6.5 Creedmoor - What are your thoughts?

[baekacaek]

For my next rifle that I intended to use for precision shooting, I'm trying to choose between 6.5 Creedmoor VS. 308 win. I've read that 6.5 has outstanding ballistics and often times better accuracy, but the cost is that ammo is rather hard to find and it also wears down the barrel FAST; almost twice as fast as 308 barrel. For those who have used 6.5, what are your thoughts on the caliber? Is it worth the additional cost needed to change the barrel more frequently?

[Jimmy's]

It won't wear the barrel twice as fast
Ammo is everywhere
Just remember it's becoming a popular cartridge so it will be OFF the shelves like 308 and 5.56
Serious shooters load their own.
Ballistics are better
Accuracy varies with ALL calibers 6.5 is NO different
Is it worth the difference, only You can decide
Shoot sanely and slowly and everything lasts longer

[vintagearms]

It won't wear the barrel twice as fast
Ammo is everywhere
Shoot sanely and slowly and everything lasts longer

A 6.5CM will last approx. 2500 rounds where the .308 will last approx. 5000 rounds.

6.5CM can be found for $1.25 rd where .308 ammo can be found at .50 up to $1.25 depending on plinking vs match ammo.

6.5CM shines past 600yds (maybe even 700) over the .308. Inside of those differences, not much difference over .308

[Jimmy's]

It won't wear the barrel twice as fast
Ammo is everywhere
Just remember it's becoming a popular cartridge so it will be OFF the shelves like 308 and 5.56
Serious shooters load their own.
Ballistics are better
Accuracy varies with ALL calibers 6.5 is NO different
Is it worth the difference, only You can decide
Shoot sanely and slowly and everything lasts longer

A 6.5CM will last approx. 2500 rounds where the .308 will last approx. 5000 rounds.

6.5CM can be found for $1.25 rd where .308 ammo can be found at .50 up to $1.25 depending on plinking vs match ammo.

6.5CM shines past 600yds (maybe even 700) over the .308. Inside of those differences, not much difference over .308

Your milage will vary tremendously, Fact

[Josh3239]

The benefits of the Creedmoor far exceed the downside of a potential barrel life reduction. I say potential because barrel life is a very vague term that different people are going to answer differently. Some will tell you that it is time to trash the barrel if groups exceed .75MOA, others may say when they start seeing 200 FPS velocity loss. Unless one can adequately define what it means to them and how soon they believe they will reach it, they are ghost hunting. Regardless, barrels are consumable objects. And if your goal is the chasing down of perfection, you cannot get around this fact.

Comparing 50₵ per shot trash 308 ammo to any Creedmoor load is a fool's errand. Those 6.5 loads will so far exceed those 308 50₵ loads they don't even belong in the same sentence. If that is a consideration Creedmoor isn't for you. And the simple answer is because for the foreseeable future there will not be any factory Creedmoor for 50₵ per shot.

IMO, the 6.5CM juice is worth the squeeze. Better trajectory and less recoil. And I personally I find it more forgiving to shoot accurately.

[anyracoon]

Throw the 6.5 Grendel into the mix!

[Josh3239]

Throw the 6.5 Grendel into the mix!

Why? The 6.5Gr is one answer to souping up an AR15. Not only is it off topic but the Grendel does nothing better than Creedmoor nor its competitors. The Grendel has the huge disadvantage of being contained by being designed to operate in an AR15. If the OP wanted a micro-action or an AR15 this would be a more suitable suggestion.

[L84CABO]

All the cool kids shoot 6.5 Creedmoor. There's a reason for that...better ballistics. Take a look at what all the professional shooters are shooting...it probably isn't 308. 6.5 Ammo is pretty available but probably not cheaper than 308...if you buy. If you load your own it's probably pretty comparable.

This really comes down to you and are you comfortable with better ballistics for a higher cost. Only you can decide.

[Blade Gunner]

6.5 Creedmoor - What are your thoughts?

6.5 creedmore is a great round. Shoots long and flat. Downside is there is no FMJ affordable range ammo. Since it is a necked downed 308, it's over pressured and will wear down the leads faster than a 308. But at a buck a round, you're not going to use this for plinking. It will sharpen your shooting skills because the economics give you an incentive to do so.


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[Illumi Naughty]

The last American Rifleman Mag had a write up on the 6.5 Creedmore, from it's design and inception to it's benefits over .308. Pretty good info for those not familiar with the round. According to the article, it's parent case is not a .308.

Edit: My bad, it's parent case was a .260, which itself was a necked down .308.

Go to American Rifleman's website and search 6.5 Creedmore for the latest article. I'm not sure if the rules allow me to link to it.

[BeFrank]

Having fun with both the Creedmoor and the Grendel, fun rounds with more potential than I will ever be able to use. Chasing after the latest uber caliber is a fools errand but it's lots of fun.

[dwalker]

A 6.5CM will last approx. 2500 rounds where the .308 will last approx. 5000 rounds.

Not even close to accurate. Shooting hot loads in either gun will wear the barrel out Shooting plinking loads will not. Barrel cost should NEVER be a consideration when buying a gun, as the ammo you shoot up vs the cost of a barrel makes the barrel the cheap component. Figure $400-ish on a new barrel vs the $3000 or more you spend in ammo. And misses costs money.

6.5CM can be found for $1.25 rd where .308 ammo can be found at .50 up to $1.25 depending on plinking vs match ammo.

Thats true there is not cheap crappy milsurp 6.5CM, but then I do not and have never bought cheap crappy milsurp 308 either. s far as cost goes its just about a wash in my book. If you buy a box of 308 equal in quality to the 6.5CM ammo it will cost pretty much the same.Reloading changes things, because the 6.5CM is more efficient and uses less powder, but the projectiles and brass cost about the same except the 30cal has a lot of cheap FMJ and similar projectiles that are a tick harder to find than 6.5, so if you want to load cheap blaster ammo for the 308 no issue, but will require some effort with the 6.5.

6.5CM shines past 600yds (maybe even 700) over the .308. Inside of those differences, not much difference over .308

Unless you are working at it very hard, the 308 past 800 yards just makes expensive holes in the ground. The 6.5CM makes 1000yard shots boringly easy, and 1200-1500 yard shots slightly difficult.

Great article by Zak Smith of Competition Dynamics

http://demigodllc.com/articles/6.5-shootout-260-6.5x47-6.5-creedmoor/

[dwalker]

Throw the 6.5 Grendel into the mix!

I have (and like) the Grendel, but it is not in the same discussion as the 6.5CM.

Now, I will put it up against the .308 anyday, as it does more with less.

[TMB 1]

All the cool kids shoot 6.5 Creedmoor. There's a reason for that...better ballistics. Take a look at what all the professional shooters are shooting...it probably isn't 308. 6.5 Ammo is pretty available but probably not cheaper than 308...if you buy. If you load your own it's probably pretty comparable.

This really comes down to you and are you comfortable with better ballistics for a higher cost. Only you can decide.

I thought all the best shooters shoot 6mm.

[SquidBilly]

To throw another stick on the fire.

How is 6.5 Creedmor for hunting? What is it comparable to for certain game?