Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles How many have gone back from 6.5 CM?

You can buy Heady Topper… it isn’t fair!

Yeah, me too. My 6.5 is a range gun only for long distance fun and games. It’s an Accuracy International AT-X.

Could have just split the difference and gone with the 7mm-08!

Yup

I had a 6.5 CM. It wasn't any better for my purposes than .308W, .270W, or .30-06 so I sold it to a girl at the church I attend. It was very accurate with 120 Barnes and 123 Scenar. I could have used it with confidence but The other rifles are better suited for tough Russian Boar which we have quite a few of. 400 yards is an unusually long shot for me and I can make that shot with a .30-06. Most shots at our place are under 300 yards.

Ha! Yes, as I was typing that I was aware someone may make that point. My answer is my kids - who will end up with all my rifles - don't handload, and likely never will. Great and plentiful factory ammo are available for the 308 and 6.5. Not so much for the 7-08. And, despite having owned and used a number of 7-08's, the round just doesn't "speak to me." Go figure!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Merry Christmas Kevin

Same to you, Brad!

If I were starting from scratch and didn't have multiple 7mm-08's in the family with lifetime supplies of components for each, I'd likely have your combo for myself and my kids.

My personal favorite for most of my hunting is still the 308 WCF. Loaded for game intentions it downs animals with authority from 100 lbs to 1,000 lbs with 125 gr bullets to 200 gr bullets. To me it has no short comings in the field in the hands of an experienced hunter. It truly is an easy shooting, super accurate cartridge and a one gun fits all with very few exceptions (coastal browns and some African dangerous game). While the 6.5 Creedmoor is a fine hunting cartridge it has some limitations, at least in my opinion, on large game whereby the 308 WCF is a more proven commodity with several hunts and kills on several continents. One could live and hunt just about anything anywhere with a properly loaded 308 WCF.

I’ve had 4 creeds, down to 2. Both are fantastic rifles and typically shoot a deer a year with one of them. I still use my 7-08, 308 a lot….I’ve had great success with the creed and any other chamberings I own.

If you're saying the 308 is a "more proven commodity" in your own hands, I can buy that. However, the 308 is not necessarily a more proven commodity than the 6.5CM in its various incarnations going back to the 1800's (ie, 6.5x54, 6.5x55 etc.) - unless you take into account African poaching.

Charles Sheldon's experience in AK with the 6.5x54 alone should settle any debate about the efficacy of any moderate 6.5mm cartridge.

And I say all that as a died-in-the-wool 308 man who has never taken a single head of game with any 6.5mm cartridge.

Cartridges are more alike than different, and most of the differences are between the shooters ears...

Never fell for the Creedmoor hype....

There are numerous cartriges better for hunting and long range competition.

It's "Creedmoor" not "Creedmore."

And what hype?

Can't wait to hear your expert testimony...

It's sure to be illuminating. 🥱

Had a Tikka T3 in 6.5Cm for a while, does nothing my 6.5X55 or 6.5X57 Steyr's won't do. Actually, they can do more with heavy bullets. If one does not reload then yes, the6.5 CM is a very good round.

Wanted to lighten up my .308, 6 3/4 sheep rifle. Bought a Barrett 6.5 with the 24 in bbl. Have to say its the most accurate and lightest rifle I own. Shot 1/2 out of the box with factory fodder, and very light recoil. Still have all my other rifles, but am damn happy to add the 6.5 to the collection.

Ha! Yes I can but those are a treat at around 300 cal apiece. They are tasty though - especially their Focal Banger single IPA. I sometimes pack a single on day hikes they are a very tasty reward.

Just received 200 6.5/127 LRX today so we’ll see how those go. Hoping to use them as an any-angle killer of a tracking bullet from my T3x compact.

Same here. Can’t re invent the wheel.

Only make em smaller or larger.

If it works ...Don’t fix it.

Jerry

Guess we all have a little different take. I got a 6.5 and have enjoyed it. As others have indicated, very easy to find an accurate load. I'm a M70 guy so I got an XPR just to see what Winchester's new bolt action is like.

Very pleasant to shoot. I'm a deer hunter, not a long range shooter so the high BC bullets don't do much for me. I found that the 120s at about 2900 fps to be very effective. But then that is ballistically equivalent to my beloved 257Bob, so of course it is about perfect .

As may have said, cartridges are more alike than different. And yes, bullets are more important than headstamps.

Still have mine. I tend to acquire guns but never sell them. I have four 6.5mms now and load them all with different bullets. I tend to take the rifle loaded with the particular bullet I feel like using. So my Creedmoor gets a few runs every year (129gn Hornady) but so do my others.

Shoot, I shot my first .308 over 60 years ago.

I drink Coors Light. Last week I thought I had the COVID, took a swig of Coors and couldn't taste anything.......