Maybe you’ve heard that the US military is replacing the M16 and looking into new rifles and ammo. Wondering why they’re looking into 6.5 Creedmoor in particular? I’ve got you covered.
There are a couple things you should know about 6.5 Creedmoor and today, we’ll put this round into sharper focus for you. So let’s look at it in more detail so that you’ll see why it could work for the military and why it could work for you.
**UPDATE** 2018: USSOCOM has adopted the 6.5 CM as their new Precision Rifle cartridge.
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Creedmoor Kicks Ass & Takes Names at Long Range
Right off the bat, it’s crystal clear why Special Operations Command would and could turn to this cartridge as an alternative to existing ammo. The cartridge was introduced in 2008 as one of the first and best cartridges for long range shooting.
At the time, there weren’t a lot of civilians shooting long range, but in recent years, the company has seen demand grow, and grow as manufacturers continue to put out more and more affordable long range rifles. Today, it is the go-to cartridge for many competitive shooters.
Obviously, long range shooting is something that is advantageous to those in combat and the military seems to be catching onto Creedmoor’s awesome reputation for shooting close, precision groups at 500 yards or more.
And a bigger bullet means you’ll do bigger damage to your target, whether your target’s a terrorist or a Tazmanian devil. Also, let’s face it. Our brothers in arms go through enough crap. The last thing they need is hellish recoil. If there’s one thing you won’t get with 6.5 Creedmoor, it’s insane blowback.
6.5 Creedmoor is specially designed to offer low recoil rounds without compromising pinpoint accuracy. And another thing that the military should appreciate is how it goes subsonic after 1,300 yards if we base our findings on the speed of sound recorded at sea level.
When it comes to tactical applications, this one packs a serious wallop.
6.5 Creedmoor vs. .308 Winchester
Now, many avid shooters will tell you that there aren’t any real differences between 6.5 Creedmoor and the long-established .308 Win. But those people would be ill-informed…sorta. The truth is, they are very similar, but there are some key ways in which they differ.
For starters, there is the huge gap between the two when it comes to ballistics. 6.5 Creedmoor loads can reach one thousand yards with less than three hundred inches of drop with proper windage.
This is true of just about any ammo, particularly Hornady 178 grain HPBT, that is used with a 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. .308 Win doesn’t hold a candle to that kind of figure.
Another area in which 6.5 Creedmoor often bests .308 Win is in pure accessibility. A lot of .308 ammo is out of stock when you visit the major online ammo dealers. But if you run a search for Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor 140 gr AMAX, you’ll get a bite.
And that’s the other thing that is very good news for the military: there are plenty of dealers — large and small — from which they could order 6.5 ammo in bulk.
Some shooters like to gripe about barrel longevity, claiming that the 6.5 Creedmoor will only last for 2-3,000 rounds whereas the .308 Win will be good for as many as 10,000 rounds. This is simply bogus since it all depends on whether you’re shooting 1 MOA. There’s just no way that the .308 could be reaching that mark at 10,000.
If you’re using it with a precision rifle or for seasonal deer shooting, you’re going to go long ways with your 6.5 Creedmoor, no if, and, or buts…except the butt you put a bullet in.
And that’s another thing. Combat isn’t always what it looks like in movies and on TV. Those of us who have served can tell you that there are many days where you don’t see much action and, even when you do, it’s not necessarily a rapid fire situation.
If you’re an active duty sniper, you’re gonna get a whole lot more life outta your 6.5 Creedmoor than you would with the .308. No doubt in my mind.
What’s really crazy about the 6.5 versus .308 argument is the simple fact that 6.5 Creedmoor was specifically conceived to be a cartridge that would be superior to the wildcat cartridges of the day. At the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s 2007 National Matches at Camp Perry, Hornady engineer Dave Emary decided to remedy was he saw as a problem among competitive shooters.
As Emary saw it, people were trying to push their cartridges to the limit, attempting to defy the laws of physics by brainstorming methods by which to get their cartridges to perform at levels they weren’t made to. Problems would then crop up as a result of these jeri-rigging formulas.
In Emary’s own words, “People were having a lot of problems with functioning the 6mms. They were running these things at very high pressures to try to get the performance they need to compete.
“Our solution was to go to a 6.5, firing a lot higher BC bullet, and not have to push it as hard to get what they wanted.”
Emary and his team solved this problem by taking existing .264 cartridges and altering the specs, giving the cartridge the capacity for long-ogive, high-ballistic rounds. Lo, the 6.5 was born, a short-action rifle cartridge capable of insane performance.
Make Your Hunting Experience a Happy One
Like I said earlier, this cartridge isn’t just a slam dunk for the military should they end up choosing it over the others they’ve been testing. It’s also a damn good option for almost any civilian hunter or gun enthusiast.
**UPDATE** 2018: USSOCOM has adopted the 6.5 CM as their new Precision Rifle cartridge. It was a close call between the 260 Remington and the 6.5 Creedmoor, but the 6.5 CM won the day due to the military’s belief that the 6.5 CM has more room for innovation in the future.
Personally, I like to use it when I’m target shooting. I use it with a Ruger Precision Rifle and I shred my targets to kingdom come. The results are always incredible. At long range, I’ve seen the CM leave 2.8 inches at five hundred yards.
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But the advantages for game hunters is where this one really shines. It’s got a sick muzzle velocity due to its extra powder space and it’s able to accommodate a wealth of different medium-burning rifle powders.
If you’re anything like me, you wouldn’t automatically think of long-range shooting when it comes to big game. After all, ethical hunting requires limiting your range to as short as possible to ensure a clean kill.
That being said, it should also stand to reason that if 6.5 Creedmoor can take out a target at 500 yards, it’s going to take care of business at 100 yards with no problem.
In my own experience, I’ve seen how this one can perform in more close quarters situations and I was every bit as impressed as I was when I hunted with the .308. The round went right where I wanted it to and I bagged a deer without having to rechamber. Like I said: clean kill.
Why 6.5 Creedmoor is Awesome for Target Shooting
Elementary, dear reader. Better grouping and more affordable ammo make 6.5 Creedmoor a no-brainer for those who spend a lot of time at the firing range.
When we take into account the rising cost of ammo in the last few years and the scrutiny that many firearm and ammo companies have faced, 6.5 ammo maintains a reasonable price point and remains readily available.
And when it comes to high-end ballistics, you can’t beat these suckers. The BC numbers on these bad boys are awe-inspiring (approximately .610 G1 at 140 grain). If you’re looking to impress, you really can’t go wrong with the 6.5’s remarkable 1,400 fps at 1,000 yards(!).
Best 6.5 CM Ammo
If you want the very best from this cartridge, you’ll have to get into reloading. You can start with our Beginner’s Guide To Reloading. But if you’re not into that, then you’ll need something you can pick up at the store.
Training/Plinking
If you’re on the range to have fun, you don’t want to spend a fortune. But this also isn’t the kind of caliber that you buy cheap, crapy ammo for – you’ll want something that shoots consistent and for a fair price.
Sellier & Bellot is what you’re looking for, from 9mm to 6.5CM they make a good product for a good price.
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Match Grade Long-Range Target
Of course, once you’re ready to really stretch your legs and see what this bad boy can do – it’s time to get out the good stuff!
Match grade ammo isn’t cheap, but it is amazing. Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor Extremely Low Drag match bullet is outstanding for factory ammo. Your mileage may vary, but I’ve been getting half-MOA with this ammo.
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Hunting
When it comes to hunting ammo, you want great ammo. Not only for accuracy but also with a bullet that will expand and do a lot of damage to your target to ensure a clean, humane kill.
Hornady with their Super Shock Tip bullets gives that every time. A polymer tip gives you the ballistics of FMJ with the expansion and power of a hollow-point.
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Best 6.5 CM Rifles
A cool cartridge is only as good as the weapon that throws it, just like a weapon that throws it is only as good as what it throws.
Best Affordable Rifle
Palmetto State Armory is the name of the game…with $500 uppers and entire rifles for $800.
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Plus…we managed sub-MOA performance out of it with the cheapest plinking ammo.
Check out our full review here.
Hunting Rifle
For a budget hunting rifle, it’s hard to beat the Savage Arms 12 FV – not only is this a solid rifle out of the box, but it is at a price that is hard to beat. I commonly see this is the $370-$410 range.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Long-Range Precision Target Rifle
I already said it, but when it comes to long-range target shooting the Ruger Precision Rifle is just too good to beat. For the price, the options, the aftermarket, and the out-of-the-box quality – you want this rifle.
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Honorable Mention Rifle
A dedicated rifle for every role is the dream for many of us, but if you don’t have the room in your safe (or your budget) for that then you might want to consider a middle of the road do-it-all rifle.
The Tikka T3x is that rifle. Rugged, lightweight, smooth as butter action and outstanding trigger – a Tikka T3x is my go-to hunting rifle.
On the precision side, Tikka offers a 1 MOA from the factory guarantee and lives up to it!
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Best Scopes for 6.5 CM Rifles
Once you have your ammo and rifle picked out, you’ll want to invest in a quality scope. Depending on what role your 6.5 Creedmoor will be filling you might want a couple of scopes!
For hunting, you’ll generally want something a little lower magnification, like this Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x.
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But if you’re looking to do some real precision shooting, really put this cartridge to the test, then you’ll need something with a LOT more magnification: Vortex Golden Eagle 15-60x fills the bill!
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Other Accessories
Another important thing to keep in mind when purchasing any cartridge is maintenance. If you’re going to be participating in extended shooting sessions, you should always bring along the proper gear for cleaning your rifle and cartridge. Maintenance will help you to sustain that pinpoint precision you’re hoping for.
I always take my J Dewey Rods’ Complete Bolt Action Rifle Cleaning Kit with me when I know I’m gonna spend all day at the range or out in the field. The 6.5 kit costs around $30 and includes everything I need for proper upkeep.
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You get a BAC Chamber Kit, a B-6.5 Bore brush, an M-22 Bore mop, a CH-308 Chamber brush and a 100 count of P-221 1 ½” Round Patches.
Closing Thoughts
So what’s the bottom line? Quite simply, 6.5 Creedmoor is a formidable cartridge for tactical and target shooting applications alike.
At the end of the day, the battle between 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester will wage on, but I think it’s clear that 6.5 Creedmoor isn’t going anywhere.
If anything, it’s only going to continue to grow in popularity as more and more long range shooters embrace it.
What about you! Did you get the 6.5 Creedmoor? Take any game this year with it? Do you agree with the military adopting it? Let us know in the comments!
51 Leave a Reply
but the army did not go with the 6.5 creedmoor. it went with 6.8mm
but the army did not go with the creedmoor (6.5mm) it went with the 6.8mm
I will stick with the classics that just end up matching and comparing to the new stuff that is appearing. Bulley tech keeps all the classics comparable. I been doing mostly muzzle loading research because here in NM they restricted scopes and it is a bit easy and draw possible to get a tag.
It is an excellent bench weapon for distance(paper kill).
Not sure where to ask this so I’ll do it here.
I live in a “compliance” state and have been thinking about making a straight-pull bolt action rifle in 6.5CM. I’m thinking of making my AR-10 in .308 into a straight-pull 6.5CM rifle by eliminating the gas block and tube with a custom barrel (no gas port), and getting a side-pull upper receiver. The upper could not be easily converted to semi-auto. This way I can equip the rifle with ALL the goodies and knick-knacks I want, and stay safely within compliance.
My question is — is it safe (mechanically) to do that? And does it even make sense?
BTW I have a Ruger RPR in 6.5CM, that while crazy accurate, the jerky action when cycling the bolt (or I have to pull it JUST right) has really started to bug me. I had assumed it would smooth out with use, but even after hundreds of cycles it’s still there. I might sell this rifle to fund the straight-pull AR-10 experiment (those custom barrels ain’t cheap).
OnShot two whitetails last fall with mine .Love it and Hornady 6.5 American Whitetail ammo.Tikka t3x Superlite/Zeiss 2-10 Conquest scope.Deer killing Machine !
What's up with that stupid looking thing stuck on the grip of that PSA Creedmoor rifle? I can't see how something like that gimmicky looking thing could possibly help with shooting.
That's a commiefornia rule
Makes it CA. Compliant. Yes, it is stupid. But for that set up, they have to have it.
Hmmmm........maybe I will get me a 6.5 Creedmoor..!!! Been shooting 308 for years.
I really appreciate this post. I have been looking all over for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thx again!
heres the facts it shoots the same 140 grain bullets at the same 2700-2800fps as the 260 rem. and the 120 year old 6.5x55. its great for deer sized game but only marginal for elk the swede is a much better hunting round due to its ability to handle long heavy 150-160 grain bullets which are the bullets the 6.5 made its reputation killing large game like moose with. nothing specia!
Megan, for this newbie, a great overview of the 6.5 Creedmoor versus the .308, plus accessories. I would also appreciate if you would explain the similarities & differences of the 6.5 CM to supposedly the upgraded 6.5 PRC, as well as ammo pricing & availability, etc.? TIA!
Would like to see a discussion of 6.5 Creedmoor performance on larger game, say a 1,500 pound elk. I'm no expert, but a 140-grain bullet does not seem like enough for elk or moose.
I kinda have to agree with you on that one... Would take a lucky headshot IMO, and even then it would depend...
I shoot .300 Win Mag , or the .300 RUM for elk ,they are tough animals and i want ethical hunting .
I can speak to the performance regarding moose. Stood next to my daughter this fall as she took a great Maine moose at 200 yards. I’m not advocating for it to be the “go to” round for large North American game but it is more than capable with a quality bullet place in the right spot.
In the process of building an AR10 based 6.5 Creedmoor now. I went with a higher end 24" BSF carbon fiber over fluted stainless steel barrel although I did like the PSA mentioned here (they have a great trigger for an AR10 too at a very good price, although I went Triggertech).
I would suggest one other scope to look at as well. This one is set up specifically for the 6.5 Creedmoor round with BDC reticle. It's the Primary Arms PLx 6-30x56mm ACSS-Apollo-6.5CR. A first focal plane scope with great quality lenses.
Valuable information. Fortunate me I discovered your website by chance, and I’m shocked why this twist of fate did not took place earlier! I bookmarked it.
I've long thought that 6.5 mm ammo would be the best combination of power over distance for military use, as I have enjoyed the results I get hunting and target shooting with the 6.5x55 Swede. Reloaded with an appropriate load in a modern rifle, the ballistics are essentially the same as the Creedmoor. The main difference from a military perspective is that they likely wanted a short action cartridge, while the Swede is a long action one.
Are you sure that the 6.5X55 is a long action? I have a Ruger in that caliber and it is definitely not a long action frame.
I bought a Savage 6.5 at Bass Pro Shop at Christmas with a scope. With the $75.00 rebate it came down to right at $200.00. I was standing in line (with about a hundred other people) trying to decide what caliber to get. Was leaning toward the standard 308 and asked another guy what he thought. Without hesitation he said the 6.5. He was ‘older’ like me and besides the performance, it was the lower recoil that that made the difference.
I haven’t had a chance to test it out, but looking forward to it.
Thanks for your article.
The latest stupidity from the Army. Yes, 6.5 is a good choice, but why in the world would the Army not go with the 260 Remington? The Army developed the 7.62x51, which is the parent case for the 260. So, after they change the sniper rifles and decide to use 6.5 elsewhere, like giving the machine gunners an extra 300+meters of effective range, if they go with the 260 then the links work exactly the same, the feed trays have no issues, it’s as simple as changing out a barrel. You don’t get that interchangeability with the Creedmoor. Close, but not plug and play like the 260 offers.
BTW, I’m not slamming the Creedmore, but the Army is being myopic here, or someone is getting their pockets lined.
I concur concerning the Sellier & Bellot ammo. Last time out I was banging steel sub-MOA at 300 yards so consistently I went home. Hard to admit I got bored, but I did... [Couldn't get on the longer ranges due to an ongoing competition.]
I've shot Sellier & Bellot out to a 1000yards and the guys next to me on the range couldn't believe it's accuracy and what I paid for it. At 100 yards I've shoot a three shoot group that can be covered by a dime.
I’m killing 300lb Russian boars in SC with the Creedmoor and 140 gr Swift A-frames all day long. Bang flop with plenty of pork for the freezer. Truly impressive.
6.5 must be good if so many use it. Otherwise they have all fallen prey to marketing schemes-lol. As for a cartridge being over bore, it is what it is. Some are and some aren't. A person will have to decide what matters to them. Although I own a couple of over bore rifles/cartridges, it seems more practical to own rifles that are not. That's just my personal preference. As for performance, I figure an adjustment of a scope makes the differences somewhat negligible. No matter what the adjustment is, it has to be proper to hit the target. Granted less corrections are seemingly more conducive to hitting your target easier-seemingly that is(lol). Considering long range distances need ballistic calculators most of the time, the aforementioned, specialized equipment, shooter ability and atmospheric conditions, I still find it all somewhat negligible. One thing is certain though. There are plenty of Stevie Sniper wannabes that will enrich manufacturers and give purpose to this article(lol). One more thing: if you can't shoot off hand you are not a real shooter.
What is a real shooter? Please enlighten us.
Better to stay with the 308. Barrel lasts a heck of a lot longer and the 308 does as much damage or more than a Creedmore. Wearing out a barrel in 2000 rounds is absurd.
The military has proven the barrel wear theory is bogus, I have put at least 4.000 rounds through mine and can still shoot dimes at 300+ yards
My 6.5 Creedmoor is a custom Rem 700 SA fitted with a 22" Christensen Arms carbon wrapped barrel and Shilen trigger in a Remington laminated high comb stock. The thing shoots 3 shot groups in the 0.2.'s and 0.3's at 100 yards with just about any 140 gr. match bullet in Lapua cases with the small rifle primer. I seat them .100" off the lands and get equal results with RL-17 or H4350 powder. Mine likes 40.0 gr. of either at 2600 fps. Your actual mileage may vary. With the Swift 140 gr. A-Frame, a Yankee Hill can, and an ATN thermal 3-18/320 it absolutely slaughters 300+lb. South Carolina boar hogs at 150-200 yds with a single shot to the chest or neck. I mean they are DRT all night long. Impressive to say the least.
S&W/T/C Compass rifle @ KY Gun Co. for$275 with $75 rebate for Vets and active duty.
I love the 6.5 Creedmoor round, it's superior to the .308 when reaching out over 800 yards. But, there is a newe 6.5 PRC on the horizon that is supposedly even better than the 6.5 Creedmoor. It will take some time and testing to see the actual stats on the newer 6.5 PRC but either way the 6.5 is here to stay!
Wasn't PART of the point of Mil looking for a new round, was to make a move to 1 single round to fit all scenarios and weapons, rather than 2, or,3?
And in that case, 308 doesn't cut it because of the bulk and recoil.
I took the plunge with a custom 6.5 CM on a Remington 700 SA with sleeved bolt, 1:8 Christensen Arms carbon wrapped barrel in a pillar bedded laminate stock. Shoots lights out at 100 yards with 4 shot groups in the 0.3's using 140 grain Berger Target (not the hybrid) seated 0.100" off the lands, Lapua SR primer brass, and Federal 205M primers. I get the same results with 40.0 grains of RL-17 or H-4350. Switched to a 140 grain Swift A-frame with same 40 grain H4350 load @ 2590 fps for pigs and have taken two 300 lb. boars, one with neck shot (DRT) and the other with high shoulder shot (limped 20 yds before expiring). This is the little caliber that could (and did). A lot to like in an affordable package.
Just bought a Bergara B-14 HMR in 6.5mm Creedmoor, placed a Talley 20MOA Picatinny rail with 30mm High Tactical 6-screw turrets and a Zeiss Conquest V4 6-24x50 on it and it out shoots the .308 I got to shoot in the service any day. I wish I'd have had my HMR back then!
Bergara rifles are usually accurate from what I hear over the years. They are world renowned barrel makers. I believe it is the ore and forging process in Spain that they have perfected. If memory serves me correctly, Ed Shilen teamed up with them to manufacture complete rifles. Shilen is an expert in his own right. Put the two together and you get a precision firearm. Enjoy, I intend to get a Bergara. One great thing about living in America is that we have so many fine firearms makers. God Bless America.
Great article. I'm shocked you didn't have a category for "Most Awesomest Semi-Auto 6.5 Creedmoor" ... that would have clearly been won by my new LWRC REPR 6.5 Elite ... carbon fiber barrel and all. It's a sub-MOA semi-automatic monster that I'm already putting on 12-inch steel plates at 1,000 yards ... and I'm a lousy shot. It's expensive, but it's also the coolest and most technologically advanced 6.5 on the market today.
For starters, there is the huge gap between the two when it comes to ballistics. 6.5 Creedmoor loads can reach one thousand yards with less than three hundred inches of drop with proper windage. This is true of just about any ammo, particularly Hornady 178 grain HPBT, that is used with a 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. .308 Win doesn’t hold a candle to that kind of figure.
This guy lost cred after reading this. The 6.5 creed mainly shoots a 140gr. NOT 178gr. I shoot the Hornady 178 grain ELD-Match in my .308. It shoots 1/2 MOA , has a 34 MOA come up at 1000yds and is good to 1300yds before falling off. That’s only a 40 inch difference at 1000yds. I agree the 6.5 does everything the .308 does ,just slightly better. I do own a 6.5 creedmore because more guns are fun but I find myself shooting the .308 more. I liken it to cars, yes the newer one are nice and easier to drive but the older hot rods take allot more skill.. I do see why the military adopted the 6.5. I believe it will be a great round for them moving forward. The writer may want to rephrase that paragraph.
This article brought up a lot of valid points, but The miliary was on record doing tests with 308 5r barrel s from Rock Creek. That consistently reached 10,000 round without deminishing accuracy. Some of the rifles we're shooting better groups after the test. While I believe it's time for a change, and the 6.5 creedmore is the new 308. Don't knock the 308 it is still plenty useful. Just my 2 cents.
It really just depends on range. If you're looking at 800+ yards, 6.5CM wins in every possible way hands-down. Inside that range though and .308 has a lot of advantages, depending on what you're looking for.
Both are great, for their roles.
I bought a. Ruger American in 6.5CM and a Savage Trophy Hunter XP in 7mm-08 and I believe both have advantages over their .308 counterpart. I just hope the 6.5 doesn't obsolete the 7mm-08.
If you like the 6.5 Creedmoor your going to love the 108 and 115gr 6.2 Creedmoor! Less recoil, faster to target. I've shot them both, both are super accurate, but I like the 6.2mm-243 cal Creedmoor better!
The 6.5 is a great round but in no way is it more accessible than the 308 there is so much military surplus around and I am constantly on waiting list for the high BC 140gr 6.5 bullets
You must not be looking in the right place. 6.5 is readily available. Less recoil, and shoots farther than the .308
If 6.5 Creedmoor is "readily available" and ..308 is not that's not indicative of high "popularity" for the supposedly "superior" cartridge given the fact that there are a dozen or more .308-caliber cartridges. And 8 or 9 of them are very "popular". and most use bullets in that caliber "in common" with .308 Winchester. ,30-06 Springfield and .300 Winchester Magnum being easily the most popular long-action and magnum .308-caliber cartridges, "6..5" cartridges/bullets aka .264-caliber have never been remotely "popular" by comparison to .308-caliber and .260 Remington and .264 Ruger have BOTH been pretty much "flops". To the extent that RUGER doesn't even chamber its OWN Precision Rifle in .264 Ruger. Or maybe ".264 Ruger" just got "renamed" 6.5 Creedmoor in a last-ditch effort to sell "6.5mm" as a "sporting caliber" to "hunters" since "target shooting" isn't enough of a market in the U.S. to amount to jack squat AND most "benchrest" type shooters HANDLOAD/RELOAD anyway which is why a relative HANDFUL of commercial ammunition manufacturers actually MAKE 6.5 Creedmoor. And it's entirely possible that since HORNADY "developed" 6.5 Creedmoor and a whole pile of OTHER "next big thing" cartridges over the last 10-15 years and NONE of them have "caught on" since major firearm/ammunition manufacturers like WINCHESTER AND REMINGTON sure aren't in a hurry to pay HORNADY for the "right" to make guns and AMMUNITION chambered for a HORNADY-DEVELOPED CARTRIDGE when HORNADY AND RUGER AND SEVERAL EUROPEAN MANUFACTURES OF GUNS/AMMUNITION HAVE ALL DONE THEIR DAMNDEST TO "REMAKE" THE U.S. GUN INDUSTRY IN THE "IMAGE" OF THE EUROPEAN "GUN INDUSTRY" AND GET AMERICANS "ON BOARD" WITH LIGHTER, SMALLER CARTRIDGES/BULLETS THAT ARE NOTHING BUT BARREL-BURNING "WILDCATS" WITH NOTHING BUT HORNADY'S MEMBERSHIP IN "SAAMI" TO MAKE THEM "COMMERCIAL" CARTRIDGES. EVERY ONE OF THOSE "METRIC" CARTRIDGES IN THE 6-7mm RANGE IS NOTHING BUT A BALLISTIC AND USUALLY "DIMENSIONAL" RIPOFF/COPY OF "OLD" REMINGTON AND WINCHESTER CENTERFIRE RIFLE CARTRIDGES. INCLUDING THE "NEW" 6mm Creedmoor which is just a freaking ..243 Winchester "copy".. When the "gun community" gets a big "infusion" of "fresh meat" the way it has with the "gun bubble" that's existed since 2008 when Obama got elected, the "noob" companies love to go out and take advantage of the "noob" so-called "shooters" and especially the young "millennial" types who grew up being indoctrinated with globalism garbage and think "metric is better" and don't have a damn clue about "gun history" and aren't even smart or ambitious or "into guns" enough to LEARN some of that "history" and do a little "converting" of metric to Imperial and vice versa to learn that they may be the "targets" of a big marketing campaign to sell them a bunch of "new" cartridges but they're just buying the same old shit in a new bag. What's REALLY FREAKING HILARIOUS is all this "6.5 Creedmoor insanity" has developed mainly in the last YEAR at MOST despite the WELL-KNOWN FACT (among ACTUAL GUN GUYS WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO SOMETHING BESIDES "BLACK RIFLES" THE LAST 5-10 YEARS THAT YOU "NOOBS" AND "ROOKIES" HAVE BEEN "GUN GUYS" IF YOU'VE EVEN BEEN "INTO GUNS" THAT LONG) that 6.5 CREEDMOOR and "precision rifles" chambered IN IT have been around a GOOD 4-5 years now as a "popular" cartridge and its been around TEN YEARS as a "commercial cartridge". It's just taken you NOOBS that damned long to figure it out now that you're "over" the "black rifle" thing and are playing "sniper" instead of "door kicker" in your Range Rambo post-SHTF Zombie Apocalypse Tactitool fantasies. And this idiot "gun chick" who claims that a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle with a 1::7 or 1:8 twist shooting bullets .044" smaller in diameter and with a lot less "base area" than .308 Winchester and needing every bit of its chamber pressure just to get those stupidly long and "heavy for caliber" bullets to 2800-2900 fps if anybody with a clue and who knows that "pressure signs" are DANGEROUS AND STUPID THINGS TO JACK WITH MUCH LESS "DEVELOP LOADS" WITH is going to "outlast" a .308 Winchester getting "similar" velocities from bullets 10-15 grains heavier with roughly the same amount of slower powder is just an IDIOT GUN CHICK. As BULLETS GET SMALLER IN DIAMETER THERE IS LESS BASE AREA FOR CHAMBER PRESSURE TO ACT ON, 140-grain bullets are WAY into ..277-caliber "traditional" weight ranges, ..308 Winchester twist rates are typically 1::10 and that's 25% or more SLOWER than 6.5 Creedmoor and the FASTER THE TWIST RATE THE SLOWER THE BULLET GETS "DOWN" AND "AROUND" THE BARREL BORE AND RIFLING. AND THAT JUST JACKS UP THE NECESSARY PRESSURES TO GET "SIMILAR" ENERGY AND/OR VELOCITY TO LARGER/HEAVIER/SHORTER BULLETS THAT AREN'T BEING PUSHED NEARLY AS HARD. One of the PRIMARY "problems" with ALL 6mm/6.5mm cartridges TO DATE - and there are a PILE of them - is that you have them in a SHORT-ACTION CASE that's essentially a "necked down" .308 Winchester and you have to make the bullets LONG AND HEAVY FOR CALIBER TO GET THEM ANYWHERE NEAR .308 WINCHESTER "ENERGY" AND THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO RUN VERY HIGH PRESSURES AND FASTER TWIST RATES AND DO IT WITH A SHORTER, LOWER-CAPACITY NECKED-DOWN CASE THAT'S REQUIRED TO "FUNNEL" MORE FLOWING GAS THROUGH A SMALLER HOLE EVEN SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER TO PRODUCE "BALLISTICS" THAT ARE "SUPERIOR" TO .308 WINCHESTER ONLY IF YOU "CHERRY PICK" THE DATA/SITUATION AND PUT THOSE "SUPERIOR" CARTRIDGES UP AGAINST A "STANDARD" AND REQUIRED BY THE RULES 150+ GRAIN "SPITZER" .308-caliber bullet that hasn't been "engineered" for "aerodynamic efficiency". And you need at LEAST a couple more inches of BARREL LENGTH for that "superior" 6mm/6.5mm cartridge than you'll find "standard" on MOST .308 Winchester "sporting rifles" ever made and more like "standard". .30-06 Springfield length. And since the "blank" the barrel is made of starts out LONGER and then gets a SMALLER BORE DRILLED THROUGH IT AND THICKER BARREL WALLS, YOU GET A DOUBLE-WHAMMY OF EXTRA WEIGHT OVER .308 WINCHESTER WITH THE SAME "OD" AND "CONTOUR" OF BARREL IN .308 WINCHESTER. GO LOOK AT RUGER PRECISION RIFLES AND WEIGHTS AND YOU'LL FIND YOUR "SUPERIOR" CARTRIDGE MAKES FOR MOST OF A POUND MORE WEIGHT ON AN ALREADY "PORKY" RIFLE MISS GUN EXPERT SURE MUST NOT BE DOING TOO MUCH "COMPETITION SHOOTING" OF THE "PRECISION RIFLE" VARIETY OR IS ONE "HORSE" OF A WOMAN IF SHE'S RUNNING AROUND "ENGAGING" TARGETS WITH A RIFLE THAT "ALL UP" IS GOING TO TIP THE SCALES AT WAY CLOSER TO 15 LBS THAN 10 LBS. And she'll be doing DAMNED GOOD to get 3000 rounds out of that "superior" rifle/cartridge combo while most "competitive" .308 shooters will tell you "I don't know" if RAyou ask THEM about barrel life shooting "long-range" competition at 600-1000 yards in NRA competition because they haven't SHOT OUT a barrel yet even if they've been doing it since BEFORE you noobs and rookies and all your "expertise" came along and started "teaching" us "old-timers" what's what when it comes to rifles and cartridges.
You're such a fanboy shill noob rookie sniper wannabe you didn't even catch that he said he's waiting for BULLETS. Not AMMUNITION OR CARTRIDGES. FACTORY AMMO SHOOTER ON YOUR END, HANDLOADER/RELOADER ON HIS. AND HE'S WAITING FOR BULLETS TO LOAD 6.5 CREEDMOOR SO HE'S EVEN "ON YOUR SIDE". BULLETS ARE THE THINGS THAT COME OUT OF THE "FAR AWAY" END OF THE BARREL WHEN YOU PULL THE TRIGGER. CARTRIDGES ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE THE BULLET IN THEM AND GO IN THE "UP CLOSE" END OF THE BARREL BEFORE YOU PULL THE TRIGGER.
DO YOU NEED SOMEONE TO DRAW YOU A PICTURE?
Someone sounds like an angry old man that just got learned and can’t admit it. Sheesh just take your 308 and go home.
Someone got wound up!
I'm confused....HOW IS IT THOSE IN THE SMU TIER 1 UNITS WHO LEFT FOR THE PRIV SEC FIRMS i WORKED ALONGSIDE DOING MY WORK THOUGHT THE SR-25K2/M110A1 "assaulter" 16" was FAAAAAR SUPERIOR (HAVING THE TERMINAL LETHALITY TO STOP A THREAT INSTANTLY WHILE A FIREBALL LIKE THE THE AMAZINGLY ACCURATE 6.5 CREEDMOOR IS ONLY GOOD WHEN REACHING OUT A BIT BURTHER. IT'S THE SAME ARGUMENTS WE SAW WHEN REMINGTON AND AAC CAME OUT WITH THE 300 BLK!! ITS A THUMPER, GUARANTEED, OF COURSE!! BUT THE 7.62 IS JUST TOO LONG STANDING AS A GREAT SHOW STOPPER TO JUST THROW OUT FOR A HOT NEW INTERMED CART LIKE THE VALKYRIE OR THE CREEDMOOR!!
I SAW GUYS CRUMPLE WITH AN A CQB VARIANT OF THE LMT MWS AND THE SR-25K2 CQB ITERAITIONS AS WELL!!! IS THIS AN EXPERIMENT WE FEEL THAT COMPELLED TO RISK WARFIGHTERS' LIVES ON, WHETHER IT WAS TESTED ADNAUSEUM AT RANGE 37 OR NOT? ALL OF THOSE UNIT OLD SALS HAVE ZERO QUALMS ABOUT STICKING TO ARMOR CUSTOMIZED LARUE AND LMT 7.62S, OR JUST THE ORIGINAL REBOOTED (CONTANTLY) CSASS AS EVEN A CQB WEAPON! IT ENDS THE FIGHTS FAST....BUT IF YOU POP OFF A KEYHOLE GROUP OF 6.5MM AT CLOSE RANGE, ITS GONNA JUST PUNCH A CLEAN EXIT ON THE WAY OUT WHILE THE .308s ARE JUST BEATS LIKE THE FIRST 300 AACS WERE!! AND I HATED THOSE BUT....MAN...THEY ALL HAD, and this goes for EVERYONE I worked with, a short and highly mobile and highly lethal (at ALL distances as well as up close) when Green gun bunnys shortened the K2s of the SR-25s to be almost what the POF USE Revolution and Barrett Rec10 try to accomplish knowadays alongside their biggest brother, the INFAMOUS HK 417 Assaulter...and now they integrally have figured out to turn into a monster! SEE---> the LMT CSW room broom upper, and yeah, US ARMY SOF geniuses at ARDEC developed a LaRue and even a Wilson Combat "Ranger/Recon Tactical" in 7.62mm that is now an integrally suppressed upper in the 14.7 inch barrel range!!
You guys should really ask around to the top SMU guys who've used them recently in just the last couple years
There ought to be a rule around here that typing in ALL CAPS automatically gets a post deleted.
I needed a good laugh. Lots of marketing separating wannabes from their money. One positive is that it never hurts for younger generations to have an interest in firearms; hence the 2nd Amndmnt. As long as they don't leave quarry wounded and hurt hunting in the long run; I should think the more gun enthusiasts the better. So although I am like minded to your views, try to take it easy on the youngins. They may get wise and more humble with age. After all, we need as many interested in our sport as possible ; even if marketing schemes and cocky people litter the playing field. Also, the manufacturers need to make money from their marketing because they financially support NRA(and other rights groups); as well as provide consumers with accessibility to quality products. We Americans love our guns and need the continuous preservation and cultivation of the market that provides us them.