# 6.5 creed



## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

Well I'm considering getting a new gun next year. Hopefully putting together a lightweight for easier carry in the mountains . I'm thinking of jumping on the creedmoor bandwagon. I'm looking for real world results on elk (mainly cows) out to 500 yds. So, how many of you have one and have killed elk with it? Would you use it again? Fire away fella's.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Well, since no one has responded to you so far, allow me to give you my 2 cents on the subject. I'm not going to give myself much credit because I do not possess a 6.5 Creedmoor myself and don't have much experience with them. Pay more attention to the next guy that comes along if you want firsthand experience.

The main reason I'm responding to you is because after last year's hunt, I had a similar idea to yours - build a lighter weight "mountain" rifle that still packs a punch. In my case, I'm considering one solely for deer hunting as I already have a 7mm Rem Mag that will take care of large animals, such as elk and moose.

Once I get an idea on buying something, I begin doing research to the point I'm sick of myself. I'm not one to go out and buy something on a whim. I make sure I know what I want well before I go and buy it. Going back to my original intention of buying a lightweight deer rifle, I have it narrowed down to 2 calibers; 7mm-08 and the cartridge in question, 6.5 Creedmoor. And unfortunately, in my case, it will come down to the rifle I end up getting as only one of the two rifles I'm considering is available in both calibers. The other (which is also the one I'm leaning towards) is only available in 7mm-08.

To answer your actual question based on the research I've done, the 6.5 is an excellent cartridge. People that have it seem to rave about it for its light recoil and "inherent accuracy" (you'll see that term used often for some reason - last I checked the rifle firing the cartridge dictated accuracy, but what do I know). It is more than sufficient to take a deer down at long range, 400 yards+, and most seem to agree it's all the bullet you'll _need_ for elk. While I have no doubt that it would take an elk down with a well placed shot at an ethical range with a sturdy bullet, I would be cautious at taking less than ideal shots with it. I believe the margin for error increases as bullet weight decreases. Take all this for what it's worth, but I've read that you should have at minimum 1200 ft lbs of energy remaining on impact for an elk-sized animal to ensure an ethical kill. I don't know load data right off the top of my head but I know many loads for the 6.5 are just barely scraping that at 500 yards, which is the range you asked about. But I'm sure there are others that would get the job done. Moral of the story, find a load that works, has sufficient energy, place an accurate shot, and I see no reason the 6.5 Creedmoor wouldn't do everything you'd ask of it, all the while bearing in mind you're on the lighter side when it comes to elk. As far as I can tell, it's enough.

And this is probably unwarranted but I'm throwing it in here anyway, I think my biggest issue with the 6.5 Creedmoor is the nearly cult-ish following it has. It's the ultimate "bro" cartridge at the moment. Many claim it will outperform cartridges that have been tried and time-proven. So take those (as well as my own) opinions for what they're worth.

I hope this provides a bit of insight and I hope someone else chimes in soon with their own experience with the cartridge. I'm all ears as well. I'd also be happy to share some info on the 7mm-08, which is very similar with the advantage being heavier bullet weights, if requested.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

May I suggest one of these:
https://christensenarms.com/mesa/

Topped with one of these:
http://vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-razor-hd-lh-3-15x42-g4-bdc-riflescope/reticle

I have this setup on order in a 6.5 creedmoor - waiting for the stock to be painted tan with a black web.

Now I am sure that someone is going to say, "That's a waste of money." The cool thing is it's my money and not yours!! 

After extensive research I decided on this package. (1) Because I'm a flat brimmer - just kidding! I have big ears and it I tucked them in my hat, I'd look like a larger goofball than I already do. (2) Because I wanted a gun that would be easy for my kids to shoot on animals from South Texas whitetails, up to elk in Utah and Colorado. Sure I could have went with something else, but I didn't, and I don't have buyers remorse. And (3) when I was younger, I shot way too big of rifle once and have hated large rifles ever since. I looked like one of those major league soccer flop type dudes after shooting it. Call me a girl - it's all good.

Here is what I've found out after researching this - I will shoot a 130 VLD at around 2800 fps with Reloader 17, Reloader 26, or a couple other powders. My personal max limit on any game is 500 yards and Berger suggests a muzzle velocity on impact of >1800, so at 500 yards, my bullet will impact at 2,126 fps and 1,307 foot pounds. Will that kill an elk - IF PLACED CORRECTLY - YES!!!!

I've personally harvested close to 25 animals with a Berger VLD and witnessed at least that many shot by other people with them. I want a bullet that dumbs all its energy into the animal and does what a Berger does. You like something else? Cool beans!

Back to the op, currently I don't have any experience with this round, but I soon will. Hopefully I'll have some first hand experience to share.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

CPAjeff said:


> May I suggest one of these:
> https://christensenarms.com/mesa/
> 
> Topped with one of these:
> ...


I am also a BIG fan of berger VLD and I would love to get myself a saweet stoked up narly flat brimmer gun like yours one day. 

I know a guy that shoots a custom Christensen Arms 25-06 and I am super jealous. He is also the farthest from a flat brimmer.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


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## Tall Tines (Apr 16, 2017)

I've taken 3 elk with a 6.5 creedmoor. Ranges from 450-890. All 3 were 1 shot kills. 143 gr hornady eldx are awesome bullets on elk. Deer that bullet won't really give the full effect until at ranges of AT LEAST 400 yards. Moving too fast at distances closer than that. It'll still kill them, but your shots need to be placed well. I wouldn't hesitate shooting an elk with a 6.5 creedmoor if you are a decent shot and have a good solid rest for those longer ranges.


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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

moabxjeeper said:


> Well, since no one has responded to you so far, allow me to give you my 2 cents on the subject. I'm not going to give myself much credit because I do not possess a 6.5 Creedmoor myself and don't have much experience with them. Pay more attention to the next guy that comes along if you want firsthand experience.
> 
> The main reason I'm responding to you is because after last year's hunt, I had a similar idea to yours - build a lighter weight "mountain" rifle that still packs a punch. In my case, I'm considering one solely for deer hunting as I already have a 7mm Rem Mag that will take care of large animals, such as elk and moose.
> 
> ...


Haha you and I sound eerily similar. I'll be reading, researching and going back and forth for the next 6 months before I pull the trigger on something. Although, I do feel pretty solid in my cartridge selection. Light recoil, accuracy and great ballistics have pretty much sold me. Honestly most shots will be 300 ish or less but there has been a few instances where I wish me and my gun were capable of 4-500yd shots. I did not doubt the cartridge for elk to much but getting some first hand experience should seal the deal. If you don't mind me asking what guns have you been looking at?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Check out teh LOng Range Shooters of Utah and look up guys like Jaron on there and see his videos of what he has done with his 6.5x47, very similar cartridge. YOu will find numerous 6.5mm fans on there. YOull see numerous one shot kills at ranges way higher than what you list. I also have an FFL guy I admire he also swears by the 6.5x47, the reason I chose one. Again, now that Lapua makes brass for the creed with small primer it is very similar, about the only difference is the angle of the shoulder.
Seems like the majority of long range shooters use one of the many 6.5mm cartridges. There are a lot of videos on youtube that will also document what you seek.
A lot of people like the Bergers, I just cant get them to shoot well, but just tried the Barnes LRX and my first try had a 0.25" 3 shot group. I think every rifle can be a little different.


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## Warehouse (Sep 22, 2016)

Daughter shot her cow elk last year at 339 yards with the Ruger American Predator 6.5 creedmoor. no problems. hand loads of Hornady 143 Eld-x. Excellent gun and round


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

Ok, so I have a couple of questions about this also. I've been looking around at guns and thought I wanted a 6.5 Creedmore. I was looking at the Savage Lite something or other in 6.5. Light gun, light recoil, should be a good package. 

I got to looking at ballistics and such. Bullet drop between a .30-06, .270 and 6.5 was relatively similar, ft lbs of energy down range was way less, understandably, than .270 and .06. I have a .243 for deer and my 12 year old will be shooting that in the coming seasons. I currently have a .270 Remington 7400 from my late brother I shoot, but I'm not real pleased with the grouping I'm getting with it. It's not bad, but it's not great as far as accuracy. I mostly trust this gun to shoot where i want it to. I don't shoot rifles a ton, I want to have a rifle (and scope) that will be right on when I shoot it before the season so I can have confidence in it when I squeeze the trigger.

I realize that this is a Ford vs. Chevy question. I'm not a giant ballistics guy, so what am I missing in the ballistics of the 6.5 that everyone is in love with? For long range target shooters, seems to make sense. Long, flat, low recoil, great. But for critters like elk, seems a little light in terms of down range energy. But I also don't subscribe to the .338 mentality where I'm going to hate shooting a large gun and risk losing fillings.

Help me understand!


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

I'm interested to see the results too. I hear talk about the 6.5 Creedmore almost every day. It is a wave of popularity and I don't fully understand it. The positives I see might be the short action and a slightly less recoil.

I shoot 280s and when looking at the ballistics charts for 140gr-- at 500 yards the 280 drops around 10-15" less than the 6.5 and the 280 carries 200ish more ft lbs. I can't imagine Nosler and Federal charts are wrong. The 280 in 140gr is flatter than the 6.5 in 129gr. I'm not saying the 280 is the best, just the comparison. 

In the end, find an accurate rifle in the caliber of choice and go hunting. 6.5 is the popular choice today, just like the WSM was the new craze 10 years ago. If you buy a 6.5 and it shoots well then you will kill deer and elk with it, just like most flat shooting cartridges.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

brendo said:


> Haha you and I sound eerily similar. I'll be reading, researching and going back and forth for the next 6 months before I pull the trigger on something. Although, I do feel pretty solid in my cartridge selection. Light recoil, accuracy and great ballistics have pretty much sold me. Honestly most shots will be 300 ish or less but there has been a few instances where I wish me and my gun were capable of 4-500yd shots. I did not doubt the cartridge for elk to much but getting some first hand experience should seal the deal. If you don't mind me asking what guns have you been looking at?


Yeah man, I don't purchase things very often, but when I do, I drive myself absolutely insane. My research is going on a year now and I'm still not 100% set on one thing. Decisions, decisions...

These are the two I'm considering:

Savage Model 11 Lightweight Hunter

Winchester Model 70 Featherweight

Both are lightweight rifles that would do well as a mountain rifle. Real world prices are in the ~$700-750 range for both rifles, which is what I've established my budget to be. The Savage is ultra-lightweight if that's what you're going for, and the Winchester has a slightly longer barrel (22" vs 20" on the Savage) for slightly better ballistics at the cost of about an extra pound.

Here's a review for the Savage in 6.5 Creed

And another for the Winchester

My 7mm Rem Mag is a Savage 114 American Classic and I love it to death. I'm very partial to Savage rifles. They're extremely accurate right out of the box. I grew up hunting with a Winchester Model 70 and my dad still hunts with a pre-64 model in 30-06 that was passed down from my grandpa. Naturally, they feel right to me. I prefer the hinged floorplate and bolt mounted safety on the Winchesters. Apart from Savage and Winchester, I've heard nothing but good things about Kimber and Tikka and know they both offer lightweight rifles of their own as well. I don't have any experience shooting either one though.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Packout said:


> I'm interested to see the results too. I hear talk about the 6.5 Creedmore almost every day. It is a wave of popularity and I don't fully understand it. The positives I see might be the short action and a slightly less recoil.


It seems like the popularity really took off when guys started chambering it in AR's. It looks like a fine cartridge if you dont have coverage in that velocity / weight from some other rifle.

I doubt it will ever come even close to the popularity of the ole 270.

-DallanC


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Splitting hairs. A ton of similar performance cartridges out there. Dead critters don't care if it was a 7mm-08, 6.5 CM, 280 or whatever. You like the sound of the 6.5 CM..buy it. I bought a Kimber Mnt Ascent last year and carried it around for this years spike hunt. Never got a shot, but man is that thing nice to haul around. Still playing with loads, but right now its H4350 with Barnes LRX 127gr.

I will tell you this. Shooting a really light rifle takes some practice. They are twitchy and definitely need some time behind the trigger.


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

Is there a ballistic number that jumps out about the 6.5 that makes it so awesome? There's a ton of numbers and I'm admittedly not a high volume shooter. So I pick out numbers I know from ballistic charts, but I could be missing something really important.


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

gdog said:


> Splitting hairs. A ton of similar performance cartridges out there. Dead critters don't care if it was a 7mm-08, 6.5 CM, 280 or whatever. You like the sound of the 6.5 CM..buy it. I bought a Kimber Mnt Ascent last year and carried it around for this years spike hunt. Never got a shot, but man is that thing nice to haul around. Still playing with loads, but right now its H4350 with Barnes LRX 127gr.
> 
> I will tell you this. Shooting a really light rifle takes some practice. They are twitchy and definitely need some time behind the trigger.


What makes the light rifle twitchy? Hadn't really considered that.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

caddis8 said:


> What makes the light rifle twitchy? Hadn't really considered that.


My Kimber setup with a heavy Vortex 4-16 scope comes in at a little over 6lbs total weight. From a quick google search, a standard Rem BDL 700 weights in at approximately 9lbs and this is without bases/rings/scope. The total weight of a stock Rem 700 setup is almost 2x's my Kimber setup (and will be once I swap the Vortex scope out). The difference in hand is significant. My Rem 700 300 Ultra Mag with Sightron scope is easily 2x's the weight.

The additional weight or lack of while shooting makes a huge difference to ME. I can set my 300 RUM in bags on shooting bench or over backpack afield and hold the crosshairs dead on target without the crosshairs jumping all over. The rifle setup is solid at rest and less twitchy with me connected to it due to the weight, helping to stay on target through the shot. The heavier setup negates a lot of small movements.

Now with the Kimber setup, its so light that every move, breath, twitch or fart transmits into the rifle. At stock trigger pull (around 4lbs), I was having a tougher time keeping on target through the shot. Lightening it to a little over 2.5lbs made a big difference and I could actually go a bit lighter (although I personally normally don't go much lower on a big game rifle). My setup seems to be more critical and much less forgiving with such a light rifle. Its just more challenging to keep the thing steady. Reading post on how to shoot lightweight rifles, some guys state you need to lean into the rifle and not pull it into your shoulder or you need to put your hand on top of scope or barrel to provide more stability. Short of the long...its "twitchy" and needs a bit more concentration or attention to form...for me. Your milage may vary.....


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I think just about everyone would agree that a well placed shot from a 243 at distance is much better than a poorly placed shot from a 338 Lapua Mag at any distance. That being said, what are the factors that ensure a well-placed shot? Just my $0.02 of experiences compiled here. I read a study that shot accuracy is strongly correlated by felt recoil. My 6.5 has a radial brake and very light trigger with medium weight barrel so very easy on recoil and I can even see the target on impact from such minimal muzzle lift. I once had a Rem 700 ADL in 30-06 the most inaccurate POS Ive ever owned and also the hardest hitting rifle for recoil, Im pretty sure the two facts were correlated. A lot of people really like the 140 grain bullet in the 6.5 for the great BC and SD factors that really make them sail consistently at distance. Obviously, there is no substitution for serious trigger time, but once calibrated correctly, loaded consistently and customized to that rifle I think it makes for a pretty nice combination.
Here are some other sources from folks with much better credentials than mine:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/6-5mm_rifle_cartridges.htm


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

That's interesting. Read some stuff on Sectional Density. Trying to wrap my mind around it now.


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

I've said it before, I'd buy a super light 308 and never look back. Bet you ten bucks the Creedmoore will disappear from the planet like lots of others.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

caddis8 said:


> That's interesting. Read some stuff on Sectional Density. Trying to wrap my mind around it now.


Pretty simple, think about how hard it is to stop a speeding train.

SD is great for deep penetration, breaking through bone etc etc. It is less effective in energy transfer however... but with the right blend of bullet construction, it is very devastating. Some guns dont have a fast enough twist to stabilize high SD bullets.

High SD with appropriate stabilization twist rate, and high BC equals a very very stable long range bullet.

-DallanC


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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

Huge29 said:


> I think just about everyone would agree that a well placed shot from a 243 at distance is much better than a poorly placed shot from a 338 Lapua Mag at any distance. That being said, what are the factors that ensure a well-placed shot? Just my $0.02 of experiences compiled here. I read a study that shot accuracy is strongly correlated by felt recoil. My 6.5 has a radial brake and very light trigger with medium weight barrel so very easy on recoil and I can even see the target on impact from such minimal muzzle lift. I once had a Rem 700 ADL in 30-06 the most inaccurate POS Ive ever owned and also the hardest hitting rifle for recoil, Im pretty sure the two facts were correlated. A lot of people really like the 140 grain bullet in the 6.5 for the great BC and SD factors that really make them sail consistently at distance. Obviously, there is no substitution for serious trigger time, but once calibrated correctly, loaded consistently and customized to that rifle I think it makes for a pretty nice combination.
> Here are some other sources from folks with much better credentials than mine:
> http://www.chuckhawks.com/6-5mm_rifle_cartridges.htm





7MM RELOADED said:


> I've said it before, I'd buy a super light 308 and never look back. Bet you ten bucks the Creedmoore will disappear from the planet like lots of others.


I agree with you on recoil being related to shooting consistently and accurately. That's one of the main reasons for looking at the creedmoor. I've been shooting a 25-06 the last year and it's a joy to shoot. It was nice to see my buck drop in the scope. And 7mm I'll raise you 100 bucks haha . With the popularity of the creed I doubt it's going anywhere. But agree the 308 is a viable option.


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Pretty simple, think about how hard it is to stop a speeding train.
> 
> SD is great for deep penetration, breaking through bone etc etc. It is less effective in energy transfer however... but with the right blend of bullet construction, it is very devastating. Some guns dont have a fast enough twist to stabilize high SD bullets.
> 
> ...


Kind of goes against what I thought I knew- which isn't much. Bigger was better. Read some stuff on SD comparisons vs calibers.

From what I've read, you do a lot of shooting and killing of stuff. I hunt more archery and muzz, but the kid is getting older, which will mean I'll break out the rifle more so he can have more opportunities to hunt.

What bullet combination would you recommend? What do you shoot?


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Is 3 lbs worth the miss? G makes a great point about lightweight rifles being more temperamental to shoot and he described the effects well. A slight twitch at 200 yards and you're probably ok, but at 500 yards that twitch is compounded to the point that a guy could be in trouble. Does a sub-moa gun on the bench mean much if it is harder to shoot in a real hunting situation?

I will be in CO next week hunting deer on a tag that took over a decade to draw. My accurate 280 mountain rifle will be neglected as I opt to carry a 50% heavier 280 that is just as accurate on the bench, but is slightly more accurate in hunting situations at longer ranges-- because it is heavier. I can carry 3 more lbs if it makes the difference on hunting accuracy.

So with those thoughts, a gun such as a 6.5 shouldn't be made so lightweight that the lbs or lack of labs causes real world hunting issues. 

Brendo-- Just keep the 25-06 and keep killing stuff. haha It is more than adequate to kill elk, deer, antelope, etc... From your results-- it is shooter. But new guns are fun, too. If they shoot well......


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

caddis8 said:


> Kind of goes against what I thought I knew- which isn't much. Bigger was better. Read some stuff on SD comparisons vs calibers.
> 
> From what I've read, you do a lot of shooting and killing of stuff. I hunt more archery and muzz, but the kid is getting older, which will mean I'll break out the rifle more so he can have more opportunities to hunt.


Sectional Density is the ratio of the weight of a bullet vs its diameter. The formula to calculate any bullets SD is the weight of a bullet divided by 7000 (number of grains in a pound), then divided by the squared diameter.

SD = (Weight / 7000) / Diameter^2

Sooo the more weight a bullet has for a given diameter, the longer it has to get. A 100gr bullet is much longer than a 85gr bullet in a .243 for example, and thus has a higher SD.

With a smaller diameter (front surface) and more weight behind it, you get deeper penetration than say a bullet of a larger diameter but same weight.

The latter has more force against it as it contacts more tissue... this will reduce its velocity quicker, making for less penetration, yet more energy will be imparted to the target than the bullet with the smaller diameter.

Honestly, most of this techical stuff is actually irrelevant. Pick a caliber big enough for the target game, and use a standard bullet and you will be fine. Deer arent armor plated and die from nearly any expanding bullet fired into the vitals.

Just dont be a total tool and use say a varmint load out of a 30-06 for elk.



> What bullet combination would you recommend? What do you shoot?


Right now we shoot primarily Accubonds (my boy shoots 140's out of his 7mm08, I shoot 160's out of my 7STW). Killed alot of elk with the accubonds. My wife primarily shoots 100gr Nosler Partitions out of her .243

Overall my favorite bullet is the Nosler Partition. Its just a great blend of a nice mushrooming nose with a rear cavity to retain weight and break through bone. Been very very impressed with Accubonds though... we've killed ALOT of stuff with them in the past few years. Very accurate bullets.

If I need bone breaking power, I step up to the Partitions bigger badder brother, the Swift A-Frame. Its more of an african game type bullet with a super hard lead in the nose vs the softer lead the Partition uses. Its a poor choice for deer though as it doesnt open up as much as other bullets (unless you hit bone).

Worst bullet I ever used was a 140gr Sierra GameKing on a elk. High shoulder hit, it went off like a bomb, destroyed a whole quarter. Elk did die though. I vowed to never use those on elk again due to meat loss. They would be better suited to antelope and the like.

-DallanC


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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

Packout said:


> Is 3 lbs worth the miss? G makes a great point about lightweight rifles being more temperamental to shoot and he described the effects well. A slight twitch at 200 yards and you're probably ok, but at 500 yards that twitch is compounded to the point that a guy could be in trouble. Does a sub-moa gun on the bench mean much if it is harder to shoot in a real hunting situation?
> 
> I will be in CO next week hunting deer on a tag that took over a decade to draw. My accurate 280 mountain rifle will be neglected as I opt to carry a 50% heavier 280 that is just as accurate on the bench, but is slightly more accurate in hunting situations at longer ranges-- because it is heavier. I can carry 3 more lbs if it makes the difference on hunting accuracy.
> 
> ...


I completely agree and hadn't given it much thought till g dog brought it up. I don't think I'll go ultra light. I was thinking of doing a tikka t3 but put an aftermarket stock and bed it to add a little weight. There is a savage for sale right now that's real tempting that comes in about 6.5 lbs. I do really like the 25-06 but I also like experimenting and I like new guns haha. The 6.5 tempts me cause I can shoot a heavier bullet with similar recoil. The 25 shoots ok. probably averages a little over Moa but I've shot .75 inch groups too.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Packout said:


> Does a sub-moa gun on the bench mean much if it is harder to shoot in a real hunting situation?
> 
> So with those thoughts, a gun such as a 6.5 shouldn't be made so lightweight that the lbs or lack of labs causes real world hunting issues.


My 6.5 CM setup is for long hikes and shots under (oh hell I don't know...I've never shot a big game animal over 250 yards) 400 max. I'm going to keep practicing out to 400 for fun, but hope to shoot everything at 100.

I'm still trying to answer Packouts 2 points above, but I'd say its real close to being "too light" for me for any serious long range work (over 250 yards  )


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

That makes sense. I like the .270, it's just been hard to get consistent grouping out of. Could be the shooter behind it. 

Thanks,

Keith


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Packout said:


> Is 3 lbs worth the miss? G makes a great point about lightweight rifles being more temperamental to shoot and he described the effects well. A slight twitch at 200 yards and you're probably ok, but at 500 yards that twitch is compounded to the point that a guy could be in trouble. Does a sub-moa gun on the bench mean much if it is harder to shoot in a real hunting situation?


This is a good point and something I hadn't really considered. Here's a good article on the subject. http://www.chuckhawks.com/caliber_rifle_weight_recoil.htm


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## tshuntin (Jul 13, 2008)

To the original poster and others that may be looking at getting a 6.5CM, here are my pretty uneducated thoughts. 

I have two friends with 6.5's and with their opinions and experiences along with a lot of reading, I decided to get one. I bought a Bergara B14 Hunter in 6.5 CM. Another poster said they are looking for a rifle in the $600-800 range I believe. This fits within that and is on sale at Cabelas right now for $629. I got mine at Al's, I put a Vortex 4-16x50 HSLR on it. I love it so far. Almost two boxes of shells through it and it shoots very well. I wanted a rifle mostly for my kids that was a little lighter in weight, but very light on recoil. I have three young daughters and recoil was a big deal for me to keep at a minimum. I have a 300 win mag with a brake and good pad and a 270 with a good pad, but the 6.5 definitely "kicks" less than both of these by far. I was surprised that the recoil is that much lighter than my 270, but it is. I do actually plan to put a brake on it as well just to help it that much more. I like that I can get factory loads like the ELDX in the 143 grain bullet with this cartridge as well. 

I have yet to kill anything with it, but have the two friends I mentioned above gave me excellent and reliable info that I trust. One of their 12 year old sons just killed a raghorn bull at 350 yards with one shot dead in its tracks (X bolt hells canyon speed model I believe shooting ELDx's). With the other friend, between he and his boys they have killed I believe 4 deer/elk with the longest being a 700 shot on a very nice bull. His is a Savage 10/110 predator shooting ELDm's.

In my research, I read a lot of articles, forums, and other opinions stating that the 6.5CM was a fad and would be history soon. I hear that today sometimes still, but also many of those opinions from my research were from 4-5 years ago and it sure seems to me it is more than a fad now.

Frankly, I don't think I am educated enough on this to tell you very many technical reasons the 6.5 is or isn't better than stuff like 7mm08, 308, 2506, 270, etc.., but I do know that I am really happy with what I got. Take it for what it's worth and best of luck.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

There's a reason those long range heavy barrel varmint guns weigh so much... and it aint all to mitigate heat. I could play connect the dots all day long with my Ruger #1V 22-250. My dads heavy barrel 22-250 has a 28" barrel and must weigh 12lbs, that thing puts'em through the same hole every time. His barrel was one of the last made by Bliss Titus.

-DallanC


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## Gdevilutah (Jan 9, 2010)

My brothers and I started using the creedmore last year and it's becoming one of our favorite guns. Last year we took 2 deer and 2 elk with them. Both guns were ruger precisions with 6-24x50 vortex hs-t on top. We are shooting the 143g eldx factory loads with no problems the first elk we took was a spike at under 100 yards and the second was a cow at just over 750 yards. Both dropped almost immediately. The precision is a pretty heavy gun, so this year I bought the ruger predator in the 6.5 its about half the weight and much better to pack around.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I shot a nice 6x6 bull with a 12 gauge shotgun, Remington Copper Solid deer slug, 103 yards.

The 12 gauge shotgun is a very popular firearm.

That's all I have to say about the matter. I just got up to pee.

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