6.5 Creedmoor

History

The 6.5 Creedmoor was developed by Hornady senior ballistics scientist Dave Emary in partnership with Dennis DeMille of Creedmoor Sports and introduced by Hornady in 2007. The concept arose from discussions at the 2005 National Matches at Camp Perry where competitive shooters sought an off the shelf short action cartridge capable of matching or exceeding .308 Winchester long range performance with reduced recoil, good barrel life and factory ammunition that could win matches without the loading inconsistencies of wildcats such as the 6XC.

Emary selected the .30 TC case as the parent due to its capacity being well suited to 140 grain class 6.5mm projectiles and its short enough length to allow long ogive high BC bullets to remain within short action magazine limits. The resulting cartridge was named the 6.5 Creedmoor after the historic Creedmoor range. Hornady initially offered 120 grain and 140 grain A-Max loads with the 120 grain producing around 3020fps and the 140 grain around 2820fps from 28” test barrels. SAAMI standardization followed shortly thereafter.

The cartridge gained rapid acceptance in competitive circles for high power, PRS style and F-Class shooting before crossing over into hunting use. Factory rifles from numerous manufacturers and a wide range of factory ammunition became readily available. Brass is produced by multiple makers including Hornady, Lapua, Peterson and others. At this time of writing the 6.5 Creedmoor remains one of the most popular short action 6.5mm cartridges worldwide.

Performance

The 6.5 Creedmoor essentially duplicates the performance of the 6.5x55 and .260 Remington. From a 24” barrel typical working velocities are 3000fps with 120 grain bullets and 2700 to 2800fps with 140 grain bullets. From 22” barrels velocities fall to around 2950fps with 120 grain and 2700fps with 140 grain projectiles. These figures place the Creedmoor firmly in the same class as the other mild 6.5s.

With light 120 grain bullets hand loaded to between 2950 and 3000fps the Creedmoor is a fast killer on lighter medium game. Most 120 grain conventional bullets produce limited penetration therefore this bullet weight is not particularly well suited to larger bodied game, though adequate results can be achieved using the 120 grain Barnes TTSX or similar monolithic designs. That said, the wounding performance of monos diminishes as velocity falls away.

The 140 grain bullet is the most versatile weight. Hand loaded to 2700fps, this combination produces the best balance of wounding versus penetration. Nevertheless, regardless of high BC’s and SD’s, the Creedmoor can be a slow killer at ranges beyond 200 yards. Conventional projectiles, regardless of SD, often fail to produce deep penetration. The 6.5 Creedmoor is simply not in the same class as the .270 which it is often compared to, regardless of hype.

At ranges beyond 200 yards the hunter should aim to break the foreleg bones of game. Both rear lung and neck shots often result in very slow killing at extended ranges. With care to shot placement the Creedmoor gives excellent results, so much so that it is all too easy to become lulled into a false sense of security. It is therefore not unusual to have a string of successes followed by an abysmal failure after neglecting the above mentioned shot placement.

Factory ammunition is generally of high quality and produces consistent accuracy in modern rifles. This has contributed greatly to the cartridge’s popularity among both competitive shooters and hunters who prefer not to hand load. Performance on game mirrors that of the Swede and .260 when velocities are matched. Conventional hunting loads produced acceptable results on lighter medium game out to ordinary hunting ranges. Premium projectiles work well on larger bodied deer, out to moderate ranges when driven into shoulder bones. Soft projectiles such as the ELD-M produce wide wounding on lighter medium game out to generous ranges.

Factory Ammunition

Hornady offer several loads. The Precision Hunter 143 grain ELD-X is listed at 2700fps from a 24” test barrel. Match loads include the 120 grain ELD Match at 2910fps, the 140 grain ELD Match at 2710fps and the 147 grain ELD Match at 2695fps. Superformance loads push the 120 grain CX to 3050fps while the American Whitetail 129 grain Interlock is listed at 2820fps and the American Gunner 140 grain BTHP at 2690fps. The 129 grain SST Superformance is also available at approximately 2950fps. In shorter 18 to 22” barrels, velocities commonly drop by 50 to 100fps or more from the published 24” test barrel figures.

The ELD-X and similar polymer tipped hunting projectiles are extremely useful on lighter to medium game when matched to the job at hand. The performance of the ELD-X falls very much in line with the SST (see 6.5x55). Other conventional soft points and core bonded designs perform in line with the same bullets in the 6.5x55 and .260. As with the other mild 6.5s, factory loads are limited by muzzle velocity and the inherent restrictions of the 6.5mm bore diameter. The 147 grain grain ELD-M is the optimum choice for distance killing. If the job cannot be done with this bullet, one should seek a larger bore diameter.

Federal list the Terminal Ascent 130 grain at 2800fps, the Gold Medal 140 grain Sierra MatchKing at 2675fps and the Gold Medal Berger 130 grain Hybrid OTM at 2875fps. Fusion loads are available around 2715 to 2725fps with 140 grain bullets. Newer +Peak alloy case loads increase velocities substantially (Terminal Ascent 130 grain claimed at 2950 to 3100fps) while remaining compatible with standard 6.5 Creedmoor chambers. Although advertised as a long range load, the Terminal Ascent bullet is very tough and therefore reliant on speed to generate wounds. It is an acceptable choice for close to moderate range work on tough animals, but is unsuitable for distance work regardless of its ability to mushroom at lower speeds. Long dead runs are par for the course if using this bullet at extended ranges. For best results, the Terminal Ascent should be used out to moderate ranges only, utilizing center or forward shoulder shot placement. The 140 grain Fusion though different in design, behaves in a similar manner. A good choice for larger bodied deer or boar out to moderate ranges only.

Nosler Trophy Grade ammunition features the 140 grain AccuBond at 2650fps. Barnes VOR-TX loads the 120 grain TTSX at around 2910fps. Winchester offer the 140 grain Ballistic Silvertip at 2700fps along with Deer Season XP and Power-Point options in the 129 to 140 grain range at similar velocities. Remington produce Core-Lokt and Premier loads in the 130 to 140 grain class, typically in the 2700 to 2800fps range. Sellier & Bellot, Norma, Fiocchi and others also load 120 to 156 grain soft points and FMJ practice ammunition at velocities generally between 2450 and 2750fps depending on bullet weight.

Of these loads, The Ballistic Tip and Deer season XP produce the widest wounds, noting that the Creedmoor does not produce a great deal of energy. Both are well suited to light to mid weight deer species. The Accubond by comparison is rather tough. This is a definite go-to for the likes of wild pigs, provided one does not push ranges too far. The 120 grain TTSX meets the various lead free state regulations. This can be quite a spectacular killer at close to moderate ranges. The key factor with this load is to not push it too far as is the case with any tough projectile, especially when used in the smallest calibers.

Hand Loading

The 6.5 Creedmoor is straightforward to hand load. Best results are obtained with medium slow burning powders in the H4350 range. Generally speaking, hunting rifles (without taking specific barrel lengths into account) achieve 2900fps with 120 grain bullets and 2650 to 2700fps with 140 to 147 grain bullets.

Brass is widely available and of high quality. Case capacity is slightly less than the 6.5x55 but velocities are within the same range. A twist rate of 1:8 stabilizes the full range of 120 to 147 grain bullets extremely well.

Bullet performance is identical to that discussed throughout the other 6.5 texts when velocities are matched. Conventional designs such the ELD-X and SST produce acceptable results on lighter medium game at ordinary hunting ranges. But if tough animals are to be hunted, I suggest using the 140 grain Nosler Partition or Accubond including the ABLR, out to moderate ranges where energy remains high. Moreover, I thoroughly recommend the practice of dual loading - a stout projectile for close to moderate range work and a weak projectile such as the 140 grain A-Max (now ELD-M) for distance killing where the energy of the Creedmoor is rather low in order to minimize slow kills and dead runs.

Closing Comments

The 6.5 Creedmoor has achieved widespread popularity due to the combination of excellent factory ammunition, ready availability of accurate rifles and suitability for both competition and hunting of lighter medium game. Ballistically it offers no meaningful advantage over a full power hand loaded 6.5x55 or .260 Remington. Its primary strengths lie in the modern rifle platforms combined with full power factory loads, optimized throat geometry and readily available commercial components.

For hunters seeking a mild recoiling accurate cartridge for light to mid sized deer, the Creedmoor is an acceptable choice. Those seeking greater versatility or performance on larger body weights will find the limitations of the 6.5mm bore diameter remain the same regardless of the case that drives it.

More information on this subject can be found in my book, the Practical Guide To Long Range Hunting Cartridges.