one you can design yourself). I didn't do the video as a demo video, but mostly to get B-roll for the hunt where I hoped to shoot a hog. Storms rolled in after seeing the deer and that never happened.

                              There are good and less good aspects to the Echo 1. It is light, functional, offers several options for use, and handles recoil are heavier recoiling rifles. Run time is outstanding (8+ hours) and you can "hot-swap" batteries one at a time without ever powering down the unit. It is not a long range optic, great for identifying targets way out there, it does backlight your face, and is not bright enough to use in direct sunlight (but seems to be bright enough to work in the shade just fine).

                              The current list price is $2500. If you need a scope that can handle higher recoil above a .308 and don't have the big bucks like you say, then this will certainly work. If you want a little better image and can afford a few hundred (not thousand) more, then the Pulsar APEX XD50a is a good choice (2x native magnification instead of 1x for the Echo 1) or Armasight Zeus 3x 336 resolution thermal scope would be the way to go..
                              Kill a hog. Save the planet.
                              My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

                              Comment

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