6.5 CM go nogo?

[PUNI5HER0311]

Hey guys,
Ive been shooting .308 for quite a few years and I think I've taken it as far as I can. I've shot it in matches and feel I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage. I know a lot of shooters are loving the .260. However I'm looking closely at the 6.5CM. Mainly because I won't have to change more than the barrel.

Basically I'm looking for anyone with experiance to shed some light on this round and their personal experiances in matches with it. Is it a good change (obviosly better ballistics) but for matches will it be a better round to more or less keep up with, and be more competitive with the professionals?

Honestly I'm tired of being at the back of the pack and would like to be more tward the front lol.

Thanks in advance guys...

 

[rrflyer]

the 260 is a short action as well...you have to swap the same pieces to go 260 or 6.5creedmoor.

Ballistically they're the same.

hornady has some great factory 6.5CM ammo and the brass is cheap and available.

several places are offering 260 at a good price as well. Lapua and other companies are making high quality brass for it.

Take your pick...I ended up with one of each in the safe somehow..........

 

[Sako man]

Hey guys,
Ive been shooting .308 for quite a few years and I think I've taken it as far as I can. I've shot it in matches and feel I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage. I know a lot of shooters are loving the .260. However I'm looking closely at the 6.5CM. Mainly because I won't have to change more than the barrel.

Basically I'm looking for anyone with experiance to shed some light on this round and their personal experiances in matches with it. Is it a good change (obviosly better ballistics) but for matches will it be a better round to more or less keep up with, and be more competitive with the professionals?

Honestly I'm tired of being at the back of the pack and would like to be more tward the front lol.

Thanks in advance guys...

Most of the 6.5 cartridges are great. With 6.5 you will find it easier to find production ammo. It's hard to find anyone who makes ammo in 260 so most everyone loads if they shoot 260. But there is not much difference otherwise between 6.5 Cred and .260.

The one thing I think your off with however is that with 260 it's just a barrel swap when coming from 308. It's super easy to feed the 260 and you can use most of your 308 gear. Ballistically the 260 and 6.5 are similar and both beat the shit out of 308.

fyi- I decided to go .260 vs 6.5 Cred just to preserve my barrel for longer life.

 

[5RWill]

I like the 30 degree shoulder on the creedmore and think it's the .260 done right. Ballistically they're identical pretty much. By all means go 6.5CM. Rob has extensive use with it i'm sure he'll chime in.
6.5 Creedmoor - .260 Done Right?

Nosler brass is coming soon for 6.5CM if you don't want to use hornady. But having used Nosler brass and currently still on a batch for my .308 when you lose one it sucks. Stuff is expensive.

 

[selfbowhunter]

I found the .260 very finicky to tune for some reason but the creedmoor seems to eat anything with stellar accuracy. it also fits a short action mag much better than the .260 unless the reamer has a very short throat. either is fine but the creedmoor would be my choice.

chuck

 

[6brshooter]

I like the creedmoor better. In my experience it seems alot easier to find an accurate load and u have plenty of room in a standard ai mag to chase throats. I have a 260 also, it has been the most finicky rifle to find a load and keep in tune. My lapua 260 stamped brass is garbage in regards to nk concentricity. I shot nosler brass in it and all was fine, finally found lapua 260 brass . Nk thickness mikes .012-.016" on the same case. My nosler was all .013", very consistent. My 260 is a factory tikka sporter, shot good when new but at 1200 rds has a hard time keeping moa. My nosler brass got some donuts in them over8-10 firings . This is the first caliber i have got donuts in over20 yrs reloading . Anxious to change barrels to a different caliber.

 

[Rob01]

6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent match cartridge. Been using it since 2008 and shooting factory 140 AMAX ammo in matches and it hasn't let me down at all. It will do as well as anything in matches and if you are still in the back of the pack it's not because of the round

 

[PUNI5HER0311]

@ Rob thanks for the info and everyone else as well. If I'm still at the bavk of the pack its on me not the gun or round, got it...lol. @ Sako man, is it not just a barrel change? Everythin I have read unless I'm missing something has ,ed me to believe that's all id have to do. The brass is the same to fit my bolt, and it would feed through my AI mags rite, or am I mistaken?

 

[thrusty]

6.5CM FTW.

FYI...It's just a barrel change - 6.5 Creed (and .260) use the same bolt face as the 308. IMHO it works better in the AICS mags than the 308 does...

 

[Rob01]

@ Rob thanks for the info and everyone else as well. If I'm still at the bavk of the pack its on me not the gun or round, got it...lol. @ Sako man, is it not just a barrel change? Everythin I have read unless I'm missing something has ,ed me to believe that's all id have to do. The brass is the same to fit my bolt, and it would feed through my AI mags rite, or am I mistaken?

No problem. Yes, you will only have to change the barrel. Same bolt face and magazines as your .308. I use AICS mags for my Creedmoor, .308 and .243 interchangably.

 

[Sako man]

@ Rob thanks for the info and everyone else as well. If I'm still at the bavk of the pack its on me not the gun or round, got it...lol. @ Sako man, is it not just a barrel change? Everythin I have read unless I'm missing something has ,ed me to believe that's all id have to do. The brass is the same to fit my bolt, and it would feed through my AI mags rite, or am I mistaken?

Speaking of 260 coming from 308: Same bolt, same mag, same OAL mag problems you would have with scenars for a 308. Same shell holders for reloading. I even use the same powder like Varget. That said I have been able to load to the lands and not an issue in my AI mags. And now I run 260 in a DTA which has plenty of room in the mag for loading long, they are nice in that sense.

what you need: New barrel chambered in 260. new brass, new bullets, new 260 dies, maybe new powder? It's easy going to 260 from 308.

I have seen tremendous accuracy in my 260, it shoots flatter and has about 1/3 less recoil than my 308. No problem tuning my gun and getting 1/2 MOA. I would say 1/4 as I have had entire groups where several rounds are in the same exact hole. But 1/4 MOA in a gun all the time is b.s. and kind of like saying you made love to a Unicorn. So far I have taken it out a little past 1400y with 142 grain SMK's and banging steel is not a problem. The barrel should last a long time, slightly longer than 6.5 Cred. But as I mentioned it's hard to find ammo for 260. In this case the 6.5 Cred you can find quality factory ammo usually.

.260 Remington - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Really it's a toss up. Honestly if you don't want to reload and even I have my lazy days then go with the 6.5 Cred. Hopefully the tides turn and more good match ammo for 260 comes on the market.

 

[Rob01]

The barrel should last a long time, slightly longer than 6.5 Cred.

And why is that?

 

[Sako man]

And why is that?

I believe there is more throat erosion on the 6.5 due in part to the case design and extreme angle of the shoulder on the Cred. Would be good to get a real expert to chime in

 

[6brshooter]

Just the opposite, sharp shoulders actually keep combustion in the case, as opposed to in the throat.

 

[PUNI5HER0311]

Awsome guys, thanks for all the information. Its going to help out a lot.

Happy holidays!

 

[high right]

I like the creedmoor better. In my experience it seems alot easier to find an accurate load and u have plenty of room in a standard ai mag to chase throats. I have a 260 also, it has been the most finicky rifle to find a load and keep in tune. My lapua 260 stamped brass is garbage in regards to nk concentricity. I shot nosler brass in it and all was fine, finally found lapua 260 brass . Nk thickness mikes .012-.016" on the same case. My nosler was all .013", very consistent. My 260 is a factory tikka sporter, shot good when new but at 1200 rds has a hard time keeping moa. My nosler brass got some donuts in them over8-10 firings . This is the first caliber i have got donuts in over20 yrs reloading . Anxious to change barrels to a different caliber.

I agree with br, lot#s of lapua brass suck! I sent new brass back to Lapua. They said yeah, the
Primer pockets are loose! The Creed IS the 260 done rite.mine is on a Bighorn, A-5.
Hard to keep tuned. I'm going 6.5x47. Great brass, easy to tune, accurate round.

 

[Sako man]

Just the opposite, sharp shoulders actually keep combustion in the case, as opposed to in the throat.

Ok, perhaps? and it was a theory that I had heard, just repeating. However I have read that the burnout rate on 6.5 Credmoremore vs. 260 is higher.

 

[6brshooter]

Sako man there probably going to be about the same barrel life between the two in reality. Alot of smart guys here claim better barrel life with sharper shoulder overbore cases. Think 243 vs 6 creedmoor. They say 1000 or so more rds out of a 6 creedmoor compared to 243. I doubt it is that much, probably more like 500. It is real hard to find exact duplicate barrels to test that theory. They would need to be exact to the microscopic level in terms of rifling,and also hardness. Having said that i still like a 243 fast twist over the other hot 6s, just because my smith has 243 reamers and 24 prefits for savages are available. Back to OP, u can go either caliber just as easy, my limited experience with 260 lapua brass and 2 yrs experience with hornady creedmoor brass makes me prefer creedmoor.

 

[Rob01]

Like 6br said you won't see much if any difference in barrel life and if any the sharper shoulder of the Creedmoor will give a small edge. But in the real world with that said, you are shooting the same powder, charge and bullet you will get similar life. Lots goes into barrel life. Shoot it hot and fast and it will go down. Shoot it with minimum charges at slow rates of fire and you will get more. Repeating things on the internet doesn't make them true. Just messes with people looking for good info. Something to think about

 

[Sako man]

Sako man there probably going to be about the same barrel life between the two in reality. Alot of smart guys here claim better barrel life with sharper shoulder overbore cases. Think 243 vs 6 creedmoor. They say 1000 or so more rds out of a 6 creedmoor compared to 243. I doubt it is that much, probably more like 500. It is real hard to find exact duplicate barrels to test that theory. They would need to be exact to the microscopic level in terms of rifling,and also hardness. Having said that i still like a 243 fast twist over the other hot 6s, just because my smith has 243 reamers and 24 prefits for savages are available. Back to OP, u can go either caliber just as easy, my limited experience with 260 lapua brass and 2 yrs experience with hornady creedmoor brass makes me prefer creedmoor.

Interesting commentary. I have read in many places that barrel life on 260 is longer than 6.5 Cred. And this was my reason for choosing 260. So to clarify, your saying between the two that there is no difference in life span? Not arguing, just trying to figure this out along with the rest of the herd.

Like 6br said you won't see much if any difference in barrel life and if any the sharper shoulder of the Creedmoor will give a small edge. But in the real world with that said, you are shooting the same powder, charge and bullet you will get similar life. Lots goes into barrel life. Shoot it hot and fast and it will go down. Shoot it with minimum charges at slow rates of fire and you will get more. Repeating things on the internet doesn't make them true. Just messes with people looking for good info. Something to think about

Ok, I appreciate everyones opinions here. And Rob, no disrespect, I'm sure we are all guilty of relaying information that we read on this forum. Please mind that I never stated that I was an expert in these matters. Look to the gneiss of the said rumor or misinformation to find the perpetrator. But I hear what your saying.

Thanks

 

[dtibbals]

I just took a 4 day precision class with my GAP 6.5CM running 140Amax loaded just like factory and was pounding steel out to 1227 yards or so no problem. I was blown away how little wind I had to dial/hold inside of 750 yards. I had a 308 and recently sold it...I don't see going back! 6.5CM is awesome!!!

 

[bas402]

Just do both of them! That's what I did in my DTA, I reload for my .260 but when I get lazy or a quick match I grab the CM and Hornady 140gr match ammo and off I go. That is one of the best thing I think about the 6.5 CM over the .260 because their ammo is very accurate!

 

[Genhawk]

6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent match cartridge. Been using it since 2008 and shooting factory 140 AMAX ammo in matches and it hasn't let me down at all. It will do as well as anything in matches and if you are still in the back of the pack it's not because of the round

I'm starting to think this quote is becoming extremely famous... Ken told me the exact line the other day when I was debating between .308 and 6.5 for my new GAP rifle.

You guys must hang out!