6x45 or 6.5 Creedmoor

[ImTheSouthpaw]

I'm interested in purchasing my first bolt action rifle.

I have it narrowed down to the factory rifle (Savage B10 Stealth Left Hand).
I am debating between choosing my first chambering: 6x45 rebarrel or 6.5 Creedmoor.
I could get the .223 and rebarrel with a Shilen pre-fit chambered for 6x45 or buy the rifle from the factory in 6.5 CM.

I am interested in target shooting and getting into precision and long range shooting. Possibly varmint maybe deer, although I would rather use a more handy second rifle for hunting. Prone target shooting is the primary interest. Somewhat interested in competitive shooting in the future.

This will also be my entry into reloading.

Should I go for a .223/6x45 rebarrel for a varmint/target rifle that uses cheap and common reloading components?
Or should I go for an off -the-shelf 6.5 CM to learn and improve upon? Factory ammunition is not a major concern since I plan on developing loads and only shooting my own.

Any advice is welcome and appreciated! Thank you!

 

[spife7980]

If you want "long range" absolutely 6.5 creed given the choice between the two.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

The two cartridges are apples to oranges. Not really intended for the same purposes, and the 6x45 can't push the high BC 6mm bullets fast enough for any real gains over heavy .224's for longer range shooting, much less fit the long 6mm's in a magazine. Not sure if a semi-wildcat is the best place to dive into handloading either.

 

[SubOptimal]

I would go with the 6.5 CM option. So much good factory ammo available for it and prices are in the moderate category. Lapua makes brass for it now and the reloading is very straight forward with all sorts of loads to play with from mild to stuff I would only consider shooting in a proof barrel. Do be aware that reloading is a religion unto itself. You will easily wind up with more $$ on your reloading bench than you have in your rifle and will only be making incremental gains over the factory stuff. Meanwhile, you are burning barrel life to chase groups down from 0.375 to 0.300, both easily done with factory match loads.
If shooting is your thing, reloading is a chore you don't need. If reloading is your thing, the rifle is only a tool to improve your loads. I prefer shooting.

 

[TC308]

6.5CM no question. What would even be a benefit of the 6x45?

 

[shadow01]

Just went through a similar process, but with a bit more experience in LR and reloading. The 6.5CM IMO is the best choice. Hornady 140 ELDs are almost cheaper than reloading, and the once fired brass is a bonus, should you want to try pushing your reloads out a bit faster past 1000 yards..

 

[steve123]

6x45 for farting around, I could see using it for certain types of training like barricades or positional or even medium range varminting. 6.5 Creed for getting serious, much better in the wind and more energy.

 

[Wannashootit]

Just went through a similar process, but with a bit more experience in LR and reloading. The 6.5CM IMO is the best choice. Hornady 140 ELDs are almost cheaper than reloading, and the once fired brass is a bonus, should you want to try pushing your reloads out a bit faster past 1000 yards..

At around $1.50 / round (140 ELD's $29 box at Midway) still nearly 3x the cost of rolling your own (not including initial equipment cost...)
I load 300+ rounds for myself and my sons for every range outing- and factory match ammo is utterly unaffordable. It's not just about optimizing loads/accuracy -and it's about being able to send a lot of lead downrange (trigger time= experience= proficiency) without going broke.

The 6.5 is clearly the choice here, but for any shooter wanting to shoot long-range, reloading is mandatory unless ammo cost is no object IMHO.

 

[Vmaxed]

From a guy that owns both, it really is an apples to oranges comparison. With hat said, I do shoot 105gr in my 6x45 and they do fit in MDT and AM at an OAL of 2.485" 10 thous off the lands. I get about 2650 fps from a 20" bbl, but don't believe you could ever make it compete with the CM any way you slice it. But doing that with the 105gr with 24ish grains of powder is a hoot. Ballistics are similar to a 308 shooting 175grs. I haven't really even started reloading for the CM, but like others said, I never found a factory ammo that wasn't accurate. Some of the most accurate was the cheap American Gunner from Hornady. To choose one of those two, I think you reall have to consider the realistic ranges you'll shoot it at and its purpose.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

they do fit in MDT and AM at an OAL of 2.485" 10 thous off the lands.

My bad, I always think in semi auto terms, even when posting in the bolt gun sub forum.
I am curious how the OP narrowed his choices down to these two very different cartridges though.

 

[Steel+Killer]

Hornady makes really good factory 6.5CM ammo, but so does Prime @ around $26.00/box hard to beat price wise and the brass from what I understand is made by Norma.

 

[ImTheSouthpaw]

My bad, I always think in semi auto terms, even when posting in the bolt gun sub forum.
I am curious how the OP narrowed his choices down to these two very different cartridges though.

This is how I narrowed things down to two very different cartridges:
6x45 using cheap brass and better bullets as a step up from .223. A lightweight rifle for medium range varmint or targets. The economy of the cartridge is the big attraction.
6.5 Creedmoor as the obvious first choice for accuracy, availability and range without picking up a complete barrel burner.
I realize how different the two cartridges are in every sense.
6.5 Creedmoor is what I will probably end up getting, although I still have an esoteric attraction of sorts to 6x45 for experimentation's sake.

 

[ImTheSouthpaw]

From a guy that owns both, it really is an apples to oranges comparison.

I'm not comparing the two cartridges. I'm choosing between two cartridges for two applications.
Sorry I wasn't very clear on that.

 

[ImTheSouthpaw]

Thanks for the recommendations guys!

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Have you considered 223 AI as an alternative to the 6x45? All my number crunching shows the heavy .224's driven fast being superior to the mid/heavy 6mm's driven at moderate velocities. And the bullets are cheap.

 

[FatBoy]

The 6.5 is clearly the choice here, but for any shooter wanting to shoot long-range, reloading is mandatory unless ammo cost is no object IMHO.

^ this.

 

[Dai Bando]

Have you considered 223 AI as an alternative to the 6x45? All my number crunching shows the heavy .224's driven fast being superior to the mid/heavy 6mm's driven at moderate velocities. And the bullets are cheap.

This.

75 ELD's at 3,150 aint no joke.

6x45 would be fun though.

 

[TexasEric]

I'm interested in purchasing my first bolt action rifle.

I have it narrowed down to the factory rifle (Savage B10 Stealth Left Hand).
I am debating between choosing my first chambering: 6x45 rebarrel or 6.5 Creedmoor.
I could get the .223 and rebarrel with a Shilen pre-fit chambered for 6x45 or buy the rifle from the factory in 6.5 CM.

I am interested in target shooting and getting into precision and long range shooting. Possibly varmint maybe deer, although I would rather use a more handy second rifle for hunting. Prone target shooting is the primary interest. Somewhat interested in competitive shooting in the future.

This will also be my entry into reloading.

Should I go for a .223/6x45 rebarrel for a varmint/target rifle that uses cheap and common reloading components?
Or should I go for an off -the-shelf 6.5 CM to learn and improve upon? Factory ammunition is not a major concern since I plan on developing loads and only shooting my own.

Any advice is welcome and appreciated! Thank you!

Sorry to thread jack, I am currently looking at the rifle you have chosen in 6.5 CM. What other rifles did you look at? And what got you to settle on this one. I have thread going about entry level precision rifles. Your input would be appreciated.

 

[Citius7]

The 6mm x 45 isn't that cheap as far as bullet choices are concerned. If you do go with a "lightweight" 6 x 45mm it won't be the best trainer rifle due to barrel heat up and POI shift. Go get ur CM and use a 223 wylde to practice on. We run Bighorn TL3 and have our match barrels in 6mm wildcats and use our 223 wylde to practice on. U practice on a pencil barrel and you'll be walking 3 inches before your second 10 round volley. Then u gotta wait wait wait wait wait. Not a training session anymore. Just a hurry up and wait.

 

[knockemdown]

I have a 6x45AI that pushes a 95VLD @ 2840 from only a 22" barrel. Figure that'd be easily over 2900 from a 26" tube, not too shabby from ~25gr of powder burnt. My shorty barreled 6x45AI already hangs pretty good @ mid-range with a 75Amax @ 3100 from my (26") .223AI. And the larger 6mm bullets do certainly make for more impact signature on steel.

Another benefit of necking UP .223Rem brass to 6mm is that it allows for legal hunting in some states that have min. caliber requirements. A bullet like the 80TTSX is a heckouva deer/coyote killer, too...

From a purely practical standpoint, .224 cal. bullets will always be cheaper than 6mm. Just grabbed several thousand 75Amaxs for ~$16/100. But the 6x45 and AI upgrade are no slouches in the mid-range performance dept.

6x45 is a great cartridge to wet one's feet with wildcatting. A simple pass thru a FL die, and you're good to go! Just make sure your 'smith chambers a 1:8twist barrel with enough freebore to run the mid-heavy bullets seated nearer to 2.450-2.500" mag length, so the bullet is not unduly infringing upon case capacity...

Have fun!

 

[NLS7162]

Knockemdown,
Would you mind contacting me via PM. I have some questions about the 6x45AI. Thanks

 

[NewsShooter]

At around $1.50 / round (140 ELD's $29 box at Midway) still nearly 3x the cost of rolling your own (not including initial equipment cost...)
I load 300+ rounds for myself and my sons for every range outing- and factory match ammo is utterly unaffordable. It's not just about optimizing loads/accuracy -and it's about being able to send a lot of lead downrange (trigger time= experience= proficiency) without going broke.

The 6.5 is clearly the choice here, but for any shooter wanting to shoot long-range, reloading is mandatory unless ammo cost is no object IMHO.

It's usually cheaper than $29/box, SG ammo has it for 23.95 now, or you can buy Prime for $26 and sell the brass for .50/piece and your cost is about .70.round. When you figure in time spent prepping brass and loading it doesn't look so bad