6.5 Creedmoor: is it just a fad, or is it here to stay?

[teddy12b]

Regarding the 6.5cm, it's not a fad. I'm the first guy to jump on the newest caliber bandwagon as I've got burned in the past doing that when I was younger and dumber (6.8spc back in the day). When I bought my 6.5cm it was also my one and only true custom gun so it took a lot of convincing for me to make that change. What ultimately put me over the top was talking with the guys a GA Precision and them saying that they not only build more rifle in 6.5cm than 308, but Hornady also produces more ammunition in 6.5cm than they do 308.

There was a time when the 6.5cm was just for the man bun sporting hipster kid wearing skinny jeans sipping a starbucks. That day has come and gone. In todays world you just have a better option. Imagine the same engine in a full size truck vs a corvette and imagine which one goes through the air better. There's a time and a place for everything, and I still have a 308. There's nothing wrong with a 308 and I'm thoroughly invested in it from dies, lapua brass, multiple rifles etc. The 6.5cm just happens to do everything the 308 does for hunting out to 500 yards, and beyond that you are mathematically more likely to get a hit with a 6.5cm than a 308.

There's no "wrong" answer between a 308 or 6.5. Honestly, if the Daniel Defense Delta 5 had been out when I bought my custom gun I'd have bought one of those with both barrels and been done with it.

 

[Hookeye]

Wonder if Big Green is gonna do the new 7600 in 6.5 CM.

 

[Hop]

I hope it's not a fad as I'd like to see the prices come down more. I have an AR10 in 6.5 that doesn't get much trigger time.
I'd like to try some 1k+ shooting and my M1A in 308 is coming up short (I'm not set up to reload quite yet).

 

[d.kaufman]

Will be taking the 6.5 out Saturday. Test out some different weight bullets

 

[ZurokSlayer7X9]

6.5 CM ain't going anywhere, at least anytime soon. It's the perfect round for getting into long range shooting and medium to large game hunting, especially now that it's becoming more common. When it comes to hunting, it does suffer a little due to the kinetic energy and bore size compared to .308. Personally, I really like the 7mm Remington Magnum, as it has similar ballistics to a 6.5 CM, but has nearly the kinetic energy of a .300 Win Mag.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I've got my youngest daughter's family ensconced out on the farm, and, being short of room in Suzie the other day, I opted to leave my fancy Savage build with my S.I.L. and told him to try to thin the whistle pigs out before the corn comes up. I think he's going to enjoy the heck out of it.

 

[ECS686]

The .260 Remington was a modernized 6.5x55. The Creedmoor is a (very) slightly modified .260 Remington. In fact the .260 has superior ballistics out to about 700 yards.

^^^THIS^^^

Is the 6.5CM here to stay? Probably but with the marketing hype people bought into over it it should. Is it any better than or an improvement over the 260 Rem or 6.5x55? I say market support is the only factors. Other than that performance not so much. It’s up to each person to decide if it’s for them or not!

Just my observation!

 

[Basher]

The .260 Remington was a modernized 6.5x55. The Creedmoor is a (very) slightly modified .260 Remington. In fact the .260 has superior ballistics out to about 700 yards.

That actually depends. Remington somewhat botched the .260 much like they did with the 6mm Remington. The .260 launched w/ a 1:9 twist, whereas the 6.5CM runs a 1:8. Also, despite having a ~3% increase in case capacity, the longer overall case length means that heavy for caliber bullets must be seated deeper into the case to fit within common mag COAL restrictions. There are, of course, several ways to work around that. But for off the shelf use, the 6.5CM is a better overall option. For custom builds and handloaders, the .260 offers a marginal boost in performance.

The fact is that BETA was a better medium than VHS, but VHS made it on top due to better marketing (among other factors). The 6.5CM has done the same. I’ve never seen a single box of .260Rem on the shelf in my entire life, but the Creedmoor is everywhere. Go figure.

 

[two70]

That actually depends. Remington somewhat botched the .260 much like they did with the 6mm Remington. The .260 launched w/ a 1:9 twist, whereas the 6.5CM runs a 1:8. Also, despite having a ~3% increase in case capacity, the longer overall case length means that heavy for caliber bullets must be seated deeper into the case to fit within common mag COAL restrictions. There are, of course, several ways to work around that. But for off the shelf use, the 6.5CM is a better overall option. For custom builds and handloaders, the .260 offers a marginal boost in performance.

The fact is that BETA was a better medium than VHS, but VHS made it on top due to better marketing (among other factors). The 6.5CM has done the same. I’ve never seen a single box of .260Rem on the shelf in my entire life, but the Creedmoor is everywhere. Go figure.

I think you're buying into the CM hype a bit. Outside of long range target shooting, there's really no need or point to firing 140 grain bullets out of .260 Rem size case. The .260 Rem is ballistically superior to well beyond normal hunting or plinking range. The 6.5 CM with 140 grain bullets only gains an edge well after 500 yards. Choosing a cartridge that only achieves its ballistic advantage beyond the range it is likely to be used, strikes me as bass ackwards. If I'm going on a hunt where a 500+ yard shot is likely, and there aren't many of those, then I'm choosing something more capable anyway. If I'm plinking or target shooting and don't care about terminal performance, then I'm choosing a 6MM, not a 6.5.

I think you hit on something important here concerning faster twist rates. The fast twist is the real value of the 6.5 CM system, it is just not at its best in a small 6.5mm cartridge and one that sold out completely to heavy for caliber bullets, IMO. Several older cartridges could benefit from being chambered in faster than traditional twist rates.

 

[Basher]

I think you're buying into the CM hype a bit. Outside of long range target shooting, there's really no need or point to firing 140 grain bullets out of .260 Rem size case. The .260 Rem is ballistically superior to well beyond normal hunting or plinking range. The 6.5 CM with 140 grain bullets only gains an edge well after 500 yards. Choosing a cartridge that only achieves its ballistic advantage beyond the range it is likely to be used, strikes me as bass ackwards. If I'm going on a hunt where a 500+ yard shot is likely, and there aren't many of those, then I'm choosing something more capable anyway. If I'm plinking or target shooting and don't care about terminal performance, then I'm choosing a 6MM, not a 6.5.

I think you hit on something important here concerning faster twist rates. The fast twist is the real value of the 6.5 CM system, it is just not at its best in a small 6.5mm cartridge and one that sold out completely to heavy for caliber bullets, IMO. Several older cartridges could benefit from being chambered in faster than traditional twist rates.

No hype buying here, I don’t have a 6.5CM. But if I were to buy another rifle, I’d like it to be capable of filling multiple rolls if possible, so yes, the ability to fire 140gr bullets is appealing. Why wouldn’t I want to be able to use the full range of projectiles? That’s like buying a .30-06 with a 1:14 twist. Am I likely to shoot 200gr+ stuff regularly? Probably not, but why intentionally limit myself?

IMO, the 2-3% advantage of the .260 being the only benefit it has over the 6.5CM is clutching a pearl. Unless you just like having to do more work to extract that 2-3% and you REALLY need that extra performance, you’re just wasting your time. If I really felt I had to squeeze EVERY last drop of performance from a cartridge to hunt my game, I’d probably be looking for the next step up in performance anyway, and I certainly wouldn’t intentionally handicap myself from the get-go like that lol.

If you’re purely a reloader, go for it. But as a casual shooter who wants some flexibility, I’d buy a 6.5CM over a .260 if I were in the market for a long-range round. If I were in the market for a purely hunting rifle, I’d still go 6.5CM so I could source factory ammo if my reloads got lost in transit to the hunt or if something else went sideways. Buying a .260 just to be unique is 110% cool with me (I have a few .17s for that purpose, just for the hell of it), but saying it’s worth buying in the current market because of a 3% advantage in performance but a significant handicap in almost every other aspect of owning it is folly.

Reader’s digest version: buy what makes you happy, it’s your money. But like Beta vs. VHS, the .260 will fade away while the 6.5CM triumphs. I’m not saying that’s “right,” only that it’s reality. Which was the main point of the thread. I’m not an ammo salesman lol, I don’t benefit from anyone choosing one over the other, I just wanted to see if people thought the 6.5CM would fade anytime soon, and the results of the poll are pretty definitive.

 

[two70]

No hype buying here, I don’t have a 6.5CM. But if I were to buy another rifle, I’d like it to be capable of filling multiple rolls if possible, so yes, the ability to fire 140gr bullets is appealing. Why wouldn’t I want to be able to use the full range of projectiles? That’s like buying a .30-06 with a 1:14 twist. Am I likely to shoot 200gr+ stuff regularly? Probably not, but why intentionally limit myself?

IMO, the 2-3% advantage of the .260 being the only benefit it has over the 6.5CM is clutching a pearl. Unless you just like having to do more work to extract that 2-3% and you REALLY need that extra performance, you’re just wasting your time. If I really felt I had to squeeze EVERY last drop of performance from a cartridge to hunt my game, I’d probably be looking for the next step up in performance anyway, and I certainly wouldn’t intentionally handicap myself from the get-go like that lol.

If you’re purely a reloader, go for it. But as a casual shooter who wants some flexibility, I’d buy a 6.5CM over a .260 if I were in the market for a long-range round. If I were in the market for a purely hunting rifle, I’d still go 6.5CM so I could source factory ammo if my reloads got lost in transit to the hunt or if something else went sideways. Buying a .260 just to be unique is 110% cool with me (I have a few .17s for that purpose, just for the hell of it), but saying it’s worth buying in the current market because of a 3% advantage in performance but a significant handicap in almost every other aspect of owning it is folly.

Reader’s digest version: buy what makes you happy, it’s your money. But like Beta vs. VHS, the .260 will fade away while the 6.5CM triumphs. I’m not saying that’s “right,” only that it’s reality. Which was the main point of the thread. I’m not an ammo salesman lol, I don’t benefit from anyone choosing one over the other, I just wanted to see if people thought the 6.5CM would fade anytime soon, and the results of the poll are pretty definitive.

The quote in bold is exactly how I see the urge to shoot 140 grain bullets out of the 6.5 CM and the CM in general. If you really need that "performance" then you should step up to a more powerful cartridge instead of trying to do it all with a less cartridge. I don't subscribe to the one rifle for everything theory but if I did, it certainly wouldn't be a 6.5MM of any flavor. I prefer to suit the cartridge to the task at hand. Partly that is because I'm in favor of almost any excuse to own more rifles and in part because I've seen cartridges fail when pushed into marginal situations.

My point in comparing the 6.5 CM and .260 is not to recommend that anyone buy a .260 over a 6.5 CM but to point out how fickle and easily swayed the shooting public can be. I also think it is a really clear demonstration of how much hype is driving the 6.5 CM's popularity. I don't think that is sustainable long term. Something new will come along and capture the attention of the shooting public. The 6.5 CM, despite the hype, is not a magical cartridge.

Also, I own two .260s and two 6.5 CMs and while I agree that 6.5 ammo is far more available, I think both cartridges are primarily the province of reloaders. I'm biased because I do reload but IMO, most of the 6.5 CM ammo that is readily available pretty much sucks for hunting purposes and both cartridges are at their best when reloaded. Most of the ammo available is target ammo with target bullets and the hunting ammo largely consists of 140 grain cup and core bullets, mostly ok for deer in some situations but not ideal for me.

 

[Basher]

All solid points. Your bold type didn’t show in the post for me, but I get your point. If money was no factor I’d feel the same way re: excuses to own more rifles lol. It’s not though, so while I do agree that fitting a rifle to a specific use is the best approach, I have to settle for my “better” (on a scale of good, better, best) option and do the most I can with as few rifles as I can.

But again, I see your points. I’m a fan of the 6.5 caliber in basically all its forms, to include the .260, I just feel the 6.5CM is a better fit for most, hence its popularity. Time will tell!

 

[DDadams]

It's a fad that isn't going anywhere. For most people.

Very few people get the benefit of it and would be able to shoot more if they'd go to 308 but 6.5 has the 'cool factor' of being better at distance. Most don't shoot far enough for the difference to be worth it though.

But it isn't going anywhere.

I'm buying more 308 though personally. If I found a much better job I'd consider a 6.5cm but not until after I got 6mm arc.

 

[Ashton1911]

I don't think any modern caliber should be expected to last forever, but as we see from 22lr, 9mm, 38 Spl, and 7.62x54R, some can last a heck of a long time. 5.7x28 has a specific niche which it somewhat shares with 7.62 Tokarev. Handguns, being more practical for everyday life than precision rifles (Excepting those few of us who don't carry, but hunt at long ranges frequently) are much more conservative in the choices. I don't see people making long comparison lists between 9mm, 380ACP, 32 auto, 38 Special, and .40 S&W. handguns are less competitive, in part because human performance with them is so much more limited.
With rifles there are hundreds of different calibers which function as a long range hunting tool. You don't need to be as picky about perfect feed, compactness, weight of ammo, cost per round, or many of the other things you worry about with a defensive pistol. 6.5CM is a good round, and is currently ascendant. At some point, likely within the next 20 years, another caliber will unseat it. It currently is the king, and until its adoption becomes as widespread as 5.56 or another common rifle cartridge, it will wane and be one of those calibers that guys who got into long range between 2010 and 2030 probably have. It will probably be on store shelves out to 2050, but that shouldn't be an issue for anyone who reloads.

 

[ru44mag]

I had a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser that was amazing. I could just never bring myself to put a scope on it. It was just too pretty to mess up. Love my 30-06 for deer hunting. Problem is, I must be wimpy, because in the woods no problem, but at the range, 10 shots, and my shoulder starts to quiver. The recoil on the 6.5 Creedmore is so lite, I can shoot way more. And the deer go down just as fast. I know my 6.5 will be around as long as I still deer hunt.

 

[Leo]

I hope it's not a fad as I'd like to see the prices come down more. I have an AR10 in 6.5 that doesn't get much trigger time.
I'd like to try some 1k+ shooting and my M1A in 308 is coming up short (I'm not set up to reload quite yet).

Shooting 1000 yards with an M1a is doable, but requires a lot of effort. I shot service rifle PALMA with an M1a. 175 grin ammo loaded to safe pressures. Grinding the front sight down until it only sticks up .100". Remove the rear sight pinion rack and use a jewelers file to cut three extra teeth in it. Hold hard and learn to read the wind. It is hard to stay supersonic past 900 yards with that length of barrel. 800 yards can be done with a stock rifle and M118LR ammo.

Reading the wind is everything past 600, even with a great rifle. I wish you well. It is challenging but rewarding when you get it. Once you get good at lobbing those slow .308 bullets at 1000, switching to a bolt gun in .300WIN mag or 6.5/284 feels like cheating.

It is fun

 

[bgcatty]

Realistically, most hunting for medium to large game is usually done within 200-300 yards or sometimes even less than 100 yards. There is nothing in that range that a tuned .30-06 can’t handle. With today’s Bullets and powders and proper reloading, there is no game animal that a .30-06 bolt action rifle can’t take down efficiently. IMHO my !

 

[Titanium700]

I’m a 6.5mm slut.
That said I really like the .260 AI
My son has a creed and I like it a lot.

 

[cosermann]

Time will tell. I don’t buy any caliber that hasn’t been out and in widespread use 25 yrs.