I'm looking at getting into a 6.5 Creed with a composite stock for an everyday go anywhere in Texas shooter from Bull Frogs to BIG Boss Boar Hog's. Looks like I have just sold a too pretty to take to the deep woods Tikka T3 Gorgeous wood stocked swede , and spent all morning looking at Cabella's & Bass Pro's websites that claim to have inventory only an hour + from my home in East Texas.

These guys prices on line look almost decent with a Sale tag of usually $100+- off ... if they still have the inventory to sell when I get there next week.

So I'm looking for Opinions Please in the $650 to $850 + TTL price range, in a composite stock go anywhere shooter by brand & model name, with whatever war stories & opinions as this hopefully is gonna be last rifle I'm gonna buy at almost 80 years old . Call me spoiled but the T3 as typical, never had a moment of issues of any kind except that I wasn't gonna paddle a jon boat out of the deep woods & Black Lagoon movie looking water in the new Neches River TPW Forest with that T3 Swede...and have been working on getting the extractor replaced on my Mayfield Kentucky built Marlin Model 7, composite stocked, SS 270, that is perfect for and was bought specifically for this kinda job. PTL it shoots like a dream but ya have to use a cleaning rod to tap the spent round out the chamber every time you pull the trigger. What a PIA for sure.
Ron

A couple years back I bought a clean used t3x blued model 24 inch barrel for 450 bucks, it's the best shooting rifle for that money I've ever had. These days the t3x ss ones sell for 869 and no ONE discounts them about 100 less for blued model...mb

I would watch for these to go on sale. They usually do a sale every fall where these are $100 off. You are already familiar with the t3 platform; why reinvent your wheel?

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting...bolt-action-rifle-65-creedmoor/p/1463077

AKw THAT is what I'm looking for and at a $100 or more off I'd stand in line to get one.
Thank You Sir for the heads up, All hands on deck pay attention lead.
Ron

The Kimber pro desolve in 6.5 is on GB for about $800 right now. Stainless.

That is the one I would buy. Hands down. Funny story: One of my buddies was interested in buying a nice lightweight stainless 6.5 creed and I told him to go to the range with me and we would shoot mine. I needed to work up a good load anyway. I told him it was a good shooter. Here are a couple targets from that day:


It worked out well for me as well because my buddy confirmed the load was pretty good. This was during load development for the rifle. My buddy was so convinced that he went to Cablea's that day and bought one. I told him he could get one for $100 cheaper down the road at Sportsman's, but he wanted to be a little different and went with the camo stock Cabela's exclusive superlite. He's shot his a bit, but it does not shoot as well as mine. Mine is slightly fine tuned to tweak all the precision out of it. Here's another target that shows their potential:


No war stories with this rifle, they function flawlessly. I don't see any negatives by going this route. The Tikka's are by far one of my favorite push feed hunting rifles. Second place going to the tried and true Winchester model 70..

+1 on the Sportsmans Warehouse sale. I picked up one of the Superlight's in 6.5 on sale for a project. X Caliber made me a 358 Winchester for it. One of these days I'll get it done.

I’d go Tikka if possible, savage makes accurate rifles, Ruger Americans are nice too.


You will like shooting it. I load 120 Barnes for my two Savages.

I won a Browning X Bolt a couple of years ago. Plastic stock, SS action and bbl. I like it a lot. I've pretty much retired my 6.5x55s. Don't know if it would fit your price point but definitely worth taking a look at.

Most guys I run into that want opinions on a new rifle only want to spend $400-600. If they'd bump up the $$ figure a bit, I'd tell anybody to grab an SS Tikka T3 variant in their preferred chambering. And when it comes to preferred chamberings these days, the 6.5CM and .308Win generally have the most ammo on the shelf at the local stores.

Weatherby Weatherguard?

Wood stocked Tikka too nice to take to the woods? If I worried that much I’d buy a beater Savage. IMO, NO gun is too nice to take hunting. That’s what they’re for. Anyway, buy whichever you want. At 80, I’d not wait for a sale. Get it today and start enjoying it.

Tikka

He could have also bought a Tikka take off stock. Those are damn cheap. I bought this one on ebay for $79.00:



It was a new take off. I'll use it.. Too late for the op now, as he already got rid of his 6.5x5, but that would have been a great option. Replacing a stock is about a 4 minute job..

My local Murdochs ranch store had one of these sit on the shelf for over 3 months at $599. I was glad when it finally sold, I was weakening everytime I walked into the store. I came close to buying it everytime I walked in the place but I couldn't justify it since I had a perfectly good 260.

Edited - the one at Murdochs was a Lite, not a Superlite.

drover

Seems to me the Creed creates a lot of animosity among those who feel their fav round is being challenged, those who jealously don't have one and those who don't like idea of something new or different. Those are the Cons.

Pros: It's a great round with great ammo on dealer's shelves that will often out shoot one's best handloads. That's also an affront to conventional wisdom, handloads always beating factory load.

And the ammo isn't overly expensive. And, relatively inexpensive guns in dealer's racks that can, out of the box, often outshoot expensive custom rifles, another affront to one's manhood.

So, it can be a challenging, disruptive round to some, a great round for others.

I happen to be a fan.

Just my opinion.

DF

I am slowly warming up to the idea of the 6.5 CM and I love the T3X Superlites. I had one in .30-06 I wish I had never sold. I did picked up a T3x Superlite from Sportsman's last week for my son's 12th birthday but the one that followed me home was in 7mm-08.

Looked at some 6.5 creeds today at Academy, one the larger Houston Texas based chain stores. Never could get waited on and only about half the EE's necessary to run the store on hand. Lots of CM ammo on hand. Talked to 3 or 4 other customers also waiting to get waited on and every last one of them gave a Triple A response to my questions about the Creed's viability here in the deep woods of east Texas.

Went across the parking lot to the biggest gun dealer in Tyler (pop about 100K+) and sits on a 100+ year old Oil bidnizz HQ of East Texas . Got a young man to stand still and tell what he knew about the rifle in ? Showed me a super slick Italian ? brand I'd never seen before but at $1400 + was a little rich for my blood on an unknown item....and they had lots of Creed ammo on the shelf at cheaper than the big chain store down the street.

Got to get paid for the T3 Swede I'm selling and settle down and stop all the " Yes Maam" I'm just Looking and I ain't touching nuthin" chasing the "New Girl in town" and am planning a trip to Cabella's just north of Dallas to see what their Creed's actually look and feel like, before the $100 discount dries up.

Thanks All for the opinions and insights. Told the wife Santa Claus was coming to our house this year...gotta do SUMTHIN Outdoors now that I'm beginning to beat the almost year long battle with shingles.
Ron

Yeah, I think most assumed that. No one besides Cabela's and Sportsman's sells them. The lites can be had for damn cheap. The last ones I bought were around $500 scoped.. Try that with a superlite and get back to me.

They are the easy button of calibers, as much as it pains me to say it

6rds thru the new X-Bolt this morning, 1 to verify boresight, 5 for a group to see potential. Must say I was surprised and elated.

Have thoroughly wrung out around a dozen 6.5 Creedmoors, half that I owned, and others loaned to me for reviews in various magazines. The most accurate was a Ruger American Rifle Predator--its very first 100-yard group measured .33 inch, and that was 5 shots, not 3. It was a handload that had shot well in other rifles--NOT something "worked up" for that specific Ruger.

I've not assembled a new 264 Kreed,since this evening. They meld Sig Kilo6's nicely. Hint.




Fhuqking LAUGHING!..............

I've had about half as many as MD but mine have only been Tikkas (T3x blue, T3x SuperLite, T3x CTR) and Ruger Predators (American, Hawkeye). Of my 6.5CM rifles, the accuracy title would go to my 24" CTR followed very closely by the American Predator. But every one of those rifles was sub-moa so accuracy was not an issue. However, handling qualities and triggers were. IMO, in current production today in terms of bang for a buck, there is no better general purpose, out-of-the-box hunting rifle than a stainless T3x Superlite in 6.5 Creedmoor for non-dangerous N.American big game.

I was looking for a 6.5this past Spring. Local shop had 3, a Ruger American for $549, Tikka T3x for $599, and a Begara for $649. Ended up with the Tikka and think I did ok. In my opinion the Ruger wasn’t in the same league as the other two for a little bit less money. Couple of $hundred less yes but not $50

I have a RAP in 6.5 and it shoots very well. But $50 more for a Tikka is a no brainer for sure.

This wasn’t the Predator which was on my short list. Only place that had them somewhat locally was Dicks Sporting Goods and I believe but not certain they were in the $575ish range.

This. Call me a fan, too.

.697 BC magfed Smooches,do not suck. Hint.............

Forced Induction is Sanctioned. Hint............

Whatever Remington calls itself this week is making the 700 ADL in 6.5 Creed. In western Washington, they go for about $600.


Okie John

Great post. I have had the same experience. Plus I'll throw in a Performance center AR 6.5 Creedmoor and slightly worked over Cabela's exclusive 12FV to the list. All rifles shoot lights out. My buddy has a Predator and all of my rifles walk all over it. He likes cheap azzed rifles and the newer (even rifles from 5 years back) Rugers have QC issues. Every RAR he's bought has had some issue. From poor chamber that chews up his brass to bad crowns. Take that for what it's worth. I'll take a Tikka any day of the week and twice on Sunday vs. a Ruger. We don't get the benefit of Ruger cherry picking our rifles and sending one to us to test, so I guess there's that too.

You might want to know more about how John came into possession of the Ruger 6.5s he's tested before making comments appearing to try and throw shade on the credibility of his reporting.

He bought the Hawkeye that shot so well right off the rack at a local store. He also bought the later Predator, bit I don't recall the details on that one.

So you are saying he doesn't have rifles and ammo sent to him for testing? You always want to say Savage have crap barrels, but I've seen far more schidt regarding QC with the RAR than I have any other rifle manufacture. I buy all of my rifles and the ones that are cheap as hell, my buddies buy so I report what I see with those rifles. Some things like to get swept under the rug. I could care less how accurate a rifle is, if it has major issues like I've seen with Ruger RAR's. Ruger also does not handle warranty issues like Savage for example. My buddies have had to send in Savage rifles and they always treat them well. That is very cool if JB found a diamond in the rough and actually had to pay for it himself..

The CVA Cascade is one to look at. I had one , briefly, in 6.5 PRC that shot OK, not as tight as I wanted, but still a good rifle. Their trigger is really nice, they feel good in your hands, and they are pretty weatherized. I grew up in Liberty County, so yeah, it really rains down there! Have a ball pard!

Don't put words in my mouth. I wrote exactly what I wrote to address a specific point. That's it.

My ongoing ribs about Savage barrels are mostly in fun, but they do have a basis in several cro-mo ones I've run across. One in particular was horrific.

I also have experience with Ruger QC issues.

As per the OP's request, we've read several pro's for Creed. But can't recall any con's. I have 2.

- The 6.5 Creedmoor cannot live up to some of the expectations of the unknowing.

- And for some reason, it's a trouble maker cartridge. Just the mention of it starts an argument every time.

"The 6.5 Creedmoor cannot live up to some of the expectations of the unknowing."

Could you elaborate?

So how does the creed fill the gap between the 243 vs 270

The unknowing for possibly lack of a better word, or just IMO, think it capable of killing huge critters far beyond average ranges with one shot, DRT, pole axe kills.

Or were yo referring to con #2 & want to Argue?

No. As quoted, I was curious about con#1. You clarified it. Thanks. No interest in arguing...

The 270 Win can't hang with a 264 Kreed,due it's .697 BC at 2700fps+ from a 21" spout. Hint.

If only for starters.............

Bore diameter?

It eliminates the need for either of these so you have more room in the gun safe!

The average of .277 & .243 is .26.

So, the Creed is simply......... average?

Well, I reckon so.

Then .264 would be above average, no?

Have a Tikka 6.5 and like it a lot. If not affordable, I see no way to beat the RAR. I would happily hunt any US herbivore with it. They are so easy to shoot well. My best groups with it are half an MOA or a twitch under. If I wanted to hunt Scenars, might possibly get better. Going for bull elk #2 with it soon.

J

26 and 147’s were blissfully awesome in my old Tikka. I need another one just to shoot up all of my loaded ammo. I used Alpha and 200’s and man, just a champ as far as easy shooting.

I've not opened a Tikka box,since today. Hint.(grin)



Deciding on glass now,but Barkin' Arken has a nice ring to it. Hint...................

I’ve had a handful of 6.5 CM’s and none have been hard to get to shoot either 140 Berger’s, 143/147 eld’s or 139 scenars depending on what I had to burn. Only used R26 and h4350 so can’t comment on other powders.

I tend to like less common rounds so my Current CM barrel is stamped 6.5x47 Lapua and currently shooting tiny groups with 139 scenars as a buddy had a pile of them. Seeing 2825 with h4350.

I have had and let go of a few 6.5 Creedmoor rifles, I still have an AR and this new X-Bolt Long Range Stalker.


The 6.5 C is an easy button to hit of calibers, even cheap crappy stocked rifles seem to shoot accurately, neighbor has an Axis for his pig/utv rifle and it will shoot little groups with just about any thing he throws in it, I think he paid less than $300 at Atwoods Farm store.

I wish we still had a Sportsman's locally.


5rds out of the X-Bolt this past week while verifying boresight.

Love my T3x 6.5 SL, but I feel the 24” is unnecessary.
22” fluted would be better. Not sure I’m gaining all that much and it would be easier to handle and even lighter . Just my 2 cents.

Kimber hunter is also around the same price point.
I have both in 6.5. The kimber had to go back To the shop to get the chamber repolished and kimber doesn’t want reloads. Only factory premium ammo.

For me Tikka all day long.

I’d also be looking at the sauer 100. Maybe not as lite as tikka, but feels more solid and has 5 mag flush mag vs 3.

Add me to the list.

Pretty good summation there by Dirtfarmer. I'm a fan also.

Well, rickt300 would say we're a bunch of effeminate, man bun wearing soy-boy types.

I've run into that twice. The first time was some Norma police/sniper contract overrun ammo in 308 loaded with 168 grain Match Kings. The second was Berger ammo in 6.5 Creedmoor loaded with their 140 grain hybrid target bullet. These were very hard to equal, let alone beat.

The most positive thing, IMHO, about the 6.5CM is that, with 120gr bullets, it's a ballistic twin to my beloved 257R.

Excellent point.👍

I used to think the 6.5 CM derangement syndrome crowd had arguments with merit, but after well over 100 hogs and 125 whitetail doe culls, I know better. It flat out works with a wide variety of bullets.

It's not that some are deranged, it's the incessant, my blah blah is better than your blah blah blah. It is the same thing with Hammer bullets, I am not going to not give credit where credit is due, it's just everytime some asks for specific information about a specific rifle, caliber or bullet, there are multiple that reply with the you should be using this new fangled gadget or that gizmo.

Within reason, pretty much any rifle, caliber or bullet will accomplish said task, as long as common sense plays in the game.

The fanbois ruin it for most, it's the same song and dance everytime, or at least the majority of the time. People either love or hate certain calibers, rifles, bullets or even methods.

I believe that the 6.5 Creedmoor has its place, it is easy to shoot, builds confidence in young or new shooters, virtually no recoil, ammo is somewhat readily available and there are rifles to fit just about any budget.

It's really a no brainer, just put down the foam fingers and provide your actual experiences and drop the rhetoric, in this day and age, the information is readily available to anyone who actually wants it.

I agree with Dirtfarmer and math on the CM backs it up.

A 6.5 CM with a 140 gn bullet has a sectional density (SD) of about .287 comparted to a 30-06 with a 180 gn and SD of .271. Both are in the 2700 FPS MV area so the performance in penetration on game would be very similar. The CM out of a short magazine, with a case length shorter than a 243 Win, has more room for heavier, longer bullets as well. Just a well thought out cartridge that likely has a long future.

Currently stocking some 143 Horn ELDXs and 140 NPTs. That will cover a LOT. If moose hunting, I would load and sight for the ELDXs, and have the NPTs handy for close shots. I think of the Creed as a 6.5 Swede Improved 😊

It's one of those cartridges (along with the 7-08 unsurprisingly) that a person could probably own along with a 375 and a 22lr and hunt the world with.

When I had to switch to left handed shooting I picked up a 6.5 CM Tikka T3x lite and put a 3x9 4200 on it. An employee didn't have a rifle at all, and I didn't have time to hunt it, so I handed it to him to sight in and hunt with. Handed him a box of Hornady Whitetail ammo and off he went.

Came back a bit later and was a little bit non-plussed. He'd shot the first three shots for group, under an inch, made the correction on the scope to get to zero, and fired three more into an inch group, right where it was supposed to be.

He'd never had a rifle that shot in the same spot twice, and never had a scope that moved reliably where it was supposed to. Could not believe you could just buy a rifle and a scope and be ready to hunt in six shots. It's been bloodied since, and all clean one shot kills.

For whatever that's worth, but I think the 6.5 CM seems to be, indeed, the "easy" button.

“Easy button”
Best explanation I’ve heard so far

Ain't that the truth.

Haters sit back and hate, obviously haven't used one.

Or, they wouldn't be haters.

And, it takes some effort and luck to stay ahead of factory ammo

DF

I'd have a 6.5CM but own a list of other "middle-of-the-road" deer rifles I really don't need already. I have a 6CM, so close enough.

No man-bun here but I do wear Crocs.

For my hunting here, I could live with a 6.5CM (for deer), a 30-06 (for moose), a 20ga SXS (for grouse) and a 10/22 for the really big stuff.

Darryle, Last week I was shopping Atwoods in Jacksonville looking for dog food on the way home from a monster Estate Sale, where I scored a couple shooters for my resale antique furniture bidnizz in the deep piney woods south of Tyler last week and was shopping for a CM of some sort for a Best Buy for the dollar for a better than expected beater rifle to hunt the new Neches River multi County State Owned property with - think another Big Sam Nat'l Forest out side of Huntsville sized property.

Anyway Atwoods has a bigger selection of midrange priced shooters than I expected and will probably be where I'll drop my pocket change when the time comes to get serious. Price's in Tyler OTOH at the big fancy Safari Outfitter started at $750+ and went up bigtime past the $1500's+ , but they were purtyier for sure , and surprisingly the big chain store from Houston across the parking lot is also too high .

Wal Mart in Palestine to my surprise also had a wall rack display full of of 6.5 CM's of all kinds in the $400 to $600+ range and had ammo, including Norma on the shelf too. LOT's of interest in East Texas for CM's where 30'06's have been king for over 75+ years.
Ron

140 eldm's for the win.

You don't need partitions for "close shots". Hell you don't need eldx for close range. If 60yds is close enough, eldm's work just fine....on an elk's shoulder.