Which 6.5?

[North Cornwall Deer]

Having owned a 6.5x55 for a while, which I have now sold
I have a spare slot on my ticket, although I allways like the swede.
I have a 308 and .243 and both do the job but might put in for another 6.5 because I can
But which one 6.5x55, 6.5credmoor, 25/06 or .260?
I have a mate who also shoots 25:06 so could share reloading,
i like the look of the Tikka T3 ctr in 260 R.E.M.
i have 243 Bergara and see they do a 6.5 Creedmoor.
I’m not in a rush, just toying with the idea.
Whats people’s thoughts?

 

[Uncle f]

6.5x65 is an absolute cracking round for long distance stuff

 

[NigelM]

What do you want to use it for and do you reload?

I had a crack a few weeks a go with a 6.5 Creedmoor out to 900 yds. I have a 6.5 Lapua which I load with ABLR's for deer and LR plinking. It's all reload but the Creedmoor offers factory ammunition that will also do both that's exceptionally accurate. Given my time again I would buy the Creedmoor but it's not worth changing now.

 

[Lateral]

6.5x65 is an absolute cracking round for long distance stuff

And the 6.5x68RWS is a real thumper. I'm tempted !

I wanted the 6.5 Creedmoor, but couldn't get the barrel in time. I was recommended the 6.5x47, and I'm really pleased with it. Very accurate, a pleasure to shoot, and pretty efficient to reload for.

 

[Hunt-Inter]

And the 6.5x68RWS is a real thumper. I'm tempted !

I wanted the 6.5 Creedmoor, but couldn't get the barrel in time. I was recommended the 6.5x47, and I'm really pleased with it. Very accurate, a pleasure to shoot, and pretty efficient to reload for.

6.5x68 is used a lot in Chamois areas where I’ve hunted in Slovenia as fast, flat and not much recoil compared to a .300 or 8x68 etc

 

[User00033]

What are you going to do with your new rifle?

If its just general stalking and medium game shooting within 200m, it doesn't really matter which one you choose from a performance point of view.

What separates them is their medium to long range capabilities. If you want to really get the best out of the 6.5 calibre, you want to use the longest, heaviest bullets, and that means you need the chamber and magazine dimensions to allow the extended COAL. That's where the Creedmoor has been such a success.

You may read a lot of gumpf about the .260 Rem being limited in that it won't fit the longer 140gr+ projectiles into the magazine, or give you the flexibility to maximise COAL. Whereas the Creedmoor will do both of these. That is generally true of many of the original .260 Remington rifles. However...

My main shooting buddy bought a 20" Tikka CTR in .260 Rem a few weeks ago "for his wife". He took his COAL gauge to the shop and a bunch of ready made .260 cases with ELD-X pressed in at a range of seating depths. Clever man! He didn't want to not be able to use the long, high BC bullets with the Tikka which of course only his wife will use, ever. So now he is loading Hornady 143gr ELD-X to 2.900" COAL and they chamber and fit in the mag easily and cycle fine. The rifle is matching our 24" 6.5 Creedmoors with the same bullet pretty much yard for yard, you can't separate them.

So at least in the CTR, it looks like Tikka has addressed the COAL restriction of several earlier rifle makers. It certainly is a lovely rifle to handle, a very good option for our kind of shooting where you might find deer at 50m, or 500m. Only woosies will say its too heavy.

I went with a heavy 6.5 Creedmoor for prone shooting of long shot strings because I wanted to shoot the goats I couldn't reach with my .243 Win. And it is that accurate, that easy to shoot, that my tallies have gone through the roof since the beginning of the year. It's a bloody marvel with the 143gr ELD-X and its turned a fair few heads down our way, me and my buddy both have them in Howas. When we set up looking across a wide gully to a large opposing face, say 1100-1200m long left to right and 600m max range, there's very few goats that make it out alive. Considerably more productive and pleasant to shoot that the .30 cals or 7mm Rem Mags we've used in the past.

So yeah, depends what you want to do. You wouldn't be disappointed with the Tikka CTR, but you'd want to reload for it to get the best out of it.

 

[Mungo]

Can’t speak for any of the others, but after years of profound scepticism about 6.5s, posts by Dodgyknees convinces ne to get a Creedmoor. I’ve not shot a deer with it yet, but it is an absolute joy to shoot on the range. Effortlessly accurate. This was Hornady 143gr EldX factory ammo at 200 metres:



Howa 1500 with 26” varmint barrel.

 

[User00003]

I would ask - what is it for, what species, distances or shooting discipline? Do you intend to reload, are you a modernist or traditionalist, etc.

 

[windygun]

Can’t speak for any of the others, but after years of profound scepticism about 6.5s, posts by Dodgyknees convinces ne to get a Creedmoor. I’ve not shot a deer with it yet, but it is an absolute joy to shoot on the range. Effortlessly accurate. This was Hornady 143gr EldX factory ammo at 200 metres:

View attachment 97479

Howa 1500 with 26” varmint barrel.

Now that’s impressive Mungo! How did you manage to rattle 2 accurate shots off without forgetting, losing or breaking anything?

 

[Mungo]

Now that’s impressive Mungo! How did you manage to rattle 2 accurate shots off without forgetting, losing or breaking anything?

I know! I was in shock too.

However, normality reasserted itself 10 minutes later with this:



My .270. At 100 metres. Turns out there was a brand new crack in the stock...

So my immaculate record is intact.

 

[Laurie]

........... what dodgyknees says four posts back in terms of capabilities. However, if contemplating buying a new rifle, especially one that is 'in' such as the various US PRS inspired 'tacticools', Tikka T3x CTR and its more expensive T3x TAC-A1 'PRS-ready' variant, I'd strongly recommend the Creedmoor unless you're sure you'll keep the rifle forever and a day. It will be much more readily re-salable thanks to the mix of 'fashion' and factory ammunition ranges / availability / price.

The 260 Rem has never quite managed full lift-off in the markets in its 21-year life. Everybody in the rifle manufacturing world, including Remington, and most brass and ammunition manufacturers have now adopted the Creedmoor over a 10 year lifespan.

 

[bullet chucker]

I know! I was in shock too.

However, normality reasserted itself 10 minutes later with this:




View attachment 97483

My .270. At 100 metres. Turns out there was a brand new crack in the stock...

So my immaculate record is intact.

How did the new crack happen?---Temper Timothy!

BC.

 

[david1]

Well I'm picking up my .260 on Thursday this week and will be putting my new Minox ZP5 on top. I'll let you know how it goes, my son has a 6.5x55 and it's fantastic.

 

[Mungo]

How did the new crack happen?---Temper Timothy!

BC.

Unknown. For once, it seems entirely unrelated to anything that I did! I think the universe just can’t abide the idea of me having all my rifles functional simultaneously.

 

[Learil]

6.5 X 55 is generally more accurate in most rifles chambered for it and can be loaded to much more useful variety of rounds. Yes, the .243 is a fine cartridge, but not known for great accuracy in a general context. My Remington 700 chambered for .243 is better than any of my Mosins, but not as accurate as any of my leverguns for some reason. Whereas even my 1917 Gustav M96 is the most accurate, consistant shooter of all 103 of my rifles. 'Course it was a military target model.

 

[markha]

6.5 x 284

 

[tarponhead]

6.5 X 55 is generally more accurate in most rifles chambered for it and can be loaded to much more useful variety of rounds. Yes, the .243 is a fine cartridge, but not known for great accuracy in a general context. My Remington 700 chambered for .243 is better than any of my Mosins, but not as accurate as any of my leverguns for some reason. Whereas even my 1917 Gustav M96 is the most accurate, consistant shooter of all 103 of my rifles. 'Course it was a military target model.

103! I wish!

 

[North Cornwall Deer]

For mainly red and roe as well as the occasional fox, 20-400yards. I have reloading equipment, but like the option of factory ammo.

 

[User00033]

For mainly red and roe as well as the occasional fox, 20-400yards. I have reloading equipment, but like the option of factory ammo.

6.5 Creedmoor or .260 Rem will be ideal for that application. Laurie’s got a point about resale but that’s a moot point for me at least, who buys a rifle with selling it top of mind? Well, some do, but I’m a keeper.

At 400yds+ my Creedmoor is clean bowling reds spikers and hinds, bang-flop. The accuracy and terminals of the ELD-X just flattens them, point of aim at that range and side-on is 2” above the centre of the torso vertically, in line with the shoulder, any error on my part with elevation or windage within a 6” radius will still hit a fatal kill zone. Usual outcome is both lower scapulas broken, spine damage, lungs mushed and nerve plexus destroyed. Down it goes right where you shot it. From other angles its just a matter of adjustment according to anatomy.

I find the bankability of the long, high BC 6.5mm ballistics and the low recoil the perfect combination for medium game at medium range.

 

[antsa]

The internal mag length on my Sako .260 Rem is 2.965". Loaded up some Lapua Scenar 139gr for a 600m shoot at the club. Went with a COAL of 2.960 or, if you will, 2.373" to the ogive. Best groups at 100m were around 0.12 - 0.15 MOA.

Also having a go with Nosler 100gr BT's. Have chosen a COAL of 2.900". Best load so far is grouping around .30 MOA. Haven't chronied this yet but it's looking good for a longer range varmint load.

Cheers