Recent 6.5 Creedmoor range trips

[6.5_sWv]

Ive had a 6.5 Creedmoor for a few years, and I developed several good loads for it, but my son got into deer hunting, and the rifle fit him really well, so I donated it to him. I bought myself a Bergara B-14 "Wilderness" Ridge back in June. Ive been working up a few different loads, trying to decide what bullet i wanted to use for my deer hunting this fall and ive settled on the 120gr Hornady GMX. Ive also developed some loads with the 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, and the 143gr Hornady ELD-x, but im not going to hunt with either of those loads. So far, Ive shot Ramshot Hunter, Alliant Reloader 16 and 17, StaBall 6.5, and H 4831sc with various bullets. I have 2 pounds of H 4350 but ive been trying the less commonly used powders.

Reloader 16 @43.5gr with the Hornady GMX has netted me an AVG muzz velocity of 2951fps

I posted a jug test of the GMX bullet in the bullet test section, but I figured Id post a few pics here also.

Overall Im very pleased with the Begara and even though from some peoples perspective, the Creedmoor is a fad cartridge, but I LOVE loading for it and shooting it.

 

[lhsako]

Nice expansion. Is the one shot thats apart from the 3 shot group the first out of a clean barrel ?

 

[DrMike]

Certainly acceptable accuracy for hunting. The recovered bullet gives a lot of confidence in terminal performance.

 

[6.5_sWv]

Nice expansion. Is the one shot thats apart from the 3 shot group the first out of a clean barrel ?

Honestly I don't remember. I know this particular rifle doesn't shoot the same POI on a clean bore. Truth be told it was probably me. I rarely put all 4 of them together.

 

[Blkram]

Hard not to enjoy a rifle and cartridge that shoots so well!
looking to find a good load with the 130gr AB in mine (Rebarreled LH X Bolt All Weather with a Benchmark 5R barrel).

 

[wvbuckbuster]

That will be bring home the meat. Be looking forward to see how that bullet performs for you this fall.

 

[Cleveland48]

A lot of people really hate on the cartridge and say the 260 rem and 6.5x55 are better. I’ve owned all three of them, and their on game performance is identical. For the person that wants to shoot tight groups with FACTORY ammo though, the creedmoor has a definite advantage over the other two for that. My 260 and 6.5 Swede shot really good with hand loads, but were decent to mediocre with almost all factory loads I tried. To be fair the 260 was during the early 2000’s, and there was slim pickings for factory loads back then. The Swede wins in class hands down though. But the four 6.5 CM’s I’ve owned do happen to be the four tightest shooting rifles if owned too though lol. So I’ve very fond of the little creedmoor if I must say so.


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[6.5_sWv]

A lot of people really hate on the cartridge and say the 260 rem and 6.5x55 are better. I’ve owned all three of them, and their on game performance is identical. For the person that wants to shoot tight groups with FACTORY ammo though, the creedmoor has a definite advantage over the other two for that. My 260 and 6.5 Swede shot really good with hand loads, but were decent to mediocre with almost all factory loads I tried. To be fair the 260 was during the early 2000’s, and there was slim pickings for factory loads back then. The Swede wins in class hands down though. But the four 6.5 CM’s I’ve owned do happen to be the four tightest shooting rifles if owned too though lol. So I’ve very fond of the little creedmoor if I must say so.


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Honestly I get cracked up when people say the Creedmoor is a fad cartridge or it'll make you grow a man bun. Every major manufacturer chambers a rifle for it. It's not going anywhere anytime soon. enjoy the shoot ability of this cartridge, very modest recoil, the inherent accuracy , and the wide availability of components (panic buying aside). I'm in total agreement with you that performance wise the 260, 6.5x55 and the Creedmoor all present similar performance. Some people assume too much unrealistic ideas about the Creedmoor being flatter shooting or the best distance cartridge but I treat it for how it works for me which is a great low recoiling, accurate shooting hunting cartridge that happens to be fun to shoot and easy to load for.

 

[Cleveland48]

A lot of people really hate on the cartridge and say the 260 rem and 6.5x55 are better. I’ve owned all three of them, and their on game performance is identical. For the person that wants to shoot tight groups with FACTORY ammo though, the creedmoor has a definite advantage over the other two for that. My 260 and 6.5 Swede shot really good with hand loads, but were decent to mediocre with almost all factory loads I tried. To be fair the 260 was during the early 2000’s, and there was slim pickings for factory loads back then. The Swede wins in class hands down though. But the four 6.5 CM’s I’ve owned do happen to be the four tightest shooting rifles if owned too though lol. So I’ve very fond of the little creedmoor if I must say so.


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Honestly I get cracked up when people say the Creedmoor is a fad cartridge or it'll make you grow a man bun. Every major manufacturer chambers a rifle for it. It's not going anywhere anytime soon. enjoy the shoot ability of this cartridge, very modest recoil, the inherent accuracy , and the wide availability of components (panic buying aside). I'm in total agreement with you that performance wise the 260, 6.5x55 and the Creedmoor all present similar performance. Some people assume too much unrealistic ideas about the Creedmoor being flatter shooting or the best distance cartridge but I treat it for how it works for me which is a great low recoiling, accurate shooting hunting cartridge that happens to be fun to shoot and easy to load for.

Yes i don’t know why they call it a fad either. It came out in like 2008 and it honestly didn’t really get super popular until probably 2014 or so, atleast not popular locally around me. It’s extremely accurate in the rifles i have tried, and honestly it seems impossible to not find a great shooting load with ease. Only two bullets I’ve struggled with one is the GMX, the other was the Barnes matchburners. My matchburner load averages around 0.350” now, but I did struggle getting it to that. I’ve taken several deer with the 260, the Swede, and the creedmoor. The only creedmoor I have left is my target rifle, but they do make fantastic hunting cartridges. I just ain’t about to tote my 14 pound creedmoor hunting [emoji23].


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