Somebody give me the skinny on 6.5 Creedmoor

I have resisted the hype only because I have a 6.5x55 in a CZ 550 that shoots very well, so it would pretty much duplicate it. (Plus, I have the 6.5mm well bracketed with a .243, ..257 Roberts., .270, 7mm Rem mag, etc)

Those that have the 6.5CM really seem to like them, so IMHO that is a very good sign if you choose to pick one up.

Stay safe.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?attachments/upload_2022-6-26_19-17-27-jpeg.1086535/




Here are a couple of different groups from my 6.5 Creedmoor I think they are highly accurate everyone I’ve shot has held it’s own on the range and they are a legit game killer from Elk on down for what you are wanting I think it’s a perfect choice and yes I’m a 6.5 Creedmoor fan

tark said:

Seems to me that the 6.5 CM is yet another re-invention of and old cartridge that offers no better performance.

What can a 6.5 CM do that the 100+ year old 6.5X55 Swedish cannot do? Eh?

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Fit in a 2.8" magazine.

I hear tons of folks bitching about the "hype" and marketing but I never see the hype or marketing. Which makes me wonder.

I don't care about either. The cartridge does what it was designed to do. It was designed as a long range target cartridge for PRS. It shoots flatter than the .300WM without the recoil and blast. It fits into the AR10 magazine. It has a faster twist than the .260, sharper shoulder and longer neck. It runs at higher pressure than the Swede and fits properly into short action rifles. It works very well in shorter barrels and is typically very accurate. It wasn't designed or intended to replace granddad's ole `06 deerslayer but it does happen to be a fine medium game cartridge.

tark said:

What can a 6.5 CM do that the 100+ year old 6.5X55 Swedish cannot do? Eh?

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Fit into the AR10 magazine and run at 62,000psi.

tark said:

Seems to me that the 6.5 CM is yet another re-invention of and old cartridge that offers no better performance.

What can a 6.5 CM do that the 100+ year old 6.5X55 Swedish cannot do? Eh?

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Performance wise, nothing and it's not quite as capable when both are built on the correct size actions.
Form factor advantage (depending) and performance/availability are a thing.

The rest well.....fan boi+hater=noise

Its a good cartridge. I have a 6.5 CM. I also have a 6.5x55 - and two .308's. I'm not biased against anything.

I think some people get annoyed by others overhyping 6.5 CM. Not so much in saying its good (because it is), but in putting down other cartridges in comparison (ie people stating that .308 is obsolete and you're crazy for buying one). Granted I don't see that often on this board but if you peruse some Youtube or Facebook comments you see a lot of it. That's not the fault of the cartridge though.

Compared to 6.5x55: If its for a bolt gun I don't mind 6.5x55 compared to it. Long vs. short action isn't a big deal to me, but the Creedmoor is a newer more commonly available cartridge and makes more practical sense over the older 6.5x55.

Compared to .308: .308 has dirt cheap factory ammo, lots of surplus ammo, and can handle heavier bullets. 6.5 CM shoots flatter with less wind deflection and has less recoil. Ammo availability on both is very good (though as noted the .308 is usually cheaper).

Compared to anything else you just weight your pro's and cons. There aren't many strictly good or bad cartridges - they simply have a set of capabilities (the vast majority of which overlap each other for the most part) and you pick which one suits your needs best. Personally my favorite deer cartridge is 7mm-08, but despite being very capable its popularity has been declining a bit so something like 6.5 CM might be a bit more practical today though in performance they're very similar.

horsemen61 said:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?attachments/upload_2022-6-26_19-17-27-jpeg.1086535/


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Here are a couple of different groups from my 6.5 Creedmoor I think they are highly accurate everyone I’ve shot has held it’s own on the range and they are a legit game killer from Elk on down for what you are wanting I think it’s a perfect choice and yes I’m a 6.5 Creedmoor fan

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What velocity are you getting with the 4064 and the 140 grainer?

someguy2800 said:

Fit in a 2.8" magazine.

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Exactly. In AR308 context it reminds me of .300BO in AR15, in the sense that it takes an old gun design to a new performance level with no meaningful modifications or re-design. Combined with a youthful "in the know" -image spread by social media and discussion forums, popularity isn't much of a surprise. Obviously it has trickled down to a variety of guns with time, now anything in either will sell.

Even though we're talking about a completely different performance level, it's much easier to chamber, say, a DPMS-pattern AR in it than manufacture one in .300WinMag or .338Lapua, and people punching paper or hunting deer-elk -sized game in extended distances are well served. Not to mention Top Trumps -factor, ie. somewhat impressive numerical stats that can be flaunted around.

The great thing is that it's one of the few rounds in quite a while that has become mainstream and isn't likely to fall into obsolescence anytime soon.

mgmorden said:

Personally my favorite deer cartridge is 7mm-08, but despite being very capable its popularity has been declining a bit so something like 6.5 CM might be a bit more practical today though in performance they're very similar.

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Match it up with a high BC bullet, such as the .796 BC 180 ELD-M, and you can get places. 6.5 CM can't touch that.
ELD-M is not designed as a hunting bullet, but it does kill critters.

LoonWulf said:

Performance wise, nothing and it's not quite as capable when both are built on the correct size actions.
Form factor advantage (depending) and performance/availability are a thing.

The rest well.....fan boi+hater=noise

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Isnt the 6.5 swede a long action ?

It's a fine round that was developed for long range shooters and then marketed well as a deer cartridge. My .270, 243 and 7-08s shoot bug holes just like people shooting the 6.5 have posted. I'm good out as far as necessary to ethically take a shot at a game animal. If I had the need for a new rifle I would give the 6.5 a shot but I'm good with what I have. I recently had a buddy give me his 6.5x284 to sight in and load for. I was impressed to say the least in that round.

hk45shootist said:

Match it up with a high BC bullet, such as the .796 BC 180 ELD-M, and you can get places. 6.5 CM can't touch that.
ELD-M is not designed as a hunting bullet, but it does kill critters.

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What muzzle velocity are you getting with the 180 in the 7-08?

It sounds like it fits all the needs you listed . One thing that I have noticed , is that I see ammo for it more than any other caliber around here . I have a hard time finding .243 ammo , but I always see 6.5 on the shelf.

C-grunt said:

What muzzle velocity are you getting with the 180 in the 7-08?

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I don't handload 7-08.

conan32120 said:

I have a .243 which is my paper puncher, been thinking about a little heavier caliber but to me the 6.5 CM seems so close to my .243 that its not worth the investment. I don't hunt but I do bang steel on occasion. Been investigating a 7mm-08 as my next step up, but 7mm-08 are not as easy to find as the ever present 6.5 CM. with your knowledge of both rounds performance should I reconsider my view on the 6.5?

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I target shoot with 308 myself, as there are surplus options-but 6.5 CM will outperform the 243 all day long at distance.

tark said:

Seems to me that the 6.5 CM is yet another re-invention of and old cartridge that offers no better performance.

What can a 6.5 CM do that the 100+ year old 6.5X55 Swedish cannot do? Eh?

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For practical applications like hunting, not much inside of 400 yards…but the further out you go, the better it stabilizes bullets.

Mr_Flintstone said:

Is it worth the hype or the hate it gets? I’m thinking about a new rifle, and I’m weighing my options. I want something mainly capable of taking deer, and in a pinch, maybe black bear or boar.

As I get older, I find myself wanting something that doesn’t break my shoulder to shoot, and I don’t want to have to jump through hoops to find ammo. I reload, so custom loads won’t be a problem, but I don’t want something I can’t get components for or have difficulty in finding factory ammo either.

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Very good responses so far..... A few emotionally bias, but very good.

Short and sweet (sort of),,, the 6.5 CM will 100% do the job for deer, black bear, and boar. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to use it for either. For those applications you'll be able to find factory ammo with the appropriate weight bullet rather easily, and you won't be disappointed. If you reload, even better.

There was/is a lot of hype around the cartridge, typically from people that don't really know much about firearms, the cartridge, or ballistics in general. But they "heard from a friend who shoots all the time" that the "6.5 CM is moving so ridiculously fast, it burns barrels out in no time".

It's an excellent cartridge that does nothing special other than delivering decent energy, and being inherently accurate. I love mine!

Varminterror said:

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I am the quintessential .308 boomer

Here, this should cover all bases

FL-NC said:

I target shoot with 308 myself, as there are surplus options-but 6.5 CM will outperform the 243 all day long at distance.

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Not if the 243 has a fast twist.

CraigC said:

I hear tons of folks bitching about the "hype" and marketing but I never see the hype or marketing.

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Winchester releases a powder called 'StaBALL 6.5'? That's not marketing?

I think the 6.5 Creedmoor is a great cartridge designed to efficiently drive the latest long-for-caliber high BC bullets. It does its job very well. It's the cartridge I recommend to someone thinking about getting into hunting or target shooting if he or she doesn't already own a rifle in a suitable cartridge.

I don't own a 6.5 Creedmoor. My short action hunting cartridges include a .243 Win, a .243 Ackley Improved, a .260 Remington, a .260 Ackley Improved, and a 7mm-08. I don't see an advantage to adding a 6.5 Creedmoor to the lineup. Maybe when the .260s get shot out ...

I always thought that 6.5x55 was a great cartridge. When the 260 Remington was standardized I thought that it was even better. 6.5 Creed is an improved .260 that can shoot high BC bullets at mag length. What's not to like?

I tend to cock an eyebrow when people state that it can kill elk at ungodly ranges but that's another can of worms.

Charlie98 said:

Winchester releases a powder called 'StaBALL 6.5'? That's not marketing?

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I didn't say there was no marketing, everything is marketed. Making money is how they stay in business. All the uproar is because there's a new powder I never heard of???

FL-NC said:

I target shoot with 308 myself, as there are surplus options-but 6.5 CM will outperform the 243 all day long at distance.

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mavracer said:

Not if the 243 has a fast twist.

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^
This!!

I've shot a fast twist .243 and a 6mm SLR (1:7.5") side by side with a friend with a 6.5C out to 1500yds, in 300yd increments. At every tgt, I used less wind and less elevation, and sucked down less recoil.

Just comparing Berger bullets

The .243 105Hybrid has a BC of .536
The 6.5 144 Hybrid has a BC of .655

But the .243 (or my 6mm SLR) has a MV of 3170 FPS compared to under 2800 for the 6.5C, the 6.5C's higher BC bullet will catch up "someday", but it's a long, long, ways out there.

someguy2800 said:

Fit in a 2.8" magazine.

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I'm really dumfounded though by how many still don't get the 6.5C, and I'm a .260Rem guy! 30degree shoulder, great accuracy, quality brass everywhere, room for long high BC bullets, plenty of ooomph for most of the big game hunting done on this continent, and fits in a short action.