Why no 123gr 6.5CM factory offerings ?

[RWT]

Curious I added a 6.5 Grendel to the collection as I already shoot 6.5 CM and when and "if" I make the time to reload I assumed I could leverage a single box of bullets for both. Purchase a larger quantity to save and increase consistency. I do not see a 123 gr factory loaded for the 6.5 CM. However, the 123 SST & 123 ELDM are standards for the Grendel? Am I missing this? Has anyone handloaded 123 SST's or ELDM's to see how they shoot in a CM? If so why aren't the major manufacture's loading the 123's in the CM?

 

[2five7]

We've always shot 123 Amax out of our 6.5 CM, they are super deadly on Muley Bucks. Probably a dozen or 15 killed, 1 shot each. From small yearlings to 9 year old tanks, all dead with basically no running. I'm sure the ELDM would perform the same.

 

[Castle Rock]

123s and lighter work very well in the CM /260 /260AI.
I like and use the 123 Scenar and 100 and 120 ballistic tips a lot

 

[HandgunHTR]

If so why aren't the major manufacture's loading the 123's in the CM?

I would bet it is because the whole point of the 6.5 Creedmoor was to be able to shoot heavy bullets in a factory rifle with factory ammo.

 

[Castle Rock]

I would bet it is because the whole point of the 6.5 Creedmoor was to be able to shoot heavy bullets in a factory rifle with factory ammo.

I don’t think that at all, they used to but it probably didn’t sell, and they dropped it
Heavy bullets have a rainbow trajectory and suck for normal hunting out to 300 yards, who wants to have to dial every shot
It is the range shooters who have driven the heavy bullet mentality

 

[jzeblaz]

We've always shot 123 Amax out of our 6.5 CM, they are super deadly on Muley Bucks. Probably a dozen or 15 killed, 1 shot each. From small yearlings to 9 year old tanks, all dead with basically no running. I'm sure the ELDM would perform the same.

Sweet! I have a pile of those. I gotta try them in the 6.5 CM.

 

[RWT]

Why no factory offerings? I am certain they will shoot as I have shot a 500+ 120’s out on my CM. But that is a factory load.

 

[KenLee]

The factory 120 gr NBT are wicked. I shoot them out of my x-bolt hood rat medallion x-bolt 6.5 creed.

 

[FB Trout]

At one point, Hornady did load a 120 Amax 6.5 Factory load, they even printed the load data on the back. I’ve replicated that load with 123 Amax/ELDm and it is fast. Shoots 2885 fps out of a 20” barrel.

 

[ChrisAU]

Here ya go. Shoot these guys 75 ELDM load in my 22CM, it shoots great.

6.5 Creedmoor 123gr Hornady ELD-M – Copper Creek Cartridge Co.

coppercreekcartridgeco.com

 

[BigAl!]

Another option - https://www.milehighshooting.com/lapua-scenar-6-5-creedmoor-123gr-otm-50-box/

 

[HandgunHTR]

I don’t think that at all, they used to but it probably didn’t sell, and they dropped it
Heavy bullets have a rainbow trajectory and suck for normal hunting out to 300 yards, who wants to have to dial every shot
It is the range shooters who have driven the heavy bullet mentality

The question was why doesn't anyone have factory ammo offerings with lighter bullets. Yes, range shooters have driven the heavy bullet mentality and also range shooter shoot more than your average hunter, so who are you going to tailor your supply to?

Also, "heavy" in this case means 140+ grain bullets. Prior to the 6.5 Creed hitting the market, the standard twist for .264 caliber rifles was 1:9" and the majority of the offerings were 120-130 class bullets, unless it was the 6.5X55, whose following has always been rather niche here in the States.

As to your comment about heavy bullets in the 6.5 Creed "sucking" for normal hunting out to 300 yards, I have quite a bit of personal experience, and if even half of the stories and pictures shown on this and other forums are to be believed, the 140+ class of 6.5 bullets driven from 2600-2800 fps don't suck at all, even out to 600.

 

[JFK]

Because if you aren’t shooting heavies in a 6.5cm it just becomes a slower version of basically every other cartridge on the planet.

 

[Macintosh]

The whole point of developing the 6.5cm was to build it from the ground up to utilize a heavy for caliber bullet. Thats a 140-ishgr+ which to me is the “standard” weight bullet in 6.5cm. Sure, it works fine lighter, it just wasnt the reason for it existing in the first place. I havent found it howitzer-like in trajectory, it’s not super flat but its not enough different than a 308 or 7mm08 or any other similar cartridge at short range to worry about. It’s like .2mils different hold than my .270 shooting a 130gr bullet at 300 yards, thats a non-issue imo. If you prefer a lighter bullet for any reason, a quick look at the sportsmans warehouse website just now showed 34 different factory offerings from 120gr-130gr, in almost any flavor you want from 120 eldm’s, 120ish ballistic tips, several 125ish hunting bullets, 120 and 127 monos, 125 accubonds, and a variety of 129-130gr hunting bullets, plus some similar weight otm and others. If you like sst’s hornady offers that loaded in a 129gr option. Personally dont think it makes sense to quibble over the difference of a few grains, so to me it looks like there’s at least a decent selection of loaded ammo in lighter bullets?

 

[juju]

A. Marketing hype that drives the Creedmoor is all for heavy target loads.
B. The .260 Remington didn't sell well with 120gr bullets, even though it was a near perfect deer combo. So why bother try marketing that when people fell for the Creedmoor thing?

 

[Kimber7man]

Another option - https://www.milehighshooting.com/lapua-scenar-6-5-creedmoor-123gr-otm-50-box/

That's a hard price to pass up. $2/round and you get Lapua brass out of it....

 

[awildswanger]

The factory 120 gr NBT are wicked. I shoot them out of my x-bolt hood rat medallion x-bolt 6.5 creed.

Can’t leave us hanging like that, we gotta see this hood rat

 

[Macintosh]

A. Marketing hype that drives the Creedmoor is all for heavy target loads.
B. The .260 Remington didn't sell well with 120gr bullets, even though it was a near perfect deer combo. So why bother try marketing that when people fell for the Creedmoor thing?

A) It’s only marketing hype at close range.
B) to be fair, the 260 rem didnt sell well in ANY size.

People “fell for” the cm because it had all the attributes for longer range shooting (close chamber tolerances, easily reloadable case dimensions, standard spec in high-bc bullet weights, standard fast-twist barrel specifically to shoot heavier bullets), in a easy and cheap to shoot factory offering. I’ll take that “hype” 8 days a week. If you never shoot past 300 yards, it wasnt designed for you—so of course it seems like hype.

 

[KenLee]

Can’t leave us hanging like that, we gotta see this hood rat

 

[Reddish]

At one point, Hornady did load a 120 Amax 6.5 Factory load, they even printed the load data on the back. I’ve replicated that load with 123 Amax/ELDm and it is fast. Shoots 2885 fps out of a 20” barrel.

View attachment 835947

I’ve killed several deer with those…still have a couple of boxes.