It is no secret that people love to hate the 6.5 Creedmoor. Why? Because it is almost too good at what it was designed to do, shoot long-range.
It introduced a whole new methodology in the cartridge world that changed the market. Hornady proved that velocity isn’t everything and that an efficient cartridge, with the properly designed bullet, could outperform barrel-burning, shoulder wrenching magnum cartridges down range.
The 6.5 Creedmoor has skyrocketed in popularity over the last five years and was the most popular rifle cartridge in 2022, surpassing legends like the .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, and even the .22 LR. It isn’t the fastest or flattest by any means. In fact, the cartridge looks pretty mediocre ballistically compared to some others on the market, including other 6.5s.
While Hornady’s genius marketing could be to blame for its path to the top, the excellent factory ammo choices available aren’t hurting its reputation. There are a seemingly endless number of factory rifles available in the chambering. When combined with quality ammo, even the lowest-budget rifles are shooting sub-MOA. There has never been a better time to jump on the 6.5 Creedmoor bandwagon.
At the same time, hunters who have embraced the 6.5 CM are taking deer sized game at solid distances with reliability and confidence using short-action rifles.
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Where Did the 6.5 Creedmoor Come From?
The 6.5 Creedmoor was developed by Hornady’s Senior Ballistic Scientist, Dave Emary, and Dennis DeMillie, way back in 2007. A year later, it hit the market and was off to a rather slow start. Its initial popularity was in the match shooting world, but it wasn’t until almost ten years later, when the hunting community took hold of it, that it really took off.
Designed to be a short or standard action cartridge, the 6.5 Creedmoor casing was made by shortening, necking down, and improving the 30 Thompson Center(30 TC) cartridge.
The Creedmoor was designed to load long and ballistically efficient bullets to their maximum effectiveness, eliminating the need to seat them deep within the case, which negatively affects powder capacity. Initial factory loadings included 120 and 140-grain bullets moving at 2850 and 2750 fps, respectively.
This was a new mentality as far as cartridge development goes. Relying on the bullet to do the work instead of the velocity. While it is a rather slow cartridge to start, the highly efficient bullets maintain that velocity down range well. The result was a low-recoiling, highly effective cartridge that could do just about anything asked of it. That is the exact reason that it has taken the market by storm.
Another reason this cartridge has been as successful as it has been is the available factory offerings. Right from the gate, 6.5 Creedmoor owners could achieve match accuracy, previously reserved for meticulous reloaders, using off-the-shelf ammo.
You can attribute this to a couple of things, primarily that the cartridge was designed to be easy to work with. A quick conversation with anyone who reloads for 6.5 Creedmoor will tell you that there are very few load recipes that don’t shoot lights out.
The Hornady team not only knocked it out of the park with the cartridge, but they also found a very appropriate name to call it. The name Creedmoor has been synonymous with long-range target shooting and marksmanship since the initial Creedmoor competition was held in 1874. Thus, many shooters immediately recognized that this cartridge must be designed to perform at long range.
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Why People Love to Hate the 6.5 Creedmoor: It’s Too Easy
The 6.5 Creedmoor is the third most searched rifle cartridge at the moment, only being outdone by the timeless 22 LR and 223/5.56. This isn’t by accident. People love it. The ballistics of the 6.5 Creedmoor lend it to being one of the easiest cartridges to shoot out at any distance. Gone are the days of spending hours and hours at the reloading bench trying to get half MOA groups. Now you can have those results with a box of off-the-shelf.
The 6.5mm diameter bullet has always been known for its excellent aerodynamics and flight characteristics. Going back all the way to the timeless 6.5 Swede, the 6.5 has been a well-respected cartridge everywhere.
Well, everywhere but the United States. Americans have always been hesitant to adopt 6.5-calibers. The 260 Remington showed moderate success when it came to market in 1997 but still never rose to the level of our favorite 30-calibers.
That’s not to say that they didn’t take hold in their own little circles. 6.5’s were loved and adored by the long-range target shooting crowd; it just took a while to be accepted by the general public. In many ways, the 6.5 Creedmoor’s widescale adoption may have opened up the floodgates for manufacturers to develop more 6.5s.
Aside from being able to reach out at distance with ease, the 6.5 Creedmoor is also one of the most pleasurable recoiling cartridges out there today. Feeling very similar to a 243 Winchester, it is easy to shoot and the perfect cartridge to introduce new shooters to. I recently attended a long-range hunting course with Guardian Precision and put 100 rounds through my 6.5 Creedmoor and my shoulder wasn’t even the slightest bit tender.
With a standard factory loading, the 6.5 Creedmoor boasts 11.87 ft-lbs of recoil energy. That number alone really doesn’t tell us a whole lot. Over 15 ft-lbs of recoil energy is when things begin to get difficult, and it becomes hard to spot your impact through the scope.
To compare it to another popular long-range cartridge, the 308 Winchester has over 18 ft-lbs of recoil—another look at why the 6.5 Creedmoor is so popular.
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6.5 Creedmoor as a Hunting Cartridge
As mentioned previously, the 6.5 Creedmoor has taken the hunting market by storm. Everyone knows someone who has or hunts with a 6.5 Creedmoor. It is well on its way to cementing itself as one of those classic hunting cartridges you can count on.
It is about as perfect a deer cartridge as you can get and will even do a number on elk with a well-placed shot and the right bullet. Its wind-bucking, high ballistic coefficient bullets make hunting antelope on the windy high plains much easier. Using deep penetrating bullets, the Scandinavians preferred the 6.5 Swede when hunting moose in the thick forests found there. The 6.5 Creedmoor is right there with the timeless Swede.
The Creedmoor has almost single-handedly replaced the 243 Winchester as the caliber of choice for first-time hunters. Its low recoil, combined with its excellent ballistics, make it a perfect option for women and youth shooters.
The 243 has held this spot for a long time and is slowly being overshadowed. A youth hunter can grow up in the east with a 6.5 Creedmoor, knowing that he can use that same rifle to hunt western big game if he so chooses.
When I decided to build my wife a hunting rifle, I built her a Remington Model 7 chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. With that rifle, she has hunted and killed whitetail deer, mule deer, and antelope. All but the antelope were one-shot kills, and that one was due to a bad-range call on my part and required a follow-up shot.
The 6.5 Creedmoor is a more than capable hunting cartridge for medium game and okay for large game with the right shot placement. It will continue to be one of the most popular hunting cartridges on the market for years to come. Its mild recoil, ability to shoot long-range, and vast array of factory ammo options make it the perfect choice for a new rifle hunter.
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Popular Rifles That Shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor
Springfield Model 2020 Waypoint
$2,327.99
The Springfield Model 2020 Waypoint is as good as it gets for stock bolt action rifles. Lightweight in every way imaginable, including a carbon fiber stock and barrel, this was built for the mountains. No shortcuts were taken with this rifle and the trigger is a good indication of that.
The TriggerTech is adjustable from 2.5 to 5 pounds, sporting a clean and crisp break. Their new Model 2020 Redline is even lighter yet.
SIG Sauer Cross PRS
$2,499.99
SIG Sauer lit the market on fire with their Cross rifle that was released in early 2020. Using an aluminum receiver combined with a barrel extension for lockup, the action is strong and lightweight.
When customers asked for a model made specifically for Precision Rifle Series(PRS) competitions, they answered and brought this workhorse to market. At 14.2 lbs, the 6.5 Creedmoor will be all that more pleasurable to shoot.
Ruger Precision Rifle
$1,795.99
The Ruger Precision Rifle is a 10.7-pound hammer that is made for long-range accuracy. Using an AR-compatible stock design, the sky is the limit as far as customization is concerned. It sports an M-LOK free-float handguard that is ready for any accessories that you might find necessary.
The barrel can quickly be swapped out using an action wrench and a set of headspace gauges.
Bergara HMR
$999.99
The Bergara HMR rifle is built on their trusted B-14 action and utilizes their world-renowned barrels. It sits securely in a synthetic stock that utilizes a mini-chassis guaranteeing repeatable results when the rifle is removed from the stock. The HMR(Hunting Match Rifle) bridges the gap between hunting and ultra-accurate match rifle.
Savage Axis II
$341.99
The Savage Axis II is a budget-friendly model that is made for hunting. It utilizes a 22-inch sporter weight barrel and weighs 8.6 pounds. Despite the low-cost nature of this rifle, it still utilizes Savage’s legendary Accutrigger, hitting above its class. Being a Savage, you can expect good accuracy out of the box.
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Is the 6.5 Creedmoor Here to Stay
Every year the 6.5 Creedmoor surprises me. Just when I think it has hit its peak sales numbers and will begin to wane in popularity, it keeps on growing. While I have a hard time believing it will ever go away, sales have to slow down at some point, right? There are so many quality factory ammo and rifle options available for the caliber that it only propels it forward.
The 6.5 Creedmoor does a lot of things well and is probably one of the most well-balanced cartridges out there at the moment. It isn’t the fastest, flattest, or hardest-hitting, but users don’t seem to care.
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