Purpose of a 6.5?

[justin davis]

Hypothetically if a guy has a .300 win mag. Good all around caliber for all big game animals. What’s the purpose or need of a 6.5? Other than to just have more rifles?

 

[Salmon River Solutions]

I’m building a 6.5 Sherman Short. A long smaller diameter bullet, you can sling it way faster and it catches way less wind, vs a heavier bullet out of a .300.

Compared to my .300 win mag it has substantially less drop at 1000 yards and half the wind deflection


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[Trr15]

Don't have a 6.5, but my first thought would be less recoil without a brake...and to have more rifles, especially one in a trendy caliber.

 

[Fatcamp]

Practice. Unless you are way tougher than me.

 

[CBar]

This is a big debate among some of my buddies right now, most of which run a .300 WINMAG for elk and something like a .243 for antelope and deer. One camp argues the 6.5 is the new savior "do it all" caliber capable of replacing the need for multiple rifle, and potentially at a weight savings (Ex. Kimber Mountain Ascent rifle weights in at just 4lb 13 oz chambered in 6.5). However, the flat-shooting and recoil reduced 6.5 is really meant for distances where it outperforms calibers like the .270 (beyond 500 yards) which, the other camp argues, isn't really hunting anymore...

 

[JWP58]

Less recoil, ease of self spotting and more shooting. 'Form is pretty adamant that less recoil equals better shooting.

 

[Stid2677]

The 6.5 was conceived to make the most of long ogive, high BC bullets. Seems that flat shooting, accurate and low recoil work well for killing critters too.

 

[FURMAN]

If a bullet is pushed at x velocity with y bc in one caliber it will have the EXACT same external ballistics(drop/drift) as a bullet of another caliber at x velocity and y bc. The larger bullet will have more energy. This is the ONLY way to compare apples to apples. A guy saying his 6.5 has less wind drift has chosen a cartridge that is faster negating the apples to apples comparison. Everyone will have their own reason for choosing a cartridge. For me the reason I sometimes shoot the smaller cartridges is because it is easier to spot your own shots in odd field positions. With deer or antelope the extra energy of the 30 is not really needed so I feel there is one advantage to the 6.5 or 7. With elk I would rather have the extra energy and it is very noticeable when shooting bigger game.

 

[howl]

The first 6.5 I bought was when I realized I could mirror the trajectory of a .300 WM with a lot less hullabaloo. The surprise was when deer started dropping like flipping a switch instead of running fifty yards. Sometimes magnum performance is not only not needed, it isn't even wanted.

Some people say it's horses for courses or some such.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I've always preferred less recoil.

 

[SniperHunter]

6.5 CM has roughly 25% better results in drop and drift, with less recoil. If you re going out 700 yrds+ the difference is significant.
If not you are GTG. I think this topic has been covered in depth, here and elsewhere.

 

[Reburn]

Less recoil.
Given if you don't reload rounds are cheaper
Similar performace to a 270, 25-06, light 7mm generally with a BC advantage. Which works well for medium sized, medium skinned game. Deer, Pronghorns, coyotes, many antelope species in africa, Sheep.

Goats ,elk and moose ill pack a 300.

 

[come2elmo]

Because I want another gun.

 

[desertcj]

Nothing wrong with a 6.5mm, BUT if you already have a 300 win mag...I would personally go lighter on my second rifle. 6 Creedmoor or .243. A .257 Robert's or 25-06 could be nice as well.

 

[Smithb9841]

Because I want another gun.

I’m always looking for a halfway reasonable
Excuse for more guns haha

 

[Gunnersdad49]

From a guy that has a .300 and a .340, I picked up a 6.5 with the sole intent of practicing form and fundamentals until I could consistently hit a man-sized target at 1000 yards. I have found the 6.5 so fun to shoot at long range that I get bored inside of 500 yards (shooting steel, not animals) on 1 minute sized targets.
What this did for me was encourage me to practice more, and learn more about wind, and to compete, which meant more practice and more learning.

TLDR, don’t need a 6.5 if you have a .300, but it’ll surprise you and likely lead to you being a better rifleman.

 

[sam hill]

Having only one rifle for the past 26 years a Remington KS Mountain rifle in .300 win mag, a 6.5 is on my hit list. The idea of an accurate long range cartridge with less recoil than the old Win mag is growing on me.

 

[wentright]

I took a whitetail last year at 400 yard with a 6.5-284. Very accurate and doesn’t kick much thought it kicked less than my light weight 7mm-08

 

[EastMT]

I shoot a 300 also. I bought a 260 for my wife this year for a caribou hunt. I went to get it all sighted in, set up, reload testing. I came back and told her she was going to have to buy her own dang rifle haha. Absolute pleasure to shoot. I haven’t hunted with it myself but she took a nice caribou with 140 PT.


I have yet to be begin to procrastinate.

 

[Yote Klr]

Hypothetically if a guy has a .300 win mag. Good all around caliber for all big game animals. What’s the purpose or need of a 6.5? Other than to just have more rifles?

I have 6AI, two 6mm CM, 260rem, two 6.5wsm, 264wm, 26 nosler, 270wsm, 27Nosler two 7RM, 7wsm, 28Nosler, 308win, 300wsm, 300wm, 300RUM... it all started as a simple hobby to keep me from my best friends Jack D. and Jim B.

It's a disease. Sickness.
If I had any common sense I'd have a 300wm and be done with it.