Why 6.5 CM and not 260?

[eastbank]

the 6.5 creed, the 260 and the 6.5x55 all have the case capacity and with the same twist and fired in a modern action they all will get the job done. as i shoot the 260, 7-08 and the 308 and have a ton of good brass for all three,i,m good to go. eastbank.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

Fella's;

Possibly another way of looking at the difference is to compare the two companies responsible for the cartridges. One is viable and healthy, the other is in what certainly appears to be both financial and creative trouble. Therefore, if you want to bet on long-term support from the manufacturer, it's probably wiser to go with the Creedmore.

Doesn't appear that Remington provides much of any support for the 260 outside of basic hunting ammo.

Yes, Hornady makes plenty of match-grade, off the shelf 6.5CM ammo. Advantage for those who don't reload.

OTOH, 260 brass is easily formed from .308 brass and that isn't going ANYWHERE. Honesty, Remington could entirely disappear and my bet would still be on 260 for brass availability.

 

[USSR]

When I had my 6.5mm match rifle built 12 years ago, there was no 6.5CM and the .260 Rem was relatively new, although a lot of guys used it. I had it chambered in 6.5x55 because there was no Lapua brass available in .260 Rem, and didn't want to deal with necking up or down other Lapua brass. Never regretted the choice.

Don

 

[farmerboy78]

You can reform any .308 win based case down to 6.5Creedmoor without any problems... I have a Creedmoor and use norma brass...it's easy and straight forward. ..

 

[Clint M]

Just think if remington had named the 260 rem 260 tactical or some other catchy phrase then it ma be an entirely different story for the shooting public. I hope the creedmoor does stay around because I'm afraid it's big brother the 30 TC which has been talked down by so many as a non needed cartridge offering nothing new nor any advantage to the buyer is non going be around other than seasonal runs. For the reloader if brass supply dried up the 260, 30 tc, 6.5 cm can all be easily formed from 308 brass which is plentiful.

 

[MCMXI]

You can reform any .308 win based case down to 6.5Creedmoor without any problems... I have a Creedmoor and use norma brass...it's easy and straight forward. ..

Do you need to turn the necks after resizing?

 

[sirgilligan]

From my studies, the 6.5mm has been ignored in the USA, while the 6.5 Swede has been the ".30-06" of Europe for many many years.

I think that it was ignored, and this is just a guess, that the .270 filled the spot that a 6.5 Swede would fill, so there was no way to break into the market. In my opinion, there were those that bought the .30-6, then those that bought the .308, and those that bought the .270, and the .243, and lastly those that bought the 300 Win Mag (and its cousins). There just wasn't much room for the 6.5mm.

Well, the .270, .243, and the .30-06 aren't as popular as they used to be. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of them, I bet most here has one of them. The .308 has pushed the .30-06 out generally speaking. The 300 Win Mag seems to dominate that area, closely followed by the 7mm magnums.

But now, with the current generation more technical and such, find such things as bullets with very high ballistic coefficients intriguing, and since many know understand basic external ballistics realize that a flat shooting bullet doesn't have to break your shoulder or burn your barrel up. I think also, the over exaggerated concern over barrel burners help the 6.5 cause a lot.

So, why did Hornady come up with the 6.5 Creedmoor when there is a .260 Rem already available? I personally kind of think of the Creedmoor as somewhat of an Ackley improved 260 Rem, I know, it is not that, but it kind of is to me.

I am investigating buying a 6.5 mm rifle. I am leaning towards the Creedmoor over the 260 Rem and the 6.5 Swede. I wasn't interested in the 26 Nosler either, because I just want a soft shooter that doesn't need a lot of powder, or in other words inexpensive and efficient.

Ballistically, they are all similar. So is the .308 to the .30-06, but times change and the .308 out sells .30-06, and I bet by a lot.

So, I think the 6.5 Creedmoor is going to become the 6.5 chambering of choice in the USA, yes, that is just my guess. Look at the companies that make rifles in 6.5 Creedmoor, Browning, Ruger, Savage, Kimber, Cooper, Montana Rifle, and Weatherby.

 

[farmerboy78]

Do you need to turn the necks after resizing?

I neck turn all my cases for neck tension consistency from case to case... but I have found you don't have to neck turn with remington and winchester brass, but I did with lapua, norma, and LC...

 

[Caliper_Mi]

You can reform any .308 win based case down to 6.5Creedmoor without any problems... I have a Creedmoor and use norma brass...it's easy and straight forward. ..

Wasn't aware of this, but a quick search looks like it involves multiple dies? What's your process?

 

[Clint M]

It should only involve one sizing process that's with the die/cartridge of end use (6.5CM full length die). As far as needing neck turning or not chambers vary enough even among SAAMI and manufactures over the counter firearms you will have to check the chamber in your rifle to see if neck turning will be needed. Also different brass manufactures will have different neck thickness

Use a fired case in from your rifle measure the outside neck diameter, compare this to a piece of brass you have formed with bullet seated measure outside neck diameter. Measure outside neck diameter along the neck in 3 places to make sure, you can google this as well to find the exact tolerances needed.

 

[farmerboy78]

Wasn't aware of this, but a quick search looks like it involves multiple dies? What's your process?

It depends on the brass used, brand new virgin brass is soft...using the FL die without the expander I run the brass up and down 3-4 times in small increments to achieve the reform, and it may need to be fireformed in the end... using once fired brass however, it is slightly stiffer and I run it through the FL die in one slow and steady pass, these usually WON'T need to be fireformed!!!! At this point you will need to check for a donut in the case neck and case neck thickness...the better brass usually needs neck turned because of thickness... check those two things before putting the expander back in the die, if you don't it will be a pain in the neck, I know from experience! It's crucial to use an appropriate amount of sizing lube as well....all that said I use a k&m neck turner and a hornady FL die... also a larger nominal neck is easier to reform to 6.5Creedmoor such as .308 or 7mm -08... and from my experience with this case, I DO prefer at least once fired cases for the reform... hope this helps... just for info my load is .308 win norma brass reformed, 123gr hornady amax over 42 gr of accurate 4350, and wlr primers. .. traveling at 2920 fps...

 

[Sunray]

The 6.5 Creedmoor is newer with a better marketing department. Hornady hasn't been going through all the drama Remington has either.

 

[capreppy]

I had a CBI barrel chambered in 260 Match (longer throat for the 140 class bullets) in a Savage action. I could NOT load a bullet at the lands and still load in a mag. I even tried an Alpha Type 2 and no go. My accuracy was never what I expected it to be. In a fit of rage (maybe half rage), I sent my rifle to my smith and had him rechamber to 6.5 Creedmoor. I sold off my brass and dies and went for it.

Could I have had him rechamber with a shorter throat, yes, but frankly I was frustrated.

Additional factors did play into my "rage".

Brass availability. I want to compete at some point. I wasn't willing (not yet at least) to spend $1 per piece of brass knowing I will lose some. Remington headstamp brass has been VERY sparingly available. Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor brass is available through all of the major distributors and is relatively inexpensive.

Shorter round. I have no issues loading rounds at the lands (actually 10k short of lands) and fit in an AI mag.

Factory Ammo. I'm not entirely sure when was the last time I saw match 260 Rem ammo that was IN STOCK and at a reasonable price (Factory 140 Amax can be had just north of a $1/round). There will be times when I want to compete out of state and flying, I'd rather shoot factory ammo (cause I know it will shoot well out of my rifle) that has been delivered to my hotel. The weight limit will likely allow 200 rounds, but if I want to bring more than that....well I would still end up spending money to ship the ammo.

The accuracy I am able to get now (because I'm not a mile from the lands with my mag fed rounds) is great and consistent.

 

[coloradokevin]

.260 Rem vs 6.5 Creedmoor is a Coke vs Pepsi argument as far as I'm concerned.

Both cartridges throw the same bullet at virtually the same speed, and virtually the same accuracy.

I'm shooting a .260 Rem, and I'd happily shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor. There's better brass availability for the .260 Rem, and better factory loads for the 6.5.