which 6.5 and why?

K

kilotanker22

New member
hello everyone its been some time since i have been on this forum, however i have reached a decision to which i have been stuck for quiet some time.

i want a 6.5 mm rifle sporter weight. make of the rifle does not reallly matter to me as i like them all my problem is which 6.5 to go with.

creedmore
6.5x55
or the 6.5x284 norma
260 rem
ect
i am sure several others i have not mentioned i have ruled out the 264 win mag because they are barrel burners and thats alot of extra powder and recoil for so little gain.

any suggestions? inside info or good personal experience with any 6.5? advantages of one over the opther? this will be a bolt gun by the way

thanks in advance for any advice.
 
First off, I love the 6.5X55

I'm biased.

For a good sporter weight rifle I'd say the swede may not be a perfect choice. It needs a long action. You can get the same performance in shorter action rifles.
I'd lean towards the Creedmore for a hunting rifle.
 
I've got a 260 and really like it. That said, if I was ever going to rebarrel a 270, I do believe I'd get myself a 6.5-06 barrel installed. That is arguably the best of the 6.5's for just hunting.
 
Creedmore because it works in a short action.
.260 rem would be the next choice.

Also I know you've already ruled it out, but you should rethink "extra powder and recoil with little gain" with the .264 win mag.
Extra powder and recoil? Yes.
Extra gain = 450fps over .260 Remington. I'd hardly call that 'little gain'
Maybe you don't need or want that, but 450fps with a 140 grain .264 cal bullet is a significant improvement in velocity. That's about the same gain from going from .30-06 to .300 win mag with 165 grain bullets (460fps difference) Also 'Barrel burner' only applies if you are using relatively soft barrel material. With the modern bore materials we have now, such as Chrome lining or Melonite coating, many of the cartridges that got a reputation as 'barrel burners,' years ago, no longer 'burn' barrels so quickly.

Again, many people don't need the .300WM or even the .30-06 for that matter, which is why many people use .308 because it's efficient, and doesn't recoil horribly.
Same goes for the 6.5's not all people need that extra powder obviously, and the 6.5 creed is efficient and doesn't recoil hard.
 
If you are handloading, brass will be easier to come by with the .260.

If you are going to form your own, it would be simpler with the .260 as well.
 
You will get the most muzzle energy from a short action with 6.5x284. I own a Cooper MDL 22 in this chambering and it is by far the most accurate rifle I own or have ever owned!

That said it has reputation of short barrel life in target rifles. Not as short as a 264 mag, but could be a consideration if want a range toy and can't afford a new barrel every 1200rds.

The case is rather unique. It is a rebated rim design, with the case capacity of a 30-06 in a 308 length case. It has loads of long range hunting or target potential. Recoil is minimal in my opinion. I got this rifle in this chambering to give my shoulder a break from WBY magnums, 300 and 340 WBY. Ballistcally it is virtually identical to 300WBY. It use 50gr powder vs 90 gr in the WBY.

Just my choice of a high quality rifle to play with.
 
jd0x0

Creedmore because it works in a short action.
.260 rem would be the next choice.

Also I know you've already ruled it out, but you should rethink "extra powder and recoil with little gain" with the .264 win mag.
Extra powder and recoil? Yes.
Extra gain = 450fps over .260 Remington. I'd hardly call that 'little gain'
Maybe you don't need or want that, but 450fps with a 140 grain .264 cal bullet is a significant improvement in velocity. That's about the same gain from going from .30-06 to .300 win mag with 165 grain bullets (460fps difference) Also 'Barrel burner' only applies if you are using relatively soft barrel material. With the modern bore materials we have now, such as Chrome lining or Melonite coating, many of the cartridges that got a reputation as 'barrel burners,' years ago, no longer 'burn' barrels so quickly.

Again, many people don't need the .300WM or even the .30-06 for that matter, which is why many people use .308 because it's efficient, and doesn't recoil horribly.
Same goes for the 6.5's not all people need that extra powder obviously, and the 6.5 creed is efficient and doesn't recoil hard.



dang is it that much? i guess 450 fps is quiet a gain especially with those high bc 140 grainers. i guess next time i should do a little more research before i run my mouth ohwell.

in the same token i did see a ruger hawkeye stainless i liked in 264 win mag recently.

another reason i prefer to stay with a shorter action is it seems that the larger the case capacity you put behind a smaller bullet the more finicky it is to load for.

i am not saying that it wont shoot well i am just saying that the lower case capacity generally edges on the side of accuracy.



to be truthful i am leaning toward the 260 for the simple fact that remington begins production in may for the new 700 VTR chambered for 260.
 
the 6.5x55 is probably your best bet. it is best able to handle the heavier bullet weights(140gr+). all of the others are hobbled unless you use light bullets. if you intend to hunt anything larger than deer the swede would be your best option.

I love 6.5s and own 6.5 jap, swede, and grendel. of those I love the 6.5 jap best but the swede is a superior cartridge and the the japs not available in currently manufactured rifles.
 
the 6.5x55 is probably your best bet. it is best able to handle the heavier bullet weights(140gr+).
Click to expand...
The creedmoor was designed to fire heavy for caliber bullets and would likely be a better choice IMO. The 6.5x55 only has the advantage of slightly more powder capacity, which is useful if you're going to hand load to max loads. There's also the fact that the 6.5x55 has a SAAMI max of 51,000PSI, while the creedmoor has a rating just above 60K PSI.
The Swede is older and probably has more followers because it's been around longer and has been proven for years, while the creedmoor is a much new design. It's often seen as more 'gimmicky' because of this, but it seems like it's the more efficient cartridge. The swede MAY be better at launching 160 grainers, but AFAIK most of the VLD bullets (which the OP wants to use, mainly) don't go over 140 grains. The creedmoor was designed for using 120-140 grain VLD bullets.


The 6.5x55, .260 rem, and 6.5 creed all push equal weight bullets at fairly similar velocities. Certainly not enough difference for it to affect what game, and what ranges you can hunt at. What it's going to come down to is what is going to be cheapest and most accurate to shoot. If we're hand loading, then it would mostly come down to what has the cheapest brass and makes most efficient use of powder. I haven't checked prices, and the Swede and .260 may have cheaper brass than the creedmoor, but the creedmoor will likely make the most efficient use of powder.
I'm not sure if the 6.5x55 can be used in a short action(I'd assume not, having a longer case than the .260rem), I know the .260 can't fit with long VLD bullets, the OAL ends up too long. And the creedmoor fits in short actions easily.
 
I've got a 260 and really like it. That said, if I was ever going to rebarrel a 270, I do believe I'd get myself a 6.5-06 barrel installed. That is arguably the best of the 6.5's for just hunting.
Click to expand...

While a 30-06 case offers a lot of powder capacity, it also is going to give you ungodly muzzle blast unless you use a very long barrel. Think .270 with a bad case of gas.
 
I guess Norma(~2850fps) among others didn't get the SAAMI or CIP memo about keeping the pressures down to keep velocites around 2600fps for a 140 grainer like the Swede military did. The CG63-a basic 96 action-was turned out by Norma, CG, and others in a number of different calibers including 308. As long as one remembers the Swede is not a 264WM, it can get you half way there in a 29" barrel.
I'd go 6.55X55 in a short sporter, like a 96 Kimber
 
Of course you need the latest and "greatest", the 26 Nosler! :rolleyes:. Just Kidding!

In my opinion, and it's just that, an opinion, the .260 rem is the best 6.5 chambering for a short action hunting/sporter rifle. The Creedmoor is more for the target crowd and has a little less MV, and the 6.5 Swede is best suited in a long action. Anything 6.5x.284 will likely be pricey and more geared toward target shooting.

Another bonus of the .260 if you reload, you probably know it's in the .308 family, so brass will be easy to find.

You need this...
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Savage Weather Warrior in .260 rem

Or this...
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Savage 11 Lightweight hunter in .260 rem
 
What are you going to hunt? I am a hard core 6.5x55 guy, and yes, you can hunt elk with it...if you limit your range. Same with .260 I'd say. If elk are on the menu, look to 6.5x284 or the much maligned .264 WM. If it's antelope, deer, and the like, I don't see a lot of difference between the Swede and the .260. Loading your own I hope. If not, just go with the .260. If you do, the 6.5x55 is extremely versatile. No comment on the Creedmore - I don't really know that cartridge. The only problem with the .264 Win Mag is the 7 mm Rem Mag. But I think the Winchester 6.5 version would be great with, say, 160 Woodleighs (too slow in my Swede) or a Barnes TTSX (yet to test in the Swede). Or you could go gonzo and get a 6.5 Nosler. But my primary hunter is a Model 70 Classic Featherweight in 6.5x55. Best loads: 120 Nosler Ballistic Tips at a bit over 2,900 (1/2" group) and 140 Sierra GameKings at about 2,700 (3/4" group). Light rifle, light recoil. Easy to load. What's not to like.
 
I love the creedmore but it's case capacity requires a pretty long barrel to get the velocity most shooters want from a hunting rig, especially with the heavier bullets as others have already noted. I'd go with the tried and proven swede for a true "sporter" sized weapon.
 
Well, it's always a barrel-burn vs. external ballistic performance tradeoff, with a few minor variables thrown in (factory offerings vs. cost of custom, etc.)

On the very high end
-New Nosler round - .26 Nosler
-.264 Win mag
I wouldn't do either of those, and espec. not the .264 win mag - worst of all worlds - rapid throat erosion and a belted case.

In the high range,
-6.5mm-'06 A-square
-6.5mm - .284 Norma
I rank both of these pretty highly, if you're not shooting a TON. The 6.5mm-'06 offers a little more performance but in a long action. However, on the other hand, if you want to use the longest bullets in 6.5-.284 , you may have to use a long action anyway, so why not get the better performance from the 6.5mm-'06 if you're going to use those super-long bullets?

In the mid-high range,
-6.5x55 swede
-.260 rem AI
-.260 rem
I think all of these are good - the 6.5x55 has gotten so popular in the last 5 years, that there are no less than three factory offerings at Academy sports - so it's arguably the #1 best tradeoff / choice for the average hunter. It's usually in a long action. Also, as someone mentioned, since 6.5x55 rifles are usually made with an 8.0 twist, rather than 8.5 or 9 like others, if for some reason you just wanted to hunted some very very large tough game like big bears, large african plains game, etc., with this particular rifle (I wouldn't but you might), the really heavy & long 160/162 will work in them (although in fairness, such bullets have a round nose and flat base, so they'll still probably work in 8.5 to 9 twists, too, so this could be a false advantage). The .260 rem AI would be the "best" choice for most people if it wasn't still a wildcat (hasn't come into its own as a mainstream ackley chambering like the .280 rem AI has, unfortunately)... you get the performance of the hot-loaded 6.5x55, but still in a short action. You can shoot .260 ammo in .260 AI chambers of course, as with all Ackleys.

Then the 'smaller' ones (6.5 creedmoor, 6.5x47), and then the little 6.5 grendel. In a bolt action...just say no to these, in my opinion. In an AR15, 6.5 grendel is ok. In an AR10, 6.5 creedmoor is ok, but still .260 is definitely the best choice for a turnbolt and arguably for an AR10 too. Cheaper, more performance, etc., than the creedmore or 6.5x47mm. No downside except the shorter neck, but that doesn't matter unless you're trying to squeeze benchrest accuracy and using the longest possible bullet.

So...

For the rich hunter with plenty of money to re-barrel ==> .26 Nosler

For the hunter who wants a canyon crosser but won't shoot all that much ==> 6.5mm-'06

For the hunter who wants same but shoots up to maybe a couple hundred rounds a year ==> 6.5-.284

For the nostalgic and/or someone who wants readily-available ammo ==> 6.5x55 swede

For the practical shooter or hunter who shoots upwards of 400-500 rounds a year ==>.260 or .260 AI.

For someone trying to squeeze out a 0.2 MOA gun rather than a 0.3 MOA gun and obtain a multi-thousand round bbl life, ==> 6.5x47 due to the longer neck to hold the longest bullets in the most perfectly straight, symmetrical manner.

For an AR10, ==> 6.5 creedmoor or .260 rem.

For an AR15 ==> 6.5 grendel.

It's all good, as the kids say.

Personally, the custom rifles I take a closer gander at for hunting, when they come up for sale, are those in 6.5mm-'06 and 6.5-.284. The rifles in European styling (Mannlicher and/or schnabel forends, Euro buttstock), such as the Sako Bavarians and CZ 550 FS, I get more excited by the 6.5x55... but then again, that's the only chambering in 6.5mm that they're offered in.

Having said that, I'm mulling over the idea of getting enough $$ together to do a just-one ultimate hunter turnbolt in .260 rem AI to replace a .280 rem for tough terrain hunting. But if I'm gonna spend several thousand for a custom CF-wrapped bbl, I want said bbl to last, and this seems like about the best tradeoff in bbl burn vs. performance, to last the rest of my lifetime of hunts.
 
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i do hAVE A LITTLE EXPERIENCE LOADING FOR THE CREEDMOORE as i have loaded and worked up a load for my brother. the creedmoore is however the only catridge of this caliber i have any experience with.

the rifle will be for everything really range time steel targets out through the woods, ground hogs, deer, boar whatever i decide is fit to be shot at, about the largest game i will encounter in NE PA is a black bear and i have a trusty ole 30-06 for bigger more dangerous critters.


oldscot 3
as for the velocity from the creedmoore my brother had his rebarreld with a 24 inch tube and loaded with h4350 and cci magnum primers we are getting very good results. bullets seated .050 off the lands.
 
If you hadn't of added that you reload, then it would've been 6.5x55 without a doubt. Only one which has a decent amount of factory ammo.

But considering you reload, probably suggest 260.
It seems to be the most common, there are a lot of guns now made in that calibre, Lapua make brass, and a few other places make brass for it too.

6.5x55 is still a very good round and comes in a number of rifles. Brass is also easy to find. Only real down side is that it is a long action cartridge, but I think more often than not this downside is made out to be worse than it really is. Unless it stops you getting a particular super lightweight rifle, due to the action size.

Creedmore is also very good and becoming more popular, another similar option is 6.5x47 Lapua, but both these aren't as common as 260 or 6.5x55, so will be very limited on rifle choice. 264win, 6.5-06 and 6.5x284 are all very good cartridges, but factory ammo and rifles is almost non existent. They will all be a long action, and all burn out your barrel pretty quick.

I assume you are wanting a hunting rifle and not a target rifle?
I would go for a 260rem, as that's what I hope to go for. The other cartridges may all have things they do better, but 260 seems to have the best mix of availability or rifles and components, barrel life and performance. Especially if you are looking for a hunting/stalking rifle, I see no point in going to anything more extreme. If factory ammo is a consideration then 6.5x55, and the Creedmore probably second after 260, not considering factory ammo.
 
Kilotanker, that's fine then, go with the creedmore. It's worth remembering though, all other things being equal, both loads operating at the same pressure, because of increased capacity, the swede will outperform at a margin that widens as bullet weight goes up.

If you plan to shoot mainly whitetail or other game in that catagory, I have no doubt the creedmore willl give good results. Why wouldn't it after all, a 6mm rem does just dandy with 90 to 100 gr. bullets.

PS I can't worry much about the difference between a short and standard length action when a 24 inch or even longer barrel is on it.
 
I have a 6.5-06 and a 6.5 Swede, (and a 6.5 Arisaka), and I would say the .260. The 6.5-06 is only about 200 FPS faster than the .260, and fits a short action.

As far as brass, 6.5-06 is a piece of cake, as far as wildcats go, it doesn't get much easier. Run a .25-06 case through a neck size die, and you are done.
 
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