Seems like in the beginning with the introduction of the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge there were many whom had made the purchase thereof were somewhat 'chided' for doing so. However, for the individual that doesn't handload their ammo it's a very good cartridge as there is commercial ammo that is very accurate at a reasonable cost. I've got a buddy, Jeff Southern that shoots with me and yesterday Jeff proceeded to shoot these five shots into a fist sized five shot group from 900 yards. This was shooting the Berger 140 Hybrid Target bullet. This isn't the first time I might add as it occurs on a regular basis!

Untitled by .com/photos/61286670@N08/]Sharps Man, on [bleep]

I love my 6.5 Creedmoor...its a HAMMER!!!

GOOD SHOOT'IN Rio7

https://www.[bleep].com/gp/61286670@N08/9c60Nq

I swore I would never own a creed but I am a big Tikka fan and had to try out the creed in a T3X lite. That was an awful idea because it has now become my favorite rifle hands down.

.............................And your buddy's rifle is??..............

It's a Six Five bro!

Mighty fine shooting

I’m pretty much In the same boat.
Drank the creed cool aid and love it!

I like the creed. It slices through the wind like a hot knife through butter.

So does every 6.5 cartridge. That is not nearly the main reason why the Creed is fantastic....

You probably wear a t shirt that says as much.

Ok Blackheart. I don't even own a Creedmore and never have.

You haters are hilariously sad and you are showing your age....

A Jon Beanland on a Remington 700 action!

Looks like Jeff knows his way around a rifle, nice shootin!

The supposed "Creedmoor fad" and emergence of the haters is an interesting phenomenon for those of us who were aware of the cartridge and using it for a while before it was popular. The cartridge had been around for quite a while and used with great success, but a lot of people never heard of it because it didn't really hit the mainstream until it started getting gun magazine articles written about it. Then all of a sudden this cartridge we'd been using was "new", then supposedly a "fad", and then some guys started hating on it because of it's popularity. Meanwhile those of us who'd been using it already are looking around wondering "what's going on here?". Seems like a lot of unnecessary hoopla stemming mostly from the barely-informed masses who get all their info from gun magazines.

It’s easy on your shoulder for sure!

That clown meant to say "it slices through paper like a hot knife through butter"

Another Jon Beanland:

6547 by .com/photos/61286670@N08/]Sharps Man, on [bleep]

I have two with Criterion barrels. They both shoot anything that I want to put through them. Those that hate them, don't know them. It is a good, mild-shooting/recoiling, easy loading cartridge that performs extremely well on range, or on deer and antelope. I'll keep mine.

Can't argue with success. A caribou at 375 and a cow elk at 122 - so far

Who uses Berger target bullets when hunting. What does it shoot with hunting loads?

That is an excellent hunting bullet

I don’t get it.

Anything the 6.5 CM can do, the 7mm-08 can do better, at least inside 700 yards. Recoil is comparable.

Plus, the Mighty -08 can shoot bullets heavier than 156 grains. Dunno why you’d want to, but you could.

I like the 120 Barnes in mine. Kills deer and pigs DRT

Anything the 7-08 does, the 6.5 CM does just as well, inside of 700 yards. And a lot more beyond about 700. 6.5CM recoil is closer to 243 than 7-08. Factory 6.5 ammo is much more available and cheaper than 7-08. And I'd bet money that 8/10 rifles will be more accurate firing 6.5CM. Especially with factory loads.

I was skeptical too, but bought a Ruger Predator in 6.5 just to see if it lived up to the hype. It was the cheapest way for me to experiment with the round. It's a $350 rifle that outshoots everything else in the safe. I always thought that my rifles and cartridges were more accurate than me. That I was the real limitation to accuracy. That may still be true, but I've been able to shoot this combo better than anything else. And I haven't even had an opportunity to really stretch things out past 400 yards yet.

Berger 135 grain Classic Hunter bullet. For those who have to read it on the box. it’s a hunting bullet.

The reason I went with the 6.5 is ammo availability.
Even though I reload, The cost of some ammo is about as cheap as reloading. S&B 140 gr FMJ for 10.99! And MOA.
Can the 7-08 do that?.....asking for a friend lol

They're the same thing. No need to nit pick. And as you know, I love the 7-08...

I use the Berger hybrid in 6mm for hunting about everything. They perform very well.

Anything the Crapmore does, can be done with a 6.5x47 Lapua, along with a better fit in a 2.800" mag box.

It's all about the bullet. The 7-08 has higher-BC bullets available, but it starts them off slower. So in the best case scenarios for both, the 6.5 Creedmoor has an initial velocity advantage, while the 7-08 has the BC advantage. Velocity is a diminishing quantity but BC, like a diamond, is forever (roughly speaking). That is why the 6.5 Creedmoor may have the initial advantage in impact velocity, drop, wind drift, but beyond a certain distance the 7-08 takes over.


That really depends on the load used in each. Using a rifle weight of 7 lbs for all three, Hodgdon data for consistency in load data between the three, and the JBM recoil calculator, .243 recoil ranges from about 7.4 ft-lbs/8.3 fps to 14.5/11.6, the recoil of the 6.5 Creedmoor ranges from about 11.1/10.1 to 17.2/12.6, and finally the 7-08's recoil ranges from about 11.3/10.2 to 19.8/13.5. So you can see that depending on the specific load used in each the 6.5 Creedmoor can be closer to the .243 or the 7-08, but assuming the most ballistically efficient load in each (heaviest, highest-BC bullet) we're looking at the top end of the recoil range for each. Then the .243 would generate 14.5 ft-lbs at 11.6 fps, the 6.5 Creedmoor would produce 17.2 ft-lbs at 12.6 fps, and the 7-08 would have 19.8 ft-lbs at 13.5 fps. So the 6.5 Creedmoor is basically smack-dab in between the .243 and the 7-08, but just slightly closer to the 7-08.



Agreed.

Other than availability of factory ammo, factory rifles, and brass options.

If Lapua et al had marketed better then they'd be in the driver's seat.

This conversation just keeps raging on and it seems like somebody lights a fuse every time it comes up. I don't see enough difference in these two rounds to be worth arguing over. IMO, pick one that sounds cool to you and use and I'm betting you won't see an ounce of difference between them - and that's only if you've used both in similar situations...

What I really wonder though,is how long the 6.5 CM will need to be out before it is just accepted like most other rounds have been over the years that may or may not have the same capabilities of the CM....

and real primers. grin

https://www.creedmoorsports.com/pro...-brass-cases-small-pocket/starline-brass

https://www.petersoncartridge.com/m.../65-creedmoor-srp-brass-cartridge-cases/

I was talking performance.....of course you knew that.......

Yes, it's nice to have the option of SR or LR.

Of course there are benefits to the Lap (shorter OAL), but there are benefits to the Creed, as well. That's all I'm saying. Aside from availability and popularity, they're VERY similar in almost every way.

Except for readily available, affordable factory ammo...

John

I don't understand the hatred for the 6.5 CM.

I have an older CZ 550 in 6.5x55 that I love and has been my favorite deer rifle for many years. I wanted to shoot a shorter barreled 6.5 with my new suppressor at the time. I did not want to change the CZ, so I bought 2 Howas from Whitakers when they had the sale a while back. I thought was a good price and not out a lot of money If I didn't like them. One I cut to 18" and threaded. the other is still NIB.The modified one kills deer just as nice for me as any rifle I have ever used.

I guess some people still hate the 223 because the 222 was such a good round. And we all know about 270 shooters, right?

You made a key point summarizing the popularity of the Creed.

Aalf is right, as he usually is, but representing the thinking of a hard core Loony, not Joe Sixpack or the unwashed masses who walk into their LGS asking “what’s best“. You already know what the “expert” behind the counter is gonna say.

DF

The ones that hate it, haven't tried it. There's a lot to be loved about the 6.5 CM. Nice shooting to the OP's buddy Jeff too, by the way..

Nothing wrong with 6.5 cm, I will say it was one of the easiest to get to shoot. Pick a 4350 powder and bullet of choice and go shoot.

The 6.5 CM was designed to shoot well at long range. For me, its been the easiest to get the pills to land where they are supposed to when you stretch the distance out. Even in windy conditions. It takes a lot of headache out of the equation. I see that a lot when I'm shooting against my boss at our 450 yard range. He's using berger VLD's in his 300wm and they just don't perform nearly as well as the high bc 6.5 bullets I use. I'm also talking about hitting 1/2 moa targets with regularity here. He's lucky to consistently hit the 6" plate, where I generally will smack the hell out of the little 2" plate:


Here's one such picture to show you that exact scenerio. He tried and tried to hit the 4", but no could do. Had to swallow his pride and barely hit the 6" plate. I hit the 2" too many times that it broke the factory weld seam loose. The same thing happened to the 6" plate my boss hit. Welded those seams up proper, now we don't have issues with that anymore... 2" is a small target to hit at 400 yards, but that is where the 6.5 creedmoor really shines. Some guys get it, some guys wine about it, some guys hate it....

For sure.

And, you can even get great performance with factory ammo.

Can’t say that for every round.

DF

One can find several write up on the internet how the 6.5 CM came about.. also helped hornady went all in with it, provided a lot tech support..

You talk like the 6.5 CM came out last month.. it came out in 2007.. the 270 which has a bunch of naysayers came out in 1925 and still isn’t accepted by many to include the same ones that dump on the 6.5 CM

Sure as chidt. I have a funny story to tell about a coworker I sold my Savage 12fv to. He was feeling left out because he didn't have a rifle to shoot when we went and shot 400 yards, so I sold him one of my 6.5's. Yeah, the rifle shoots very well. I worked it over like usual with bedding and load development. Anyway, this is how she shot with my handloads:


I made him a package deal for $500.00. SWFA SS 16X MIL/MIL quad etc and rifle. I scribed the turret so that I could shoot out to 1000 yards with the rifle. So anyway, last weekend he is bear hunting with my boss and my bosses father in law that recently bought a Huskemaw rifle for $7,000.00. I guess my bosses FIL was having a hard time hitting the target at 550 yards, so my shop forman pulls out the rifle I sold him and he calmly turned the dial until it was in between the 5 and 6 that I had scribed:


He adjusts the parallax/focus on the scope and puts 2 right in the middle of the target, then calmly puts the rifle back in its case. My boss and his FIL say, "aren't you going to shoot anymore". He says, "no I'm good, I hit the target. You guys need to keep shooting though".. This wasn't shot with my handloads either, but with the Hornady match load that uses the same bullet my handload does. It runs about 30-50 fps slower than my loads do... There are some good factory ammo out there for the creed, for sure.

Great story, bsa.

Loved it. David whupped up on ole Goliath, yet again.

DF

Ha ha.. Yeah.. I forgot to mention that they both use magnums. The "best of the west" Huskemaw chambered in 7mm rem mag and the other a Rem 700 300wm... . They are also using very expensive scopes. My boss uses a Leupold VX6 HD 4-24x52 with CDS. They did get spanked though...

Pay for what ya get...

Or NOT...!

Ha!

DF

HA HA....

Seems like the 6.5PRC has surpassed the Creedmore with those really into long range precision.

Bastardized version of 6.5x284!

And not caring about barrel longevity.

Or the price of ammo

How much more 'powder capacity' does that 'stretch version' have over the 6.5x284? And how many less rounds does it take to 'burn out a barrel'? To the same 'burnt-out state, of course?....

Hmmmmm.....sumbuddy deleted the stretch version post. who'da figgered?

Actually they are pretty close. I did some checking.

Seems the advantage of the PRC over the 6.5-284 is cheaper quality factory ammo, much like what seemed to give the 6.5 CM such a jump on its competition.

The PRC has a mag diameter rim, whereas the 6.5-284 is rebated '06 diameter.

As with the Creed, a big difference seems to be marketing. Factory PRC ammo is hotter than factory 6.5-284 ammo, but with the handloader, pretty close.

I have a great Pre-64 Krieger 26" 6.5-284, not looking for a 6.5 PRC.

At similar velocities, I would think barrel life would be pretty close.

DF

Somebody was me. What I wrote wasn't stated right.

Unlike some Dem politicians, I set out to correct it, not run with fake news...



DF

I guess what I was getting at, in a roundabout way, is the 6.5-06 is THE stretch version.....

the prc and 'by284 are peas in a pod.

Yep, they peas in a pod, performance about equal, all three.

And, even though the shorter ones are a bit long, IMO, for a SA, like 2.9" COAL, they need to be in a LA unless someone has a 3" action.

The 6.5-06, of course, is a LA round.

My 6.5-284 is in a Pre-64, so LA. That gives me plenty of room for whatever bullet I want to use. I'm now shooting 140 VLD's over RL-17 at an honest 3K fps.

DF


Edited to add, that's my 6.5-284 pictured over on the Swaro Z5 thread.

Kind reminds me of that 6.5 caliber by Remington that uses the 308 case....

the one they launched back in '97....

I think I can remember that one...

DF

Yep. I have two of those, also. I use 130-class bullets in my .260s, as the Creeds handle the heavies better. I like them both, but the deer don't!

Guys like drama too. They get emotionally attached to different rounds so cartridge discussions turn into soap operas

The part I find funny about all this is that before the Creedmoor came out, I used to get hassled on forums for being a 260 fan and how it was nothing but a bastardized version of a 6.5 Swede. The CM gets popular and now the 260 is the darling child among many. Oh well, as the world turns...

A friend who is into PRS has a 260 that he uses exclusively for it. Of course it is a custom action that he got the way he wanted it. All his rifles are based on the .308 Win. so if he doesn't have cases for one he can make them from another if necessary.

Yeah, but that one is dead/dying..

Those Norwegian / Swedes saw the light 126 years ago.

I haven't bought into the one gun brigade, but one cartridge has merit. I sure like my light, sporter, and heavy 6.5 creed. Sure keeps loading simple, and it will easily handle anything I ever plan to hunt.

Bone stock M700 youth model with the included with package 3-9x40 Remington scope.............maybe not.

Custom build with Impact Action. Don't have remainder of specs!

I’ve got both, and love both. I don’t see the need to deride one over the other. Kind of like the 30.06 vs 270. Both are great cartridges and I’m gonna keep both and use both.

I am aware and accept that the 6.5 CM is a great evolution for long range hunting!

However, I'm in the dark as to exactly how much better it is over some other hunting cartridges at longer ranges. Can someone who has the equipment run the numbers against wind and trajectory comparisons to say the .270 Win.?

.277 Nosler 140 AB
.496 BC
2950 fps

6.5 Nosler 140 AB
.509 BC
2700 fps

At what distance would the slower 6.5 catch the .277
for bullet drop ?
for wind drift ?

A more meaningful comparison would be to compare it to other short action rounds. Comparing it to long action rounds with their bigger boiler rooms kind of misses the point of it. It's claim to fame is being short enough to magazine feed longer high BC bullets in a short action, not outrunning much bigger cases.

Here's where you can answer your question http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

Thanks for the link Brydan!

Not if you handload, and not if there an endless supply of 308 brass still hanging around....

For long range, I had a long action "Creedmoor" made by re barreling a 30/06 a long time ago, and my logic was laughed at on the campfire...then Hornady took the same idea, and applied it to a short action instead....using a 250 AI case pretty much..

What I put together was essentially a cartridge that came out before the 30/30....necked up a 257 Roberts case to 6.5 mm, put a 28 inch Pac Nor Barrel on a Model 70 action.. seating 142 gr bullets to magazine length, seated to where the bullet was magazine length, so more powder room in the case....the barrel is a heavy magnum contour with a one in 7 twist....

compared over chronographs... it has more MV than a couple of friends 6.5/06, 6.5/06 AI, and 6.5 x 284s that had 24 and 26 inch barrels...

a Swedish Mauser, 1919 version with the long military factory barrel, isn't no slouch either....

>> I BET NO ONE GIVES YOU AN ANSWER, in chess that`s called checkmate,the only advantage to a 6.5 Creedmoor is recoil for the recoil-shy person.

What non-sense.

StrayDog,

First of all, specific bullets are what make all the difference and there are many more bullets with superior aerodynamic designs in 6.5mm than in 0.277". The AB is far from the best-suited bullet to LR shooting, but even if we limit the discussion to the two bullets you mentioned, Nosler's BC values are questionable at best. Bryan Litz estimates the BC of the .277 140 AB to be the same as the 140 BT, which has a G7 BC of 0.227, and he estimates the 6.5mm 140 AB to have a G7 BC of 0.249. Secondly, you're comparing a SA cartridge to a LA cartridge, which isn't exactly apples to apples. Despite all that, using Hodgdon's data for both the 6.5 Creedmoor and the .270 Win, and looking between 0-1000 meters under SAC, we have the following:

6.5 Creedmoor
24" barrel
140gr
2806 fps max

.270 Win
24"
140gr
3033 fps max

Using those numbers, the .277" 140 AB shoots flatter at all ranges of interest, and the two bullets have essentially the same wind drift out to about 700 meters, after which the 6.5mm 140 AB drifts less and less relative to the .277" 140 AB as distance increases. Since minor differences in drop are of little concern when shooting at longer ranges, the SA cartridge essentially matches the performance of the LA cartridge in metrics that matter out to 700, and out-performs at longer distances. Combine the lesser powder consumption, general precision of factory ammo and rifles, lesser muzzle blast and recoil, etc, and it's pretty clear why the 6.5 Creedmoor has gained such popularity for LR shooting/hunting.

You tell em Pete...

Pete's too stupid to know that brydan gave him a way to find answers 3 days ago. I guess it takes ol' Pete that long to digest what he reads, assuming he can read.

well I have a 6.5 creedmore been testing it out not too shabby of a round for long range messaging. But my goto one for that is my 300 wtby mag or the 6.5x55 with the 31 inch barrel and with the 1-8 twist

> glad to see someone answered his question but in all reality how many could make that shot at a animal at 700 meters ? yes the 6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent round so is the old 270 Winchester ,the 6.5 Creedmoor is a better target round,with better bullets to use , and a better for a recoil-shy person too. but out to 500 yards the old 270 Winchester still will get the job done and has for many years.

Pretty much any rifle and bullet will work for the average Joe. It's only when you start to push the boundaries that the differences in bullets and equipment become evident.

Jordan.
I appreciate you updating my example using G7 BCs and answering my question, I don't have a place to practice really long range shooting near where I live, so I now know I don't need a Creed.

I have a few rifles that I've practiced shooting into 400 yard targets, but I've only shot once at game beyond that range.

Guess I will wake this tread up again, Is any one loading the Hornady 135 gr a-tip ? if so I need some idea's, client sent me 500, they are pretty, but I need to load some up and see if my rifles will shoot them, could use some help. Rio7

500? Must be a rich as hell client. With as expensive as those bastids are, they should be heat seeking. No load data required either...

Hodgdon lists that bullet in their online data.

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

HuntnShoot, Thank You I had not seen that info. Rio7

bsa1917hunter, Good client, own's several gun stores, I am sure he buy's bullets by the pallet load, Rio7

I got 6.5 Creed load data from a Berger tech with their new 156 EOL. They aren't publishing data yet, but will give it out over the phone.

With RL-26, their top load is 2,800 out of the Creed.

At that speed, the heavier Berger shouldn't frag like a lighter, faster one.

I have some headed my way to try. Powder Valley has them in stock.

6.5-284 at 2,900 with RL-26. Want to try that load in my 26" Krieger Pre-64.

6.5 Nosler at 3,100 with Vv n-570, 3K with RL-50, RL-33, US 869 and H-50 BMG.. Also 3K with Vv 20N29, except I don't have that one.

156 EOL at 3K should be a good LR load.

Interesting.

DF

Yes, quite interesting! I'd hunt everything I hunt with that bullet in a CM. But then I have never had Bergers frag badly at 2700 or 2800 MV. I'll likely have to try it some day, and with R-26.

Pushing the 140 VLD at 3K out of the 6.5-284, I've gotten more than one exit hole, DRT and lots of internal carnage...

I'm thinking a heavier Berger, even at 3K, may hold together, exit better. For sure at 2,800 to 2,900.

With the very high B.C., the 156 EOL should be an interesting option.

DF

Down here on the border in S.Texas, R-26 can't stand the heat, only time we can use good R-26 loads is mid-winter, R-16, H-4350, or IMR-4451, work better. Rio7

Mail, just came 200 more A-Tips 6.5 153 gr. now what hell do I do with these??? Rio7

Work up a load and let us know....

Don't think RL-16 and 4451 will push the heavies as well as RL-26.

But, until someone tries them....

DF

Can't you just work up a load in the heat? What am I missing? I wonder if the 153 A-Tips will even fully stabilize in the 1:8 CM? I see twists going faster and faster in the future...a bright future, I should say.

I think 8 twist will work with the 153 A-Tip and the 156 EOL Berger.

The Swede has long handled 160's and most of them are around 8 twist or so.

I'm not worried about RL-26 in extreme hot weather. When it's that hot, it's too hot for me to be out shooting. When I hunt, it's generally 30-60*. I've read than RL-26 isn't that temp sensitive in certain applications, it varies. Not the best, not the worst...

DF

Someone here on the fire needs to kill something with those A-tips and report back.

Here is Hornady's load data for the 153:

https://www.hornady.com/assets/site/hornady/files/load-data/6-5-creedmoor-147-153gr.pdf

And the 135:

https://www.hornady.com/assets/site/hornady/files/load-data/6-5-creedmoor-135gr-a-tip.pdf

If Berger is pushing their 156 EOL's at 2,800 out of the Creed with RL-26, wonder why Hornady doesn't include RL-26 in their data?

I don't know if those 153's have more resistance, but you'd think they'd move as fast as the heavier Berger.

Berger uses a std. primer, max load of RL-26, 103% fill ratio (mild compression) at 2,800 fps with their 156 EOL at 2.8" COAL. That long bullet has to be protruding well into the case at that COAL. For sure Berger has checked psi with this load.

Hornady tops out their 153's at 2,650 or so with 4 powders. I'm thinking RL-26 will out perform all four. I won't publish Berger's max load as they currently only give it out orally, but see no problem sharing per PM.

DF

i have been shooting hornady 153 gr. bullets with RL.26 out of my Red Ruger the very first load group those 153 gr. bullets was a 1/2 inch and i have been shooting 1/2 inch 5 shot groups at 100 yards in the heat. i kinda think when its cooler this fall i maybe will see a better smaller average size groups. this Hornady 153 gr. bullet has shot some 3/8 inch groups too ,when its cooler i feel the 3/8 group size will be the average then .

100 yds just isn't a good measure for these extremely long bullets. They are designed for long or extreme range, and I think testing should start at 300 yds. That's just me though. Thanks for the info, Pete. R-26 seems to be magic in the CM. Glad I got how much I got!

HuntnShoot, Think I will save the 153gr. and load them in my 6.5 PRC GAP, But I may try a few in the 6.5 Creed just for the hell of it. we will see.

Loaded 10 rnds of 6.5 creed with Varget 5 with 37.5 gr. and 5 with 38.0 gr. both shot under a 1"at 100 yrds the 38.0 load was the best group about 3/4 "

I will load some more test loads with different powders in the next few day's should cool off the end of the week to the 90s it was 114 deg. when I was shooting today, hard to shoot with the sweat running your eye's. Rio7

i plan on once it gets cooler this fall shootin those 153 gr bullets out too 600-700 yards ,i just got this rifle set-up with a 12-42 x56 Nightforce and i wanted to see once i did the trigger how well it would do even at 100 yards with this bullet. i am setting this rifle up for our winter fun in the snow shoots that are 100 -500 yards and i now know what load and bullet i will use.the 100 yard rifle range is right at my home and my shooting house with cement benches is 75 yards from the house its simple , easy and great for load testing, that`s the advantage of living out in the country.

even more so in big country.....

Did you clock'em?

If Berger can push their 156 EOL at 2,800 with RL-26, don't see why the 153 couldn't match that.

DF

no not yet it was hot outside and i thought i would wait tell its cooler .my wife thinks i should be doing other more important things around the home. but i will soon i will p.m. you in a week or 2 ?

Oh, I understand....

Preaching to the choir on that one...

DF

Are you certain that Berger is actually pressure-testing their data with live-fire experimentation? I was under the impression that their load data is simulated using something like QL. I'll also point out that Hornady's load data tends to be on the slow side compared with the data published by many other bullet and powder manufacturers.

Let us know how the results look!

I keep thinking that if these kinds of bullets were available 20 years ago, I'd own an entirely different set of rifles and calibers.

HuntnShoot, Me to, instead of 40 rifles could get by with 20. Rio7

Not sure, just assuming.

Yes, and I do know how to spell that word, "ASS U and Me"...

One thing that raised a flag, near the same load of Rl-26 (actually a tad bit more) in the larger 6.5x55 case maxed out at 2,664 fps.

Generally most data sources run the Swede at 45K psi or so for the older military actions. I'm sure this Creed load is running all out (60K+ psi).

And, maybe the reason why they aren't publishing this data is that it hasn't been officially pressure tested...

Don't know.

Results do sound good to a Loony...

DF

R-26 scares the hell out of me in heat of summer, I worked with it last year and had pressure spikes, that seemed to come from no where, I would like to use R-26 as I have a bunch of it but, I won't live long enough to use 1/4 of what I have. Rio7

I've worked with it in temps below 85F or so and not had problems. I have had problems doing the same with RL17. Loads that were good at 60F were too hot at 85F.

I'd likely not run either in dead summer 95F weather.

What a damned tragedy! If I lived anywhere near you, I'd offer to share your R-26 burden. It's the Christian thing to do.

You aren't kidding there!

Bet you could swap that RL-26 for RL-16, if you put the word out...

DF

I got some early R-26, a couple of pounds to try. It is definitely slower than the jugs I bought a couple years later. I was using loads that were over 3% beyond Alliant's data before I got near their speeds. The lot number of the R-26 jugs seems right on with the data.

My R-16 experience is the opposite. I bought a couple pounds right after it came out, and it's burn rate is MUCH faster than the data. I can't even get beyond Alliant's starting loads, and those even look spicy. Velocity was nowhere near what Alliant claimed. I should try another lot number and see how it is.

I'll wait until it's out a few years before I buy the next new powder.

Bought a 6.5 CM because I got a great deal on it. Browning X-bolt. 3 1/2 inch group at 400 yards with factory Federal Premium 135 gr Berger.
My friends rip me for the most part.
“ you hear about the two gay guys that said let’s go in and have sex. We will worry about the Creedmoor’s tomorrow.”
One friend named it the “storyteller”. He says I will come back to camp about noon and tell about one that I wounded that got away.

I have two other friends that have them and love them. I was lucky enough to draw my antelope tag here in Oregon this year and I’m going to take the 6.5!

That's funny right there

We need to get the Creed lovers and the Creed haters together for a tug of war. Losers buy the beer and bbq!!

Funny right there! I could too maybe but I just bought 3 more.

I like the Creedmoor just fine and use one for M-S. I have built rifles in 6.5x47, 6.5 Creedmoor, 260 Rem, 6.5x55, 6.5x57. 256 Newton, 6.5/06, 6.5/284, 6.5 Rem Mag, and 264 Win. It's all just brass. The brass is a powder holder and a gasket. Capacity makes a difference to powder choice but case shape means little. GD

That is not the conclusion I've come to after trying a bunch of rifles (both factory and customs from very good makers) in most of those chamberings, including 8-10 6.5 Creedmoors in both "cheap" factory and expensive custom rifles.

I sincerely doubt the Creedmoor has any advantage over the 6.5x47 Lapua-except for being chambered in some very accurate and affordable factory rifles, and a bunch of very accurate and affordable factory ammo.

As I stated earlier in this thread, I am not a fanboy of the 6.5 Creedmoor. But I have more than enough experience with a wide variety of them to understand why it became so popular
.

Within limits, that is all I have found. 260's shoot just as well as Creedmoors if the rifles are built to the same specs. so do 6.5x55's. 65/06's seems to shoot just the same as 6.5x284's. Now, when rifles are built to different specifications, performance is likely to vary and this is the advantage the Creedmoor has. It was conceived a an accuracy cartridge and all rifles built for it benefit from that. This is especially so regarding ammunition, I suspect. GD

The Creed had the advantage of wise timing. Excellent rifles, great Ammo, fast-twist rifling, and maple mag boxes elevated a proven winner to new heights.

Nothing a determined 260 Rem fan could not have done 25 years ago. And yeah, I own a Creed. Gonna sell the Barrett and buy another .....

Also, ample mag boxes. But maple ones would be cool.

Just finished verifying rifle, scope, and ammo at 400 yards.

Over the counter 6.5 Creed, & factory 143 gr. ELDX ammo - consistently less than 1 moa out to 400 yds.

Time for Elk camp.

Years ago, I purchased a pristine 1917 6.5 Swede because it was still in cosmoline (or equivalent), had a mirror-bore and all matching serial numbers (I seriously doubt it had ever been fired). I thought it was a "wimp round" but the rifle was $199 at Dunham's. I began to research for handloading and found an absolute DIAMOND of a caliber and rifle (printing 3/4" groups at 250 yards). Due to the Mauser not being scope-friendly, I had my gunsmith drill and tap the barrel for a sporter-mount Burris 2-7 handgun scope with phenomenal success.

Then I read GregW's account of taking his little-people to Africa using a .260! I now had the confirmation of my suspicions for the numbers the Swede was turning in. Sadly and aggravatingly, I'm a work-a-holic and never actually hunted with it, just printed groups and made and broke hunting plans.

Now roughly 15 years after the purchase, I've accepted that my real-world fun comes from shooting tiny groups (though they're still with heavier hunting bullets, just in case!!! hahahahaha). I love the Swede, but with the handgun scope, it just ain't cuttin' the LR boundaries. I knew the Creed was taking all of the thunder from other, fantastic 6.5 calibers(!) and began searching for a 700 Magpul in .260. Any other caliber need not apply for less than $1,000 on a good day. The little, forgotten-about .260 was $660 out the door and I raced 1.5 hours away to pick it up (I couldn't wait for shipping!) Long-story short, after break-in, the first 2 shots at 100 yards were in a ragged-hole (from the bench, I actually thought I missed the target and began messing with turrets to compensate!) I'm mostly done with load-development (just messing with seating depths, now) and 43.1 gr of H4350 is getting me 2656 fps and 0.513" group (best of 4 loads in the same vicinity of group-size) with 140 SST's. By the way, all this accuracy with a Tasco 3-9x40 that I had sitting at the back of my safe (I'll be getting a Vortex soon). The reticle covers up all of the bull's eye at 100 yards and I was guessing with every shot whether I was in the same point-of-aim, or not. (I have pictures, but couldn't figure out how to post them here).

So, my question: SOCOM compared the 7.62 NATO vs. the .260 vs. the 6.5 Creed and UNANIMOUSLY picked the Creed. All I have are ballistics charts and, to me, the Swede, Creed and Remi are triplets. My Swede is phenomenally accurate, same with my new .260, so what leap of technological excellence am I missing?

I just tried RL-26 this summer in 90 degree temps, are you saying I need to check them this fall in 40-50 degree temps. What about the 20 degree temps?

yes your right and it also has this neat name CREEDMOOR and its the hot new cartridge so that makes it a little more special and the average guy can find ammo easy ,cheap and the cartridge is accurate. i like it because people buy them from me . GRIN > the Creedmoor cartridges are good for all of us, people buy Creedmoor rifles and shoot them ,we all needed something new and exciting in the world of guns.

ai would not use the ELDX on elk. Just me, but I have read/seen too much variation in their performance. I would take a standard Interlock long before I would take the ELDX.

Have you seen the 143’s flying to pieces out of the Creed? I know they aren’t A-Frames but I wouldn’t think the 143 would have enough stink on it to get torn to pieces at the 2700’ish from factory ammo.

They don't. Except in Nebraska....

I've had a fair amount of deer hunting time (no closed season) with my Tikka T3x 6.5 Creedmoor and agree with sbhooper. Preferred choice for elk (or wapiti as we call them in my part of the world) would be the 140 gr Nosler partition. I've shot quite a few red deer with the 143 gr ELD-X and had a few less than ideal outcomes such as large shallow wounds and also some shots that have hardly expanded and pencilled right through. I wouldn't use that bullet on large red stags which are massive in my area, not far off elk size. The Nosler partition is still, after all these years, one of the most reliable and best killing bullets available. Even so, I prefer my .308 with the 165 gr NP for large stags to the 6.5 CM with the 140 gr NP.

Absolutely correct.

I found the place to go Creedmoor!

On one of the Highpower Boards, one of the New York members tracked down the site of the old Creedmoor Rifle Range and shared photos. It was on Long Island and is apparently a Psychiatric Center in Queens. My wife always said we had to be crazy to be out in the summer sun slung up in our heavy leather shooting coats!

I think the 6.5 Creedmoor is to the shooting world what Celine Dion, Nickleback or The Backstreet Boys are to the music world. Everybody says they don't like or hate them; yet, when any of their songs come on the radio while said people are driving down the highway by themselves, they sing along with a smile on their faces.

I just shot a cow at about 180 yards this week with a 150 g 7mm eldx. It was quartering away on the run so I purchased one in it at the back of the ribs. It didn't slow it down so I cranked another round off just leading the neck and she went down.

The one that went in the ribs had a large entrance, no exit and did minimal damage to the onside lung with no damage to the offside one. Looked like tge bullet detonated with little penetration. I was glad I took a quick follow shot as I always do if elk are still standing. I was shooting an 18.5" barreled fieldcraft and my MV was only 2650. I have a bunch of the 150s but I think I'll go ahead and jump up to the 180 eldm. Slower mv and higher SD might did a little deeper.

Bb