Why is everyone in love with the 6.5 creedmoor?

[Savagenut]

It’s all the benefits of the 260
With cheap factory ammo. It has its purpose.

 

[Teaman1]

It’s all the benefits of the 260
With cheap factory ammo. It has its purpose.

I’ll admit that the 260 doesn’t gain enough to make a real world difference and due to ammo availability, the creedmoor is the winner between those two. I’m guilty of not paying attention to ammo availability because the local gun store carries what I use

 

[EastMT]

I’ll admit that the 260 doesn’t gain enough to make a real world difference and due to ammo availability, the creedmoor is the winner between those two. I’m guilty of not paying attention to ammo availability because the local gun store carries what I use

I have an old 260 from the 90’s I think I dated it at. Never checked the twist rate but my preferred pill is 140 partition handloads anyway, and it likes them. I bought it for my wife to shoot because a used 260 was half price of a CM, I told her she’d need to buy her own gun cause I was claiming this one! Is the old trinyte coating Rem 700 in a LVSF stock, 6.1 lbs bare. $390 on GB. I haven’t tried the 156 or other really heavy ones, and really not interested.

It took a very nice caribou for her last year at 175 yards, 140 PT loaded at mid range in the book passed all the way through. I have a follow up shot as soon as she fired with the 260 as there was water close by, didn’t have scuba gear with me, I wasn’t super confident in the small bullet on bugger name. It was unnecessary, but off hiking sticks, not experienced hunter, not taking a chance.

Now that I’m in the lesser 48 for a few years, this may be my main rifle, it’s a dream to carry at that price and I don’t need brown bear loads.

 

[Teaman1]

[QUOTE="coop22250, post: 1724546, member: 16618
....it’s a dream to carry....
[/QUOTE]

Speaking of a dream to carry, that 325 wsm I bought from you has been great so far. Put it in a hell and Carlson stock and topped it with a 2.5-8 Vx3i which put it at 6.85 pounds. Shot a whitetail and an antelope with it last year to get some practice for its first chance at an elk

 

[EastMT]

[QUOTE="coop22250, post: 1724546, member: 16618
....it’s a dream to carry....

Speaking of a dream to carry, that 325 wsm I bought from you has been great so far. Put it in a hell and Carlson stock and topped it with a 2.5-8 Vx3i which put it at 6.85 pounds. Shot a whitetail and an antelope with it last year to get some practice for its first chance at an elk

Oh nice, yeah that’s a sweet little gun, glad it’s worked out. It should put the hammer on elk, it sure did on bear.

 

[Spiral Horn]

I bought my 6.5 CM specifically for mountain hunting. At that time I was tired of lugging my various .300 Mags and really didn’t fancy the idea of facing that kind of recoil when attempting longer shots often from awkward shooting positions. So I was looking for a handy, short-action, lighter recoil & weight rifle that would deliver repeatable long range accuracy with good performing hunting bullets. After doing a bunch of research, chatting with experienced mountain hunters and talking with a good number of gun manufacturers at hunting shows the recommendations more often than not included the 6.5 CM. So that’s what I went with, and have zero regrets.

So far I‘ve taken a bunch of mountain critters with my 6.5 CM and it’s performed flawlessly on game out to ~500 yards. Here’s a pic of a 140gr Nosler Accubond recovered from a Pyrenean Chamois shot quartering toward me at ~365 yards. It broke some bone and traveled all the way through to the hide on the opposite hind quarter. He was DRT as were several others. Also used the Hornady 143gr with similar results. It‘s now a proven performer and I have absolute confidence WRT it’s performance on Sheep, Goats and Deer. That said, I have a rifle Elk Hunt scheduled and will be bringing one of my .300 Mags. While I’m certain the 6.5 CM is adequate for Elk, this hunt isn’t in Sheep terrain, and I know how a 180gr TBT or 200gr Accubond will perform on a 500-1k lb animal.

Personally think most of the “eye rolls” about the 6.5 CM are simply an expression of burnout in this era of countless “new and supposedly better” cartridges - all the WSMs, Ultra-Mags, Edge, SAUM, ad-infinitum.

 

[LookinforDirt]

This is a funny thread. A lot of folks talked about “fast” like it was singularly the factor of effectiveness. No mention I’ve read so far about matching the bullet to the cartridge to the animal being hunted to the ranges being shot. Or finding the factory/hand load and bullet that shoots well out your specific rifle. Until you done those things, no cartridge used will be “best”. And once you have, many cartridges will be ”best”. The differences in BC’s that are close between some of these cartridges and the bullets they shoot will hardly be noticed by most shooters. Even good shooters are not even good enough to really take advantage the difference. And the conditions where those differences come into play and give that extra edge are probably not conditions where you should be shooting at animals. In good conditions- slow to no crosswind (and known speed), good shooting rest, broadside shot, proper range- a shooter familiar with his cartridge ballistics and his specific rifle can make nearly every cartridge mentioned the “right” cartridge.

 

[BFR]

This thread is like following a sidewinder in the sand, all over the place. As for the Creedmore, I don’t know squat! But I DO know I like Jalapeño’s on my hot dogs.

 

[Savagenut]

Good ballistics and quality ammo for less than 308. Sometimes in the 15-18 dollar a box range. Hard to beat that.

 

[Teaman1]

The title was very poorly chosen as it was not meant to say the creedmoor is a bad cartridge, but more of a rant about people talking about it like it’s the greatest cartridge ever without shooting one or knowing anything about it, other than the fact that it does well in long range competitions.
This specific friend doesn’t know what ballistic coefficients or sectional densities are so that was not a reason. He said he chose it for “more punch for them wall hanger mulies and more knockdown power at longer ranges.” I asked him why not a 270 win, response “because I’m not dumb” (270 shoots slightly flatter with more energy to 500 yards).
Later on said he would never use a 30-06 for hunting because it’s so slow, he had no idea the creedmoor and 30-06 shoot at very similar velocities with hunting weight bullets.
Mostly ranting about my buddy haha

 

[Teaman1]

Also brings me back to the magnum thing. I never suggested that anyone should buy a magnum, only noted what I’ve seen on deer and antelope that I’ve taken. Said there “seems” to be a line between the .308 win and 300 wsm. I don’t know exactly where that line is but didn’t say the 300 wsm was that line.

 

[hodgeman]

but more of a rant about people talking about it like it’s the greatest cartridge ever without shooting one or knowing anything about it...
Mostly ranting about my buddy haha

I agree, it's been the hallmark of new cartridge introductions for eons...basically hype a new cartridge to be the greatest death ray on earth with all sorts of qualities exaggerated to the point of ridiculousness.

It's kind of stupid that it happens but it's what it takes to sell shooters on new cartridges. Even a couple of my favorites- the 300WSM and 6.5CM were introduced with marketing that borders on the unbelievable.

If you read some Jack O'Connor- he said a lot of glowing things about the (then new) .270WIN that 100 years of market acceptance has forgotten.

 

[turley]

I do NOT believe the 6.5 Creedmoor is the best for all hunting situations but after researching extensively....and researching some more it's what I ended up purchasing.
I wanted a short action and considered the 270 WSM (higher ammo cost and more recoil), 308 (more recoil), 7mm-08, and 6.5 Creedmoor and whittled the choice down to the latter two.
I reached out to members on this forum as well as to hornady, federal, barnes and probably a few other ammo manufacturers and it was pretty much a draw between the two.
If I lived in any other state in the lower 48 besides California I probably would have went with the 7mm-08 as I think it is slightly more versatile. In California we cannot have ammo shipped to the house and are restricted to monolithic/copper and the 6.5 is much more readily available in brick and mortar stores (Bass Pro, Local Gun Shops, ect....) with a decent selection where as the 7mm-08 was limited. With the 6.5 so popular now I concluded that in the future it probably will be even more readily available with additional choices/offerings.
For what I engage in mostly (coyote, pig, deer sized game) the 6.5 CM is a fine cartridge......and though it wouldn't be my first choice for Elk, Moose, or Black Bear there is extensive literature that suggests within reasonable/ethical distances and bullet placement that it is more than capable.
In the end I'm happy with the 6.5 as it is accurate, fairly economical, and a pleasure to shoot.....but by no means believe it is any better than many other cartridges.....but it works well in the application in which I use it.

 

[Teaman1]

I agree, it's been the hallmark of new cartridge introductions for eons...basically hype a new cartridge to be the greatest death ray on earth with all sorts of qualities exaggerated to the point of ridiculousness.

Reminds me of the first magazine article I saw on the 26 nosler, big letters FLAT TO 415 YARDS, then you figure out that is zeroed at 350 yards

 

[Fatcamp]

The title was very poorly chosen as it was not meant to say the creedmoor is a bad cartridge, but more of a rant about people talking about it like it’s the greatest cartridge ever without shooting one or knowing anything about it, other than the fact that it does well in long range competitions.
This specific friend doesn’t know what ballistic coefficients or sectional densities are so that was not a reason. He said he chose it for “more punch for them wall hanger mulies and more knockdown power at longer ranges.” I asked him why not a 270 win, response “because I’m not dumb” (270 shoots slightly flatter with more energy to 500 yards).
Later on said he would never use a 30-06 for hunting because it’s so slow, he had no idea the creedmoor and 30-06 shoot at very similar velocities with hunting weight bullets.
Mostly ranting about my buddy haha

Honestly, debating firearm information, accurate information, with 99% of people is like wrestling a pig.

 

[Reburn]

Honestly, debating firearm information, accurate information, with 99% of people is like wrestling a pig.

A huge pig covered in poop.

 

[Fatcamp]

A huge pig covered in poop.

The pig likes it.

 

[Reburn]

The pig likes it.

 

[Dead eye BT]

Teaman1’s original post here was venting about his buddy buying a 6.5 CM, based on a misinformed idea in his head. I do think there has been quite a bit of that going on with this cartridge.

A friend of mine bought one because he wanted a “flatter shooting long range rifle”. He’s never taken a shot on game over 300 yards in his life and he has no plans to in the future. His 30-06 is collecting dust now...

 

[Reburn]

Teaman1’s original post here was venting about his buddy buying a 6.5 CM, based on a misinformed idea in his head. I do think there has been quite a bit of that going on with this cartridge.

A friend of mine bought one because he wanted a “flatter shooting long range rifle”. He’s never taken a shot on game over 300 yards in his life and he has no plans to in the future. His 30-06 is collecting dust now...

So he has no idea what flat shooting is I'll give you that but he now has a gun that recoils less. And it has been proven again and again that a lighter recoiling rifle is easier for most all people to shoot accurately. Which translate to better shots on game and more ethical kills. You should be happy for him that he is now shooting a gun that is easier for him to shoot that is capable to take most all lower 48 game within a reasonable distance. Even though he doesnt understand how he got there.