6.5 Creedmoor.......Love affair???

[603Country]

I don’t have a 6.5CM, but do have a 260, which is the ballistic twin. The only reason I bought it was because a buddy was willing to sell it real cheap, and the wife said she wanted a gun for hunting pigs. Well, she didn’t hunt pigs, so I started hunting with it and found that I liked it a lot. Sold it and got another one that fit me better, and that’s what I hunt with. My 270 rarely gets used now. In the varmint season (pigs and coyotes) I shoot 100 gr Nosler BTs, and move to 120s for deer. Very little recoil with the 100s and not much with the 120s. Very pleasant caliber to hunt with. I’ve shot a couple of pigs and coyotes out to 400 yards, but deer shooting is usually under 300 yards. All in all, I really like the caliber. It doesn’t match up to the 270 at hunting ranges, but that’s Ok. And I have no reason to shoot at 800 or 1000 yards, so I don’t see much need to shoot 140 gr bullets.

[98 220 swift]

I used to hate the 6.5cm. I got tired of all the talk about it. I bought one a few months ago at a deal. I found it to be a fairly accurate round. With decent recoil. I liked it enough to buy another rifle in 6.5 cm a few weeks ago. It really is not any thing new. What it is a good very accurate round that is available in cheap rifles. And they shoot very well. I also don't shot any farther than 250 yards. I just wanted a cheap accurate rifle to use on paper and possibly deer. Very accurate ammo is easily available. And rather affordable. I agree it the hornady has did a good marketing job. So you can say I was changed. I used to hate the 1911 for the same reasons. I finally got one and now it gets shot quite often.

[Wyosmith]

I am building two 6.5X55s now.
I think the CM has real merit because it comes very very close to the 121 year old Swede.

But it's ballistics are far from "new"

I for one would rather have a 6.5X55 or a 260 Remington in most bolt actions.

But if I were to buy a bolt action that takes a NATO length detachable magazine I'd like the Creedmoor just fine. It's effectively a 260 Rem with the shoulder and neck moved back to make room for the heavier longer bullets and still fit in the NATO mag. If you don't have the NATO mag, there is no reason to move the shoulder and neck back anyway.

I'd take any one of the 3 long before I'd take a 264 Win Mag or a 26 Nosler. Or any other throat burning uber-magnum.

There is a segment of the shooting world that believe faster is always better, and I don't believe that's true.

My way of thinking says if a 140 grain or 160 grain 26 caliber from a Swede is not enough I don't need to make it go faster. I need a bigger bullet!

So I'd jump up to a 308 or 30-06, or even a 375H&H or 9.3X62 if a Swede, a 260 or a CM were not enough. Faster is not the answer to that question.

[Dranrab]

I have 2 6.5 Creedmoors. I also have a 6.5x55. For all of what I do and 95% of what 95% of shooters do, the 6.5x55 is better (loaded to its full potential). When the 6.5 PRC hits the mainstream, it'll better the Creedmoor appreciably, and probably in every way. Oddly, it will be a near ballistic twin of the good old 6.5x284 but in a tad shorter package and without the rebated rim.

The 6.5 Creedmoor was a lot of minute details done exceptionally well, and the resultant cartridge is inarguably outstanding. It really shows up on paper at longer ranges by all accounts. Few, and I mean very few shooters, shoot in ways that take advantage of all those minute details though. For the average hunter or shooter looking for a 24-28 caliber rifle, there's no reason to avoid the mild mannered Creedmoor, nor is there any reason to flock to it. It's not like they throw in a pair of BDUs with each purchase.

[MarkCO]

After 15 years with a .260Rem, I am going to rebarrel it to .243Win and pick up a new 6.5CM this spring.

I prefer the .260Rem, but brass life and efficiency of the 6.5CM is pretty nice. But the main reason I am switching is my 14 year old got a 6.5CM late last year. He is shooting Precision matches and hunting with it and it is impressive. I'd just rather not support 2 6.5 cartridges that are so close to each other. If you look at energy out at distance, it beats the .308, .270, .30-06 shooting the 143 ELDx.

[tobnpr]

Any assessment that would be relevant needs to include barrel life as a factor.

If we didn't care about getting 600-1000 rounds out of a barrel before staking a tomato to it,, we'd all be shooting 6.5-300's.

Nearly as much velocity and energy at 500 yards as the 6.5 Creedmoor popping out of the muzzle.

So no, nothing at all "miraculous" about it. Just a solid "compromise" for optimizing barrel life and velocity for 6.5's in a short action.

[stagpanther]

After 15 years with a .260Rem, I am going to rebarrel it to .243Win and pick up a new 6.5CM this spring.

I prefer the .260Rem, but brass life and efficiency of the 6.5CM is pretty nice. But the main reason I am switching is my 14 year old got a 6.5CM late last year. He is shooting Precision matches and hunting with it and it is impressive. I'd just rather not support 2 6.5 cartridges that are so close to each other. If you look at energy out at distance, it beats the .308, .270, .30-06 shooting the 143 ELDx.

Now that makes sense. I'm willing get out of my lounge chair to go to the kitchen to get a beer and some chips for you--what do you like?

[MarkCO]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

Now that makes sense. I'm willing get out of my lounge chair to go to the kitchen to get a beer and some chips for you--what do you like?

Dark beer.

[stagpanther]

Dark beer.

Now when you say "dark beer" do you mean a porter or stout? Personally, A stout is much better and I have no use for porters. Stouts deliver better taste and more alcohol at the head. I really don't think there is any need for porters.

[joed]

Originally Posted by emcon5

Only if you stick to 50 yards. May want to run some wind drift numbers beyond that.

It's the latest craze for now, can't wait till it ends though. It's a good cartridge but it's not the best for everything like the 6.5 Lemmings would have you believe.



Q: What's the difference between a 6.5 CM fan and a Terrorist?
A: You can reason with a terrorist.

[BIGR]

Although the 6.5 CM does interest me since I am looking to downsize calibers, I think I am going to wait and see what the 6.5 PRC has to offer.

[stagpanther]

This is my new wildcat; the "6.5 end-of-times" I've dropped deer at 6,000 miles with it--don't see much need for other fad cartridges.

[Don Fischer]

Originally Posted by MarkCO

After 15 years with a .260Rem, I am going to rebarrel it to .243Win and pick up a new 6.5CM this spring.

I prefer the .260Rem, but brass life and efficiency of the 6.5CM is pretty nice. But the main reason I am switching is my 14 year old got a 6.5CM late last year. He is shooting Precision matches and hunting with it and it is impressive. I'd just rather not support 2 6.5 cartridges that are so close to each other. If you look at energy out at distance, it beats the .308, .270, .30-06 shooting the 143 ELDx.

Energy out at a distance? What distance are you talking about?

[OzeanJaeger]

Sometimes it's gun writers/internet. Sometimes it's not.

Look at .308. It was never going to supplant .30-06 till it started winning matches. All of a sudden everyone wanted a .308. This is the same thing.

Once CM started winning all the matches everyone wanted one.

Look no further than the Carcano and the Sweed to see the inspiration. What's old is new.

[603Country]

I’ve got a 260 and it has become my primary hunting rifle. But, it and the 6.5CM won’t push a 140 gr bullet to 3000 FPS, but my 270 will. Now, some may say that “at distance, the 6.5 has more energy” but at 400 yards and in, which is a reasonable max range for hunters, the 270 has more grunt.

[hooligan1]

Under 400, against the .270 Winchester, the 6.5 bullets buck wind a tad better.
After that they leave the .270 win. I will never give up my .270 for anything really, but I dig loading for a rifle that's inherently accurate with less powder and bucks wind and has killing power beyond 400.
I don't hunt anywhere( as of yet) that longer shots can be required....man the 6.5 has a lot of bullets you can use in it....

[603Country]

I had another look at the ballistics. Shooting a 140 gr Accubond in both rifles, the 270 has an inch less wind drift at 400 yards in a 20 mph crosswind. That said, I am really fond of my Tikka stainless 260, and hunt mostly with it these days. A lot of that is based on the rifle and not so much the caliber. If I had the same rifle in 270, I might hunt with it instead of the 260. Stainless Tikka with a 20 inch heavy (Brux #4) barrel. For just coyote hunting and paper punching, the 260 is great, and recoil is light. For the big hogs, sometimes I wish I had the 270. If I moved back to hunting in the Louisiana lowlands along the river, where the big bucks are twice the size of the ones here in central Texas, i’d probably go back to the 270. A fellow wants to drop the big ones fast, before they get into the truly evil briar patches.

[emcon5]

Originally Posted by joed

It's the latest craze for now, can't wait till it ends though. It's a good cartridge but it's not the best for everything like the 6.5 Lemmings would have you believe.

You may want to read what I actually wrote, and what I was responding to before you call me a lemming.

[CalmerThanYou]

What kind of kerfuffle will the inevitable .458 Ham'r thread be?

[stagpanther]

What kind of kerfuffle will the inevitable .458 Ham'r thread be?

I've given it a careful look since it's AR10 specific--but so far--nope. : )

[MarkCO]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

Now when you say "dark beer" do you mean a porter or stout? Personally, A stout is much better and I have no use for porters. Stouts deliver better taste and more alcohol at the head. I really don't think there is any need for porters.

BB Vanilla Porter is one of my favorites, but Stouts, yes, they are better. LH Milk Stout and Wynkoops Sagebrush Stout are two of my favorites.

[MarkCO]

Originally Posted by Don Fischer

Energy out at a distance? What distance are you talking about?

500+

[stagpanther]

VBB Vanilla Porter is one of my favorites, but Stouts, yes, they are better. LH Milk Stout and Wynkoops Sagebrush Stout are two of my favorites.

Once again you have out-classed me sir, I must give you the road.

[bobn]

the Creedmoor concept is not about being a better cartridge than existing ones. it is about reaching for a box of hornady match ammo sitting on the shelf at any gun store, grabbing a cheap ruger or sav rifle. it will have the correct rifle pitch, throat and lead for the ammo that hornady developed with out the need for a custom gunsmiths' bs. just saying.....

[stagpanther]

the Creedmoor concept is not about being a better cartridge than existing ones. it is about reaching for a box of hornady match ammo sitting on the shelf at any gun store, grabbing a cheap ruger or sav rifle. it will have the correct rifle pitch, throat and lead for the ammo that hornady developed with out the need for a custom gunsmiths' bs. just saying.....

Score! What kind of beer would you like?