Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 6.5 Creedmoor vs 6mm Creedmoor?

I see an advantage to the 6mm in recoil, but bullets, BC and terminal effects to the 6.5.

And, although I reload, availability of off the shelf ammo.

Net win to the 6.5? Or am I missing something?

That is the answer to the question. 6.5 Creedmoor factory ammo comes in all flavors imaginable.

I'd say the 6.5 CM is more versatile than the 6mm. And recoil from the 6.5 is pretty low so that factor doesn't matter much for most people.

^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^

If the availability of factory ammo is important, then the 6.5 CM has so many more factory ammo options and is so widely available that it isn't even close. When you can buy multiple varieties of factory ammo at Wal-Mart, you know that that cartridge has achieved mainstream status, ranking right up with long term mainstream cartridges like the 270, 30-30. 308, and 30-06.

The 6.5 CM wins in a lot of arenas: Lower cost ammo, more to chose from, more factory rifles chambered in the 6.5. Where the 6mm wins is with less recoil, and with the right bullets, it wins out over the 6.5 in wind drift. I shoot longrange with a lot of guys that have went from 6.5 to various 6mm's, like the GT for example and they like to brag about how the wind doesn't effect the flight of the bullet. Plus, they are spotting their hits and misses easier. They shoot damn good scores with their 6mm's, so I believe them. Then you have some that have gone 6mm, and then go back to the 6.5 Creedmoor because components were easier to find. Barrel life is also better with the 6.5 vs. a fast 6mm, so that needs to be considered as well.

I think its dependent on the needs of the individual. For me, the 6mm makes more sense. I am a hunter that isn’t comfortable shooting game much past 400 yards. That means my 7mm rifles do anything a 6.5 could do. However, for a light recoiling rifle and the ability to shoot a bit heavier bullet with the proper twist and magazine space, the 6mm CM would be perfect.

6.5 Creedmoor for the win!

The 6 creed recoils less and shoots flatter with its most slippery bullets. There’s nothing I’d shoot with one that I wouldn’t shoot with the other. There’s the ammo availability issue, which for those that prepare well is a non-issue

That’s plenty gun for 70 lb does and spikes, Paul.

If you're shooting at targets at long range the 6mm is the better option. It will kill anything a 243 will kill as a hunting cartridge. But the 6.5 comes pretty close and is by far more versatile as a hunting and target rifle. The 6.5 will kill anything a 270 will kill.

6mm is always niche towards range/steel/target/varmint because it has bullets under 120 grains, even despite fantastic sd/bc and velocities...it's still under 120 gr bullets and many hunters, even highly educated ones speaking fluent ballistics, just prefer 120 grains or more of bullet on the minimum end as a viable big game round...that's the full story, and because of that you see why the factory ammo selections will be better etc. it's just more versatile with the heavier manbun, doesn't matter what cartridge class you discuss, the 6.5 always wins over the niche 6mm

I’ve at least (6) rifles in each chambering. Both are Supersonic with The Good Stuff to 1600yds+. Hint.

Mass is moot and the chatter of Drooling CLUELESS Fhuqks. Hint………..

Both have excellent bullets available for them. I consider them both deer and varmint cartridges so an extra 15 grains of bullet weight doesn't matter to me.

I bought my FC in 6mm because it was what they had, and I already had a bunch of 6mm bullets. Finally killed a couple of deer with it about 10 days ago, and surprise surprise, they died just like they do with similar hits from a .243, .308, .270 etc. Used 95gr LRXs.

I think the lighter recoil might be an advantage in a very light rifle, especially shooting of the bench. The only 6.5 I’ve shot was my son’s Hunter, and it was pretty lively, much more so than my FC. Might need to adjust your technique a bit.

I’d be fine with either.

lol stick, super sonic to 1600 yards is moot and you need to stop projecting your drooling clueless drivel....you're like watching the news, whatever they say, it's the opposite

how many elephants were killed with 6mm? how many moose across the puddle killed with 6.5...no offence but it's easily observable that the line between niche and full blown hunting caliber is between these two, you can 1600 yard supersonic it all you want haha

if it's not expressly stated 'what for' then because this was posted in the 'hunting rifles' section....then the question has been answered, even more definitively in the past few posts lol

get over yer butthurt stick

Wound tracks pretty much same/same compared to those from the other cartridges, as well?

Didn’t check “wound tracks”. Full penetration, naturally, and innards were soup. Exit holes weren’t big. Didn’t process these two, so can’t comment on the amount of jellied meat. Shot was too high on one so he travelled maybe 100 yards, but was bled out inside. The doe’s heart was cut loose and rolled out when I opened her up. She went about 20 yards in full view.

In the past, I’ve had a lot of meat jellied pretty far from the hit by bullet and maybe bone fragments. For whatever deer shooting I’ll do in the future, I plan on using monos or bonded to reduce that. Last four I gunned were with those, and except for that high shot, all went down quickly. 6.5 Grendel, .308, and these two with the 6.

I never have been lucky enough to bag a spike. I do have my taxidermist sitting on ready though.

I've killed multiple deer with a 243 and a 6.5 Swede.


The Swede was a huge disappointment at first.
Some of the bullets others love, left my wanting.
Eventually I followed advice from Sierra engineer.
😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁


The 243 has been used a lot, with bullets from 75 to 100 grain.
It has consistently shown better than the 6.5 with those disappointing bullets.
And been inconsistent itself.


Both are more than capable of killing,
i think it's easier to find my 6.5 shot deer.
(First bullet attempts were marred by several unrecoverable deer)


My thoughts, based on deer, shot in the chest.
DGAFF about brain/spine shots.
They are irrelevant, a 22Mag FMJ is outstanding in that application.

6-CM = .243 Improved

6.5 CM =.270 Improved

Rio7