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6.5 Creedmoor vs 7mm-08 vs 270

MNElkNut

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To start out with, I am a 7mm-08 guy. But for giggles, I went to Federal's website and compared 140 grain Accubonds from all 3 calibers. What I found kind of surprised me. Before you read on, rank them in order for drop and velocity just for fun.

Got them ranked in your head yet?

Most of you will get it right, but I had never really looked at the 6.5C. It is dead last by what I think is a pretty good margin out to 500 yards. I understand that it may start looking better after 500 yards, but boy was I surprised given all the hype you hear about it. Just thought it was interesting.
 
To start out with, I am a 7mm-08 guy. But for giggles, I went to Federal's website and compared 140 grain Accubonds from all 3 calibers. What I found kind of surprised me. Before you read on, rank them in order for drop and velocity just for fun.

Got them ranked in your head yet?

Most of you will get it right, but I had never really looked at the 6.5C. It is dead last by what I think is a pretty good margin out to 500 yards. I understand that it may start looking better after 500 yards, but boy was I surprised given all the hype you hear about it. Just thought it was interesting.
Over 500y is why it was developed. It was designed to be a long-range target shooting cartridge for use with long for caliber projectiles and matching twists. Was never designed to be a magic hunting cartridge. It's fine, but so was the .260 Rem.
 
Over 500y is why it was developed. It was designed to be a long-range target shooting cartridge for use with long for caliber projectiles and matching twists. Was never designed to be a magic hunting cartridge. It's fine, but so was the .260 Rem.
And then...... Regular hunters bought it and became badass long range big game killers. Funny. mtmuley
 
It’s a great little cartridge for target shooting, mid-size game to sane distances, and acceptable for big game to reasonable distances (it has near identical ballistics to a 6.5 Swede that has been used for stag, moose, etc for years, but in a true short action), but the .270 and 7-08 pack more punch and actually shoot flatter at regular hunting distances. I don’t hate it at all, would actually like to have one (always wanted a .260, but most have slower twists, and Creedmoor ammo and brass is usually more ubiquitous), but I laugh at the claims of magical powers and laser flat trajectories that defy physics. Several fanboys and their attitude about it have made it downright embarrassing to discuss at times.
 
And then...... Regular hunters bought it and became badass long range big game killers. Funny. mtmuley
Why goooooooooolly (said like Gomer Pile) I replaced my 12 gauge slug gun with a 6.5CM and went from making 60 yard long kill shots to 600 yard long kill shots. Why that there 6.5CM is the best invention since the wheel!
 
I didn’t realize several inches of drop and 100 FPS difference at 500 yards was significant. I must not read enough gun articles, because I can’t figure out why some people are so bothered by a Creedmoor. It’s essentially the same gun as a 7-08. Whatever floats your boat.
 
I killed an antelope last fall so much deader than dead, like I mean way dead, like unbelievably so, with the 6.5. It was an amazing shot, beyond belief, despite the confusingly moderate altitude, excess sunshine, and distracting scenery. That bullet even passed all the way through, like an unstoppable freight train, probably still going, long for caliber and fully asleep on its way to fulfill its true purpose of circling the globe, traveling millions of yards into orbit and back until next season so it can overkill again like Lucifer’s Hammer.

Thank god I left my 7-08 in the truck for that particular stalk, lord knows what might have happened. It probably would have bounced off the hide (if I hit it at all) and it’s likely I’d have been very slightly bruised with my own ricochet.

😜
 
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I am not a long range shooter. Do like to plink at long ranges and used to shoot out to 500yds once in a while but I havethis idea that these inch's of flatter trajectory are totally meaningless if the shooter doesn't have exceptional long range shooting skills to start with Shoot, most anyone can pull it off now and then but to do it consistently is a whole new game! Matching the 6.5CM up against the 7mm-08 might be a reasonable match but against the 270? Should be quite a bit more velocity in the 270 and not that much less BC I'd think. Seem's to me that it's apples and oranges! If the 6.5CM is really all that great, imagine the 6.5x55 in a modern rifle or the 6.5x06, all using the same bullet's with the right twist. You put the 6.5x55 in a modern action and it's a dog of a different color!

Now not to look down o the Creedmoor but the cartridge I read that was designed for long range target was the 260 Carmichael got the credit for it but I think it was out there before Carmichael as the 263 Express. People really cut a lot of fine hairs talking about cartridge's!
 
It’s a great little cartridge for target shooting, mid-size game to sane distances, and acceptable for big game to reasonable distances (it has near identical ballistics to a 6.5 Swede that has been used for stag, moose, etc for years, but in a true short action), but the .270 and 7-08 pack more punch and actually shoot flatter at regular hunting distances. I don’t hate it at all, would actually like to have one (always wanted a .260, but most have slower twists, and Creedmoor ammo and brass is usually more ubiquitous), but I laugh at the claims of magical powers and laser flat trajectories that defy physics. Several fanboys and their attitude about it have made it downright embarrassing to discuss at times.
You decide you want to deal on a 260 let me know, I’ve been considering an upgrade... I got lucky with one of the 700’s with a 1:8 twist. Plus we can meet halfway 😂
 
“I have four 6.5 Creedmoors”

Don’t any of you y’all listen to Elk Talk Live? 🤪 Randy dropped this gem in the latest episode.
 
You decide you want to deal on a 260 let me know, I’ve been considering an upgrade... I got lucky with one of the 700’s with a 1:8 twist. Plus we can meet halfway 😂
I may be interested in the near future. PM with details if you are serious
 
In this day and age of rangefinders and ways for compensating for drop (turrets and/or reticle) to me it's more about windage...

With the appropriate bullets, I can't think of any critter I'd hunt with one of the cartridges in the OP that I wouldn't with the others...
 
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