6.5 Creedmoor vs .270

[Lou270]

The 270 has a larger frontal area and more impact velocity (generally). I am not sure if that is what he was getting at but those two factors would likely lead to what he is getting at.

Yep. The 6.5 cm is a nice cartridge. I have a Legendary Arms works 6.5 cm and used it for several years as my main hunting rifle. Killed whitetail, mule deer, antelope and pigs with it using 143 eldx, 140 fed fusion, and 140 Berger vld. Killed fine but all the animals ran a ways and in general lived longer than used to with a centerfire. So I have rethought my bullet choice and now loading 120 btips to higher velocity, but not killed anything with them yet

I will note that my buddy uses 139 scenars using a load or rl26 that touches 270 velocity and gets great resulrs but I am more conservative loader and generally don’t exceed published loads though I will give the scenars a try some time

Lou

 

[KenLee]

How much of an issue have you had selecting projectiles?

For example I went down the A-tip rabbit hole to only realize they aren’t made for 270


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If you aren't shooting over 500 yards, the factory superformance sst ammo are reliable accurate killers. I can't speak about over 500.

 

[Southern Lights]

If you aren't shooting over 500 yards, the factory superformance sst ammo are reliable accurate killers. I can't speak about over 500.

I have shot a ton of 130 SST Superperformance in 270. It is 3155fps in my Blaser 270 barrel. I have shot wallabies out to 800m with it and it's as accurate in my rifle as match loads are in my other calibers. It basically is 6.5PRC performance at any reasonable hunting ranges.

 

[Southern Lights]

Explain “hits harder.”

I have shot animals with the 6.5x55 Swede doing ~2700fps with 140ELDM and he 270 doing 3155 with 130 SSTs and the 270 noticeably puts animals down harder than the Swede which is slightly faster than 6.5CM velocities (my 6.5CM putters along at less than 2600fps with Hornady match).

They are both highly frangible bullets, but the 270 is nearly 500fps faster and I can see the difference on impact. Also it shoots much flatter limiting ranging errors at hunting distances.

 

[SROK]

Currently dealing with a similar choice. I already have a 270, but dislike it's stock and want to suppress it, so I'd get a chassis and a new barrel, or do I just get a 6.5cm that already has those things for about the same price.

 

[Cdnance]

Currently dealing with a similar choice. I already have a 270, but dislike it's stock and want to suppress it, so I'd get a chassis and a new barrel, or do I just get a 6.5cm that already has those things for about the same price.

Well… given that this is the 100th anniversary of the 270, I would say stick with that!

However, it is never a bad time to expand your collection!

But hunt the 270 this year!

 

[SROK]

Well… given that this is the 100th anniversary of the 270, I would say stick with that!

However, it is never a bad time to expand your collection!

But hunt the 270 this year!

Awesome! I knew 270 was old, and around a century, but didn’t realize this was it!

Honestly I love the gun, it’s done a stellar job thus far. The only reason that I’m looking at something else is my desire to dip my toes into the long range shooting field.

Anyone I’ve talked to seems to frown at the idea of 270 for it. I know it’s possible to stretch it out, but I’m being told that it’s a bad entry due to recoil, BC, ammo diversity, and being a long action cartridge.

My 270 is a Remington 700 sps, so it’s nothing fancy, a really cheap synthetic stock, a plain sporter profile non threaded barrel, etc… but she shoots!

Part of me wants to keep it going by updating it, and the other half doesn’t want to mess with it and just get something else to use for LR and most hunting.


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[Southern Lights]

You can get a 270 to work fine at long range. 145ELD-X bullets at 2950 are decent BC. Not as good as the 6.5s, but passable to all but very extended ranges. I have shot my 270 heaps at long range with mine. If you suppress it, the recoil is about the same as my 6.5s unsuppressed.

The question really is it worth doing a bunch of upgrades and usually the answer is probably not vs. just buying a ready to go rifle. A Tikka T3 in 6.5 CM would work well on a budget. If you want a very high precision factory rifle, a Sako S20 in 6.5 would also be on my short list if you can stretch it. The S20 is built on the Sako TRG chassis and is the most accurate hunting weight rifle Sako makes. It will be ready to go out of the box without any messing with it.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Honestly I love the gun, it’s done a stellar job thus far. The only reason that I’m looking at something else is my desire to dip my toes into the long range shooting field.

Anyone I’ve talked to seems to frown at the idea of 270 for it. I know it’s possible to stretch it out, but I’m being told that it’s a bad entry due to recoil, BC, ammo diversity, and being a long action cartridge.

If the choice is between the 6.5 PRC and the .270 Winchester, flip a coin. They are practically identical.

Download the Shooter app and plug in actual muzzle velocity numbers for each cartridge. Compare .264 147-grain ELDMs with .277 145-grain ELDXs.

Then use Grok or some other AI to easily calculate expected recoil for both cartridges with the same bullet and rifle weight. They are very close. Within 1 or 2 foot pounds last time I checked.

Then consider that short versus long action makes zero difference unless you are talking about shaving an ounce or two off a lightweight rifle. And maybe 1/2” in overall rifle length.

In short, there are a lot of strong opinions out there about things that are utterly irrelevant to “the average shooter/hunter thinking about getting into long range shooting/hunting.”

 

[General RE LEE]

I’m a 6.5 Creedmoor fan for the minimal recoil, good barrel life, ammo and reloading component availability, high BC projectiles, reduced wind drift and retained velocity down range. It’s a great cartridge for hunting season in the fall/winter and the range the rest of the year. It’s a good cartridge to build a dual purpose hunting/target rig.

 

[SROK]

I’m a 6.5 Creedmoor fan for the minimal recoil, good barrel life, ammo and reloading component availability, high BC projectiles, reduced wind drift and retained velocity down range. It’s a great cartridge for hunting season in the fall/winter and the range the rest of the year. It’s a good cartridge to build a dual purpose hunting/target rig.

Kinda my thoughts on 6.5cm. My main worry is that if I get it the 270 will sit unused. That would just be a shame.


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[77TMK]

Kinda my thoughts on 6.5cm. My main worry is that if I get it the 270 will sit unused. That would just be a shame.


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Well it would and should, because 270 Winchester is a now obsolete cartridge in comparison to something like 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[Cdnance]

Well it would and should, because 270 Winchester is a now obsolete cartridge in comparison to something like 6.5 Creedmoor.

Obsolete? Bit of a stretch I would say.

 

[77TMK]

Obsolete? Bit of a stretch I would say.

Long action and designed around 1920s rifles and limited to a decreasingly supported 0.277” projectile, and not much brass options available. Far better cartridges near that bore size nearby in 6.5mm and 7mm that are more efficient with powder and have nicer bullets available.

So yes, obsolete.

 

[nm.otter]

I already have a 270, but dislike it's stock and want to suppress it, so I'd get a chassis and a new barrel, or do I just get a 6.5cm that already has those things for about the same price.

Unless you have a sentimental attraction to the gun, I'd sell it and start over with what you want.

 

[EmperorMA]

I went down a similar path as you. I have a 6.5 CM for more of a trainer with the benefit of barrel life. Now I'm also able to swap the bolt face and barrel up to a 6.5 PRC during hunting season. Then I went farther down the rabbit hole and built a rifle in 6.8 Western, figuring I could use the PRC as a backup during hunting season. (or a loaner gun to family when they hunt with me) Now I'm contemplating a 300WSM (barrel) as an option if I ever draw tags on some bigger game.
In your instance I believe less recoil and barrel life would make it a pretty easy decision.

Just curious as to what a .300 WSM gives you over a 170 - 175gr bullet fired from a 6.8 Western?

 

[mtmojo]

Just curious as to what a .300 WSM gives you over a 170 - 175gr bullet fired from a 6.8 Western?

Something doing a 200gr + bullet for Alaska. Big bear or something along those lines. I believe I mentioned it being for bigger game.

 

[77TMK]

Just curious as to what a .300 WSM gives you over a 170 - 175gr bullet fired from a 6.8 Western?

There’s going to be 300 WSM ammo available in ten years. Probably not for 6.8 Western.

 

[mtmojo]

There’s going to be 300 WSM ammo available in ten years. Probably not for 6.8 Western.

ADG is making brass for 6.8W so I'm good for the life of my barrel and then some. Choice Ammunition also has offerings: https://choiceammunition.com/product-category/rifle/6-8-western-ammo/ I wonder why it's such an issue what I choose to spend my $ on and decide to shoot?

 

[deltadukman]

1:8" twist .270. I own several .270's, a 6.5CM and a 6.5prc. I will say this new 6.5cm Tikka is a tack driver and is boringly simple and accurate.