Opinions on the 6.5 Creedmoor..

[LoonWulf]

I think a shooter, with higher skills than me, could get more range with a 10 pound 300 Win Mag and 180 gr.

Im in the same boat, and 10lbs is about where i start finding 300s comfortable to shoot.
Ill stick with 7Mag (or 7STW), under 10 lbs, if the rifle gets down around 7lbs ready to fire Im much happier with a standard or short .24-28 cal. 5-6Lbs and Ill stick with a short action, which is where i think the 6.5s and 7-08s really shine in terms of performance VS recoil.

 

[boom boom]

Friday I shot a mule buck at 625 yards with a 7mmRemMag.
Thursday I shot a whitetail doe at 30 yards with the same rifle.

I build a few 10 pound rifles for myself every year. Most cartridges are good to 400 yards.
The 6.5-06 120gr or 129 gr and 7mmRemMag 140 gr are always good to at least 500 yards.

I think a shooter, with higher skills than me, could get more range with a 10 pound 300 Win Mag and 180 gr.

Here is a mule doe I shot a week ago Sunday at 400 yards with the same rifle. Can you see my homemade bolt knob? African Blackwood.
View attachment 766955

Clark, your homemade bolt knob looks better than a lot of manufacturers.

 

[Clark]

Loonwulf,
My theory is that those guys that fire 5,000 rounds a year are going to present more consistent coupling of the rifle's recoil to their body than me at 50 rounds a year. So their optimum 10 pound long range rifle kicks harder.
Likewise in motorcycle racing, the amateurs turn in their fastest times with wide power band engines, while the pros do their best with peaky high revving engines that are constantly requiring shifting.

boom boom,
I usually just do form follows function, but I have strayed into the aesthetic on bolt handles. I make them from scraps of wood and old coins.

 

[LoonWulf]

That sounds pretty reasonable, i hadn't really thought about it like that.

And those bolt handles are AWSOME!

 

[Nature Boy]

Love those bolt handles. I bet fellas at the gun shows would eat those up

 

[Clark]

Thanx, Nature Boy, maybe I will make a youtube video showing how I make them.

 

[Llama Bob]

I have been looking into the possibility of getting a 6.5 Creedmoor and wanted to get your guys opinion on the round....also if you have a Creedmoor what gun did you end up going with? I have looked at a guys Savage at the range and seemed pretty nice but I haven't done enough research yet. Any advice is welcomed...Thanks.

The 6.5CM is a great round for any sort of target shooting where recoil is a concern out to 1000+ yards. In PRS type shooting it's popular along with a lot of other very similar 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges.

For hunting, it's capable but I'd rather have a little more recoil and get the extra performance of a .264WM. For recoil adverse hunters it would be on the short list along with .243.

 

[RWMC]

Just this evening I purchased my very first 6.5 Creedmoor rifle; a Savage Axis II Predator. It came with a Bushnell 4x12x40 scope already mounted on the rifle. This is the 22" heavy barrel model with the Accu trigger and camouflage stock. I picked it up at Walmart for $398 plus tax. There is a $50 rebate program with Savage at this present time that runs through to November 18 for the Axis rifle. I had the associate at Walmart double check to see if there were any other heavy barrel Savage Axis rifle's in different calibers in the stockroom, but the 6.5 was the only one they had. I was delighted to find one in the 6.5 Creedmoor caliber at a Walmart store! I will be purchasing a set of reloading dies and some brass hopefully in the near future. I realize that this is not a lot of money for a rifle, but in my financial situation, it was still a "buy once, cry once" type purchase, if you know what I mean. Worked quite a bit of overtime to be able to afford this, and so I'm going to take my time and enjoy it! I plan on making it my coyote medicine rifle for those critters who like to venture around 400 yards away from my house. As long as I do my part, I will be looking forward to having the 6.5 "rain on their parade!"

 

[blue32]

Its a great cartridge but it should be worth mentioning Hornady has already tried to overshadow it with their 6.5 PRC. Thing is, most 6.5 cartridges are great. I really think Creedmoor is marketing-driven but that doesn't make it less of a round. I became skeptical when Hornady listed loading data for 120-123 gr bullets in the Creedmoor but advised using 129 gr data for those bullets with the 260, conveniently leaving out load / velocity data in their 8th ed. handbook.

 

[Sniper66]

My brother had a Ruger #1 6.5 CM, killed a few coyotes with it. But, it didn't kill coyotes any better than a dozen other rifles he has, so he sold it. The friend who bought it, shot it for awhile, then bought another one; this one a Browning x-bolt. Likes them both. I have no interest in them.

 

[wahsben]

I've been very happy with my RPR in 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[eastbank]

I bought one of the 700 Remington sps,s new(right at 500.00) in .260 with a 24" barrel and a 1-8 twist, while sighting it in I shot a 4" 3 shot group at 300 yards using a 12x leupold and 140 gr A-MAX loads(2700fps) from a lead sled. for hunting, I,ll mount a 2.5x8 leupold to hunt with. eastbank.

 

[Captcurt]

I bought one of the 700 Remington sps,s new(right at 500.00) in .260 with a 24" barrel and a 1-8 twist, while sighting it in I shot a 4" 3 shot group at 300 yards using a 12x leupold and 140 gr A-MAX loads(2700fps) from a lead sled. for hunting, I,ll mount a 2.5x8 leupold to hunt with. eastbank.

Eastbank, I had a 260 in a compact Ruger. Why I sold it is beyond me. A neat little round. I also have a 700 SPS in 243 that is probably the most accurate rifle that I have now. It was a demo (like new) with a scope that I got for $350 online. Changed out the scope and never looked back.

 

[joed]

"I became skeptical when Hornady listed loading data for 120-123 gr bullets in the Creedmoor but advised using 129 gr data for those bullets with the 260, conveniently leaving out load / velocity data in their 8th ed. handbook."

Snakes! Sounds like loading the deck in their favor.

 

[Clark]

I have a 260 Rem reamer and have built 3 rifles for myself
I have a 6.5-06 reamer [A Square for 30-06 brass, not 270 brass] and have built 2 rifles for myself.

I get great groups in the 10" twist rifle with 100 gr Nos Bal Tips
I get great groups in the 8" twist rifles with 120 gr Nos Bal Tips and 129 Nos Accubond Long Range.
9" twist is a lost soul.

I really like the 6.5-06 for killing animals at 625 yards. With 52 gr of powder, the barrel will not last forever, but it will last longer than me.
The 6.5-06 pushes the 120 gr at 3200 fps
The 6.5-06 pushes the 129 gr at 3075 fps

 

[farmerboy78]

I have a 260 Rem reamer and have built 3 rifles for myself
I have a 6.5-06 reamer [A Square for 30-06 brass, not 270 brass] and have built 2 rifles for myself.

I get great groups in the 10" twist rifle with 100 gr Nos Bal Tips
I get great groups in the 8" twist rifles with 120 gr Nos Bal Tips and 129 Nos Accubond Long Range.
9" twist is a lost soul.

I really like the 6.5-06 for killing animals at 625 yards. With 52 gr of powder, the barrel will not last forever, but it will last longer than me.
The 6.5-06 pushes the 120 gr at 3200 fps
The 6.5-06 pushes the 129 gr at 3075 fps

What powder do you use in the 6.5-06

 

[Clark]

I use IMR-4166 6.5-06 for 120 gr Nos Bal Tip 3197 fps
I use IMR-4451 6.5-06 for 129 gr Nos AB LR 3075 fps

I use IMR-4451 7mmRemMag 140 gr NBT 3265 fps
No one is impressed with those velocities. The Enron powders are temp compensated and anti Copper fouling... but not super fast.

I am using CFE223 250 Savage 100 gr NBT 3150 fps
People are impressed with that. That powder may be anti Copper fouling, but it is still a ball powder.

 

[farmerboy78]

I use IMR-4166 6.5-06 for 120 gr Nos Bal Tip 3197 fps
I use IMR-4451 6.5-06 for 129 gr Nos AB LR 3075 fps

I use IMR-4451 7mmRemMag 140 gr NBT 3265 fps
No one is impressed with those velocities. The Enron powders are temp compensated and anti Copper fouling... but not super fast.

I am using CFE223 250 Savage 100 gr NBT 3150 fps
People are impressed with that. That powder may be anti Copper fouling, but it is still a ball powder.

I run the Berger 140gr hybrid and h1000 or re25 around 2900ish

 

[eastbank]

how do you think CFE 223 would work in a .257 Roberts with 90 gr bullets? I have been shooting 115 gr bullets with imr 4350. but would like to shoot a lighter bullet for varmits. eastbank.

 

[Clark]

3450 fps

 

[If1HitU]

I got a 6.5 Creedmoor in September to hunt with. Already had it out in the woods, just no luck on a buck yet. Mine is the Ruger M77 Hawkeye GSR Scout Rifle. The trigger is great, breaks like glass. It comes from Ruger with a green digital camo synthetic stock and has a barrel that is about 2” longer than the .308 GSR Scout Rifle. Recoil is very light and highly manageable. Unlike the .308, it is easy to shoot an extended range session.

I set mine up to shoot Federal 140 grain Fusion ammo. Very plentiful around here. Plus stout enough for hawgs and black bear. I fitted the rifle with a Leatherwood Hi-Lux 2-7x 32mm variable EER Scope mounted forward, and sight picture is fast to acquire. The rifle is capable of three shot clover leafs...shoots better than I can now hold. Very pleased with it. Uses same magazines as the .308. This is a great stalking rifle.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is the bottom rifle, the top is my original .308 GSR.

View attachment 766449

That's a nice looking pair of rifles there.