Which 6.5mm and why

K

ksduckhntr

Active member
I was at cabelas today because they normally have the most exstinsive ammo selection in town. I was hunting for some 6.5 creedmoor ammo and couldn't hardly find any. I know that creedmoor ammo is not all that common but normally they have at least a few different bullet weights to choose from for factory ammo. What I noticed was most other bullet weights have typically one maybe two most common calibers. Example .257= 25-06 ammo everywhere , 6mm = 243, .277 = 270 and you get the picture. So why hasn't one 6.5mm caliber come out on top for factory ammo? Which cartridge would you like to see take the lead? Me personally it would be 6.5SE with modern pressure loads.
 
I'd like to see someone else make Lapua ammo.

It is the finest of the short action 6.5s if you ask me. Gives up little to none on velocity to the creedmoor, has the best brass for the time being and is about as efficient as a hamster wheel.
 
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The 6.5 craze with newer, high BC bullets is pretty recent. The other calibers you listed are traditional hunting rounds that have been around for decades. 6.5 Creedmoor is becoming very popular with more availability at stores. Keeping production up with the demand is a challenge in itself, so flooding the store shelves isn't going to happen overnight.
 
I spent a year making the decision to go with 6.5x47 and couldn't be happier. I have built rifles for customers in all the other popular 6.5s, and keep coming back to the Lapua. Velocities are nearly identical with better brass, a shorter case, and better consistency. That said, there are no flies on the 6.5CM.
 
6.5Creed. Especially when the new lapua brass shows up.

It's simply the easy button. Insanely inexpensive match grade factor ammo available and ample component sources for handloaders.

Factory available 6 Creed brass... which allows me to make 22 Creed... which is probably the most exciting cartridge I've played with in the last decade.
 
Isnt a 22 creed basicly the same thing as a 22-250 AI?.

I'm very partial towards the 260 Rem.. I've had such amazing luck with it hunting and shooting over the years, when the 6.5 CM and 6.5x47 hit the street, I was blown away with how "new" people though this style cartridge was. 260 has been out since 97, and was a wildcat before that.. it can do every thing the other two can with slightly more case capacity( which I belive will come more into play with the new 147 eld). The biggest advantage 6.5 CM had over 260 rem was factory ammo availability. Now horNady is making a 129 SST superformance round, and a 130gr ELD match load, which will help 260 rem population immensly.

That being said, the 6.5 Creedmoor is an amazing round as well, that seems much more embraced than the 260 rem. (I think it's the cool name!)

6.5x47L, I honestly dont get. I know, I know I'll be crucified for saying it, but the appeal for a slower round, (unless handloading hot) with rare ammo and components is completely lost on me.
 
I get the 6.5 creed, and 6.5 x47 are relatively new, but the 260, and 6.5x55 se are oldies. Just interesting to see that the performances are relatively the same unless you bump up to the 6.5x284 or a magnum type caliber.
 
Originally Posted By: CampowerIsnt a 22 creed basicly the same thing as a 22-250 AI?. Yes, sorta... kind of.
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Different ways to get there though. The 22-250AI requires "forming" in the traditional sense. The 22CM can be knocked down to spec in a single shot from 6CM brass. I never did see a lot of 22-250AI's getting 3500fps+ with 80's and behaving themselves.
 
What barrel length and powder are you running with the 22 creed?
I have been running a 22-243AI with 80 Amax at 3550 from a 26" barrel. With lots of brass prep. I'm tired of turning necks....lol
 
Originally Posted By: CAT DADDY COLDWhat barrel length and powder are you running with the 22 creed?
I have been running a 22-243AI with 80 Amax at 3550 from a 26" barrel. With lots of brass prep. I'm tired of turning necks....lol I'm running a 26" barrel and using H4350. Getting 3525fps and 1/4moa or better.
 
I own a fair bunch of 6.5 MM rifles, and I like the 6.5-284 cartridge the best of the bunch for shorter cartridges. If cartridge length is not a factor, the excellent 264 Win Mag attests to how long the 6.5 bore diameter has been available in the US along with the European 6.5's like the Swede that came before.
 
Originally Posted By: Campower 6.5x47L, I honestly dont get. I know, I know I'll be crucified for saying it, but the appeal for a slower round, (unless handloading hot) with rare ammo and components is completely lost on me.


The Lapua variant is not slower, period. It also allows the use of VLD type bullets in a standard 2.80" mag well. I cant care less about factory rounds as I haven't shot any in over a decade, sans pistols. But, at the end of the day, different strokes.
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760The Lapua variant is not slower, period. I disagree. The pressures being run in that cartridge by many would say otherwise, however if you talk with the people that designed the round, it most certainly is slower than the 6.5CM.
 
Yes, it is slower. Unless you run handloads and super mamma jamma pressures. Like you said, different strokes. 260 rem and 6.5 CM can run VLD bullets as well no problem. Easier to find lands with 6.5x47L and 6.5 CM, But most folks who run a 260 Rem nowadays just use a reamer made for vld bullets. I have no problem kissing the lands loaded to AI mag length with my 260 Rem and the 143 ELD-X.
 
Originally Posted By: orkan6.5Creed. Especially when the new lapua brass shows up.

It's simply the easy button. Insanely inexpensive match grade factor ammo available and ample component sources for handloaders.

Factory available 6 Creed brass... which allows me to make 22 Creed... which is probably the most exciting cartridge I've played with in the last decade.

THIS ^^^^^^^^ and I have a 6.5x47 Lapua...
Also have a Creed in a SP and rifle, plus a 22 Creed in a specialty pistol.
 
The whole thought of using heavy for caliber bullets, swings me to the medium action 6.5x55. In my mind the medium action fits the 6.5 bullets perfectly. There is no reason to give up case capacity with the longer 140-143 gr bullets or magazine length. The efficient 6.5x47, 260, or 6.5 creedmoor have proven smaller cases can push the longer bullets fine, but may have restrictions with magazine length or pressure signs. Has anyone loaded up the 143 eld bullets in the 260 and had seating depth issues?
 
I use the 143 eld-x in my 260 rem with great success. I use AI mags, which allow me up to 2.870 max COAL. It's 2.880 to the lands for me, and they shoot great. I even loaded then to standard 2.800 COAL and they shot great there as well. I haven't ran into jump issues with any of the new ELD bullets so far.
 
I had a Remington 700 Classic in 6.X55 ago and it was a fun little rifle to shoot, that's been my only experience with the 6.5, it had fairly mild recoil, wasn't hard to get a load for, but that would be my choice, probably not the top performer by a long shot in the 6.5 class but it sure was fun.
 
I am seriously thinking about a custom rifle build in 6.5 Creedmoor with a 22-23" barrel.

It would be primarily a coyote calling rig with the option for deer hunting and target shooting as well. I just want something for when those stubborn dogs hang out there at 600 yards and beyond and think they're safe.
 


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