Is the 6.5 Creedmoor the new "go to" cartridge?

bradman

Spike
It seems to turn up everywhere I go...........

Long range shooting at the range for 1000 yards

Deer hunting

Target shooting

Varmint hunting (small animals)

Varmint hunting (coyotes)

Has it replaced the old faithful .308 for bench shooters?
 

brownisdown

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Never had a 308 but did buy a Ruger American Predator recently in 6.5 and it's an awesome shooting little rifle. Almost unbelievable for the price how good it shoots.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Also price of ammunition is not outrageous compared to the .260 Remington

Surprised it has fared far better than the .260 Rem
 

bradman

Spike
Is it cheaper to shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor compared to the 308? and the .260?
 
Last edited:

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
I bought one of the Wby Vanguards in 6.5 CM when they first came out. With factory ammo I was grouping right at 3 inches at 500 yards. Amazing caliber. Since then I had an old rifle rebarreled and picked up a barreled action too. Easy to load for, ballistics are amazing and there is a nice selection of both target and hunting bullets available. The only downside is that it has become wildly popular. So that means I have to find something else to stay ahead of the crowd. :rolleyes: They make a 6 mm Creedmoor too and it's been burning up the long range competition world. I shot a few deer with my 6.5 last year using 120 AMAX bullets which have now been discontinued in favor of the ELD X's. DRT. I favor the 140 Berger's VLD Hunting bullets for both target shooting and hunting. If you are looking for something a little different and especially if you handload you can't go wrong with the Creed. Right now I don't have a .243 but I'm seriously thinking of the 6 CM instead...just for fun!
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
It's definitely preforming for long range shooters, for normal hunters there's not a huge advantage for one over the other but to shoot bench or long range hunting the 6.5 out performs. To get a bc in a 308 as high as the normal match loads for the 6.5, you have to go with a such a heavy bullet that your velocity will drop of sharply. For standard loadings the 6.5 has a higher bc and roughly 200fps on the premium 308 load.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
It's certainly the flavor of the month.

Why does camo come in so many patterns? Because hunters like the way they look in it. Why does Rapala make so many colors of their shad rap? Because fisherman like to look at them. Why do rifle and ammo companies introduce new calibers? Because people like something new to tinker with.

For long range shooters, the bc you get combined with a lighter bullet has its advantages, but you have to remember that it comes with the cost of being more prone to be pushed by the wind.

I don't know enough about it to comment intelligently, but I've yet to see a true "do-it-all" caliber. Invariably, there are tradeoffs.
 

2boyz

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
The 260 showed up too early. I think it was in the 1990's as I followed Jim Carmichel, Outdoor Life Shooting Editor, as he touted the benefits of the 260 caliber and noted issues such as BC of the bullets as well as the theoretical penetration associated with the sectional density of the 140 grain bullets. Simply put, coupled with evolving optics, the caliber was perfect with the right loading and the associated gun design.

Remington dropped the ball in several management areas during an era that the company struggled a bit. With the first 260, Remington responded with a Model 7 with a 20" barrel..............................
 
Last edited:

Putt

Old Mossy Horns
My son is getting a Browning x bolt in desert tan, in the 6.5. , keep reading all good stuff on the performance of it
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
Since the ballistics of the darling new 6.5 Creedmoor are so close to those of the 260 Rem and the very very old 6.5X55 Swede.
The 6.5x55 has killed every game animal on Earth during the last 125 years or so, so how can these upstart 6.5 cartridges be "before their time".
The newer cartridges have alot of catching up to do.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
For long range shooters, the bc you get combined with a lighter bullet has its advantages, but you have to remember that it comes with the cost of being more prone to be pushed by the wind.
.
The bc is how the bullet is effected by wind. So a higher bc bullet will be less effected by wind regardless of it's weight. Generally higher bc bullets are heavier but not always. For instance a 308 178gn eld-x has a bc of
.535 while the eld-x 6.5 143gn has a bc of
.625 allowing you to shoot a higher bc bullet at higher velocities and it will be less effected by wind than the 308 of the same bullet design. While .535 to .625 may not seem like much it is a difference that gets more noticeable at longer ranges. The 6.5 will have a drift of 32 inches at 700yds with a 10mph full value crosswind, the 308 with the same wind and range will drift 38 inches.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
The bc is how the bullet is effected by wind. So a higher bc bullet will be less effected by wind regardless of it's weight. Generally higher bc bullets are heavier but not always. For instance a 308 178gn eld-x has a bc of
.535 while the eld-x 6.5 143gn has a bc of
.625 allowing you to shoot a higher bc bullet at higher velocities and it will be less effected by wind than the 308 of the same bullet design. While .535 to .625 may not seem like much it is a difference that gets more noticeable at longer ranges. The 6.5 will have a drift of 32 inches at 700yds with a 10mph full value crosswind, the 308 with the same wind and range will drift 38 inches.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks, I learned something. I had never really dove into it and thought for some reason that BC was a measure only applied to vertical terms.

Most that shoot a lot will never burn through any barrel in any caliber unless they're shooting a lot of competitions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Or Prairie dogs...
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks, I learned something. I had never really dove into it and thought for some reason that BC was a measure only applied to vertical terms.


Or Prairie dogs...

No worries.... some will definitely hit the limits of barrel life but the vast majority of us (even those that think they shoot a lot) will not go throw even a burner barrel. I shoot a decent amount (enough that I have an ammo allowance) and have yet to hit 50% on the 338lm that has the shortest barrel life of my toys. Also guys must keep in mind that barrel life is a guesstimate and that how a shooter seasons and maintains their barrel will have a huge impact, seen barrels rated for 4K last into the 6k range and still going strong, also seen some 11k 308s that were trashed after 3k.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
The 260 Remington and the 6.5 rem mag failed because well honestly, Remington marketing sucks. Remington has some really good designs and great rifles, but the idiots they hire to market stuff are clueless. The remington short action ultra mags were a better design and had less problems feeding then the WSM's did, but the WSMs are still rounds while the RSAUM is all but extinct.
as to the 6.5, it holds no allure for me. I have shot a 308 enough to know that while the 6.5 does offer a few advantages over the 308, it is not some magical pill that makes a crappy shooter good. Now, the 6mm creed and even a 243 AI are really really making it hard on me to stay with just loading for 308 and 223. Those two are something special when it comes to long range shooting.
 

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
If I can get 2500 rounds out of my 6.5 I'll be happy. I'm running 2600 fps with a 140 grain bullet. I don't think I'll be burning out my barrel anytime soon. With a BC of .612 I still have a velocity of 1912 fps and a retained energy of 1136 foot pounds at 600 yards. It's a fun round to play with. Yesterday afternoon we were hitting 4 inch steel plates at that distance. We had to keep dialing for wind but we were getting more hits than misses. I've never seen anything like it.

For those gun nuts out there, pick one up. Or better yet, pick up a 6mm Creed and tell us how it does. I'm trying my best not to get one but it sure is fun working up a load for a new gun and caliber.

And yea, I would like a 6.5 Swede too. :cool:
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
I'll stick with a 260. Even though I sold it, I never understood the ammo argument. I could buy ammo online and even including shipping, I never saw a big difference in price comparing it to my 25-06.

I agree with the marketing claims. I've always said the 260 Rem is the perfect youth caliber. Lil more than a 243, lil less than a 7/08. It's kinda like the 28 gauge. It's the perfect youth shotgun. Ammo availability will not limit me when/if my daughter wants to shoot. The thought of knowing she won't be like most grown men who pull the trigger with their eyes closed far outweighs the cost or availability of ammo.
 

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
I'll stick with a 260. Even though I sold it, I never understood the ammo argument. I could buy ammo online and even including shipping, I never saw a big difference in price comparing it to my 25-06.

I agree with the marketing claims. I've always said the 260 Rem is the perfect youth caliber. Lil more than a 243, lil less than a 7/08. It's kinda like the 28 gauge. It's the perfect youth shotgun. Ammo availability will not limit me when/if my daughter wants to shoot. The thought of knowing she won't be like most grown men who pull the trigger with their eyes closed far outweighs the cost or availability of ammo.

I think the .223/5.56 is the big youth caliber now. .260 would be another fun one to play with too. So many calibers, so little time...and money! :D
 
Last edited:

2boyz

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I'll stick with a 260. Even though I sold it, I never understood the ammo argument. I could buy ammo online and even including shipping, I never saw a big difference in price comparing it to my 25-06.

I agree with the marketing claims. I've always said the 260 Rem is the perfect youth caliber. Lil more than a 243, lil less than a 7/08. It's kinda like the 28 gauge. It's the perfect youth shotgun. Ammo availability will not limit me when/if my daughter wants to shoot. The thought of knowing she won't be like most grown men who pull the trigger with their eyes closed far outweighs the cost or availability of ammo.

^^ Good points on the 260.

The problem with the 260 was Remington. For years, the only loaded ammo was two bullets from Remington. A 120 grain BT and a 140 grain (exposed lead tip). Nothing else for years until Federal loaded the 140 Sierral Game King and others. The only gun initially was a Model 7 with a 20" barrel.

I had one of the initial Model 7's (rebarreled a few years later..same caliber). Reloaded. At least 10 kids have shot their first deer with that Model 7.

Remington missed a good marketing opportunity.
 

22LR

Twelve Pointer
I always thought the ballistic difference was trivial between a 6mm Remington and a 243AI and 6mm Creedmoor. Personally can't say anything about the 6.5 Creedmoor.
 

JAMIE V

Guest
I purchased a top of the line Savage 6.5 CM. for hunting Whitetail. I love the caliber. Great shooting rifle by the way for a 700.00 firearm with a 1500.00 Leupold scope on it. Scope is a little over board but I love it :)
 

Tunanut

Ten Pointer
I purchased a top of the line Savage 6.5 CM. for hunting Whitetail. I love the caliber. Great shooting rifle by the way for a 700.00 firearm with a 1500.00 Leupold scope on it. Scope is a little over board but I love it :)

You can never spend too much on glass. The older you get, the more your eyes will appreciate it. Personally, I'm a 6mm fanboy. Have several 243AI's and more plane jane 243's, but if a 6.5CM in an AR-10 platform was in front of me, it would probably come home with me. It's been on my "want" list for awhile.
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
Has it replaced the old faithful .308 for bench shooters?

No, the 6mm is king nowadays...with only 2 of the top seven 6.5's

So here is the list of most popular cartridges for this past season:
6.5×47 Lapua
6×47 Lapua
6XC
6.5 Creedmoor
6mm Creedmoor
6mm Dasher
6mm Super LR

You can see that 4 of the top 5 cartridges have average muzzle velocities within about 25 fps of each other. The 6mm Dasher is the obvious outlier from this group, at 100 fps slower than the others. But one advantage to the lower muzzle velocity is reduced recoil (assuming bullet weight is the same). Remember veteran shooter Paul Reid told us the quick engagements and improvised positions common in the PRS-style of shooting makes recoil management a critical part of this game, and the 6mm Dasher may have the lightest recoil of any of the popular cartridges.

This is off the Long Range Precision Rifle Blog.
 

klim

Twelve Pointer
I was debating on getting one but I've about talked myself out of it. I believe I'll just stick to my 264 Win Mag now that Hornady has a factory load for it now.
 

apexhunter

Ten Pointer
If Remington had properly touted the 260 for what it was really capable of doing and chambered it in more of their full size rifles there would be little discussion about the 6.5 Creedmoor. In reading about the 2 cartridges and talking with some buddies that do a lot of LONG range shooting the common thread is the 260 is slightly more capable than the 6.5 Creedmoor in terms of reloading for max velocity. But most of them have gone to the 6.5 as better brass is available.

The main advantage of either of these is the fact that the projectile stays supersonic for 500+ yards longer than a .308 Win giving the long range guys a distinctive advantage. They are fairly flat shooting but not as much as a 25-06 or the new uber flat Nosler loadings of late (but it is a short action cartridge). As for us normal deer hunters that take 95% of our animals inside 300 yards the realistic advantages are reduced wind effect on the projectile and a slightly softer shooting rifle than a .308 with more bullet energy than something like a .243.
 
Top