Why is 6.5 Creedmoor so popular?

Introduced by Hornady in 2007, the 6.5 Creedmoor is among the best-selling 6.5mm cartridges for both hunting and target shooting. It's versatile, efficient, cost-effective, and low recoiling. It's a favorite deer and elk cartridge among the MeatEater

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Steven Rinella is the host of the Netflix Original series MeatEater and The MeatEater Podcast. He's also the author of six books dealing with wildlife, hunting, fishing and wild game cooking, including the bestselling MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for Every Hunter and Angler.

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crew, and it's taken enough big game to disprove initial doubters.

Why is the 6.5 Creedmoor so accurate?

Speaking of long, efficient bullets, 6.5 Creedmoor rifles stabilize these thanks to their 1-8” twist or faster rifling. Long 6.5 bullets (. 264") have higher Ballistic Coefficient ratings than the same-weight bullets in larger calibers. This results in more retained energy and less wind deflection at extreme ranges.

Why is 308 better than 6.5 Creedmoor?

308 has a lot more frontal surface area and carries more energy downrange. With a flatter trajectory and less wind drift, the 6.5 Creedmoor does have a definite, though not gigantic, advantage over the . 308 Winchester in external ballistics at typical hunting ranges.

Why is the military switching to 6.5 Creedmoor?

If you didn't hear the news: USSOCOM has adopted the 6.5 CM as their new Precision Rifle cartridge. It was a close call between the 260 Remington and the 6.5 Creedmoor, but the 6.5 CM won the day due to the military's belief that the 6.5 CM has more room for innovation for the future.

What is a 6.5 Creedmoor good for killing?

Known for its exceptional accuracy, flat trajectory, low recoil, high energy retention at long range, and really good terminal performance, more and more hunters are using the 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting elk, deer, feral hogs, pronghorn, and other species of big game these days.

6.5 Creedmoor; Why is it so popular?

What are the cons of a 6.5 Creedmoor?

Which is better 270 or 6.5 Creedmoor?

The . 270 Winchester has a bit more punch for hunting large game in typical hunting ranges, but the 6.5 Creedmoor takes the advantage over longer distances. If you prefer lighter recoil and a lighter gun, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a strong choice as well.

Do snipers use 6.5 Creedmoor?

"We are replacing our 7.62x51mm sniper support weapons, which have a maximum effective range of 700 to 800 meters, with 6.5mm Creedmoor sniper support weapons that will give us a maximum effective range of around 1,200 meters."

Which is better 30.06 or 6.5 Creedmoor?

30-06 carries more energy out past 200 yards, but most good 6.5 Creedmoor hunting loads still carry more than 1,000 ft-lbs of energy out to 500 yards. The advantages the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has in terms of bullet drop and wind drift start to become much more important at longer range as well.

How far should I zero my 6.5 Creedmoor?

For a hunting zero where the muzzle velocity is listed as 2700fps, I recommend sighting-in 3 inches high at 100 yds for a 250yd. zero and drop of 4 inches at 300. The only way to check if the open sights on your SMLE are zeroed is to shoot it at a target.

Does the military use 6.5 Creedmoor?

US Special Operations Command's highly-trained marksmen and snipers are about to get their hands on new M110K1 Semi Automatic Sniper System upper receivers from Knights Armament Company in 6.5 Creedmoor, marking the first major American military adoption of the round which has seen steadily increasing popularity with ...

What is a 6.5 Creedmoor bullet comparable to?

6.5 Creedmoor vs 308 Terminal Ballistics

308 rounds are very similar to each other. One of the closest . 308 rounds that match the 6.5 Creedmoor in weight is the 125-grain bullet that clocks its muzzle velocity in at 3,100 feet per second with 2,668-foot lbs of energy on target.

Which is better 7mm Rem Mag or 6.5 Creedmoor?

The 6.5 Creedmoor fires smaller diameter and more aerodynamic bullets than the 7mm-08 Remington. Both cartridges have a similar trajectory, but the 7mm-08 retains more kinetic energy than the 6.5 Creedmoor at typical hunting ranges while the 6.5 Creedmoor has less recoil.

Is 6.5 Creedmoor good for 1000 yards?

The 6.5 Creedmoor stays above this threshold out to about 800 yards so it is definitely a viable option for tipping over a big buck out to 800. For predator hunters this would be a fun gun to kill wolves or coyotes even out to 1,000 yards.

Which is better 300 Win Mag or 6.5 Creedmoor?

The . 300 Win Mag fires larger diameter and significantly heavier bullets at a higher velocity than the 6.5 Creedmoor. The . 300 Win Mag has a flatter trajectory and has significantly more kinetic energy at typical hunting ranges, but the 6.5 Creedmoor has much less recoil.

How many rounds will a 6.5 Creedmoor barrel last?

Some shooters like to gripe about barrel longevity, claiming that the 6.5 Creedmoor will only last for 2-3,000 rounds whereas the . 308 Win will be good for as many as 10,000 rounds.

Which is stronger 308 or 6.5 Creedmoor?

308 are that it's more powerful and accurate past 400 yards and has 10 to 15% less recoil. The main benefits of the . 308 over the 6.5 Creedmoor are that it's more powerful and just as accurate within 400 yards and . 308 barrels last more than twice as long as 6.5 Creedmoor barrels.

Is 6.5 Creedmoor good for moose?

Most hunters are in agreement that both the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 6.5 PRC are very good for deer as well as similarly sized game (like chamois). However, not everybody is sold on using the 6.5 PRC on really big game like moose or elk.

What is the max effective range of a 6.5 Creedmoor?

The Creedmoor also delivers astoundingly consistent accuracy, but not at quite such long distances. It's effective range peaks at 1000 yards.

What round is the military switching to?

The service will also switch from 5.56mm ammo to 6.8mm, after a search for rounds better built to penetrate body armor. "Both weapons fire common 6.8 millimeter ammunition utilizing government provided projectiles and vendor-designed cartridges," an Army spokesperson said in a press release.

What is the new 6.8 military round?

Production is expected to ramp up when the Army opens a new ammo plant to produce the new 6.8mm rounds for those weapons around 2026. Army officials have touted that the new XM5, the M4's replacement, and XM250, set to replace the SAW, pack a much harder punch and will improve the combat performance of ground troops.

Which has less recoil 308 or 6.5 Creedmoor?

Recoil impulse depends on rifle weight, bullet weight, and load construction, but all things being equal, the 6.5 Creedmoor produces about 25% less recoil than a . 308 Win. That toned-down recoil helps prevent flinching and allows hunters to make shots in more awkward shooting positions.

Is 6.5 Creedmoor enough for deer?

The 6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent and effective deer hunting round. The ever-increasing popularity of the round only proves that. If you do not believe us on that, just look at how many 6.5 Creedmoor offerings the big rifle manufacturers like Savage, Browning, Ruger, Weatherby, and more offer.

Can you hunt hogs with 6.5 Creedmoor?

I have used the round in various rifles to kill a few whitetails, an antelope, more hogs, some coyotes, and a West Texas aoudad this past March. It is an accurate caliber with mild recoil that has worked just fine for all the above roster of critters.

Is it worth buying a 6.5 Creedmoor?

Introduced by Hornady in 2007, the 6.5 Creedmoor is among the best-selling 6.5mm cartridges for both hunting and target shooting. It's versatile, efficient, cost-effective, and low recoiling. It's a favorite deer and elk cartridge among the MeatEater crew, and it's taken enough big game to disprove initial doubters.