Why all the 6.5 Creedmoor Hate?

[m457109]

I have read this entire thread and find it interesting there is little mention of bullet momentum in relation to killing power. I think the 6.5 CM is an awesome cartridge for what it was designed for. One of the best ever for long range target punching. It was NOT designed for and it never will be a long range hunting cartridge. It does however, have some spillover into the hunting world…good round for whitetail sized game to around 400 yards, give or take…if proper, proven, hunting bullets are used. The 6.5 CM is NOT an elk round, same as the 22’s, 24’s, and 25’s are not elk rounds. Yes I know there are thousands of elk taken every year with those calibers and some at long range….still does not make them elk calibers. Several years ago, my father in-law had several beef cows that he wanted me to put down for him. All 8-12 year old cows weighing between 1200-1400 pounds. I thought it a good opportunity to test some rifles. First up Ruger m77 in 6.5x55 shooting hot loaded 140 grain bonded core bullets. Range 250 yards. First shot broadside, right in the pocket behind the shoulder. Cow then turned quartering away and put 4 more, midway back in the ribs, aiming for the off shoulder. Cow walked off about 15 yards and went down before I could reload…dead when I got to her. Autopsy report…heart was mush. No pass throughs with any of the bullets. Off shoulder not broken. All 5 bullets recovered, perfect mushrooms on all of them. Next up…338 win mag loaded with 250 grain partitions. Range 250 yards quartering to. First shot on point of shoulder, she then turned and was quartering away for second shot. First shot destroyed the shoulder bones, on the near side, blew through the heart and created a softball size hole in the off lung. Exited rear of the rib cage leaving about a 2-1/2” exit hole. The quartering away shot entered the rear of the rib cage, took out more heat and lungs, exploded the off shoulder joint and left another a 3” exit wound with bone, heart, and lungs hanging out. Next up was the 416 rigby shooting 400gr round nose soft points. Range 200 yards. Quartering to, sharply. Shot entered point of shoulder, exited the rump. DRT, dropped in her tracks and never moved. Moral of the story, use enough gun for the animal you are hunting. Small diameter light bullets do not have enough momentum to get the job done on large game. Doesn’t matter what the sectional density number is or the retained energy number is at whatever range it impacts. Am I saying that you need a Rigby for elk…no. But I am saying that the 6.5’s are too light for elk and moose unless you are willing to wait for the perfect broadside shot inside 300 yards. You may be lucky and kill several in a row with the lightweights with no issues, but eventually runs out. Why take the chance, those majestic animals deserve better.

 

[ActionBob]

150gr 30-06 going 3200fps is dropping 45.71" with 1203ftlb @ 500 yards and 105gr 243 going 3250fps is dropping 30.2" with 1319ftlb @ 500 yards

Bryan when you get a minute would you add in the comparable ballistics for the 6.5 Creedmoor? Maybe even the 6.5 PRC?

What i remember when I bought my first Manbun rifle, simply going off a Hornady ballistic chart for their factory ammo, the Creedmoor was carrying well over double the energy to 500 yards compared to their 243 loads.

Gina has a 6.5 PRC ordered that is Gauranteed .5 MOA at 1000 yards. I assume you'd want to halve that I can't even get my head around that type of accuracy. Gina expects it but hasn't shot past 500 yards..... yet

 

[skydiver386]

"What offends me and people like me is the fact that with No Warning At All, they suddenly stop production of the ammunition we need.
This, so that they can run their ammunition loading factories round the clock, flooding the market with their does-nothing-different new cartridge."

BINGO!

 

[shootist~]

So if Yogi Barra were alive to memorialize the 6.5 Creedmoor hate, it might be something like:

No one wants a 6.5 Creedmoor - it's too popular.

 

[Newboomer]

"What offends me and people like me is the fact that with No Warning At All, they suddenly stop production of the ammunition we need.
This, so that they can run their ammunition loading factories round the clock, flooding the market with their does-nothing-different new cartridge."

BINGO!

I have a 6.5 cm and like it--for what it was designed for. I took it to Africa on my last hunt and used it for small pg: springbok and impala and it worked perfectly. For anything bigger I used my 375HH. Use the right weapon for the job and don't try to be the hero because more often than not you end up making an ass of yourself. And losing a lot of wounded game.
All my shots were under 200 yds except one at 286 and one shot kills. Reasonable ranges for the intended targets. After all the fun is in the stalk.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hi I'm Ken the servant.... AKA Bob

@Action Bob
Little girl asked Santa for a Barbie doll and a GI Joe doll
Santa said I thought Barbie comes with Ken.

Little girl says not she comes with GI Joe she only fakes it with Ken.
Bob
I know not politically correct but who cares

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Creedmoor my a$$

We know the Creedmoor wasn't a thing in those days .
I'd rather be an old Fudd than a Hipster.

Maybe, we can refer to the Man Bun as the Mattel rifle if Man Bun is going to offend.

@Hunter-Habib I'm not against the Creedmoor as such but I hate the nonsense and hype that people sprout about it or the inexperienced shooters who claim it beats everything hands down.

Horses for courses.

And as for the 7mm-08 I wanted one nearly 30 years ago and have had mine for 6-7 years.

@CBH Australia
To me the 6.5 creed is the modern day 243.
Flogged to death by over rated company advertising trying to make out it's the be all and end all. Good advertising can sell crap and have you believe it's good.
They may be good in the right hands with the right projectiles at the right ranges but the bullshit makes them better than they really are.
Like anything including people. Used within the capability they are usually fine
Bob

 

[Inline6]

Bryan when you get a minute would you add in the comparable ballistics for the 6.5 Creedmoor? Maybe even the 6.5 PRC?

What i remember when I bought my first Manbun rifle, simply going off a Hornady ballistic chart for their factory ammo, the Creedmoor was carrying well over double the energy to 500 yards compared to their 243 loads.

Gina has a 6.5 PRC ordered that is Gauranteed .5 MOA at 1000 yards. I assume you'd want to halve that I can't even get my head around that type of accuracy. Gina expects it but hasn't shot past 500 yards..... yet

6.5CM 500 yards 130gr 2900fps 40.6" drop 1312ftlb
6.5PRC 500 yards 156 3015fps 34.3" drop 1938ftlb.

All the figures are warm handloads. Factory will not achieve these velocities.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

6.5CM 500 yards 130gr 2900fps 40.6" drop 1312ftlb
6.5PRC 500 yards 156 3015fps 34.3" drop 1938ftlb.

All the figures are warm handloads. Factory will not achieve these velocities.

@Inline6
How do factory loads compare.
Your 243 loads with a 100gn at 3,200fps compared to factory 243s with 100gn are struggling to make 2,800fps will always be better.
A bit like comparing my 25 loads at 3600fps with the old factory loads that could only manage 2,800fps with a 20 gn lighter bullet.
Better compared with factory loads not hand loads.

Bob

 

[MS 9x56]

Not sure where you are getting your information.

150gr 30-06 going 3200fps is dropping 45.71" with 1203ftlb @ 500 yards and 105gr 243 going 3250fps is dropping 30.2" with 1319ftlb @ 500 yards.

I'm sure both can be pushed a little harder. This is safe and warm I would say.

How many animals have you shot at 500 yards? Moot point unless your just punching paper.

 

[black tail]

The people that hate on the 6.5CM are the guys with $6K custom rigs that get out shot with $800 Tikkas......

 

[ActionBob]

I know not politically correct but who cares

Ha ha Surely not me Nor Gina

Even though I've never been a soldier, I would be pissed if I was classified as a "Barbie Ken". I'd think of myself as more of a Farmer version of G.I. Joe

 

[MS 9x56]

So if Yogi Barra were alive to memorialize the 6.5 Creedmoor hate, it might be something like:

No one wants a 6.5 Creedmoor - it's too popular.

A great yogism

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ha ha Surely not me Nor Gina

Even though I've never been a soldier, I would be pissed if I was classified as a "Barbie Ken". I'd think of myself as more of a Farmer version of G.I. Joe

@Action Bob
@lwat a farmer version of GI Joe is better than a gay Ken.
Bob

 

[archer36]

Maybe it's because it was hyped too much. Bottom line is the ballistics is not much better than rounds that have been around for decades.

 

[mauserhunter]

The people that hate on the 6.5CM are the guys with $6K custom rigs that get out shot with $800 Tikkas......

Think you got that backwards

 

[MS 9x56]

The people that hate on the 6.5CM are the guys with $6K custom rigs that get out shot with $800 Tikkas......

No not even close to correct.I don't own a$6k custom gun and rarely get outshot, as I insist we shoot only 35 caliber and up. Weeds out all the man bun types.

 

[mauserhunter]

No not even close to correct.I don't own a$6k custom gun and rarely get outshot, as I insist we shoot only 35 caliber and up. Weeds out all the man bun types.

Ya but you get the 35 Whelen guys that tie up there beards and goatees, that's just a face Bunn lol.

 

[Inline6]

How many animals have you shot at 500 yards? Moot point unless your just punching paper.

I have shot a lot of animals past 500.

 

[Inline6]

@Inline6
How do factory loads compare.
Your 243 loads with a 100gn at 3,200fps compared to factory 243s with 100gn are struggling to make 2,800fps will always be better.
A bit like comparing my 25 loads at 3600fps with the old factory loads that could only manage 2,800fps with a 20 gn lighter bullet.
Better compared with factory loads not hand loads.

Bob

I'm not sure what you mean? Why factory? Unless we are culling I'm shooting my loads.