6.5 Creedmoor vs .260 Rem

[243HogHunter]

What are your thoughts on these two cartridges? Is there any real advantage with the creedmoor? I will reload for both of them so i'm not worried about the price or availability of factory ammo. I did not have much time too look at both of the rounds but with the .260 launching a 139gr scenar with a BC of .615 at around 2900 fps, and the availability of lapua brass it sounds like this is going to be hard to beat. ???

 

[15Tango]

They're pretty much identical in terms of performance, Creed's a tad more efficient especially at mag length. Lapua's 260 brass is perfect for either cartridge. You can push a 140 over 2900 in either cartridge, with R17 you can push them past 3000 with a long barrel.

 

[brian427cobra]

I shoot a Surgeon Action Bartlein 1-8 260Rem in sniper matches, I chose 260 over 6.5x47 and 6.5 CM because of single source of brass turns me off, I can buy 243 260 and 7-08 brass and I'm good to go, my chamber started life with a 139 Scenar seated at 2.150 Ojive length at the lands, now after 1700 rounds I'm at 2.223 Ojive length, I don't push my loads very hard, 139's at 2800 work great, I expect to set back my barrel around 2500 rounds.

 

[bowslngr]

I shoot a Surgeon Action Bartlein 1-8 260Rem in sniper matches, I chose 260 over 6.5x47 and 6.5 CM because of single source of brass turns me off, I can buy 243 260 and 7-08 brass and I'm good to go, my chamber started life with a 139 Scenar seated at 2.150 Ojive length at the lands, now after 1700 rounds I'm at 2.223 Ojive length, I don't push my loads very hard, 139's at 2800 work great, I expect to set back my barrel around 2500 rounds.

and you can't use 243, 260 or 7mm-08 brass for 6.5 CM?

 

[15Tango]

and you can't use 243, 260 or 7mm-08 brass for 6.5 CM?

Yes, you can. Lube as normal, run it through a Creedmoor FLS die, trim and neck turn and you're done. You can also use 300 Savage or 22-250 brass if you want, you won't be trimming it though.

Here's a Creedmoor made from 7MM-08 brass in just that manner. This case hasn't been fired yet and it's nearly 100% formed.

 

[brian427cobra]

No I'm saying I use 243 260 and 7-08 brass in my 260, FL size any of them and there ready to load n fire form, I think the 6.5 CM is a great round, it's a more effient round than a 260, but not more accurite, I leave half my brass on the ground at sniper matches, I'm not about to put all the work into my brass to leave it in the grass

 

[flatlander]

Dittos, Brian. After fireforming 1200+ Dashers, making 1200+pcs. of 6 HAGAR brass for an AR15, plus FF'ing a bunch of 6XC from 22-250 and FF'ing 6.5x55AI, a cartridge that uses readily available brass from several suppliers has strong appeal - even more so when you're shooting matches where you can't retrieve all your fired cases.

However, guess I'm a glutton for punishment, as I've chambered an AR10 bbl. for a slightly improved version of the 7mm-08 (.065" longer body & 30* shoulder), and more to the point of this thread, am getting ready to do another AR10 bbl. in a 6.5mm-08 with the same mods as the 7mm version.

I'm thinking a bolt rifle chambered for this 6.5mm ctg. would be a good performer, but am mostly concerned with how deep 139/142gr. bullets will have to be seated to feed through AICS mags. That's one of the big attractions of the 6.5x47, since charges of RL17 are very lightly compressed with the heavies seated to feed through AICS mags, yet this smaller ctg. gives very respectable performance with 130/140gr. bullets. Guess the same could be said for the 6.5 Creedmoor, but how good is Hornady brass?

 

[15Tango]

Guess the same could be said for the 6.5 Creedmoor, but how good is Hornady brass?

It's good in all aspects [but] strength for hot loads; pockets open up.

I like the idea of your 7-08 (sort of) Improved.

 

[bugsplat]

I looked at both rounds a year ago and ended up going with the 6.5-284 which unfortunately i'm now heavily invested in (barrels, dies, brass, load data). I only push my 6.5-284 to 2900 with 140g so its a lot of wasted case capacity. If I had to do it again I'd go with the 260 simply for the brass. Performance wise the 6.5CM and 260 are just about the same. I have seen no clear winner on score cards. My only concern would be the depth you seat the bullet in the 260. Its a little to deep for my taste but if it shoots well my taste means jack.

 

[skeetlee]

I am not a huge fan of Hornady brass so i would lean towards the 260rem with lapua brass. Even better yet would be a 260 Ackley improved with Lapua brass. Now that is a cartridge!!! Do a little reading and you will soon be thinking about a 260ackley. You can buy a Hornady Hydraulic form die for the ackley cases now and that is huge. Just my opinion though!! Lee