Was the 6.5 cm really a necessity?

I recently started hunting whitetail with a 6.5x47L. I feel just slightly under gunned. My southern roots have the 270 and 06 as the go-to choices. I have used various 280ai's for about ten years prior. I have cleanly killed 2 deer this year with the 47L. It is the most accurate rifle that I have ever shot. There appears to be little to no terminal difference between any reasonable cartridge used on deer < 300y. The competition arena is foreign to me. I assume that there are very good reasons there to choose one cartridge over another. For Southern whitetail hunting it strikes me that I am just entertaining myself with new cartridges. I would be well served with a factory 270 win. and a pocket full of extra cash. This said, I am planning a new, long range, 280ai build and will be soliciting some hair splitting advice soon.
 
This^^. If you build a 260 on a long action then no. But 30 degree shoulder, long bullets at mag length. Remember the creed was created for NRA high power in a semi auto. Sometimes you can't really explain what will appeal to the masses. Take the 300 BLack out. I guess a cool name is a prerequisite.
 
CTK said:
I recently started hunting whitetail with a 6.5x47L. I feel just slightly under gunned. My southern roots have the 270 and 06 as the go-to choices. I have used various 280ai's for about ten years prior. I have cleanly killed 2 deer this year with the 47L. It is the most accurate rifle that I have ever shot. There appears to be little to no terminal difference between any reasonable cartridge used on deer < 300y. The competition arena is foreign to me. I assume that there are very good reasons there to choose one cartridge over another. For Southern whitetail hunting it strikes me that I am just entertaining myself with new cartridges. I would be well served with a factory 270 win. and a pocket full of extra cash. This said, I am planning a new, long range, 280ai build and will be soliciting some hair splitting advice soon.
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How much do your deer weigh? The reason I ask is I've shot a pile of elk and mule deer with 6.5's and never felt under gunned.
 
Creedmoor shooter said:
Ok I'll bite...... here's my take on it.

The creed does do something the 260 doesn't, and that's fit in a short action easier. You can load high bc bullets out to the lands and still fit in the mag. Especially with the new super 6.5 bullets such as the 147 eld, 150 smk, and the soon to come 155 berger, there's no way your going to make those work in a 260 and still fit in the mag. Unless you shove that bullet way down in then the creed will end up being faster anyways because it's not taking up the needed powder space. The case design is better with the 30° shoulder, not allowing as much case stretch. It was a well thought out cartridge. As said before, if it wasn't working then it would have never taken off. It's the most popular 6.5 on the market by far. Not many cartridges have taken off as quickly as the creed has. Also, to be completely honest, I'm not seeing any 260 numbers coming close to what I'm getting in my creed, and I'm using less powder. At this point, it's much more practical to get a CM over a 260 or x47 unless you want to be different. Brass is everywhere, ammo, and rifles in every configuration imaginable.
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This summer I purchased a Tikka 260 and was disappointed in my lack of ability to use the longer bullets. I ended up modifying my bolt throw and magazine so I could use the longer bullets with COAL to 3.0. The creed solved the problem I had to solve manually in the 260, but I wouldn't trade it for a creed.
 
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cajun said:
This^^. Remember the creed was created for NRA high power in a semi auto.
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Or a match bolt gun that takes box mags.

If you need to seat match bullets at mag length the way an XTC shooter does then the Creedmoor fulfilled a need that nothing else did without spending a fortune on magazines.

Highpower shooting is a dying sport no cartridge or system is going to be a Comercial success depending on it. Hornaday won with the Creedmoor by convincing Ruger to put it in the RPR
 
J E Custom said:
I KNOW THAT !!!, It was just a reference to what Remington did to a great cartridge like many others.but the performance with less powder is what I was referring to. Also the 7mm rem mag was in response to the popularity of the 264 Win mag. And if you remember, If you were anybody, you owned a 7 rem mag. it became the most popular cartridge of its time and almost everybody loaded ammo for it.

There have been many more great cartridges that fell by the wayside because of poor twist rates and poorer marketing And not just from Remington.

Now with all of the new powders the 280 AI will out velocity the 7 Mag
most of the time with the same weight bullets. and many other great cartridges have only been saved by gunsmiths and experienced shooters and hunters because they knew their value and performance potential.

J E CUSTOM
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I know you do, I was just giving you the business... :D
 
trueblue said:
Jason
What model do you have?
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PSA PA-65 complete upper, 20" stainless bull w/adj Odin gas block, mated to a PA-10 lower w/POF 3.5# straight trigger.
I use Hornady cases in this, it can be a bit hard on brass, 140 Nosler Custom Competition BTHP, RL17 (40.4 in my rifle), Avg MV: 2621 fps, ES: 12, SD: 5.2. .500-.600 MOA 10 shot groups all day.

Probably not the best powder for an AR or this barrel length, but it works. Need to locate some RL26 in my locale...H4350 is still a fairy tale powder locally.
 
CTK I am surprised you feel under gunned with the 6.5x47. I am in Canada and with high winter losses and few deer I haven't shot anything with my X47. I am however headed to Texas and Mississippi this January. Will take both my x47's. One shooting 130 Berger the other with 130 accubond. I don't think I'll be under gunned. My Berger load should be good out to 650-700 yds. I'm sure the Creed is very nice, but don't think I'll change because I really like the X47.
 
BEEMAN said:
CTK I am surprised you feel under gunned with the 6.5x47. I am in Canada and with high winter losses and few deer I haven't shot anything with my X47. I am however headed to Texas and Mississippi this January. Will take both my x47's. One shooting 130 Berger the other with 130 accubond. I don't think I'll be under gunned. My Berger load should be good out to 650-700 yds. I'm sure the Creed is very nice, but don't think I'll change because I really like the X47.
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I stated later that it was a false perception due to my Southern 30-06 upbringing. Both deer that I have shot with it died instantly. I am just getting to know the capabilities of the rifle. I am shooting the 120 Ballistic Tip this year. Will likely go to a 130 Berger or similar next year.
 
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