6.5 Creedmoor questions

[criticalbass]

Big life changes have kept me busy this year, but I'm back and have developed an interest in the 6.5 mm Creedmoor.

I am considering either the high end Ruger or Savage with some premium glass.

Who here has experience with this caliber, and what recommendations would you offer?

 

[rc508pir]

I have been developing an interest in 6.5cr too. More so my daughter than me. She out growing her 243win

 

[Biggsly]

I had a chance to play with the Savage. I also own the Ruger. I like the Ruger more than the Savage.

 

[Glocker]

You can buy a .308 barrel for the ruger if you chose to change calibers, even custom ones
from LRI and others.
The caliber is great. Accurate short and far. You can buy factory ammo or roll your own.
Lapua brass soon to be out.

 

[Jcann]

Don't know if you're dead set on a 6.5 Creed or like the ballistic but a Tikka T3 in 260 Rem is a fantastic start. Most will shoot MOA or less out of the box. Copper Creek Ammo and ABM Ammo make match grade ammo with Berger bullets and if you want to roll your own Lapua brass is available

 

[doctorjj]

I've got a custom Surgeon in an AI chassis in 6.5 creedmoor. It will shoot an honest .25" with factory Hornady 140gr. I'm a huge fan of the Vortex Razor HD Gen 2 4.5-27x56 that I have on it.

 

[MoBoost]

If you don't reload - 6.5Creed is very hard to argue with.
If you do reload - 6.5x47 Lapua beats it in every way possible - efficiency, barrel life, recoil, etc etc etc
If you reload for 6.5Creed - I guess, sorry you missed the point of the existence of the cartridge

Optics would highly depend on intended use.

Ruger offers a very complete turn-key package - but you can build twice the rifle based on a Savage for the same money - aka premium chassis, premium barrel, premium trigger.

 

[7stw]

It's a great round. I've acquired a lot of parts for an upcoming build for my wife. She wants something that will work for up to caribou (we're planning a move to Alaska). Lapua has finally started producing brass. This was her choice in calibers. I pushed a 260 terminator or 6.5x47 lapua I feel both offer advantages over the creedmoor but it's her build not mine. It's going to me a medium weight hunting rig. Remington 700 action holland recoil lug timmney trigger Hawkins dbm benchmark 1:8.5 twist varmint contour barrel with a Hawkins 3 port break set in an hs precision stock. I've got an extra kahles 2.5-10 that I'll mount in talley rings. Waiting on the barrels to be back in stock so I can take it to the smith. Should have it built and a load developed by early summer.


Sent from NSA wire tapped device.

 

[Jcann]

Here are a couple good articles

http://demigodllc.com/articles/6.5-shootout-260-6.5x47-6.5-creedmoor/

http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/65x47/

It's hard to suggest rifle/cartridge without knowing its primary use. Personally I wouldn't choose the Ruger RPR for a hunting rifle. But it will work just fine. Savage makes a fine rifle. My sons 260 shoots 140gr Berger Hybrids at 2887fps, accuracy is <1/2 MOA @ 100yds. He has had no issues shooting a 10" steel plate 850yds away. It's a box stock Savage Predator Max 1 but it's mainly used for hunting. I bought him the savage because I got a good deal on it and he wanted a lighter recoiling rifle. I can push a 140gr bullet faster than I'm shooting it now but I don't feel like chasing another accuracy node.

The 6.5 Creed probably would not have come about if Remington would have better managed their 260. MoBoost is correct about the 6.5x47 but I see this cartridge more as a competition round rather than a hunting round. This is where it's advantages lie, ease and cost of reloading, barrel life, etc. If I'm hunting deer, antelope, or elk with a 6.5 chambering (in these three calibers) I'm shooting 130/140gr bullets and the 6.5x47 will push the pressure limits to try and match the performance of the 260 Rem.

If I was to purchase another 6.5, I would go with the 260 Rem. I'm already set up to reload it, I don't shoot competitions, and the Creed holds no advantage over it.

My choice in rifle would probably be Tikka. They're known for their box stock accuracy, there's okay/good aftermarket support, and, let's face it, they're not butt ugly like a Savage (although Savage makes a fine rifle the lay person can build on).

 

[criticalbass]

After considerable research, I decided on a Savage Predator hunter with a Vortex Viper HS-T 6-24 x 50 scope. Have the rifle, waiting for the scope and a few other accessories. High end Savage and Ruger rifles were too heavy for me. I won't be entering competition, just shooting paper, deer, coyotes, hogs, etc. Hope to be able to kill 'em out to around 500 yards. Have some brass coming, but will start with some commercial ammo until I determine the best loads for this particular rifle.