Estimated studying time: 18 minutes
On the earth of profitable centerfire rifle cartridges, it appears as if a spherical must have a decades-long resume in service to hunters and sportsmen or a nod from army circles in an effort to maintain any endurance. Most of the searching rounds we’ve are many years previous, and it may be troublesome for brand spanking new rounds to make inroads regardless of the advances in our understanding of find out how to get probably the most out of our rifles. The massive improvements occur within the discipline of goal capturing, however a leap into searching or martial service is required to attain wider acceptance. The mild-kicking and flat-shooting 6.5 Creedmoor is a kind of newer rounds that beat the chances to grow to be a prolific contender for hunters, goal shooters, and even in specialised army purposes, and, in some circumstances, displacing these older rounds.
As soon as the spherical for specialised goal rifles, producers have come to the rescue to supply searching and tactical rifles whose options fluctuate in keeping with wants and finances. The identical is true for the ammunition. The Creedmoor was developed by Hornady, however most main producers now provide loadings for it together with all of the wanted parts for reloaders. If you’re curious in regards to the 6.5 Creedmoor, there has by no means been a greater time to be taught extra and make the leap. Observe alongside as we dive into the historical past, ballistics, and purposes of the 6.5 Creedmoor.
The Creedmoor 6.5 In Context
The 6.5 CM is a part of a wealthy historical past of ballistic one-upmanship. As soon as the French developed the 8×50 Lebel spherical in 1886, the remainder of the world confronted a spherical that was double the efficient vary of current black powder rounds and gave off no smoke. It started a lethal recreation of maintaining with the Jones’ because the Europeans sought small-bore smokeless powder rounds of their very own. The Germans, Austrians, and Brits favored .30 caliber or 8mm cartridges. Nevertheless it was realized that even smaller caliber rounds might be made that had a flatter trajectory and fewer thump on the shoulder. The People tried a 6.5mm or .26 caliber cartridge of their Lee straight-pull rifles, however the Italians, Romanians, Greeks, and Swedes went all in on 6.5mm.
On the entire, .30 caliber rounds predominated, and even former adherents to the 6.5 went with .30 caliber cartridges throughout or after the Second World Warfare as a result of they have been perceived to have extra energy. The standardization of ammunition with the rise of NATO and the Warsaw Pact did the remaining. The only vibrant spot was the 6.5×55 Swede adopted with the M1896 Mauser. It loved specific endurance within the searching world and goal capturing as much as the Olympic degree.
The 6.5 Creedmoor is the pure successor of the 6.5 Swede. It was developed in 2007 by a workforce headed by Hornady’s Chief Ballistician, Dave Emary, for Creedmoor Sports activities, a precision capturing outfit in Aniston, Alabama. The 6.5 Creedmoor is usually mentioned to be a flatter-shooting reply to the favored .308 Winchester cartridge in long-range capturing. In truth, it emerged as a solution to the issues of current 6mm goal cartridges just like the 6 XC, which needed to be loaded scorching to attain good efficiency. This led to extreme put on on the circumstances and the rifles, together with shortened barrel life.
Current 6.5mm projectiles are lengthy for his or her caliber, as in, they’ve a excessive ballistic coefficient that promotes low drag and low-velocity loss, which interprets to much less holdover. Emary seized on the brand new .30 Thompson Heart cartridge case because the case quantity was large sufficient to effectively maintain the slow-burning 4350 collection of powders like IMR 4350 and H4350, that are usually utilized in magnum rifle rounds. The .30 TC case, when necked down to six.5mm, additionally had a beneficiant throat for these longer bullets, whereas all the case was quick sufficient to cycle briefly motion rifles, in contrast to these older technology 6.5 rounds. 1
Cartridge Traits
By uncooked numbers alone, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a sedate spherical in comparison with the 6mm XC and bigger rounds just like the .300 Winchester Magnum. Commonplace manufacturing unit loadings for the 6.5 CM vary from 120 to 147-grain projectiles working at about 2,800 toes per second. The 30-degree bottleneck of the .30 TC offers the CM spherical a novel trueness to the bore, whose chamber has a mere .100″ of free bore between bullet and rifling that minimizes bullet deformation and barrel put on. The beneficiant throat accommodates all kinds of bullet weights with out the projectile going too far to cycle in a short-action rifle. It additionally stops bullet setback that may compress the powder cost. Like with different 6.5 rounds, the 6.5 Creedmoor makes use of its bullet to do its injury, the place giant powder prices are merely pointless or counterintuitive.
The 6.5 Creedmoor’s environment friendly design translated properly in match work at distances past 1,000 yards. In Emary’s personal phrases, the 6.5 stays supersonic out to 1,400 yards the place different rounds just like the .308 Winchester had already fallen from the wagon. However the Creedmoor’s leap from that area of interest to mass reputation got here when the spherical started to be provided in typical searching rifles. It’s not uncommon for a cheap lengthy gun in 6.5 Creedmoor to print sub-MOA with out the necessity to head for the reloading bench. 2 With minimal gear and manufacturing unit ammunition, the 6.5 takes the guesswork out of many sensible searching purposes. Its decrease recoil additionally put it in a league by itself in comparison with different rounds typically lumped into that class of rounds typically related to new or shorter-statured shooters just like the .243 Winchester or .30-30 Winchester. The 6.5 Creed has higher terminal ballistics and longer legs with the same old chunk to the shoulder that might ordinarily be the tradeoff.
Fast Specs:
Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor Dad or mum Case: .30 Thompson Heart Case Size: 1.920 inches3 Total Size: 2.825 inches most Shoulder: 30 levels, .400 inch Throat: .2950 inch Case Capability: 52.5 grains H2O 4 Most Common Stress: 62,000 PSI (3); 63,914 PSI (CIP) 5
6.5 Creedmoor Towards the World
Within the centerfire rifle cartridge world, the 6.5 Creedmoor shouldn’t be unprecedented. The .260 Remington, initially primarily based on the .308 Winchester however necked down to six.5mm, debuted in 1997 however garnered little consideration. The .260 has most of the similar attributes because the later 6.5 Creed, however its abbreviated shoulder and throat restrict the shooter to lighter projectiles by comparability. The 6.5 Swede nonetheless enjoys a strong following and has a better case capability than the Creed however with out the beneficiant throat. However there is no such thing as a scarcity of different good searching and long-distance succesful rounds to share the house with the 6.5. How do they evaluate?
6.5 vs. .243 Winchester
The .243 was Winchester’s try to enhance upon the ballistics of the .308 for varmints and recreation as much as deer dimension. It makes use of a .308 case necked right down to 6mm or .243 inches. The .243 is a flexible cartridge loaded with bullets starting from quick 58-grain masses for small varmints to 100-115-grain rounds supposed for whitetail. The .243 is a flatter point-blank vary and fewer recoil than the .308, and customary 100-grain masses can run out at over 3,000 toes per second. The 6.5 Creedmoor boasts comparable recoil and is chambered in comparable short-action rifles however is constructed round rifles with a 1:8 twist fee. 6 Some .243 rifles have a 1:8 twist, whereas others have a 1:10 twist fee supposed for lighter bullets, so some heavier 100-grain masses won’t shoot as precisely in some rifles. Though the 6.5 Creed is a slower spherical, it’s extra highly effective downrange with heavier projectiles to stability the equation.
6.5 Creedmoor vs. 6mm Creedmoor
The 6mm Creedmoor makes use of a 6.5 Creedmoor case, however it’s necked down for a .243 caliber bullet. Like its greater brother, the 6 makes use of lengthy, aerodynamically designed 105-120 grain projectiles utilized by different 6mm rounds in competitors. It was supposed to be an improved heavy .243 Winchester spherical that would readily feed from AR-10 magazines. The 6mm boasts much less recoil than the 6.5, which makes it nice for sooner observe up photographs in timed goal matches. Additionally it is a aggressive possibility for the brand new or skilled hunter in search of one thing totally different than a .243 or a .240 Weatherby Magnum. However the 6 is throwing a lighter projectile and hits with much less power than the 6.5 Creed. 7 8This newer spherical can also be obtainable in fewer rifles till demand catches up.
6.5 Creedmoor vs. 22 Creedmoor
The .22 Creedmoor is an extra improvement of the 6mm Creedmoor. Consider it as a 6.5 Creedmoor case, this time necked down for the heavier selection 80-90 grain .224 caliber bullets that pushes current journal, case, and rifling limits from current .22 centerfire rounds limits of rounds just like the .220 Swift, .22-250, and .223 Remington. Manufacturing unit loaded .22 Creedmoor ammunition has solely been obtainable since 2021 and the spherical is closely related to Horizon Firearms rifles, who developed the spherical and partnered with Hornady to carry it to market.
.22 centerfire rounds are perfect for skinny skinned varmints and even smaller whitetail deer at affordable ranges, the place a flat trajectory and low recoil is prized. However lighter .22 caliber bullets lose their power rapidly. The .22 Creedmoor steps that up with excessive BC bullets. It runs bullets at about 3,300 toes per second, which isn’t barn burning by any stretch. However these rounds maintain onto their power at longer distances. The .22 Creedmoor is at the moment a distinct segment spherical, however it might probably excel in areas the place the 6.5 Creedmoor is likely to be an excessive amount of gun. 9
6.5 vs. .260 Remington
As talked about earlier than, the .260 Remington was the comfortable touchdown of a 6.5mm cartridge in america earlier than the Creedmoor. It contains a .308 case necked down to six.5mm. In contrast to the Creedmoor, the .260 was supposed as a medium recreation cartridge, but it surely has been revived as a goal cartridge. It contains a longer case and barely extra case capability than the 6.5 Creed. However the stouter 20 diploma shoulder and shorter throat prevents the .260 from being loaded as hotly or with longer bullet varieties. Most .260 masses use a 120-130 grain bullet, the place 140-147 grainers are typical with the Creedmoor. Fitzpatrick, writing for Rifle Shooter Journal, acknowledged that out to 400+ yards, each rounds are nearly similar with the lighter bullet weights handicapping the .260 at longer ranges.
For the common hunter, the 6.5 won’t be well worth the improve. However rifle and ammo availability at the moment favor the Creedmoor, with just a few makers like Savage and Tikka producing rifles for the previous .260 and ammunition not fairly as varied.
6.5 CM vs. 6.5 PRC
The 6.5 PRC got here out in 2018 as a way to push the 6.5mm envelope even additional than the Creedmoor. It derived from the .300 Ruger Compact Magnum, which itself derived from the .375 H&H spherical. That large case is shortened and necked right down to take a 6.5mm projectile. It was supposed to feed from AR magazines however is generally seen briefly motion bolt weapons from makers from CVA to Springfield to Bergara. Whereas considerably obscure in comparison with the 6.5 Creedmoor, comparable projectiles are used, and the broader magnum circumstances maintain extra powder. The ammunition capability can also be restricted by case width. The payoff is that the 6.5 PRC has a 250 toes per second benefit over the Creedmoor, resulting in a reasonably flatter trajectory. 10
6.5 vs. .308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester mimicked the ballistics of 150-grain M2 ball 30-06 ammunition in a shorter case that might be higher utilized in an autoloading platform. This grew to become the 7.62 NATO spherical. Irrespective of the way you name it, each are versatile rounds able to 1,000+ yard capturing. Bullet weights fluctuate from 110-180 grains, with 150-grain projectiles being the most well-liked. The .308 is without doubt one of the hottest sporting cartridges available on the market and, in its army configuration, a regular spherical for longer-range purposes. There isn’t a scarcity of rifles within the spherical, and it enjoys a lot of loadings that the 6.5 doesn’t fairly get pleasure from. However there was all the time room for enchancment. Demand for an even-flatter capturing spherical with much less recoil led us to a slew of rounds primarily based on the .308, together with the .243 and the 7mm-08. And, after all, there may be the 6.5 CM.
The 6.5 Creedmoor is less complicated on the shoulder than the .308, however the ballistic distinction between the 2 is surprisingly comparable for some time. With rounds of comparable 140-147 grain bullet weights, each have muzzle velocities of about 2,700 toes per second and trajectories that mirror out to 500 yards. Past this, the longer bullets of the smaller-caliber 6.5 holds onto their velocity and drifts much less within the wind. 11
6.5 vs. .300 Winchester Magnum
For a time, the answer to get a flatter trajectory and hits out to 1,000 yards was to throw extra powder on the downside till it relents. The .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge was developed in 1963 and shares a few of the similar bullet varieties because the .308. In spite of everything, it fires .308 inch diameter bullets. However the .300 is a protracted motion cartridge with a beneficiant 94 grains of case capability to match. Just like the 30-06 and .308, the .300 can use all kinds of bullet weights from 110-220 grains, relying on the rifling twist. Lengthy-range marksmen have made good use of 180-200 grain bullets to take photographs that appeared out of attain for the .308.
The .300 Winchester Magnum can launch these heavier, longer capsules at over 3,000 toes per second. That increased velocity mixed with a heavier spherical equates to rather more energy and low drop and wind drift than both the .308 or the 6.5 Creedmoor.
The heaviest obtainable 6.5mm bullets are extra aerodynamic and have a better ballistic coefficient than the heavier 200-grain rounds obtainable for the .300. The Hornady 143-grain ELD-X spherical has a BC of .625, whereas 200-grain ELD-X rounds for the .300 had a BC of .597. The upper the quantity, in principle, the better the bullet’s resistance to the atmosphere. However the additional velocity of the .300 offers it a marked benefit. Nevertheless, at 500 yards, the hole between the 2 rounds slim. John McAdams’ assessments of those Hornady masses reveal that after a 200-yard zero, the 6.5 dropped a complete of 44.6 inches at 500 yards with an power of 1,295 foot kilos of power. The .300 drops 40.1 inches, and power decays to 1,989 foot kilos. It began out with 3,608 on the muzzle, in comparison with the 6.5’s 2,315. 12
The .300 Winchester Magnum can also be a bruiser of a spherical by comparability, as that additional velocity must be imparted on the shooter in addition to the goal. The Magnum can also be related to heavier, long-action rifles, whereas the 6.5 shouldn’t be. In contrast to the .243 and the .308, prices grow to be an element because the .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge and rifles that shoot it are costlier than the 6.5 and different aggressive non-Magnum cartridges.
The Great World of 6.5 CM Rifles and Ammo
The 6.5 Creedmoor is a ballistic delight, however you don’t must press your individual ammunition to get good mileage from the spherical, as MOA teams are attainable with manufacturing unit ammunition and a superb set off press. For light-skinned varmints like coyotes and prairie canine, contemplate the Hornady Varmint Categorical 95-grain V-Max. It’s on the lighter finish of the bullet spectrum for the 6.5 and has a blistering marketed muzzle velocity of three,300 toes per second. As a cheap medium recreation and apply spherical, the S&B 131 grain comfortable level and Winchester White Field 125 grain JHP strike a superb stability between weight and cents per spherical. For stretching the legs of the 6.5, contemplate Federal’s Gold Medal Match collection and the wonderful Hornady Precision Hunter and Match line of 143-147 grain rounds.
Savage Stevens 334
Along with ammunition, there’s a rising variety of rifles in 6.5 Creedmoor obtainable to swimsuit any finances, want, and style. My first introduction to the 6.5 Creedmoor was by way of the brand new Savage Stevens 334, which turned out to be an MOA rifle at underneath $500. Related rifles on this worth vary embody the Savage Axis, the Ruger American, and the Mossberg Patriot. Remington gives the 6.5 Creedmoor in a number of fashions of their well-known 700 collection of rifles.
Springfield Armory 2020 Waypoint
For a bit additional cash, the Springfield Armory 2020 Waypoint rifle is price a glance, as is the carbon fiber-shrouded 2020 Boundry collection. Christiansen Arms’s choices in 6.5 run the gamut between mild searching rifles just like the Evoke to long-range setups within the Trendy Precision Rifle.
Whereas related to bolt weapons, the 6.5 Creedmoor, because of its quick motion size, will be present in autoloading platforms much like these of the .308. These embody AR-10-style rifles just like the Christiansen CA-10 DMR and the Tactical Hunter from Wilson Fight. The traditionalist can even discover the 6.5 in Springfield’s Loaded M1A. Whether or not you wish to spend a couple of hundred or a couple of thousand {dollars}, there’s a 6.5 on the market for you.
6.5mm Creedmoor FAQs
What caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor?
The 6.5 Creedmoor’s bullet is 6.5mm in diameter or .264 of an inch. That makes it an even bigger caliber than a .223 or .243 rifle however smaller than the .277 bullet of a .270 Winchester or a .308 inch bullet used within the .30-06, .308 Winchester, and .300 Winchester Magnum.
What dimension suppressor must you use for a 6.5 Creedmoor?
.30 caliber suppressors supposed for full-power rifle cartridges just like the .308 or .300 Win. Magazine. will suffice to suppress the recoil, blast, and sound of the 6.5 Creedmoor. The SilencerCo Omega 300, for instance, matches the invoice. However a majority of these suppressors will be heavier than wanted. The titanium-constructed Sythe-Ti reduces bulk however continues to be made for .30 caliber rounds. As 6.5 is gaining popularity, some firms have begun providing devoted 6.5mm suppressors that do an excellent higher job of suppressing sound. The Thunder Beast Extremely 9 is right for braked rifles in 6.5 caliber, whereas the Energetic Armament Lux 6.5 makes for a superb light-weight possibility for direct threaded rifles.
How a lot recoil does the 6.5 Creedmoor have?
Recoil will be very subjective, because it varies by particular person, by rifle, and even by the garments you put on or don’t put on. Nevertheless, utilizing load cell information, the 6.5 Creedmoor in a traditional rifle yields about 11-16 kilos of free recoil power the shoulder should take in. The .300 Win. Magazine generates near 26 kilos of power. (6) With typical 150-180 grain masses, the .308 Winchester generates about 18 kilos of power. The .243 Winchester spherical, typically thought of a starter for entry-level hunters and shooters, generates between 7-11 kilos, relying on the load and the burden of the rifle. 13
What’s the finest propellant for six.5 Creedmoor handloaders?
The 6.5 was developed with the 4350 collection of powders in thoughts, however there are dozens of different powders by Correct, IMR, Hodgdon, and Winchester which can be present in load information for the spherical. Observe that load information, play it protected, and work up an correct load.
Does the army use the 6.5 Creedmoor?
Sure, type of. In 2017, the US Military’s Particular Operations Command started mulling over a 6.5mm intermediate cartridge to switch current 7.62 NATO rifles as the large Military started to take a look at a 6.8mm normal subject rifle to switch the 5.56 NATO M4 platform. In October 2019, the Naval Floor Warfare Heart Crane Division modified a contract for .308 Knight M110 rifles to as an alternative be delivered chambered within the 6.5 Creedmoor spherical. Extra just lately, the SOC pushed efforts to develop 6.5mm match ammunition with Black Hills. In 2023, Capstone was given a contract to supply 3 million rounds of a brand new M1200 Particular Lengthy Vary Ball ammunition in 6.5 Creedmoor. 14
What are you able to hunt with a 6.5 Creedmoor?
Though it was developed to punch paper at lengthy vary, the 6.5 Creedmoor has taken off as a deer and pronghorn cartridge at intermediate ranges. Brad Fitzpatrick of American Hunter Journal touts the flexibility of the 6.5 rifle as a spherical a youth can develop up searching in timber and go forth to the Western bills with equal success. However the 6.5 is probably going extra gun than vital for varmints just like the coyote. He additionally cautions using the Creedmoor on elk, the place lengthy photographs on sturdy bull elk might be dicey with out picture-perfect bullet placement. With a shot taken inside a couple of hundred yards, the 6.5 is environment friendly however doesn’t have the uncooked power of bigger .30 caliber cartridges that solely start to wane at excessive distances.
Why do individuals hate the 6.5 Creedmoor?
The 6.5 Creedmoor is without doubt one of the hottest rounds available on the market. Additionally it is comparatively new, and it’s straightforward to extrapolate that some customers of the 6.5 solely go for it to be stylish. Embracing the 6.5 additionally one way or the other implies a rejection of different, extra established rounds which were greater than ok and even higher than the 6.5 of their specific area of interest. Alternatively, some view the 6.5’s versatility to imply that it’s the be-all and end-all.
The reality is extra nuanced. Hornady designed the 6.5 Creedmoor to be an environment friendly match spherical that has average recoil and is comparatively forgiving of person errors. Additionally it is a strong searching cartridge that has considerably overshadowed the .243 Winchester. However the 6.5 CM shouldn’t be probably the most highly effective spherical on the market. It’s not even probably the most highly effective spherical within the 6.5mm household, and a few recreation will likely be too small or too giant to take.
The place the 6.5 Creedmoor excels is that it does properly at long-range competitors and duties most hunters wish to accomplish. Few of us want the facility of a magnum cartridge or hunt within the subsequent zip code, and for these duties, the 6.5 Creed can do lots with fewer bullets, much less recoil, and with fewer dangerous habits to select up. The older rounds on the market are nonetheless legitimate, and the 6.5 Creed, regardless of its newness, is legitimate past the hype.
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