How did the 6.5 Creedmoor lose steam so quickly?

Joined
Jul 18, 2019
Maybe it's just my observation, but it sure seems that demand for the 6.5 CM (2007) has fallen off a cliff. I'm thinking it has a lot to do with folks turning to other offerings to get 'just a little more' - whatever that may be.

I think this list is the SAAMI cartridges introduced since then (most of em anyhow).

  • 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge
  • 6mm Creedmoor
  • 6mm GT
  • 6.5-284 Norma
  • 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum
  • 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge
  • 6.5 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum
  • 6.8 True Velocity Composite
  • 6.8 Western
  • 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge
  • 7mm PRC
  • 12 Gauge 1¾”
  • 21 Sharp
  • 22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge
  • 22 Creedmoor
  • 22 Nosler
  • 224 Valkyrie
  • 277 SIG FURY
  • 28 Gauge 3"
  • 30 Super Carry
  • 300 Norma Magnum
  • 300 Precision Rifle Cartridge
  • 300 HAM’R
  • 338 Norma Magnum
  • 338 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum
  • 350 Legend
  • 360 Buckhammer
  • 400 Legend
  • 429 Desert Eagle
 
What is your observation based on? It doesn't make sense.

It is trailing only 22 LR and 223 in online sales..

Edit to add: The 6.5 creed seemed like the first "LR competition" round to really get marketed to masses. I can see how after the intro of 6.5 PRC and such the folks looking to buy a "long range" rifle and who might have bought a creedmoor now choose that. But, i think the creedmoor has taken a lot of volume from the traditional 243, 7-08, 308 "mild recoiling" short action crowd for typical inside 200 yard hunting as well which is just as appropriate an application for it.
 
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Still massively popular but I know people that have moved on to higher velocity alternatives solely because they wanted to run a shorter barrel/supressor set up and still push a muzzle velocity at 2750 + (6 Creed and 6.5 PRC being the primary substitutes within my circle of friends)
 
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How many of that list are on the shelves at your local gun store? Maybe a handful?

Also, most of that list does not even reflect the same sort of market as the 6.5CM.

All the stores I have been in have plenty of guns and ammo in 6.5CM. I don't see the diminishment.
 
I just got my first 6.5cm this year! I think it’s probably the best all around easy to shoot cartridge there is.

I don’t think anything newer offers much of anything to the average guy buying a rifle and that’s who buys most every gun that leaves the store
 
6.5 crd turned into the .308. It is just a standard caliber now. Hell it too a decade to gain steam...but a TON of people have them and everyone offers a full line of firearms in them. It seems like newer cartridges have taken over because they are new but in reality the total sales of firearms and demand for ammo for the new cartridges is a fraction of a fraction of 6.5crd.
 
“…Seems like sales of 6.5 CM have fallen off a cliff…”.

What metric or observation has led you to this conclusion?

Every manufacturer releasing a new cartridge can only dream of having sales that match today’s 6.5CM sales. Great brass, many, many great bullets, small or large primers, a wide variety of powders to choose from, it works on nearly any game in the world, easy to shoot, and has capabilities well beyond what most shooters. Hard to find too much to fault in the cartridge as an all around solid choice.
 
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Maybe it's just my observation, but it sure seems that demand for the 6.5 CM (2007) has fallen off a cliff. I'm thinking it has a lot to do with folks turning to other offerings to get 'just a little more' - whatever that may be.

I think this list is the SAAMI cartridges introduced since then (most of em anyhow).

  • 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge
  • 6mm Creedmoor
  • 6mm GT
  • 6.5-284 Norma
  • 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum
  • 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge
  • 6.5 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum
  • 6.8 True Velocity Composite
  • 6.8 Western
  • 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge
  • 7mm PRC
  • 12 Gauge 1¾”
  • 21 Sharp
  • 22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge
  • 22 Creedmoor
  • 22 Nosler
  • 224 Valkyrie
  • 277 SIG FURY
  • 28 Gauge 3"
  • 30 Super Carry
  • 300 Norma Magnum
  • 300 Precision Rifle Cartridge
  • 300 HAM’R
  • 338 Norma Magnum
  • 338 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum
  • 350 Legend
  • 360 Buckhammer
  • 400 Legend
  • 429 Desert Eagle
Think of all the SAAMI cartridges released since the .223 Remington. That thing must really be gone.
 
I also ask, what are you basing this "falling off a cliff" observation on? It's still one of the biggest sellers(ammo) on several websites. 223 and 308 the only ones beating it in sales quite often.
 
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