School me on the 6.5 Creedmoor

MapleSugar

MapleSugar

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
63   0   0
Location
On the loose from NIMH
So, I'm thinking about picking up a Tikka T3X CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor.

What can you guys tell me about this caliber. Is it all that it's hyped up to be?

Is it inherently more accurate than the .308 Win? Especially at longer ranges?

I already have two Tikka T3X CTR's in .308 Win and .223 Rem. I really like them.

The 6.5 Creedmoor had a 1 in 8" twist, 20" barrel. I Suppose that would be fine for 140 gr. or 142 gr. bullets, but will it handle 147 gr. pills?

I realize that the barrel life will probably be about half that of the .308 Win, but I'd really like something that I could shoot out to 1,000 meters accurately.

I suppose that I'd probably need a 20 MOA base for that distance.

Thanks for looking! I'd like to hear everyone's input.
 
I have a couple creeds, including a 24" CTR. Way better in the wind than a 308 with the same barrel length.
The 8 twist stabilizes the 147s just fine.
Tikkas are throated long, you won't get close to the lands with very much of the bearing surface in the neck. You'll also likely find that they shoot slow, many of us load to book max and beyond to reach middling velocities.
Tikkas work perfectly with MDT mags that don't have binder plates. So you have more flexibility with seating depth.
A 20+ moa base makes sense for any long range cartridge.
The creed is easy to load for, H4350 and BR4s often work well. I didn't find either of mine hard to load for at all.
 
The 6.5 creedmoor is probably the best cartridge to fit in a Remington short action, other than maybe the 25 creedmoor. Putting it into a tikka nullifies that, but it’s still a good cartridge. The 6.5 prc or 6.5-284 probably beats the creedmoor out by a bit.

You’ll most likely need a 20moa base with most 30mm tubes to get out to 1000 yards. Your 223 and 308 ctr should both shoot fine to 1000 yards as well. I load my 24” tac a1 .223 with varget and 80.5 Bergers and they shoot fine to 1000 and still have enough speed to read on the shot marker targets. The 308 will be the same.

I would opt for a longer barrel, at least 24” or longer. I think I was getting 2900fps with mine shooting 136 scenar-L in a 30” barrel.

It won’t be more accurate than a 308, but it will shoot flatter with less wind drift if you use the right bullets. Barrel life will be similar to the others.

One other plus for the creedmoor is lapua srp brass.
 
If going with the CTR, get the 24” barrel.
6.5CM is easy to load for.
I feel 147’s are a bit slow in the 6.5CM. I shoot 140’s but 130’s are very similar in trajectory as the 140’s with the increased speed.
Depending on your scope, my rifle has been out to 1040 yards with a 0 moa base. Mine likes 140ELDM’s, 143 ELDX’s and 140 Berger VLD’s so far. H4350.
 
Thanks for all the feedback, guys!

I didn't even know that Tikka made a left-hand, T3X CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor, with a 24" barrel. But now I know that they do.

https://choose.tikka.fi/usa/code/TF1T63DL115MTB

They even make one with a single set trigger.

https://choose.tikka.fi/usa/code/TFST63FL115MTB

Unfortunately, I don't see either one available in Canada. Damn!

Oh well, maybe I'll wait until I can move to the States. They seem to be easier to find down there.

In the meantime, I have more than enough rifles to keep me occupied.

Thanks again for your advice, I really appreciate it!
 
Love my 6.5 CM.

I push the 139 gr scenar tips at 2950 ish fps from a 26" IBI barrel, 1 in 8 twist. Loves RL16. The 4350 was slower, and didn't like it so much.

I have tried 4 bullets so far, and 5 powders: 130 vld, 142 sierra , 139 lapua, 140 RDF. the 130 were nice, 142 were great, 139 were great, and are the best per price so shoot those usually, and the 140 I just make do(I have 300 rounds left).

RL 16, N555, H4350, stabal, varget. The RL 16 has surpassed the others for speed, and accuracy, but is the hardest to find. N555 was 2nd best.

I'm in the 2000 round range now on that barrel, and its still going nicely. Especially knowing I usually do string of 50 shots in short time.
 
I have 1, cheapo $450 Savage 12FV from Cabellas, shot well so got it an XRS stock during black Friday a few years ago for $200. Pretty good shooter, I don't hate it, does exactly what my dozen or so 6.5x55's do but I have to load the CM hot to get there.

I like my 6mmCM better, more inline with powder/velocity and heavy for cal high BC bullets.

Same with my 6.5PRC, works well with the heavier bullets and velocity, don't have to load over book to get velocity I'm after.

6.5CM I've dropped to 100-120gr bullets, better match for me.
 
I have a Winchester XPR in 6.5 creedmoor and it shoots excellent with 143gr ELD-X ammo.

My son has a 7mm-08 and he Hates the creedmoor even tho he never owned one.

But if you think about it he won't kill anything with his 7mm-08 that I can't kill with my creed.
 
Since it came out very recently and there is a lot of high end factory ammunition, you might have a hard time finding improvements handloading compared to something like the Swede where there is massive room for improvement over the low pressure factory ammunition in a new rifle.

By the way, if you handload, the Swede is better.
 
I think Hornady did a fantastic job with the 6.5CM. Good compromise between a small-med deer cartridge as well as a fantastic long range cartridge without using too much powder. Finally a proper short action cartridge in 6.5. The success of the cartridge is not only the good marketing, it just has less faults and people have recognized that. I can plink out to 1200m with my carbon barrelled lightweight hunting rifle that only has a 20" barrel. The 140ELDM seems to work very well as a plinking bullet as well as on longer range deer. I have taken deer out to a bit over 600m with her. At shorter ranges she is not a 308 and often doesn't bowl them over as easily. We just put a third 6.5CM together for my son with a 22" carbon Proof barrel.
edi
 
You will either love the 6.5 CM or ho hum it.

It isn't a throat burner and won't wear a leade any faster than a 308Win, loaded to the same pressures.

The 1-8 twist rate will stabilize every 6.5 bullet shape and weight I've encountered, up to 160 grains. Flat base, ELD, VLD, Boat Tail, Spitzer, Round nose.

It will give as good or better velocities shown in most manuals than the 6.5x55 Swede, but only because the Swede information is provided for weaker actions, such as the M96 Swede Mauser.

Lots of components available for it, such as powders, cases, and bullets.

I like it, but am not overly enamored by it. I prefer my 6.5x55 chambered rifles.

Don't believe a lot of them are for sale because people don't like them, not true for the vast majority.

Some people move them on because they have and prefer their 6.5 Swedes.

Others believed the hype that if they had a 6.5CM, it would instantly turn them into long range, master's class shooters, able to shoot the eye out of a squirrel at a thousand yards. That's up to the shooter, if the rifle is capable of the feat.

As far as using the rifle for hunting purposes, it's fine, with good bullets, at reasonable ranges.

Many folks load light, well constructed bullets into this cartridge, which is fine for ranges up to 350 yds. After that, it starts to lose energy and velocity, making clean kills questionable. Before the wailing starts, yes it can be done, but the chances of screwing it all up and wounding an animal, then not being able to recover it go up exponentially.

Not that much different from any other cartridge.

It isn't any more difficult to develop loads for than any other cartridge.

As for "inherent accuracy" that's a very over rated term.

IMOH, every cartridge out there, in a capable rifle, shot by a capable operator, has inherent accuracy.

The 6.5CM will not turn you into a master marksman. That's on you and your handloads, as well as your skill set.
 
I was at the range this am with mine. Savage Stealth.
Shot four 5 shot groups at 300 Meters. I was messing with small adjustments on the tuner.
Best 1.532”
Worst 1.767”

Fun caliber.
 
Love the creedmoor. I currently have 3. A 2012 browning a-bolt 2 shot show special, Ruger precision gen 1, and a Sig cross. Very easy to tune, able to shoot sub 1/2moa with all three rifles. Also had a Howa APC and Winchester xpr. Both shot great as well. I bought the old man a stainless tikka in 6.5 creedmoor, probably shoots better than everything I have, although it is slow, like others have started. About 100-150fps slower with the same load in my other rifles.

I believe eagle firearms, out of Tisdale Saskatchewan has the left hand Tikka CTR, 24" stainless barrel, with a set trigger. Currently in stock, but the stock image shows a right hand model. You would have to phone to verify. Absolutely great shop, the owner is very nice. Lived down the road from me years before he got into selling firearms. Would give you a hell of a deal on it if you stopped in the store, might over the phone as well.

https://www.eaglefirearms.ca/tikka-t3x-ctr-ss-lh-ads-65-creedmoor-set-trigger.html
 
I have several with more pre-chambered barrels sitting waiting for install. Extremely accurate, however, none of mine like H4350 so try either faster or slower burning rates when testing. I shoot barrels with 7 1/2 twist for the heavy bullets using H4831SC rate powders and 8 twist for the lighter bullets using 4064. I use this cartridge because I can get both small rifle and large rifle primer brass. I have 3 brass set-ups. Match brass small primer, match brass large primer and crap brass large primer for gopher and play shooting.
 
bearhunter said:
You will either love the 6.5 CM or ho hum it.

It isn't a throat burner and won't wear a leade any faster than a 308Win, loaded to the same pressures.

The 1-8 twist rate will stabilize every 6.5 bullet shape and weight I've encountered, up to 160 grains. Flat base, ELD, VLD, Boat Tail, Spitzer, Round nose.

It will give as good or better velocities shown in most manuals than the 6.5x55 Swede, but only because the Swede information is provided for weaker actions, such as the M96 Swede Mauser.

Lots of components available for it, such as powders, cases, and bullets.

I like it, but am not overly enamored by it. I prefer my 6.5x55 chambered rifles.

Don't believe a lot of them are for sale because people don't like them, not true for the vast majority.

Some people move them on because they have and prefer their 6.5 Swedes.

Others believed the hype that if they had a 6.5CM, it would instantly turn them into long range, master's class shooters, able to shoot the eye out of a squirrel at a thousand yards. That's up to the shooter, if the rifle is capable of the feat.

As far as using the rifle for hunting purposes, it's fine, with good bullets, at reasonable ranges.

Many folks load light, well constructed bullets into this cartridge, which is fine for ranges up to 350 yds. After that, it starts to lose energy and velocity, making clean kills questionable. Before the wailing starts, yes it can be done, but the chances of screwing it all up and wounding an animal, then not being able to recover it go up exponentially.

Not that much different from any other cartridge.

It isn't any more difficult to develop loads for than any other cartridge.

As for "inherent accuracy" that's a very over rated term.

IMOH, every cartridge out there, in a capable rifle, shot by a capable operator, has inherent accuracy.

The 6.5CM will not turn you into a master marksman. That's on you and your handloads, as well as your skill set.
Click to expand...

This is it right here.

The nice thing about the 6.5CM is it got people interested in 6.5cal, Americans and metric cals don't mix for the most part. Plus not everyone hand loads, and Hornady did a decent job of putting out fairly consistent target ammo for the cartridge on every shelf, not cheap but available.

6.5 stuff use to be a hand loaders dream, it ain't a new caliber, the 6 5x55 has been around for longer then the 30'06 by a couple decades, and anyone that played with it understood the capability in strong actions.

It was the go to target cartridge in Scandinavia forever until the 6.5x47 Lapua came about, which also predates the 6.5cm by a decade. Cartridge literally designed by the best ammo makers in the world for 300m to 1000m competition...and it does that 100%.

So yes to "new" I guess in North America outside the guys that have been shooting 6.5x55 for longer then you have been alive, but not really new or ground breaking, Lapua and Norma made and still make 6.5x55 factory target ammo, it was expensive to the hand loaders, but today, it's cheaper and higher quality then any Hornady 6.5CM factory target offerings.

I will say this on my own, and nothing with the post I quoted, but 3000fps with 140gr in the 6.5CM is a pipe dream, lots of people say they get that, and no over pressure etc, 140's at 2800 is a stretch in the 6.5cm without going over pressure, it's a 2600-2700fps cartridge with 140's safely and already a high pressure cartridge in magnum territory, I advocate for hand loading constantly, but this is not anywhere in the realm of sensible.

The whole reason Hornady came out with the 6.5PRC was to safely push 140's 3000fps, same company that made the 6.5CM, so take any 6.5CM crazy velocity with a grain of salt, or whatever, it wasn't designed for 80000 psi and I wouldn't chase that ever.
 
Hitzy said:
This is it right here.

The nice thing about the 6.5CM is it got people interested in 6.5cal, Americans and metric cals don't mix for the most part. Plus not everyone hand loads, and Hornady did a decent job of putting out fairly consistent target ammo for the cartridge on every shelf, not cheap but available.

6.5 stuff use to be a hand loaders dream, it ain't a new caliber, the 6 5x55 has been around for longer then the 30'06 by a couple decades, and anyone that played with it understood the capability in strong actions.

It was the go to target cartridge in Scandinavia forever until the 6.5x47 Lapua came about, which also predates the 6.5cm by a decade. Cartridge literally designed by the best ammo makers in the world for 300m to 1000m competition...and it does that 100%.

So yes to "new" I guess in North America outside the guys that have been shooting 6.5x55 for longer then you have been alive, but not really new or ground breaking, Lapua and Norma made and still make 6.5x55 factory target ammo, it was expensive to the hand loaders, but today, it's cheaper and higher quality then any Hornady 6.5CM factory target offerings.

I will say this on my own, and nothing with the post I quoted, but 3000fps with 140gr in the 6.5CM is a pipe dream, lots of people say they get that, and no over pressure etc, 140's at 2800 is a stretch in the 6.5cm without going over pressure, it's a 2600-2700fps cartridge with 140's safely and already a high pressure cartridge in magnum territory, I advocate for hand loading constantly, but this is not anywhere in the realm of sensible.

The whole reason Hornady came out with the 6.5PRC was to safely push 140's 3000fps, same company that made the 6.5CM, so take any 6.5CM crazy velocity with a grain of salt, or whatever, it wasn't designed for 80000 psi and I wouldn't chase that ever.
Click to expand...

This is reality /\

Getting 140 grain bullets moving 3000fps out of a 260Rem or 6.5x55 or even the 6.5-06 wildcats is pushing the safety envelope, even in strong, modern actions.

You might get those velocities with the above cartridges out of a 26 inch bbl, maybe.

IMHO the 6.5CM is a fantastic cartridge, well suited for match rifles, hunting rifles, and plinkers.

Use it within its capabilities and it will serve you very well.

It's also quite forgiving. It performs best with long for weight bullets.

This is because of the relatively fast twist rate.

Yes, it is possible to over stabilize light, short bullets. Lots of good articles written on this.

129 grain bullets are what the 6.5CM likes, especially if they're boat tails on the ELD/VLD design.

Unlike the 6.5x55 Swede and 260Rem (which I also have a lot of respect for) the 6.5CM is blessed with several manufacturers offerings from all over the world.

You can find it in just about every store that sells firearms ammunition. Very few stores don't carry it, loaded with several different bullet weights or from at least two different manufacturers.

A lot of this is from the constant media hype, but it is deserving of much of the praise.

If the trend keeps up, the 6.5 will rank in appeal right along with the 7mm Rem Mag, 30-06 Springfield, and 30-30 Win.

I'm not saying it's a better cartridge, just that it could attain similar popularity.

It's an excellent cartridge for light rifles, for those who do a lot of trekking, and for slight statured individuals.
 
Hitzy said:
This is it right here.

I will say this on my own, and nothing with the post I quoted, but 3000fps with 140gr in the 6.5CM is a pipe dream, lots of people say they get that, and no over pressure etc, 140's at 2800 is a stretch in the 6.5cm without going over pressure, it's a 2600-2700fps cartridge with 140's safely and already a high pressure cartridge in magnum territory, I advocate for hand loading constantly, but this is not anywhere in the realm of sensible.
Click to expand...

Well I was pushing the 139gr bullets at 2950 avg, for 900 rounds. Had the last several hundred on a chrony. Did not have the chrony for the first part as it is a recent purchase.
35.3 ES and 8.5 SD were typical 50 shot strings, and yes no pressure marks on the brass. Was it near max, YES. In fact the last 100 rounds I did start to see pressure signs, but I think most of that was a carbon ring that developed. I was near 1500 rounds at that point, and cleaned the barrel 3 times upto that point, but never a good thorough carbon clean. That I did once I started to see the pressure spike. I did pull those last 100 rounds and tune it down some, just for safe measures. I'm new to that many rounds fired out of the same rifle, so a bit of a learning curve there as well.

I'm now pushing the 140 rdf tips at 2842 fps. New small primer brass, no pressure signs what so ever. No flattened primers, no ejector swipes, nada. I have just finalized this new load, so not lots of data yet, but I'm looking at 45.0 ES, and 8.0 SD on a 41 shot string. Was setting my tuner up on that one, so now I'm good for the last 300 rounds of that bullet I have loaded up.

Am I advocating others do this, NO. Enter at your own risk!!! But I have found that with RL16 I can safely get that speed, and I was not able too with any other powders I have tried with it so far. Cadex R7 action, with prefit 26" heavy stainless barrel, with tuner brake combo on the end.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom