6.5 creedmoor
- Thread starter Boarboy
- Start date
There isn't much between them in real life performance, but the 6.5X47 (lowest capacity case) runs at higher pressures than the Creedmoor to get there which in turn runs at higher pressures than the 6.5X55. The first two use short actions, the third needs a longer action / bolt throw. All three are capable of excellent accuracy, although the 6.5X47L might have an edge in out and out precision competition shooting having been designed as a match round from scratch by Lapua in conjunction with Grunig & Elmiger.
A great deal depends on whether you handload or buy your ammunition. The 6.5X47L is only loaded by Lapua, is very expensive and very hard to find. There is only a single sporting load that uses an all-copper 'Naturalis' bullet, the others being HPBT Scenar or Scenar-L match loadings. 6.5X55 will probably be the easiest to buy, but the Creedmoor is fast catching up in this respect with all major US ammunition manufacturers offering it and European companies starting to adopt it due to its huge success in the marketplace on both sides of the Atlantic.
Otherwise, it comes down to personal preference.
A great deal depends on whether you handload or buy your ammunition. The 6.5X47L is only loaded by Lapua, is very expensive and very hard to find. There is only a single sporting load that uses an all-copper 'Naturalis' bullet, the others being HPBT Scenar or Scenar-L match loadings. 6.5X55 will probably be the easiest to buy, but the Creedmoor is fast catching up in this respect with all major US ammunition manufacturers offering it and European companies starting to adopt it due to its huge success in the marketplace on both sides of the Atlantic.
Otherwise, it comes down to personal preference.
Uncle Buck
Well-Known Member
Your swede is a long action the creed as it's nicknamed is a short
It's using a case similar but not quite the same as a 308, lighter bullets down range faster.
Out to 500 yards your splitting hairs between the two until !
700-1000 where it offers a SERIOUS advantage the wind drift is substantial.
I also toiled with the idea of a creed but as I very rarely shoot beyond 200-250 yds max,
most deer taken are a lot less say 70-100yds I'll stick with the old favorite (308).
That said it's defo worth a thaught if long range targets floats your boat.
P'S. your swede is also a great round just not for me.
Best of luck .
It's using a case similar but not quite the same as a 308, lighter bullets down range faster.
Out to 500 yards your splitting hairs between the two until !
700-1000 where it offers a SERIOUS advantage the wind drift is substantial.
I also toiled with the idea of a creed but as I very rarely shoot beyond 200-250 yds max,
most deer taken are a lot less say 70-100yds I'll stick with the old favorite (308).
That said it's defo worth a thaught if long range targets floats your boat.
P'S. your swede is also a great round just not for me.
Best of luck .
Littlejimmy
Well-Known Member
I shoot the creed. In Tikka T3 stainless synthetic. Lovely rifle to shoot, low recoil and super accurate. I am a believer in one rifle for everything and currently home loading 123 vmax. Although I found factory ammunition locally it is very expensive. The above comments are spot on. I seldom shoot deer out past 200m so all the mentioned are more than capable. but I do use my rifle to clear out foxes/hoodies at distances beyond that. With the current setup it shoots pretty flat out to 250m.
If you shoot factory, go with the Swede, it's easy to get.
I have both 6.5x47 (R8), and 6.5CM (Tikka Tactical). With home loads, both are incredibly accurate. I use 130gn Sierra in the 6.5x47 @ 2900fps, and 143gn ELD-X @ 2875fps in the Creedmoor.
I got rid of a 270, once I got 6.5x47. It shoots the same weight ammunition, at nigh on the same speed, and is really nice to shoot.
I have both 6.5x47 (R8), and 6.5CM (Tikka Tactical). With home loads, both are incredibly accurate. I use 130gn Sierra in the 6.5x47 @ 2900fps, and 143gn ELD-X @ 2875fps in the Creedmoor.
I got rid of a 270, once I got 6.5x47. It shoots the same weight ammunition, at nigh on the same speed, and is really nice to shoot.
ABWD
Well-Known Member
Hi Lateral,
What powder and load did you work up to with the 143 ELD-X in your Creedmoor?
Thanks.
What powder and load did you work up to with the 143 ELD-X in your Creedmoor?
Thanks.
I found that 42gn of RS60, Rem small primer, Lapua cases, oal 2.825", 24" barrel, 2875fps.
My original load was a little higher, and gave circa 2875fps. I then found the same load increased to circa 2950fps after around 30-40 rounds, and lost accuracy. So I dropped it back to get the original velocity, and accuracy returned.
As normal, please start low, and work up.
LEADSLINGER
Well-Known Member
I have a 6.5x47 its very easy to load for and tune for accuracy, but if you dont home load id say go for the creemoor as the offering of factory ammo is readily avaliable, more so then the sweed
ABWD
Well-Known Member
Many thanks, I have had the Creedmoor recently added but yet to make the purchase. Narrowed down to a couple of Options. I appreciate your help.
It really depends on the intended use.
If it's not a carry rifle, although many do, the Tikka Tactical T3X is very good. Don't go short barrel if you want to get the benefit of the calibre.
In a Blaser where action length is irrelevant take your pick. They all do the same thing, just that the Swede's been doing it considerably longer (1894- to date).
For the rifles where the default action size is long and medium and small cartridges use a blocked magazine and shorter bolt stop I would also go for the long cartridge.
But there again I like Sako's and Remmies where the actions are matched to cartridge length.
The 6.5x55 is probably also more available for buying ammunition.
Are you saying the creed offers serious advantage over the x55 or .308 700-1000 yards? There is nothing in it if the swede is in a modern action like the OP's Blaser, they shoot the same bullets to similar velocities. I have both, only because it was easier to get a 24" varmint barrelled rifle in creedmoor than in x55, otherwise I would have gone 2x 6.5x55s and run one set of reloading gear.
Uncle Buck
Well-Known Member
As I said out to 500 your splitting hairs, after that the ballistics tell a different story. Wind drift is a major factor (ballistically better all round) you’d have to agree.
Not that I’m into long range quite the opposite l like to see the whites of the eyes, as for 6.5 the 6.5x55 will use more powder being a longer case !
But like I said your swede is also a great and has been around many years, just not for me
Buck.
Not that I’m into long range quite the opposite l like to see the whites of the eyes, as for 6.5 the 6.5x55 will use more powder being a longer case !
But like I said your swede is also a great and has been around many years, just not for me
Buck.
Last edited:
Ok lads lets match apples against pears to see if there is a differance.
Anyone have the same chart matching 6.5 creed against 6.5 x 47 against 6.5 x 55 against 6.5 - 284 all shooting 140smk's out of a 26" barrel and then we can all see the differance
Anyone have the same chart matching 6.5 creed against 6.5 x 47 against 6.5 x 55 against 6.5 - 284 all shooting 140smk's out of a 26" barrel and then we can all see the differance
SussexFallow
Well-Known Member
Ive just come bought a new R8 in 270 as my deer rifle. I will order a 6.5 creed more barrel for my long range set up
Ah, so you meant .308 verses 6.5 creedmoor then yes the slippery .264 bullets are good but the comparison uses one of the best / heavy for calibre bullets in 6.5 against but not for .308, if you run the 208 gr ELD in .308 (.348 G7 BC)at 2450 fps at muzzle then at 500 - 1500 it beats the creedmoor in terms of wind drift and in terms of energy, still has 1001 ft-lb at 900 yards and 536 at 1500 yards. So if you do an apples for apples comparison then there's not a lot in it, both bullets would require a faster twist than a lot of current factory rifles have too.
As for the swede using more powder yes it does, the trade off of the bigger case is lower pressure which in return means longer case life and barrel life, if you compared 3/4 grains of powder a round to say 1000 rounds more out of a barrel and 3/4 more reloads from a case I doubt there would be much in it cost wise.
I will stick to my 6.5 - 284 it will out shoot them both, barrel wear is not a problem as a stalking rifle
Not even vaguely true. The 147gr ELD-M is designed for 1:8" twist barrels, which is what the vast majority of Creedmoors have. It has a Miller value of >1.8 from memory, the same as the 143gr ELD-X. A few barrels have slightly faster 1:7.5" twists. No factory Creedmoor barrels are slower than 1:8" as far as I know.
The 208gr bullet will stabilise in 1:10" and 1:11" .308 barrels. However the problem is magazine length, many factory .308 mags can't handle the 178gr ELD-X let alone the 208gr, especially if there is seated closer to the lands than SAAMI c.o.a.l. I have an aftermarket mag that will allow use of both, but the 208gr does not shoot well in my 1:11" T3, by far the worst bullet I've tried in it so far.
The 208gr ELD-X is shot far more in the 300 Win Mag and similar long action rifles.
If you want to compare apples, then the best test is the 143gr ELD-X vs the 178gr ELD-X, both commonly used hunting bullets in their respective cartridges.
The argument about 6.5s is a bit pointless. The essence of the 6.5 Creedmoor is that it is an inherently accurate round, extremely easy to load for and available in a reasonably wide range of factory ammunition. Some of the factory ammunition is outstandingly accurate especially the Hornady offerings. The same reports are coming through over and over again, experienced shooters buying a Creedmoor and finding that it is the easiest rifle to set up and shoot accurately at the standard 100yds and out to 600-700yds than any other cartridges they've ever used before.
In part this is due to the fact that factory rifles are being produced with the correct twist right from the get go, rather than traditional twists trying to shoot the long for calibre bullets that are a relatively recent phenomenon.
Also it is down to the mysterious internal ballistics that I do not have the patience or inclination to try and understand fully. The story of the Creedmoor's development is well worth reading and considering in the light of what technologies were available then, compared to when some of the other 6.5's were invented.
Ultimately though if you put experienced match shooter reloaders up against each other with a 6.5 Creedmoor, a 6x47 Lapua and a quality .260 Remington, you are going to have a very tight competition.
Last edited:
I am (also) now starting to use Swiss RS60, in my 6.5x55 Swede. To date I have only used it under 123gr. Lapua Scenars, however the accuracy in my trial loading has been rather good, as is the velocity... a tentative 3,000 f.p.s. and maybe a little more though unmeasured as yet. Will be confirmed come less inclement, warmer weather.
My load is a trifle on the stout side - no surprises there - but safe by all normal indicators in my Tikka T3 heavy barrel. The beauty of the old Swede caliber is that, in today's strong actions, this cartridge can be given a significant boost versus those insipid loads mostly advertised by the American Market - in due deference to the potentially weaker, OLD Swede caliber Military rifles like the very early 20th Century M96. {{The rifle nomenclature, the M96, is saying that this rifle design was first registered as a military weapon in 1896, in the same way as the old American Colt Automatic Pistol is generally known by IT's initial Inception Date of 1911}}.
One "saving grace" of that old military Swedish rifle design was/is that the original barrel length was just a tad over 29", and this helped keep the mild(ish) Military rounds up into a reasonably decent velocity arena. Unfortunately several of the better known American powder manufacturers like Hodgdons and IMR ONLY publish 6.5x55 Swede reloading tables for that Centenarian Military rifle design, and those moderate loadings are even "softer" in our modern, stronger (but shorter barrelled) contemporary rifles, making the 6.5x55 Swede cartridge appear down right anaemic!.. However, with careful, sensible loading to modern rifle pressures, anaemic this round CERTAINLY IS NOT..!! It can and will (with careful loading), meet and/or better the recent new cartridge designs of "The Creed" and the "6.5x47L", and potentially at sligtly lower pressures too due to the slightly greater case volume of this old cartridge.
YES I am a "Swede" convert, but in modern, strongly built contemporary rifles like my Tikka t3 "Sporter" - a simple but really Competent & Competitive range rifle as well as a potential occasional stalking rifle - the results can be most gratifying... As long as you are a strong, healthy fella!? The basic rifle in 24" heavy barrelled variant comes in at a chunky 4.7 Kgs, and that is BEFORE adding decent (read heavy) Glass and Mounts and maybe if you are like me, a well built (stainless) Moderator & perhaps a good bipod.. ... Ha!!
ATB ..... and shoot safely.
Similar threads
