6 vs 6.5 Creedmoor opinions wanted

[unclecroc]

Every 6mm cm I've played with, 6 or so now, throw 41-42gr H4350 in there with a heavy for cal high bc bullet 30-50k off and shoot half minute groups. The 65cm has required more tweaking. I've had no issues killing deer sized game at shorter distance to beyond 700 with the 6mm. I think it's a fantastic cartridge.

H4350 and the 6 creed go together like peas and carrots.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Meanwhile, I'm over here shooting the .308 win and not a care in the world about barrel life. I dropped a cow elk with it at 600 yards last week so the distance thing is fine….for me. With a suppressor, recoil is manageable.

If I had to choose between the two you mentioned…6.5 CM.

 

[marshalldodge]

I have both and reload, each are fairly easy to reload, and both great options, but the 6cm has no recoil in my Aero Solis rifle. I shoot 115grn tubb bullets, and I have taken it out to a mile! I enjoy them both if I could only have one I would have the 6 who cares about barrel life! It is not that expensive to change one out. Good luck bud

I'm kind of in the same boat with 6x47L and 6.5x47L. It started with a 6.5 years ago and then a 6X47. I rarely shoot the 6.5 anymore.

As a varmint hunter, I haven't shot them beyond 350 yards, but I shoot the 115 RDF all the way to 1400.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Which bullet? What powder and charge? If it is easy, why is most of the factory ammo running 2700 to 2850?

Ur meaning 140 class and not 120s nksmfamjp was talkin bout ya?

Im with you tho on easy. It is? Ive had 2 6.5cms with 26" and never hit 3000 with a 120 that I can think of. Now i didnt try very hard to get those speeds as I was hunting with 124-127gr monos 2900-2950 and the 120-123 leads were for practice. But still I didnt get those speeds. Initially I thot Id see 3100 maybe. Nope!

Perhaps if I had switched to a quicker burnin powder. The long monos do good with the same powders that push the 140+s faster, perhaps the 120 class sierra and hornadys I tried would go faster with Varget and such?

 

[Leaf Litter]

There's plenty of published data from powder and bullet manufacturers out there north of 3k fps with 120gr bullets.

If it's published, you can likely beat that velocity by 50+ fps.

 

[cajun]

There's plenty of published data from powder and bullet manufacturers out there north of 3k fps with 120gr bullets.

If it's published, you can likely beat that velocity by 50+ fps.

Lots of luck beating nosler data lol. Most of the time I have trouble getting their max. People have this misconception that data is " lawyered up". Compare Hogdon who actually pressure tests loads to Nosler and Berger data. Hogdon will be lower 100% of the time. With that being said Nosler 120 BT ammo is advertised as 3000 with a 24".

 

[Leaf Litter]

Lots of luck beating nosler data lol. Most of the time I have trouble getting their max. People have this misconception that data is " lawyered up". Compare Hogdon who actually pressure tests loads to Nosler and Berger data. Hogdon will be lower 100% of the time. With that being said Nosler 120 BT ammo is advertised as 3000 with a 24".

Nosler lines up pretty well with my observed velocities in the cartridges I reload so I never gave it a second thought

 

[LBEdgin]

Take a look at the 6mm xc, i love mine and one of the easier ways is the 123gr bullets in the 6.5 CM. As stated above the 6.5 CM is easy to please.

 

[akmtnhnt]

Lots of luck beating nosler data lol. Most of the time I have trouble getting their max. People have this misconception that data is " lawyered up". Compare Hogdon who actually pressure tests loads to Nosler and Berger data. Hogdon will be lower 100% of the time. With that being said Nosler 120 BT ammo is advertised as 3000 with a 24".

Doesn't Berger just use QL and publish it as their load data?

 

[cajun]

Doesn't Berger just use QL and publish it as their load data?

For a lot of it yes I'm not sure if for all of it. A buddy who works for one of the bullet companies told me they pressure test some but not all of their data. He said that was typical. The powder companies test all their data according to him. This is one reason Hogdon is sometimes slower. They also list the pressures. I have been able to match nosler data sometimes. Sometimes not. But never been able to exceed it.

 

[RB II]

I have 2 6 CM rifles and zero 6.5 Creedmore. I do have a 260 and 6.5-284, see no need for another 6.5 rifle unless it might be the 6.5 PRC.
As posted above the 6 CM is a blast to shoot, very fast and very accurate. One is loaded for 103 ELD-X and one is just starting load development for 90 CX. The CX should be a screamer.
Next build will be the 22 CM!!!!!!

What I don't buy in to is the "heavy for caliber" bullets in every rifle. .243s shooting 115 gr bullets. .264 shooting 150 class bullets. Before anyone feels the need, I understand that the heavier bullets have a higher BC. But that only truly comes in to play at extreme distances. And even then the wind drift benefits of the high BC bullets are counter acted by the slower flight/more time in the air for the wind to impact the bullet path. But enough about all of that.

I do love a .243 rifle or should I say.........any accurate rifle!!!

 

[akmtnhnt]

And even then the wind drift benefits of the high BC bullets are counter acted by the slower flight/more time in the air for the wind to impact the bullet path. But enough about all of that.

For wind, BC wins out rather quickly.

Lets take the 6.5cm and 2 rather common bullets. The 120 Nosler BT at 3000fps and the 142ALBR at 2700fps. Those MV are pulled from nosler's load data.
10mph crosswind. At 75 yards, the 142 ABLR is already doing better in wind drift than the 120BT. It's only .1", but it only grows from there. By 500 yards it's 18.5 and 15.1".

 

[lancetkenyon]

If you're not taking long shot strings, prs,f-class, that sort of thing. Nor are you trying to get maximum velocity from them, a barrel will last plenty long.
The 6.5 will always have a touch more recoil because you're slinging heavier bullets. In a 6lb gun it'd make a difference if you're all in at 10lb might notice a difference. If you're building a target gun at 18lb+ or running a brake it's negligible.
If you want 1200lb of energy at 700yds you'll need a 6.5prc slinging 140gr or more. With a brake mine allows me to spot hits, it's loud but has flattened everything I've hit in the offside shoulder.

Depends on elevation and temps.

At 6000' AMSL & 70°F, my 25CM pushing a 133 Elite @ 2975fps MV w. 42.6gr H4350 retains 2187fps and 1412ft/lbs @ 700 yds. At 3000'AMSL & 30°F, 2078fps & 1275ft/lbs. With way less recoil than a 6.5PRC pushing a 140 @ 2950fps w. 56gr H1000.

 

[highdrum]

Depends on elevation and temps.

At 6000' AMSL & 70°F, my 25CM pushing a 133 Elite @ 2975fps MV w. 42.6gr H4350 retains 2187fps and 1412ft/lbs @ 700 yds. At 3000'AMSL & 30°F, 2078fps & 1275ft/lbs. With way less recoil than a 6.5PRC pushing a 140 @ 2950fps w. 56gr H1000.

How hard you stepping on the 25cm for that speed? I tested rl26, and it was the only thing capable of running above 2930 without significant case expansion. Believe 3080 was psi signs from a 26in barrel. I know all barrels are different, brass and chamber all makes a difference.

The 6cm runs a mild load with 112mb, which has a 308g7, 2950-3000 very easily. Similar dope as your 25, and the prc referenced, with even less recoil. I run the 112 from an 18in barrel with 44.5gr rl26 at 2950. Case webs after firing are 47025 from 46975 sized. I ran up to 46.2gr over 3040 before bolt lift, ejector marks.