Why did you buy a 6.5 Creedmoore?

[F. Vaccaro]

Thanks most of you. I'm sick of the manbun responses, & wonder how many of those manbun responders actually have shot one?
Running one ctg down to prove yours is better is a pretty childish approach.
If I offend someone, oh well!

 

[Alex38]

I ended up with mine simply because the rifle I wanted could only be found in that chambering. I’ve always wanted one of the older Weatherby MkV Outfitter rifles from their custom shop. I happened to come across one that was NIB at a good price. It was in 6.5 CM, so that’s what I got. Awesome rifle, but I’d also have bought it if it had been a .270 or .30-06, etc.

 

[Milan]

I bought one because I wanted to:
1) Build a new rifle in a caliber I did not have
2) Build a rifle using an action and a chassis I wanted to try (short action with a DBM)
3) Build a light rifle with low recoil and low blast
4) Try a carbon-wrapped barrel
5) See what all the fuss is about

I was one of those "haters" hating 6.5CM just because my 6.5x55 could do everything the CM can do and more and because of the hype. But I ended up with what I wanted and here are the pros and cons of my experiment so far:

PROS:
1) Rifle/cartridge combo is precise
2) It is also light, yet does not kick and the blast is not bad even with 20" barrel
3) Carbon is definitely light and cool looking and feels good to touch
4) Cartridges fit in the magazine with some room still left for copper bullet use
5) Brass and loaded ammo is actually plentiful and cheap (for now), rivaling that of .308
6) The cartridge will replace my 6.5x55 for silhouette shooting as I use short action for the Swede since I single-load, but with CM I can use a magazine
7) It can and will hunt

CONS:
1) Buyer's remorse - all that carbon and custom action cost me an arm and a leg and in the end I have an expensive rifle I still may not hunt much (good coyote and deer rifle - and as shown above even more) only because I like my 7x57
2) While originally built for plinking at the range or as Hunter Class silhouette rifle, it will serve better as a hunting rifle than silhouette one. So as a competition rifle goes - fail. But that was almost expected given the light barrel to begin with.
3) Even with TriggerTech trigger, I do not like it as a Hunter Class silhouette rifle (barrel is too light and short, the trigger not as good as others when set for "heavy" 2+lbs.
4) Yet another caliber in my collection until 6.5x55 is retired which may be a while
5) Kind of like .308 (not that there is anything wrong with .308) - many other cartridges do the same or better and can be just as cool if not cooler, so only the brass/ammo availability gives it the edge
6) I still don't like short action no matter what I build or have built on them
7) I have yet another rifle to choose from when going hunting (exhausting task for an idiot who can't decide on anything)

In the end, I should have just chambered another regular steel 6.5 barrel on my Silhouette rifle to replace 6.5x55 and be done with it. But hey, I do have one more cool rifle and I'm now growing hair to try that manbun (well maybe I won't go quite that far). Overall nothing wrong with the cartridge after all, and I'm glad I now know from personal experience at the range. Time in the woods will tell me even more but I like what I see above. If my buddy can take elk with 25-06 and somebody's kid a giraffe and eland with 6.5CM, I'm looking forward to using it on deer and maybe some elk.

Overall I'm pleasantly surprised, growing to like it and it does make for a nice, light yet precise setup.

 

[YancyW]

I bought mine because I wanted something light, easy to handle and able to use on African PG hunts. It really checked all the boxes for me.

 

[Mauser78]

I grew up hunting with a 6.5x57.
I have been hunting larger game (Kudu, Gemsbuck) with a 375H&H with 230gr bullets @2950fps, but needed a smaller rifle for Springbuck and Bleshbuck hunts, with shots over 300m. I wanted a 6.5x55 and I wanted a "tupperware" gun, and then i wanted the Mauser M18 Savanna. the Savanna was not produced in x55, and after 4 years waiting, i pulled the trigger on the 6.5 Creed, but I am stil waiting for my licence. I am not a Creed fan, but dont hate it, but love the 6.5 bullet., so it should not really matter.

But luckily i will be able to say without lying that I shoot a 6.5 MAUSER, i wil just leave the Creed part out.

 

[375er]

The .243 was the kid gun of my youth. Dads bought a .243 to take their kids hunting in Montana. The kid would then graduate to a larger caliber of his/her choosing.

The 6.5CM takes that role today. It is probably the most approachable hunting caliber that is available everywhere. I’ll say that the 6.5 seems to work better than the .243, so while I get your humor, it is misplaced. I’d say about any hunter can become a good shot with one of these two.

I do recall one family that used a .30-06 as the starter gun for 12 year olds. That was not a wise decision.

First rifle I ever shot was a 30-06. Still have it to this day!! It does seem to recoil less today than I remember as a kid.

 

[RealEstateCop405]

I just bought a 6.5 and I haven’t even hadn’t a chance to take it out yet because of the weather. It’s just starting to cool down where I live.

 

[wvfred]

I bought one because I wanted a Beretta BRX1 and found a good deal on one in 6.5 CM but I ordered a 300 WM barrel for it so I may never use the creedmore.

 

[colorado]

I don't have a problem with the caliber, but I hate having to go into the feminine hygiene section to buy ammo

 

[Rickmt]

I have not …. Yet ….give me time….or maybe another Dakota in 25.06 !

 

[FlyGuy]

I grew up hunting with a 6.5x57.
I have been hunting larger game (Kudu, Gemsbuck) with a 375H&H with 230gr bullets @2950fps, but needed a smaller rifle for Springbuck and Bleshbuck hunts, with shots over 300m. I wanted a 6.5x55 and I wanted a "tupperware" gun, and then i wanted the Mauser M18 Savanna. the Savanna was not produced in x55, and after 4 years waiting, i pulled the trigger on the 6.5 Creed, but I am stil waiting for my licence. I am not a Creed fan, but dont hate it, but love the 6.5 bullet., so it should not really matter.

But luckily i will be able to say without lying that I shoot a 6.5 MAUSER, i wil just leave the Creed part out.

The Creed will do everything the Swede can, but without the class.
For your intended quarry at 300+, the 130gr Sierra TGK (BC 0.509) at 2750-2800 is your friend.

 

[375er]

I have not …. Yet ….give me time….or maybe another Dakota in 25.06 !

25-06...first thing I have heard today that makes any sense!!

 

[Bill J H]

The 25-06 vs the 6.5 CM. Interesting. Interesting enough that I did a ballistic comparison.

I just reviewed the Nosler "published" load data and bounced that information off my ballistic calculator. Of course, we know that, as handloaders, can push the bullets faster than published data, but since we can do it for both cartridges, I just went with the published data.

I used the Partition, since it is the heaviest 25-06 offering and you could get a Partition bullet in 6.5. At least this keeps the bullets the same...

The 25-06 pushed the 120gr PT at around 3000fps, unless your rifle liked Retumbo. Retumbo kind of stood out as an outlier from the other powders.

The 6.5CM pushed a 140gr PT at 2700; there were several powders that did this but there was no "hot-rod" outlier like Retumbo.

The result at 200yds:
25-06: 1 MOA windage / 1708 ft-lbs
6.5CM: 1 MOA windage / 1711 ft-lbs

At 300yds:
25-06: 2.2 MOA Drop; 4.2 MOA windage / 1423 ft-lbs
6.5CM: 2.6 MOA Drop; 3.9 MOA windage / 1472 ft-lbs

Interestingly, Nosler also makes a 6.5mm 150gr ABLR that can be pushed at 2690ish. I don't have the ballistic calculations for that, but it would push the CM substantially higher.

 

[375er]

The 25-06 vs the 6.5 CM. Interesting. Interesting enough that I did a ballistic comparison.

I just reviewed the Nosler "published" load data and bounced that information off my ballistic calculator. Of course, we know that, as handloaders, can push the bullets faster than published data, but since we can do it for both cartridges, I just went with the published data.

I used the Partition, since it is the heaviest 25-06 offering and you could get a Partition bullet in 6.5. At least this keeps the bullets the same...

The 25-06 pushed the 120gr PT at around 3000fps, unless your rifle liked Retumbo. Retumbo kind of stood out as an outlier from the other powders.

The 6.5CM pushed a 140gr PT at 2700; there were several powders that did this but there was no "hot-rod" outlier like Retumbo.

The result at 200yds:
25-06: 1 MOA windage / 1708 ft-lbs
6.5CM: 1 MOA windage / 1711 ft-lbs

At 300yds:
25-06: 2.2 MOA Drop; 4.2 MOA windage / 1423 ft-lbs
6.5CM: 2.6 MOA Drop; 3.9 MOA windage / 1472 ft-lbs

Interestingly, Nosler also makes a 6.5mm 150gr ABLR that can be pushed at 2690ish. I don't have the ballistic calculations for that, but it would push the CM substantially higher.

So the CM similarly duplicates the ballistics of a cartridge that has been around since 1923...

 

[Alistair]

So the CM similarly duplicates the ballistics of a cartridge that has been around since 1923...

Pretty much, yeah.

But it does so using less power, in a shorter case, with less barrel wear, and with a better selection of bullets. Oh, and using cheaper and more available components.

Nothing world changing, but just as good a justification for its existence as 308win vs 30-06, or 375Ruger vs 375H&H, or any SAUM, or any WSM, or any AI, or, or, or...

If we're to disqualify cartridges simply because there is an older cartridge that does exactly the same thing, our reloading manuals would get quite slim.

 

[Bill J H]

Pretty much, yeah.

But it does so using less power, in a shorter case, with less barrel wear, and with a better selection of bullets. Oh, and using cheaper and more available components.

Nothing world changing, but just as good a justification for its existence as 308win vs 30-06, or 375Ruger vs 375H&H, or any SAUM, or any WSM, or any AI, or, or, or...

If we're to disqualify cartridges simply because there is an older cartridge that does exactly the same thing, our reloading manuals would get quite slim.

Bingo Alistair.

When you really boil it down, a lot of the new "upstart" cartridges (not all) are doing essentially the same thing some of the older "lovable" cartridges are doing but with an "economy of force" or with "more efficiency", if you will.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Wow, so many stating why the Creedmoore is no better than other ctgs.
I don't believe that is what I asked, I think I also requested that we not turn it into a debate, but rather why did you buy one..
Wish the haters would disrupt another forum.
Thanks.

 

[Rickmt]

I’m sorry I started this diversion. If I were to buy a creedmore 6.5 it would be it takes full advantage of the newer , more aerodynamic bullets.

 

[375Ruger416]

I bought a Tikka CTR 6.5 CM for a long range training rifle to take advantage of the factory ammo support. Then I added an Sig Cross for a small, packable rifle.

It’s a great cartridge, but I decided I wanted a little more velocity out of my hunting rifle so moved up to a 6.5 PRC. 6.5 CM out of an 18.5” barrel was a little too anemic for my tastes. To be fair, I never took any game with my Sig Cross to suggest on game performance was lacking.

 

[ActionBob]

Thanks most of you. I'm sick of the manbun responses, & wonder how many of those manbun responders actually have shot one?
Running one ctg down to prove yours is better is a pretty childish approach.
If I offend someone, oh well!

Wow, so many stating why the Creedmoore is no better than other ctgs.
I don't believe that is what I asked, I think I also requested that we not turn it into a debate, but rather why did you buy one..
Wish the haters would disrupt another forum.
Thanks.

This topic has been covered at nasium so I initially made an offhand manbunn joke. I mean if owners of such a fine rifle cannot joke about it, what are we becoming, Democrats? If i could find it I'd repost the picture of a father explaining to his young son how the holes in the moon were made by a 6.5 Creedmoor

But in all seriousness; with match grade 120 grain ammo and little to no wind, my Ruger Predator with the factory two stage trigger, out if the box shoots legitimate 1/4" groups at 100 yards.

I've had a 6.5 Creedmoor for about 13 years and have used it extensively. It is my go to truck gun. I've always hunted with 129 grain Hornady Interbond Superformance loads just because I bought a lot of that ammo initially. With the exception of coyotes where I use Interlock or SST loads that seem to shoot exactly the same.

It still has claim to my 3 longest hunting shots. 524 yards on a very slightly wounded Springbok. 442 yards on a pronghorn, and 350 yards on a coyote trotting across an alfalfa field.

The ballistic figure that got my attention is the amount of energy it carries out to 500 yards.