I have a .243 that has been a .5 moa gun for close to 3000 rounds now and is now deteriorating quickly so it time to rebarrel. It will be mostly for target and predator hunting. I may get a bit into the milk jug stuff with some buddies. They are all telling me to go to a 6.5 creed. I'm planning on going to an 8 twist in the .243 to shoot 107 gr ish bullets. I'm all set up with dies etc for .243 so it seems like a logical way to go to me. What do you guys think. Should I jump on the creed band wagon or stick to my guns? I've also considered the 6.5 Lapua.

Tough call.

6.5 Creed launching 147's at 2,725 or better is brutally impressive.

.243 ain't far behind and would be my choice today. Probably different tomorrow.

I'd look into what your are going to shoot it at, and what components are easily available to you in each. EVERYBODY makes 243 brass. Everyone that I know is shooting the 115gr DTAC or some 105gr VLD/Hybrid and twisting it accordingly. The flipside is that virtually everyone is embracing the Creedmoor (except Remington). Unless the earth stops spinning, it's just a matter of time before it becomes as ubiquitous as the 243. Hell, ever Lapua is making brass now, even though it is a direct competitor to it's own cartridge - that's gotta say something about it's future....

Kaiser Norton

I'd stick with the .243.

6 Creed.... Split it...

W

For me anyways, I'd make sure I got a cartridge where I can buy ammo in little tiny towns. One time a guy drove into camp and set up his campsite. He accidentally had a box of ammo fall off his bumper and he ruined every cartridge. Lucky for him I had some 308 Winchester cartridges that he borrowed. He went to town and bought another box then he returned the cartridges to me. That little town had one store and they carried only the 243, 308 & 30/06.

The high BC that the 147 sports is hard to ignore. I wouldn't let buying a new set of dies keep me from using the better projectile. That said, I would still opt for a fast twist 243 that is throated properly. $98/500 for 105 bthp is awesome.

I Weighed this exact issue out a while back and ended up with both a Creedmoor and a 243.

While I like both, for your stated uses, a properly throated 8 twist 243 or 243 AI would be be my first pick all day long.

less recoil and cheaper projectiles are good things.

If paper and predators are your primary targets and you already know the 243 from the 3K rounds that you've fired in your current rifle, a new 243 or 243AI barrel seems like a more logical choice if you like your current rifle.

Plus, there are lots of good .243" component varmints bullets, but not nearly as many .264" varmint bullets.

I like rifles, so having duplicates is a common practice. When I started shooting the RAR-Predators I bought one in each chambering offered, except for the 18" 308, and shoot all but the 22-250 regularly.

I have both and for what you are using the rifle for I would stick with the .243, or 6mm Creed..

243 and get a 1:7.5" twist. The new Dtacs have a .620 g1.

And the new Sierra is at .617...two very slippery bullets for the 6 mm family!

Thanks for the help guys. I am kinda leaning towards the 7.5 twist .243 mostly because I'm all set up for it. I also have 1000 more 72 gr Barnes Varminator bullets waiting to be loaded. Does anyone think I'll have a problem with that bullet spinning apart in a 7.5 twist?

With that spin, sell the Barnes bullets,and go buy you some 105s. You will be glad you did. especially if you shoot at any distance in some wind.

Go with the Creed, you might get to go deer hunting sometime. I have both,like the Creed better!

Just curious. The 6.5 Lapua is being considered as well as 6.5 Creed..........why not the .260 Rem?

Probably because the 6.5 Lapua and Creedmoor fit in a short action magazine with the long heavier .264 bullets which the .260 won't.

I have a .243 and a .260. so not an exact comparison. But that being said the .243 is in my truck every day, the .260 comes out on special days. I have and use both and could not pick a favorite right now, except I would prefer a 6.5 bullet for game up to elk( not in your O.P.) Otherwise , if I was in your situation . I would probably motor along with the .243....... No help I know......

.243AI 8 twist and don't look back!

Huge fan of the 243 but 142grns in the 2800 range is pretty nifty, Im still with the 243 as I have larger cartridges to use where needed.

243

I played out this same dilemma and ended up splitting with the 6mm Creedmoor. I'm about 2months into a 6month wait at GAP. In hindsight I probably should have just gone .243win, but I heard the Creedmoor name automatically takes .2"s off the group.

Good luck, but I don't think there is a wrong answer.

Fishnut, you did not tell us the platform.

Were I confined to a 2.8" mag box on a fast twist 6mm/6.5, I go with CM. If your running a 3" mag box, or detachable mag system with 2.9+ COAL, it makes little difference, but .243 will have the speed edge.

to me, this ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ is reason enough to decide on one

Right...because a 243 Win can't effectively kill deer...

I shot deer with the .243 and 6.5 Creedmoor this year. I honestly couldn't tell the difference in the two with high shoulder shots. That was a small survey of eight NC deer.

I can't imagine a 6 Creedmoor twisted right not putting the smackdown on whitetail sized game and down.

This gun will rarely, if ever be used on anything bigger than an Antelope as I have a 25-06, 280, 30-06, 300 Weatherby, 338, and a 45/70 to hunt anything bigger with the .280 being my go to on most things, and also, I primarily hunt with a muzzle loader for deer here in Utah. Oh and by the way, my biggest Muley buck was killed with the lowly .243 many years ago, and was a bang flop.
I also have several .223s a .221 FB and 22-250 for the smaller stuff. I do love the .243 as a coyote gun on windy days.

This. Either way 6mm after reading your last post.

I have a 6.5 Creed and a 243 AI, and if you have the time to fireform the brass and develop a load, a 243 AI is hard to beat.

The 6.5 Creed is good ammo off the shelf, and that's worth something.

For years I shot 6.5x55 ended getting tired looking for components.
Back on the creed wagon now, but it's popularity makes it still a little scarce, I think that will eventually be over with. I am seeing more and more rifles out in 6.5 Creedmoor, and ammo flying off the shelves. I am surprised the 260 has not done better this endeavor was Jim Charmichael's pet that he pestered Remington about adopting to fill the shoes of the 6.5x55. Maybe this is why Remington is not quick to adopt the Creedmoor, with 260 numbers not the best in the world they may see the handwriting on the wall. Nothing wrong with .243 or .243AI.