6.5 CM really that much better than the 243?

Everyone has an opinion. I'd say .243 is fine. For very heavy Elk and Moose, maybe a Creedmoor is better. The Creedmoor certainly carries more energy to ranges beyond normal hunting -- like beyond 500 yards, 6.5 CM is going to make a bigger difference. I wouldn't get so hung up on the cartridge, and focus on things like the rifle fit and optics instead, and of course, if you hunt with it, then probably the thing that you're missing most is more days in the field, not a Creedmoor.

357smallbore said:

I'm a 243 owner , shooter and hunter. Never been under gunned for what I use the 243 for. (WT, Mule deer, Pronghorn, Black Bear, Cougar and all the different varmints) use 100 grn on Big Game. 75 grn on the varmimts.
Is the 6.5 really that much better? Buddy of mine says it's the best caliber for all hunting in the lower 48. And says he believes it'd make an excellent African plains hunting caliber for all the thin skinned non dangerous game they have.
If I want more HP. I go with my tried and true 06.

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First of, I love Skeeter as well! Those are two of my favorite books ever. I am lucky to have a few copies of each to pass on to my boys.

As to the .243 vs 6.5...I will keep my .243 and likewise go up to the 06 if I need more punch. Having said that I understand why people like the 6.5 and what it offers however I am not one of them yet. I do have some ideas for a mountain hunting rifle in 6.5 but haven't yet fully worked it all out in my head. My gut is telling me to ditch the 6.5 all together and go with the 280AI.

I am glad we have so many choices now, even if they all do somewhat overlap.

I don't even think the cm is better

I have both and both have their place. Where the 6.5 can outdo the .243 is by having a wide selection of ammo available as well as a bigger selection of (better) bullets for the reloader. There’s no need to abandon .243 for the sake of a new cartridge but I’d feel every bit as confident carrying a 6.5 as I would my -06s.

Remember too that not all owners are hunters meaning the advantages sought by them have nothing to do with game size or hide thickness.

.243 for me. I can reload for whatever needs arise. Not bashing the Creed ,to each his own,I just prefer the.243.

I prefer rhe 6.5 to the .243, but only because i like to tinker and ive been bored with the .243 for years.
I does deliver enough extra bullet weight to make a difference tho im fairly sure that 90% of hunters wouldnt notice on game, and the other 7% are probably going for something heavier, and 3% are dedicated to making the 6.5 work.
Personally im kinda wanting another 250AI, but i think i mostly want to shoot 120ish gr bullets.

ECVMatt said:

First of, I love Skeeter as well! Those are two of my favorite books ever. I am lucky to have a few copies of each to pass on to my boys.

As to the .243 vs 6.5...I will keep my .243 and likewise go up to the 06 if I need more punch. Having said that I understand why people like the 6.5 and what it offers however I am not one of them yet. I do have some ideas for a mountain hunting rifle in 6.5 but haven't yet fully worked it all out in my head. My gut is telling me to ditch the 6.5 all together and go with the 280AI.

I am glad we have so many choices now, even if they all do somewhat overlap.

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Ive owned multiple 6.5cms, a 6.5-284, 6.5prc and a .280AI.
End of the day theres no replacement for displacement, load any of them to the same pressure and youll get about 200fps less from the CM as the larger 6.5s, and 200fps, and 20gr less bullet mass than the .280AI.

If you want that extra 200fps and 20gr of bullet, your gonna get kicked about half again as hard. The larger 6.5s are about 1/3 more recoil....its enough to be noticeable.

If i were building a true UL mountain rifle, id consider that i can cut two pounds off a 6.5CM, and still have less recoil energy than a 280AI. Id also consider the game likely to be hunted, if I needed/wanted the extra bullet weight (20-40gr or so) then id for sure go 280, 280ai, or 7mag, and just carry a heavier gun, or deal with 30ish ft/lbs of recoil.

With the 6.5 CM, you can load a bullet 50% heavier to get more energy down range. I no longer own a 243, but killed two of my best deer ever with a 243. Got rid of that rifle when my dad wounded and lost the biggest buck either of us had ever seen with it. It was NOT the rifle’s fault or the cartridges fault, but that was the last time dad stepped foot into a deer blind before he died and I just couldn’t bear to look at the rifle after seeing my dad so broken.

I own a few 6.5 CMs and I’m pretty happy with their performance, but in your shoes, the only reason I would add a 6.5 CM to the stable is for a special purpose rifle such as the mountain rifle you mentioned. You have your bases well covered with the 243 and 30-06 in terms of general hunting.

I think it is. The 243 is probably ideal for deer size game and smaller. Which includes everything on your list of hunted game except black bear where I think you're a little under gunned. Especially if you run into one larger than typical.

As far as a hunting performance it compares more closely to 270, but with recoil closer to 243. It shoots bullets of the same or similar weights as 270 about 150-200 fps slower at the muzzle. But with better SD's which mean they penetrate deeper on game at any range and the better BC's mean they catch up to 270 velocity at a bit over 200 yards. A 140 gr+ bullet from any 6.5 will match the penetration and performance of a 180 gr bullet from your 30-06 or a 150 gr from a 270. And do it with 1/2 the recoil. It is the smallest cartridge suitable for everything in North America.

The 6.5X55 has nearly identical performance and has been a popular and classic plains game rifle in Africa for over 100 years. With 160 gr bullets it has taken everything in Africa, including elephant. No reason the 6.5 CM won't perform exactly the same on game.

The secret to the 6.5's rise in popularity is that today most shooters, even most hunters, spend more time at the range shooting than hunting. The 6.5CM is probably the perfect dual purpose cartridge. A guy can buy one rifle and be competitive at long range target shooting, and then take the same rifle out and hunt any game animal in North America. With reasonably priced rifles and ammo right off the shelf.

357smallbore said:

I'm a 243 owner , shooter and hunter. Never been under gunned for what I use the 243 for. (WT, Mule deer, Pronghorn, Black Bear, Cougar and all the different varmints) use 100 grn on Big Game. 75 grn on the varmimts.
Is the 6.5 really that much better? Buddy of mine says it's the best caliber for all hunting in the lower 48. And says he believes it'd make an excellent African plains hunting caliber for all the thin skinned non dangerous game they have.
If I want more HP. I go with my tried and true 06.

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Is this a poll or a creedmoor thread?
Personally I’m a 308 guy, figure I can kill most anything up to buffalo or rino

I have both. The CM is superior in both external and terminal ballistics, while still having very light recoil. It is doing some amazing things in the competition arena, in the field, and even in the tactical world.

Don't forget about 6mm Creedmoor. Same caliber as 243 Win with more room and faster twist for heavier bullets. I have been thoroughly enjoying mine.

The 6.5 is the new latest and greatest that has been marketed well in order to keep business up. It is no doubt a fine cartridge for long range shooters of 500+ yards. The .243 will do just fine for your hunting purposes and has taken it's fair share of deer sized game for years.

South Prairie Jim said:

Is this a poll or a creedmoor thread?
Personally I’m a 308 guy, figure I can kill most anything up to buffalo or rino

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If you want to hunt animals that can kill you with a 308, that’s your prerogative. It CAN kill them, but I’d prefer something with more ass for animals that tough, that ornery and that large.

If you think the .260 Remington (.264 caliber) is better than the .243 (.243 caliber), then so is the 6.5 Creedmoor. The main difference rests in the ballistics of the larger diameter bullet. A cartridge in the .264/6.5 class is able to put more energy down range than a .243. Larger game at distance requires more downrange energy.

I like the .243 a lot, and have several including a couple of .243 Ackleys. That said, if I was limited to one, all-purpose centerfire hunting cartridge, I'd probably opt for a 7mm-08, even though I also very much like the .260 Remington.

Yes. And these days it's nearly as ubiquitous.

For the hunting of game under 400 lbs at conventional 600yrd-or-less ranges, the 243win wants for nothing. For larger game or longer ranges, the heavier bullets of the 6.5 creed are a distinct and tangible advantage.

Personally, I’d never be foolish enough to take either to Africa, even after plains game. I’ve hunted out of country a few times, and the costs are far, far too great for me to compromise on cartridge.

But for many years, I used fast twist 243win and AI’s for deer, and have often touted them as the most efficient cartridge for said, with no concessions. I’ve expanded that claim to become a “class” of cartridges such my common statement today is that the 6mm ARC, 6.5 Grendel, 243win, and 6 Creedmoor share this title (and others like 6BR, GT, or Dasher). If I ever, someday, find myself needing more than these cartridges for killing deer, then I can be sure on that day I’m doing something I should not be.

I don’t use either for hunting and I generally hunt at ranges well inside the ranges they will accurately poke holes in paper.

marksman13 said:

If you want to hunt animals that can kill you with a 308, that’s your prerogative. It CAN kill them, but I’d prefer something with more ass for animals that tough, that ornery and that large.

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A 308 will kill a mountain lion or a bear just fine.

South Prairie Jim said:

A 308 will kill a mountain lion or a bear just fine.

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Agreed, but it might not know it's dead right away, that's when things get interesting.

South Prairie Jim said:

A 308 will kill a mountain lion or a bear just fine.

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You didn’t mention mountain lions or bears. You mentioned buffalo and rhinos.

I'm certainly jaded after watching a 100gr .243 blow up on a doe's ribcage and seeing similar results with 100gr .250Savage loads. I know a lot of folks swear by it but I swear at it. IMHO, the 6.5CM (or virtually any other 6.5) is an order of magnitude better than the .243. The .243 is a glorified varmint cartridge capable of taking deer sized game. The 6.5's are legitimate big game cartridges. I'd sooner hunt moose with a 6.5 than deer with the .243.

marksman13 said:

You didn’t mention mountain lions or bears. You mentioned buffalo and rhinos.

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marksman13 said:

You didn’t mention mountain lions or bears. You mentioned buffalo and rhinos.

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UP TO buffalo and rino not including , no worries mate

You’ve got a .243 and a 30-06 so I think you’ve got everything covered just fine. IMO what you have gives you more versatility than a 6.5 Creedmoor. I have a .243, 6.5x55 and 30-06 among others but if I could only have one I’d go 6.5. If I could only have two I’d go .243 and 30-06.