6.5-284 or 6.5 Creedmoor

[Brent Drummond]

6.5 PRC?

 

[Canhunter35]

All good advice imo
Choose the bullet you want to shoot.
Decide what speed you want to shoot it at
Find a cartridge that will deliver what you want. It's really that simple

IMO a 140 class 6.5 bullet around 3k is as good as it gets for a hunting rifle.
I have a creed though and if you want a short action, it's a great little cartridge. It'll probably be my main hunting rifle for the next couple years.
If you want short action and 3k, there's the 6.5 gap, 6.5ss, and 6.5prc

 

[lancetkenyon]

6.5 SS?
I am pushing a 150 SMK @ 3160 (hot load), a 142 SMK @ 3200, and a 127 Barnes LRX @ 3380fps (had up to 3441 when I hit pressure). My rifle is a 10# antelope/deer rifle. A lot of the weight is in the scope though, a 38oz S&B PMII DT 5-25×56.
R700 SA BDL built by AxisWorks
PT&G bolt (spiral fluted) w. M16 & tac knob
25.5" 1:8" Bartlein #3b spiral fluted plus AxisWorks 3 port mini brake
McMillan Game Scout
PT&G Oberndorf bottom metal & Wyatt's extended box
Timney 510 @ 1.5#
Seekins alloy 20MOA Picatinny Rail
Seekins alloy 34mm Low rings
Flatline Ops level

The rifle is a laser and a tack driver, and recoil is super mild. 250 yard zero gives me a +2.1 @ 150, -2.5" @ 300.

 

[nmbarta]

Midnightmalloy

There is not a situation that exits where the creed will out run the 6.5x284 in any given weight.

It doesn't matter how much barrel you cut off, just cut off enough to equal the weight in any configuration and the 6.5x284 will win.

I didn't say a couple of ounces.

I didn't say it was cheaper to shoot.

I didn't say it was cheaper to build.

cost of reloading is hardly worth mentioning between the two, but the creed has a very slight edge.

For deer and antelope hunting, the 6.5x284 is just better, which is what the op asked about. For high volume target shooting on a budget, the creed would probably be a better choice considering the cost of barrel replacements. Most hunting rifles will never need a new barrel.

The creed is just slightly neutered .260 rem with a cool name, I have nothing against it, I have a .260 w, but it's not a 6.5x284, just like the 30-06 is not 300 wm.

There's no need to try to make something it's not, if you want to go faster, just buy a bigger gun!

 

[joep17]

That you don't shoot animals past 400 yards is one of the best things I have read in a long time.

I shoot about 5000 rounds a summer in F-Class to 900 metres. 990 yards for the rest of you.

When I took my first 1000 yard shooting courses in the early 1990's our Late Instuctor said he would not personally risk an injured animal past 500 yard and the he promptly shot a gopher at 963 yardswith a 40X Rem In 308 Win.

When I write down every shot and scope setting I have had 6 MOA difference depending upon air temp. That is 60 inches diffence. When you have a limited time at altitude and weather, it takes an expert to hit a target past 400 yards without sighters.

I love my 6.5-284 to hit gongs at 1200 yards once I have a couple of sighters.

Hunt under 400 yards. If you can't stalk closer, 99% of people will wound and lose game. Just talk with a few camera men who have filmed some of the TV shows. They only broadcast the kills, not the 6 wounded animals that ran away never to be found.

The exception is a wounded animal someone else shot and was running away. As witnessed was moose at 525 yards going staight away. Another hunter spined it and we had a long day after that.

Nothing ruins a moose hunt like killing a moose.

Shoot as far as you can on targets....get closer on game.

An old hunters opinion and just an opinion.

 

[Geno1112]

Midnightmalloy





For high volume target shooting on a budget, the creed would probably be a better choice considering the cost of barrel replacements. Most hunting rifles will never need a new barrel.

AGREED. My last 6.5-284 barrel was toast after 1,200 rounds.

 

[johnnyk]

Tagged.

 

[Jerry M]

Like comparing a VW Beetle to a Porsche Carrera and saying their both 4 cylinders...

6.5x284 all the way.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[Canhunter35]

That you don't shoot animals past 400 yards is one of the best things I have read in a long time.

I shoot about 5000 rounds a summer in F-Class to 900 metres. 990 yards for the rest of you.

When I took my first 1000 yard shooting courses in the early 1990's our Late Instuctor said he would not personally risk an injured animal past 500 yard and the he promptly shot a gopher at 963 yardswith a 40X Rem In 308 Win.

When I write down every shot and scope setting I have had 6 MOA difference depending upon air temp. That is 60 inches diffence. When you have a limited time at altitude and weather, it takes an expert to hit a target past 400 yards without sighters.

I love my 6.5-284 to hit gongs at 1200 yards once I have a couple of sighters.

Hunt under 400 yards. If you can't stalk closer, 99% of people will wound and lose game. Just talk with a few camera men who have filmed some of the TV shows. They only broadcast the kills, not the 6 wounded animals that ran away never to be found.

The exception is a wounded animal someone else shot and was running away. As witnessed was moose at 525 yards going staight away. Another hunter spined it and we had a long day after that.

Nothing ruins a moose hunt like killing a moose.

Shoot as far as you can on targets....get closer on game.

An old hunters opinion and just an opinion.

Just checked my 308 dope for 168amax. If I go from 0 density altitude to 4500 density altitude, which is a swing from -15c to +25c approximately, I have a shift of 4.25 Moa at 1k. You've shot through quite the temp swings, must've been windy

 

[johnnyk]

Perfect analogy. 6.5 Creedmoor is a good cartridge. Well thought out, and put out there when it seemed like a lot more folks were trying to get in to LR. Perfect example of marketing success at it's best.
It has a lot of "good" features but really when you scrutinize it, you are only splitting hairs.

Short action: I've heard/read that it "fits" a short action better than a .243 and .260, or that it handles the VLD bullets more efficiently by not taking up powder space. OK, so what. It's not like we're still in the Great Depression! Still marginal performance compared to 6.5-284.

The 6.5-284 does what it does best through a long action. Too long and heavy? GImme a break. You're not quail hunting with the thing and you should have enough testosterone to be able to handle a 10lb rifle.

6.5-284 uses more powder? Of course it does but a newbie would be fooled if they picked up Hornady's 9th Reloading addition (CM marketing) which was biased toward the 6.5 CM. With 140gn bullets the 6.5-284 only uses about 4-5gn more powder than the CM. Oh, I forgot their 6.5-284 Norma test rifle had a short chamber, or some bull-crap like that. Definitely not a apples to apples comparison and is in no way real world.

CM is cheaper? Same bullets. Really only approximately 10gn difference (7000gn = 1lb). Brass, scratch Hornady. Junk. Lapua makes brass for both. It and Norma are the only two, within reason, that can stand up to the performance levels when pushed. Maybe Winchester, but that's another problem in the making, with lots of culling involved. I've personally shot 6.5-284 Lapua brass 9 times and gave it to a buddy who is still cranking on it. My loads were never mild with them either, 3000-3200fps, depending whether I was spinning 147's or 120's.

Pick whichever one tickles your fancy and meets your requirements best. I like the performance of the 6.5-284 Norma, but I also shoot the .300WinMag (A LOT!) and a .270Allen Magnum (talk about performance!) Life is short! JohnnyK.

P.S. Probably more hairs to split but I've got to go calibrate some scales.

 

[joep17]

Just checked my 308 dope for 168amax. If I go from 0 density altitude to 4500 density altitude, which is a swing from -15c to +25c approximately, I have a shift of 4.25 Moa at 1k. You've shot through quite the temp swings, must've been windy

We sure do have huge temp swings where my club Range is.
The other thing is that every ballistic program I have ever tried is overly optimistic at long distance. I have settled on iSnipe and even then I go back and try to "force" it to fit my notes. My 155 scenars come out around 2950 fps. As chronogtaphed. When I try to force fit my come ups at 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800,'and 900 m the only way to get a close match is to lower the velocity in the program inputs to fit. Sometimes as much as 200 fps in the program. G1 is really incorrect at long ranges. G7 is way better but still not perfect

When we shoot electronic targets, they have sensors that report the velocity at the target. These are always lower than the ballistics programs estimate. Like in any science, there are therories and then test results.

The largest spread of 6 MOA came from 2 matches at the same range the same year with the same barrel and loads that were shot at -10C to +35C temp differences. Humidity also plays a role. It is mostly air density. I write down all the data I can.

One great thing about good notes on all shots is that it allows one scatch his head and wonder what is happening.

Your 4.25 MOA is still over 40" diff at 1000 yds. And in my experience, hornady has always been "optimistic" with the BC's they give. For that matter probably all manufacturers are. Then we go out and test.

Thanks for the response. It shows you are truly thinking about these things

 

[stomp442]

.260 Ackley Improved. Best of both worlds. Same performance of the 6.5-284 and will still work out of a short action just fine. A 140 Berger over some new R26 will give some impressive velocities and incredible accuracy. You could kill anything you want to out as far as you want to and it's still mild enough to plink with if you wanted to.

 

[Canhunter35]

We sure do have huge temp swings where my club Range is.
The other thing is that every ballistic program I have ever tried is overly optimistic at long distance. I have settled on iSnipe and even then I go back and try to "force" it to fit my notes. My 155 scenars come out around 2950 fps. As chronogtaphed. When I try to force fit my come ups at 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800,'and 900 m the only way to get a close match is to lower the velocity in the program inputs to fit. Sometimes as much as 200 fps in the program. G1 is really incorrect at long ranges. G7 is way better but still not perfect

When we shoot electronic targets, they have sensors that report the velocity at the target. These are always lower than the ballistics programs estimate. Like in any science, there are therories and then test results.

The largest spread of 6 MOA came from 2 matches at the same range the same year with the same barrel and loads that were shot at -10C to +35C temp differences. Humidity also plays a role. It is mostly air density. I write down all the data I can.

One great thing about good notes on all shots is that it allows one scatch his head and wonder what is happening.

Your 4.25 MOA is still over 40" diff at 1000 yds. And in my experience, hornady has always been "optimistic" with the BC's they give. For that matter probably all manufacturers are. Then we go out and test.

Thanks for the response. It shows you are truly thinking about these things

I use Litz's bc for amaxs
The Doppler bc hornady published on their eld line are pretty close.
With that much temp swing, even Hodgdon extreme powders will shift velocity some, especially at the extreme temps

 

[joep17]

I use Litz's bc for amaxs
The Doppler bc hornady published on their eld line are pretty close.
With that much temp swing, even Hodgdon extreme powders will shift velocity some, especially at the extreme temps

With our powder shortagesi in Canada I have been sticking with Varget and buying it by the cases when it comes in. when this 40 lbs is used up I might some of the newer extreme powders