6.5 creedmoor goes big box--American Whitetail

[stagpanther]

Even just a year ago many pundits were speculating (and I'm sure a bunch still are) that the 6.5 creedmoor is bound to go the way of dinosaurs--but recently I've noticed several different packagings of "consumer grade ammo" showing up at the likes of Walmart and Dick's for around or under $20 a box, all aimed at the budget hunter.

Hornady's American Whitetail I've learned from other caliber offerings generally returns excellent results for a budget ammo--so for $17 a box (that's less than the brass alone in my experience) I grabbed a couple of boxes without hesitation.

Here's the very first 5 AW shots out of my 6.5 creedmoor AR build, shot fairly quickly from a front rest out in the snow and sleet this morning--exactly the kind of conditions I would likely be hunting in. Although I don't know how the interloc bullet itself would perform--I'm guessing it's pretty darn close to a Kor lock in concept--I've pretty much decided on American Whittail as my all-around "when I don't have/forgot my reloads." The AW ammo so far has not failed to turn in a sub-MOA grouping in any caliber or rifle I've tried so far--usually on the first attempt.

[jmr40]

Those shot well in my Ruger Predator too. Walmart is carrying Winchester 125 gr hunting loads at about the same price. They also have Federal ammo loaded with 140 gr Fusions for about $25 and Federal match ammo loaded with 130 gr Bergers for $28. Most of the bigger stores like Cabelas etc, have a good supply of others. At about $30 the Hornady Precision Hunter ammo with 143 gr ELDX bullets shoot very well too. Walmart doesn't carry them, but Cabelas and most bigger stores do.

[bacardisteve]

I don't think the 6.5 creedmoore is going anywhere but it is still way over hyped. It's a good round but doesn't do anything a dozen or more cartridges can't do. Hornandy partnering up with gun manufacturers is its only reason for the big success. Not bashing the chambering and if I was starting out and wanted a 1000yd capable platform and also intended to hunt with it it may end up my top pick. That said for the guy that owns a 260 , 6.5x55,243,308 etc it really isn't justified.

[zipspyder]

The 6.5CM would be my next gun purchase if I didn't have so many rifles now I'll probably never shoot...

[stagpanther]

... if I didn't have so many rifles now I'll probably never shoot...

What's your point? What difference would yet another rifle that you don't shoot make?

[CalmerThanYou]

I don't hunt, but have been buying that round whenever I see it on the shelf. Bringing my cost on steel down. Let's hope this trend continues!!

[Old Stony]

I've been shooting it for the last year or more, and can't see me liking any other caliber more for hunting. I've shot a lot of hogs and some deer with it, but I'm not a long range guy, given the thick cover in my area. Great groups, light recoil, good bullet performance on animals....I couldn't ask for more...and I have have shot a lot of calibers in my lifetime.

[Capt Rick Hiott]

I just bought a Savage Axis 6.5 and used 143Gr Precision Hunter ammo from Hornady.
Two of the three shots were touching at 100 yds.

You should try it.............

[stagpanther]

I just bought a Savage Axis 6.5 and used 143Gr Precision Hunter ammo from Hornady.
Two of the three shots were touching at 100 yds.

I already load my own ELDX hunter cartridges--the commercial stuff is up there in price where doing my own loads is competitive--but then there's Hornady's "hidden advantage" they definitely have their powder game at the top of the industry IMO--with rare exceptions I can almost never match their velocity/reduced recoil characteristics.

[mete]

I have my old 6.5x55 but I never used the 140 Fusion. Can someone compare the fusion with other bullets in use on deer ?. I prefer to err on the penetration side .

[stagpanther]

I have my old 6.5x55 but I never used the 140 Fusion. Can someone compare the fusion with other bullets in use on deer ?. I prefer to err on the penetration side .

I can't--having never used the fusion hunting--though I can say a 140 gr bullet in my 20" creedmoor AR significantly slows down the velocity compared to, say, a 130 or less gr bullet. I generally stick with 130 grs in my creedmoor build--but I'm sure longer barrels would do better with the bigger bullets.

[Mobuck]

"I don't think the 6.5 creedmoore is going anywhere but it is still way over hyped. It's a good round but doesn't do anything a dozen or more cartridges can't do."

AGREE
For years I used a handloaded 7x57 and it seemed to the absolute king of the deer woods. Really no better than a dozen other cartridges but it just meshed with my needs better than others. Then I got a 25/06 and guess what, it did everything the 7x57 did plus added 75 yards to my "hold on the brown" range.
The 6.5C is being hyped and is obviously good at what it was designed for BUT it's no better than a dozen other cartridges already on the market for general use.

[OzeanJaeger]

It's not "new" either. It simply takes several old cartridges, and combines some of their more effective traits.

The difference today is not that we've found a range of super cartridges. It is that bullet manufacture and design has become incredibly competitive, and they are all innovating and advancing in an arms race to squeeze every last thou out of a BC. They're designing bullets as if they were designing aerospace vehicles, and when you compare modern offerings to those of yesterday the math doesn't lie. What's on the store shelf today is far better than proprietary sniper bullets ten years ago.

I credit Bryan Litz more than anyone else for applying dopplar radar and creating accurate ballistic models for high efficiency bullets that hadn't really been changed since the Gavre function (G1) models. Yes, the Army ordinance department created a handful of different models, but there was a lot of guessing, and today there isn't.

A full range ballistic computer can be downloaded for $15. Couple that with high efficiency case designs, small caliber bullets with BCs approaching what were formerly only .30cal+ heavies, and you do have a range of precision cartridges (and the rifles to shoot them), that we have never seen before.

It really is Adam Smith, invisible hand stuff. The competition is fierce, and you need look no further than what Sierra and Hornady have been doing to see it. Upstarts are constantly roiling their market, and they've have to become more nimble and adaptive than ever before.

6.5 CM isn't going anywhere, but it isn't as if every other cartridge can't take advantage of the same advancements. The next big thing is certainly going to have a long case neck. I don't see that changing.

[zipspyder]

There are always better or worse calibers that can get the same job done. You can say that about EVERY caliber. I don't understand why people use that argument as it makes no sense? Shoot what you like and be thankful we have so many to choose from.

[stagpanther]

It's not "new" either. It simply takes several old cartridges, and combines some of their more effective traits.

Well, in that case, might as well bench em all and go back to flintlock muzzle loaders.

[OzeanJaeger]

Have you ever reloaded for, handled, or fired a 6.5mm Caracano?


See any familiar traits from a visual comparison? Forget the bullet. That’s the only “new” element of the design. I’ll bet a 100+ yo Carcano would benefit greatly from a VLD... Even with an air plough for a pill they were pretty accurate rifles.

[stagpanther]

Have you ever reloaded for, handled, or fired a 6.5mm Caracano?


See any familiar traits from a visual comparison? Forget the bullet. That’s the only “new” element of the design. I’ll bet a 100+ yo Carcano would benefit greatly from a VLD... Even with an air plough for a pill they were pretty accurate rifles.

Have a friend who's writing a book on the Kennedy assassination that sent me a caracano bullet--never seen an older bullet seated as long as that--that's for sure! Seems like an older round nose design though--but maybe it would benefit from some modern high secant designs. Funny you mention VLD's--the 130's fly exceedingly well out of both my creed and 260 but they are 20" AR barrels. The Whitetail isn't quite as accurate as my homegrown ammo--but what is truly remarkable about it is that it seems to shoot consistently very well no matter what I've shot it in. I've chrono'd it too and it's box ballistics is very consistent compared to 24" sporter barrels I've shot it out of.



Caracano on left, creed on right. A great design way ahead of it's time--perhaps too far ahead--though not as adaptable to modern short-actions I would think. From what I've read the round nose tended to tumble early and thus could not realize it's long range potential--that apparently wasn't a problem for Oswald though.