Why all the 6.5 Creedmoor Hate?

[Philip Glass]

Yeah, that's why it's called Creedmoor Derangement Syndrome. For some it seem like these Creedmoor lovers picket their house, have kidnapped their kids, or held them hostage and waterboarded them or something. I could give a crap what someone likes to hunt with personally.

How many plains game animals have you shot with it? Just curious. I have a buddy up in Montana who is a gov't trapper/shooter/hunter. He's killed loads of game with is CM and 139 Scenar's up to and including numerous bull elk. And before someone chimes in with "but African game is so much tougher than American game...." Strictly speaking of plains game, I heard that many many times before I actually went over there and hunted. I've killed over 60 head up to but not including eland, and I've never found them harder to kill than anything else when the proper bullet is put in the proper place.

My friend I advise and take many people on safari. I work hard to make them successful. The one friend who took the 6.5CM, who is an excellent shot and shoots competitively, was the one who followed the most wounded game. African game is tougher and the hunts I do are all very challenging. You can go to South Africa and shoot everything from a nice rest on the truck and you can make that perfect shot placement. When you have climbed many hills, stand on unlevel ground, are out of breath, and get a bit of buck fever you had better have enough gun.
I do most all of my WT hunting and culling here at home with a 5.56. Would I advise that for clients paying to go on a hunt they had saved up for years to accomplish? No.
Sorry I didnt mean to hurt anyone feelings and it seems the CM discussions seem to do that.

 

[JGRaider]

My friend I advise and take many people on safari. I work hard to make them successful. The one friend who took the 6.5CM, who is an excellent shot and shoots competitively, was the one who followed the most wounded game. African game is tougher and the hunts I do are all very challenging. You can go to South Africa and shoot everything from a nice rest on the truck and you can make that perfect shot placement. When you have climbed many hills, stand on unlevel ground, are out of breath, and get a bit of buck fever you had better have enough gun.
I do most all of my WT hunting and culling here at home with a 5.56. Would I advise that for clients paying to go on a hunt they had saved up for years to accomplish? No.
Sorry I didnt mean to hurt anyone feelings and it seems the CM discussions seem to do that.

So the answer to my question is, you have killed ZERO animals in Africa with the 6.5CM. I was quite sure that was your answer before I asked. I have hunted places other than SA 5 times myself, so you need to quit assuming things. Competition shooting/shooters have nothing to do with shooting off of sticks in the heat of the moment. If he was following the "most wounded game" then he needs better bullets and/or better placement.

No hurt feeling here I assure you. I just ever understand how people can give a recommendation on a particular product/hunt/etc without any personal experience, that's all. Personal experience trumps theory any and every day.

 

[Inline6]

Just a side bar note, just because someone shoots competition does not tell the whole story. What is the discipline? If someone only shoots off a bench it's going to be a different experience off of sticks. If pistol again different experience. The most important aspect to competition shooting when it get brought up... are they actually competitive? Have seen a lot of "competition" shooter, some are not as competitive as others. Meaning they show up to a few matches a year and they are a competition shooter. YMMV

 

[Hogpatrol]

My friend I advise and take many people on safari. I work hard to make them successful. The one friend who took the 6.5CM, who is an excellent shot and shoots competitively, was the one who followed the most wounded game. African game is tougher and the hunts I do are all very challenging. You can go to South Africa and shoot everything from a nice rest on the truck and you can make that perfect shot placement. When you have climbed many hills, stand on unlevel ground, are out of breath, and get a bit of buck fever you had better have enough gun.
I do most all of my WT hunting and culling here at home with a 5.56. Would I advise that for clients paying to go on a hunt they had saved up for years to accomplish? No.
Sorry I didnt mean to hurt anyone feelings and it seems the CM discussions seem to do that.

Just curious as to what rifle, scope and bullet used by the 6.5 CM hunter.

 

[spike.t]

@Daggaboy375
I agree. You didn't even hit the black square. Not that good ah.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

You noticed that as well....

 

[colorado]

I've taken to hunting elk lately with my 500 Jeffery. I keep ranges under 300 yards but they don't get up.

 

[MS 9x56]

Just a side bar note, just because someone shoots competition does not tell the whole story. What is the discipline? If someone only shoots off a bench it's going to be a different experience off of sticks. If pistol again different experience. The most important aspect to competition shooting when it get brought up... are they actually competitive? Have seen a lot of "competition" shooter, some are not as competitive as others. Meaning they show up to a few matches a year and they are a competition shooter. YMMV

If I can’t eat it, I don’t shoot it. The best practice for killing big critters is shooting small critters.

 

[colorado]

Agree I don't have much time for it anymore

 

[Flewis]

My friend I advise and take many people on safari. I work hard to make them successful. The one friend who took the 6.5CM, who is an excellent shot and shoots competitively, was the one who followed the most wounded game. African game is tougher and the hunts I do are all very challenging. You can go to South Africa and shoot everything from a nice rest on the truck and you can make that perfect shot placement. When you have climbed many hills, stand on unlevel ground, are out of breath, and get a bit of buck fever you had better have enough gun.
I do most all of my WT hunting and culling here at home with a 5.56. Would I advise that for clients paying to go on a hunt they had saved up for years to accomplish? No.
Sorry I didnt mean to hurt anyone feelings and it seems the CM discussions seem to do that.

I’m not a cm fan, but it will do all that the 6-5 Swede will do.

 

[Inline6]

If I can’t eat it, I don’t shoot it. The best practice for killing big critters is shooting small critters.

That is your choice, nothing wrong with your stance. Personally I try to be the best marksman possible. The further I push my limits the better my results. Shooting thousands of rounds a year, is common for myself. To be my best is to do right by the animals I take, that's my thought.

Shooting is a perishable skill.

 

[MS 9x56]

I’m not a cm fan, but it will do all that the 6-5 Swede will do.

Only difference is the Swede has been doing it for 120 years.

 

[Flewis]

Only difference is the Swede has been doing it for 120 years.

Yes it has and I hope it gets the props that should have always had.

 

[Puddle]

A recent timely article by writer Wayne Van Zwoll on all things 6.5mm. Wayne was a very early user of the CM on bull elk at serious distances back in '07 - '08. In his most recent article he describes an oops moment attempting to use it on an Eland via a 120 grain GMX bullet. Trouble ensued.
As he said, "I think I have found its limit".

 

[Doug Hamilton]

It’s a good cartridge as the 6.5 Swede has proven for over 100 years. You could argue that it was unnecessary as it basically duplicates the Swede. However, it has brought many new folks into the shooting sports, and you could argue that there is more high quality ammo available for it than any other commercially loaded cartridge.

The only thing that that the 6.5 CM has going for it over the Swede is that it fits in a short action making for a shorter, lighter bolt action rifle and works well in an AR (ugh!) platform. Those two things make it attractive to many shooters. The long range hype has people using it for things it wasn't designed for.

 

[WAB]

The only thing that that the 6.5 CM has going for it over the Swede is that it fits in a short action making for a shorter, lighter bolt action rifle and works well in an AR (ugh!) platform. Those two things make it attractive to many shooters. The long range hype has people using it for things it wasn't designed for.

I would add that it may have more high quality ammo available than any other cartridge, certainly much more than the Swede. Most of us are reloaders so this is not a big deal. However, new shooters benefit greatly from the availability of quality ammo.

 

[Tra3]

I applaud the marketing folks that made up the 6.5CM and then got many, many people to buy a new rifle, new scope, bipod, ammo, etc. Absolutely Brilliant. It would be like taking a well known beer like Budweiser and then making a light beer with the same name. Voila! Sell more beer!

The 6.5 CM is a great deer cartridge. It is a great starter cartridge for new hunters or small hunters. I’ve seen it work well with PG in the hands of a 12 year old. Note: the Ph got him to 100 yards or less on all shots.

I don’t believe in “inherently accurate” cartridges. I do believe in quality machining and physics. A new, cheap 6.5 CM is probably going to be a better shooter than an older, equally “cheap” something else due to advances in tolerances.

Possibly the most important factor is most people can shoot a low recoiling rifle much better than a .300WM. (Myself included) accuracy trumps power (archery!) but if you are going to invest in a special hunt, use enough gun and practice with it.

PS, I bought a 6.5CM barrel for my R8 as a loaner barrel for kids and new hunters. It is also convenient for practice since ammo is so readily available because all of you have also bought a 6.5CM. It really is the bud light of cartridges.

 

[Chukar]

Ten pages in under a week. Simply stunning….

 

[ActionBob]

This resembles my lovely wife @Just Gina

All I can say is, I wish she'd have used a 6.5 Creedmoor

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I would add that it may have more high quality ammo available than any other cartridge, certainly much more than the Swede. Most of us are reloaders so this is not a big deal. However, new shooters benefit greatly from the availability of quality ammo.

Agreed. I was just looking at the performance and capability of the two rounds, but a ready availability of loaded ammunition certainly does (and should) make a difference to a new shooter when he's looking at buying a rifle.

 

[Jeff505]

There are plenty of viable cartridges out there, why put a question mark on your manhood by attaching yourself to a round that has been embraced by those who have crossed the line. You can deny any accusations but the fact that you support the highly controversial 6.5 can sometimes implicate a most wrongly applied interpretation. When men go to a movie theater they know to put a seat between them, you never sit next to one another. When an attractive woman bends over to pick something up always pause, admire and to show respect as a male. As a man If you can identify more then seven colors you might have an estrogen imbalance. Can a 6.5 kill a deer, yes it can. You can also eat chicken noodle soup with a wrench, but should you. Some observations from a few bourbons down.