Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 6.5CM - underpowered here?

I’m surprised the author doubts the 6.5 would be adequate. My opinion obviously differs assuming a good bullet is used with proper placement at normal ranges.

Will a 6.5 in a quality hunting bullet NOT match that 280 load for penetration?

https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/...ampaign=/digest/hunt365-take-the-shot-3/

Guess he never read about Karomojo Bell killing elephants with a 6.5x54

To your point it seems all I’ve read about like constructed bullets at similar speeds with similar SD are more alike in penetration. No doubt larger calibers may have a larger wound channel and smaller diameter bullets less drag thereby enhancing penetration.

Yes, Bell liked the little mannlicher

Unaware bull, coming closer actually, I'd have waited for more broadside myself or if helping one of my kids. Just me, but if that shot goes 3-4" right based on shot description, it hits the left shoulder and no vitals or perhaps one lung. Glad it worked so well for them but a perfect hit with a 280ai is a perfect hit with a 6.5. Likewise a hit with no vitals is also the same.

The Creedjesus is never to be doubted. Ever.

I don't have or ever shot a Creedmoor, but even comparing apples to apples (his factory loaded 162 ELD-X in 280AI vs 143 ELD-X in the Creedmoor) I'd have no problems using the Creedmoor. Hornady lists it's ammo as 2700 fps...more than adequate when you put the bullet where it needs to go.

I wouldn't trade my 280 for a 6.5CM if I needed a rifle for deer and larger game such as moose.



It's magical ........... Made by elves at the North Pole.

Ha!

I have one and like it. For sure it’ll kill a bigger critter with a good bullet, well placed.

I also have other rifles. For elk I’d pick my 300 Win Mag, just ‘cause.

Probably won’t be any deader, but I’d feel better. May be more about me than the critter.

DF

Having a pair of 243's shooting 100g NPt's that have accounted for 14 elk between them, I can assure the author that the Creedmoor will probably do just fine--when using a stout hunting bullet anyway.......

And no, most of those elk killed with the 243's were not standing broadside patiently waiting to be shot.

And the author gets it. His story about his son is very similar to my now 21 year old son.

I can't imagine a 200yd frontal shot on most animals being all that different with a 7mm 162gr cup/core at 2,830 versus something like a 6.5mm 140gr Partition at 100fps less. Any medium-range hunting shot I'd take with a standard bullet in a 280AI would be fine in my book to take with a smaller 6.5mm, provided I was using a good-penetrating bullet in that 6.5 instead of a vanilla C/C offering. But that's just me.

160yds, prone, off a bipod, directly facing? Neck shot, baby, and the cartridge is a lot less relevant than the author likes to pretend.

I agree, 6.5CM sucks, don't buy one. Maybe if we spread the word there will be ammo and reloading components available again.

Prime example of why people should actually get out in the field and actually test/shoot game and not sit on their assses reading specs and the opinions of people who have never used it. I've killed about 15 WT does and a good mule deer buck, and several dozen pigs with my Creed and the performance is superb.

No offense intended, but it sounds like you subscribe to the theory of “If the minimum wasn’t good enough, it wouldn’t be the minimum”. Happy Trails

I’ve shot a lot of animals with 26, 27 and 28-cals. I cannot imagine a single shot I would take with a 160-class 7mm that I would not take with a 150-class .270 or 140-class 6.5mm.

There is just no possible way to tell the difference between the three if you have actually done it. Someone like the author may have a preference, but he has absolutely no physical evidence to back up any reasoning for it.

Dead critters don't lie...

Well sorta, they lie dead, Creed zapped with a good bullet.

And, there are so many good bullets that work well. The 130 NAB is super, my hunting bud's fav. I know you like the 139 Scenar; I do too. Use them mostly in my Swede over MRP. My Creed shot the 123 Scenar over Varget so well (one hole), I quit looking. That's enough bullet for local WT's and hogs.

And the ELD-M and X series. They whack stuff pretty dead, too.

6.5 CM is one of the easiest rounds to load for, hard to go wrong. And this isn't my first rodeo, reloading. Started in the late '50's, never quit

DF

Key phrase...

Armchair quarterbacks don't run many plays, don't throw much, either.

DF

And more interesting to me was Charles Sheldon.

It sure seems popular to praise the rifle/cartridge/bullet etc. that one has chosen. And everyone should agree that the one I choose is the best.

I think the 375 H&H is the best all around cartridge - and everyone who thinks a smaller cartridge is better is a whimp!