here comes the new kid on the block 6 mm, 6.5cm in trouble.

[Varminterror]

This tends to support EB's statement.

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2018/12/14/rifle-caliber/

I don't have any opinion about it other than if I was looking for a caliber (not cartridge) to do LRP it would be a 6 mm something or other.

Here’s the same article from the 2015 season. Note, even at that time, there were already as many shooters using the 6mm Creedmoor as there were using the 6.5 Creedmoor, and neither were the most popular cartridge among the top 100.... the ship had sailed for the 6.5 creedmoor even prior to 4 seasons ago... old news....

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/10/12/best-rifle-caliber/

2015 PRS Finale data - old news...

 

[CoalTrain49]

Yuuuuuu keek muh Doug!

The 30-378 had some play as a 1k benchrest cartridge for a while didn't it?

That's is not my dog.

 

[IndianaBoy]

This tends to support EB's statement.

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2018/12/14/rifle-caliber/

I don't have any opinion about it other than if I was looking for a caliber (not cartridge) to do LRP it would be a 6 mm something or other.

6.5 Creedmoor is still an excellent cartridge. The 6mm Dasher and the like have nowhere near the factory ammo support that the 6.5 do. And the marginal improvements aren't relevant except for guys who are really chasing consistency like the PRS crowd.

 

[Jason_W]

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2018/12/14/rifle-caliber/

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2018/12/14/rifle-caliber/


People get way too spun up over what cartridges other people like. They all have their place, more options are peachy.

Yup. Especially when it comes to hunting. There’s a lot of hair splitting arguments over which of a group of ballistic octuplets is the best when no game animal sufficiently hit is going to know the difference.

Yeah, you have to know the limitations of a round and your own limitations, but all of fast pointy rounds out there will yield pretty much the same results in the field (extreme outliers excluded, of course).

Competition is a different ballgame, of course, but being honest, most shooters out there aren’t good enough for relatively minor variations in numbers and acronyms to matter.

If I fire a .308 win at a target 1000 yards away, the result will be exactly the same as if I attempt it with a .338 lapua mag.

 

[Llama Bob]

Here’s the same article from the 2015 season. Note, even at that time, there were already as many shooters using the 6mm Creedmoor as there were using the 6.5 Creedmoor, and neither were the most popular cartridge among the top 100.... the ship had sailed for the 6.5 creedmoor even prior to 4 seasons ago... old news....

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/10/12/best-rifle-caliber/

2015 PRS Finale data - old news...
View attachment 832288

Electronic targets have driven PRS slightly towards the 6mm, but the reality is that any 6 or 6.5mm on a Creedmoor, x47 or enlarged BR case is potentially competitive.

And of course the popularity of the 6.5CM is only tangentially related to the PRS series, although it helped. The majority of rifles the CM is chambered in aren't even suitable for PRS. It's been accepted as a general purpose hunting and target cartridge, taking market share from the .260, 6.5x55, .243, .270, 7mm-08 and .308 primarily.

 

[Varminterror]

Doesn’t really matter why the 6.5 was surpassed, just the reality that the new 1000yrd IBS 5 shot record isn’t any evidence of anything supplanting the 6.5 creed at the top of the heap - because it wasn’t on top to be supplanted.

 

[Llama Bob]

Especially since I've never heard of the 6.5CM even being used in benchrest. I'm sure somebody tried, but it's definitely not common.

 

[BigBore44]

So then what IS “better” than the 6.5CM? By better, I’m asking specifically about two categories.

1. Medium to large game (nothing larger than elk) hunting at distances 400 yards or less.

2. PRS shooting.

Take the shooter abilities out of the equation. I’m only asking about the cartridge’s performance.

I still think the answers will be somewhat subjective. But I’d like to know what and why people think their answer is best. I’m asking for a list of “better” for each category.

And as far as the hunting category goes, can you tell why one is better? My point being, if you shoot an animal at say 100 yards with a big bore rifle (let’s say a 444) and get a complete pass through in the vitals, and the same animal with a 6.5CM or any other cartridge like a 270 (remember I own neither) and also get a pass through in the vitals, how does one determine “better”?

Obviously if you extend the ranges, there comes a point where certain cartridges don’t become realistically viable anymore (my 444 definitely being one of them).

 

[Varminterror]

1. For hunting: Nothing and everything.

2. For PRS: 6 Creed, 6 Dasher, 6 BRA, 6 BRX, 6x47 are proven better.

 

[ECVMatt]

I will be happy to keep my 6mm Remington, then I don't have to worry about it going out of fashion more than once.

 

[MachIVshooter]

6mm rounds are nothing new in the benchrest & long range precision game.

It took me a minute to realize that by "6.5cm" you meant 6.5mm Creedmoor.
My first thought was discussion of the obsolete status of a 6.5 centimeter (16 inch) gun.

Other way around. 2.54 cm to 1". 6.5cm = 2.5"

 

[farmerboy78]

I have a few cartridges that I use between hunting and prs competition. the 6.5 creed is actually a great hunting round for anyone. it moderate to very low recoil, depending on the load. and can be used to 600ish yds, depending on the animal. I mainly hunt with this cartridge and a 140gr pill to 500-600yds on the top end for whitetail. if I know I'm hunting beyond that without a doubt, it will be my 6.5-06 driving a 140gr Berger @ 3015fps.

now as far as prs goes, I have mainly used the 6.5 creed in this area as well. I've used 107gr tmk which are GREAT, the 130gr rdf, and the 140gr eld. I'm using the 140gr at the moment loaded to factory specs. the 107 tmk is amazing though. I used the 107, Peterson srp brass, and varget for a load that shot sub 1/2 moa @ 3112 fps and 3-4gr from max on powder charge. had almost no recoil and was a laser inside 700yds, for trajectory.

the 6.5creed is a great all purpose/ all around cartridge for hunting, plinking, and target shooting.

but, I have been dabbling in the 6mm relm with a 6xc and 6x47 using 105gr pills... where the 6mm rounds come to life are off barriers, barricades, and obstacles where the rifle is nearly unsupported on the butt end. if you have a very balanced rifle, it will sit on a game changer by itself, and you can spot either your impacts or misses and make adjustments on follow up shots or as a gauge for wind deflection. I'm liking my 6x47 more and more to use as my competition caliber and use the 6.5creed as my back up.

 

[Nature Boy]

I’m shooting a 6BRA in F Open. There’s nothing magic about it, however, there are some things that make it an attractive option for precision shooting.

1. Easy to tune
2. Easy to fire form cases
3. ~75fps increase in speed over the straight 6BR

PS

I shoot it in a single shot. I’ve heard people have trouble feeding them from a mag unless modified

Also, you won’t find a box of them at your local WalMart or Academy

 

[Llama Bob]

So then what IS “better” than the 6.5CM? By better, I’m asking specifically about two categories.

1. Medium to large game (nothing larger than elk) hunting at distances 400 yards or less.

The 6.5CM is OK for this application, but you can definitely do better with high-SD loads in slightly larger calibers just for a wider wound channel. I'd look at the 175gr Weldcore, Hawk and A-Frame in the 7mm magnums for example. You can go past there, increasing both wound channel width and recoil as you go if you want - 200gr .308, 220gr 8mm, 250gr .338, 270gr .358, 300gr .375 etc. However, the 8mm or .308 is about the point where you're going to start having trouble putting enough case behind it to stay in the bullet operating window at 400y.

There are three rifles that I have that I would choose for elk before a 6.5CM:
.264WM (160 Weldcore)
7mm Rem. mag (175 Weldcore)
.325 WSM (220 Weldcore)

The .325 is really only worth it if I'm expecting very large bulls or am concerned about bear defense, since it gives up about 75y of practical range to the others. It still makes 400y no problem, but it's not good as long range hunters go.

2. PRS shooting.

The current trend is towards 6mms since you no longer have to rock the steel, just hit it with the new electronic targets at many matches. Popular case sizes range from various improved/lengthened BR cases to the Creedmoor case and even the occasional .243 (fast twist of course). The 6mms are popular because they increase the probability of spotting your own trace due to reduced recoil. In the PRS game being able to watch the wind on one shot is more valuable than decreased windage you could get by going with a higher horsepower round. If PRS was only first shots, they'd probably be using 6.5mm magnums.

 

[Varminterror]

The 6mm’s are nice for having less drop and drift too at most match ranges. Not just for reduced recoil and spotting for yourself, but those too, of course.