Opening Day Dilemma: .270 or 6.5 Creedmoor

[7fan1967]

I have a dilemma and I'm semi OCD. I have two Tikkas. One is a wood stock .270 T3X Forest 22" barrel that shoots Hornady Precision Hunter 145 grain ELD-X MOA at 100 yards. The other is a Tikka T3X synthetic stainless 6.5 Creedmoor with a 24" barrel that shoots MOA Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X.

Which one would you grab when heading out the door?

The 270 for sure ! It's great at making critters smash the dirt !

 

[JASmith]

The two loads mentioned are effectively ballistically identical at the muzzle. The smaller diameter of the 6.5 should give the Creedmoor an advantage as the range increases

That said, use the rifle that winks at you when you open your safe..

 

[Ol' Red]

I personally would go with the .270 any day of the week. Butterbean must be asleep or at work or we would have already heard .270 from him.

 

[Dosh]

Go with the .270. Just put together a .270 for the lady friend. It is very accurate and the loads I made were quite easy to develop. Thousands of game killed with this popular classic.

 

[JumpinLegs]

I would go with the .270 for sure. It's like a Creedmoor, but better and without the man-bun. Plus, that wood-stocked rifle is going to look prettier sitting with you than the synthetic stock.

 

[lancetkenyon]

The two loads mentioned are effectively ballistically identical at the muzzle. The smaller diameter of the 6.5 should give the Creedmoor an advantage as the range increases

That said, use the rifle that winks at you when you open your safe..

Not out to 500 yards. Maybe at 1100+ for retained velocity and energy, but will never catch the .270 for drop until you are WAY past reasonable hunting distances.
For me, that is 1800fps & 1000ft/lbs on deer. 6.5CM hits that at 875 yds, and .270 hits that at 925 yds. Not a huge difference in end yardage.

At 500 yds, .270 outruns the 6.5CM by: 6" less drop, 100fps more remaining, 200ft/lbs more energy remaining.
At 1000 yds, .270 outruns the 6.5CM by 31" less drop, 28fps more remaining, and 42ft/lbs more energy remaining.

6.5CM 143 ELD-X @ 2750fps

.270Win 145 ELD-X @ 3000fps

 

[Dolch]

I'd take the additional energy of the 270 for a flop bang. I've shot a lot of deer with both. The 270 has certainly dropped more deer in their tracks. I haven't lost a deer with my 6.5 or my 270, but the 270 has performed better in my experience. (all kills out to 350 yards)

 

[seattleman1969]

I'd grab the 270 for hunting and the 6.5 for plinking. I don't think the 143 eldx is well suited to the 6.5 creedmoor velocity. In my experience, detailed in a few other threads, the 6.5 creedmoor is not an emphatic killer. The 270 on the other hand is an emphatic killing cartridge. There is something magical about the 270, that I can't explain but every time I shoot an animal with one they just drop. I have actually shot more deer and antelope with the 6.5 creedmoor but in my experience it is not as effective on game as the 270.

I agree with this, there is a certain something about the .270 that is unexplainable in technical terms , it just works. Much like the .25-06 on deer size game and less... On paper it should not be such an efficient killer but it is!

 

[seattleman1969]

I would go with the .270 for sure. It's like a Creedmoor, but better and without the man-bun. Plus, that wood-stocked rifle is going to look prettier sitting with you than the synthetic stock.

Rolling here.. he said "Man bun"!

 

[skipglo]

I have a dilemma and I'm semi OCD. I have two Tikkas. One is a wood stock .270 T3X Forest 22" barrel that shoots Hornady Precision Hunter 145 grain ELD-X MOA at 100 yards. The other is a Tikka T3X synthetic stainless 6.5 Creedmoor with a 24" barrel that shoots MOA Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X.

Which one would you grab when heading out the door?

Both....in case something happens to the other one!

 

[Moose Whacker]

I have a dilemma and I'm semi OCD. I have two Tikkas. One is a wood stock .270 T3X Forest 22" barrel that shoots Hornady Precision Hunter 145 grain ELD-X MOA at 100 yards. The other is a Tikka T3X synthetic stainless 6.5 Creedmoor with a 24" barrel that shoots MOA Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X.

Which one would you grab when heading out the door?

What a dilemma to have; be aware of the man with one gun!

 

[Hondo64d]

I have a dilemma and I'm semi OCD. I have two Tikkas. One is a wood stock .270 T3X Forest 22" barrel that shoots Hornady Precision Hunter 145 grain ELD-X MOA at 100 yards. The other is a Tikka T3X synthetic stainless 6.5 Creedmoor with a 24" barrel that shoots MOA Hornady Precision Hunter 143 ELD-X.

Which one would you grab when heading out the door?

I'd take the one I have the most confidence in, ie the one that I hit the best with in my long range practice sessions. If there was no difference, I'd likely take the Creedmoor just to irritate all the folks that spend 24/7 trying to justify the reasons they hate it.

John

 

[Brickstar]

I would take the creedmoor all day. Leave the 270 home where it belongs

 

[Trooper1]

The Creedmore is nice, and if ranges are 200 or less from the stand, it would get the nod. But if there is work to be done at longer distance, the extra energy and less drop at range, the 270 would be the better choice. IMHO.