Very nice looking rifle.
If you are hunting 100 yards and in, 6.5 cm is not something you need. Any other calibers rifles are pointless if something else does the job, don’t buy another rifle! Never shot anything but steel with 6.5, but consistently hitting 1000 yard 14” and got some hits at a mile with custom ammo.
It is never about "need".
No offense taken, you are completely correct and it truly is important to recognize the facts you point out.
At the shorter ranges reasonable and mature hunters will use, the .270 would clearly be better. But how much better?
My intent was not to recommend shots over 300y (never would), nor to claim the 6.5 is better (better at what?). Rather, I was just showing that the perceived differences between the 6.5 and classic rounds like the .270 can be smaller than one might think.
Let's go back to my comparison of of the 129 SST and Federal 130 Partition. Instead of looking at energy at a given distance, let's look at shorter distances. The .270 has about the same energy at 75 yards as the 6.5 does at 25y.
In other words, at shorter range, the advantage in muzzle energy of the .270 is about 50 yards of range and only decreases as you go farther out until eventually the 6.5 starts carrying more energy.
The 6.5 has no glaring weaknesses. It's not that it has any particular strength over another caliber. It's not more powerful than a .270, it's just remarkably close for something that's short action instead of long and uses ~40gr instead of ~60gr.
If your caliber is giving you no worse than a 50y range disadvantage to the immortal .270 while using significantly less powder, delivering less recoil and feeding from a short action box mag, then I think that's significant.
Yep, just like shiny new toys.
I don't hunt - so I have nothing to switch to. But that it's available at Walmart is an amazing sign of the times, isn't it?
I'd like to shoot a 6.5 C one of these days. I"ll miss the target, though.
May have spoken too soon...
I love my 6.5 CM and it's taken some big bodied deer without a problem.
If I get a chance to test it, I'll be using my 6.5 creedmoor on deer this fall. As accurate as that rifle is I shouldn't have any excuse for missing any deer.
Agreed. With the typical ranges we shoot here in Indy (ignoring exceptions) I think any issues taking a deer with a 6.5 CM are much more likely to do with shooter ability, shot placement, or a disastrous ammo choice. I saw a post from someone on here (maybe this thread) thinking that a certain type of ammo were hollow / polymer tips and they weren't. Said their smoked the deer 4 times and didn't know why.
Ballistically, a creedmoor and a Swede will do the same things. Only if you are pushing things in a modern action (well above most published Data) will the Swede pull away appreciably. And that’s still 150fps or so at most. Other than tradition, there’s really no reason to prefer the Swede to a Creed.I bought a new bolt action late last year and I'm getting ready to mount a scope on it and start getting ready for deer season. I reallly didn't need another gun to feed but I occasionally hunt a pretty good size corn/bean field and like the thought of reaching out. In all honesty I would prefer to have a Tikka in 6.5x55 but I haven't come across one for the price I want to pay.
Ballistically, a creedmoor and a Swede will do the same things. Only if you are pushing things in a modern action (well above most published Data) will the Swede pull away appreciably. And that’s still 150fps or so at most. Other than tradition, there’s really no reason to prefer the Swede to a Creed.
I'll probably snag a rifle in 6.5 CM, but it would be in addition to .308, not in lieu of .308.
This is where I'm at with it. I'm not getting rid of my 308 any time soon. The availability of cheap ammo, military surplus, hunting, match and even tracer rounds make it too versatile of a round not have a place. In the right hands, it'll be as effective as about anything else. My 6.5creed is specific for long range shooting, and maybe a deer this fall if they make a poor decision to show up.