Thread: Which 6.5

Originally Posted by outdoorlad

In the latest ROD & Rifle it was determined that the ultimate NZ hunting rifle is a 6.5 Creedmoor

Really? Opinions like that justifies my avoidance of NZ or pretty much anyone's hunting magazines.

Great cartridge but to be the best for all NZ game is a bit of a stretch Imo.

I would have thought the .308 for anything inside 400 would be hard to beat with its projectile selection, power and inherent accuracy.




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@R93 Yeah I could think of half a dozen calibres I'd put it front of it.

I haven't read the article but I can see the Creedmoor rating well if recoil was a heavily weighted consideration. I view the smaller 6.5s as sitting at a sweet spot for effectiveness on medium sized deer vs recoil level.

The 6.5 Creedmoor along with the 6.5x47 Lapua were designed as target rounds not hunting while they are excellent cartridges for deer at moderate ranges neither are as good as the 6.5x55 in modern rifles with the heavier
projectiles, The 6.5x47 Lapua was all the rage for a few years when shooters found out that it was not killing deer at a kilometre they dumped it the 6.5 Creedmoor will go the same way if you have a Tikka T3 there is no point
in having a short 6.5 the action is long enough for just about any cartridge, The 6.5x55 is one of the easiest cartridges to shoot recoil is mild not much more than a .243 also easy to reload just pick a bullet and the appropriate
powder and you have a tack driver, if want to abuse yourself get a .264 Win Mag

When I was looking to buy my first centrefire, and knowing nothing about hunting, I figured it was best to use the “Wisdom of Crowds” to decide what I should purchase. To this end I spent months reading and collating opinions from the literature of the day (including the magazines) on which calibres were considered suitable for taking medium sized deer. Averaged or independent of case size, specific bullet weights, and other variables, the data - condensed down to bore size alone - came out as follows:

.223 - 30% viewed this diameter as suitable, 70% not,
.243 - 70% as suitable,
25cal - 90% suitable,
6.5mm and larger - close enough to a 100% approval rating, and in the case of 6.5mm nearly always accompanied by references to moose!

This is not a personal view I’m presenting here, only a summary of opinion from the time - late 1980s. I have a feeling advances in bullet construction may have shifted current figures around somewhat from the above. Also the approval rating for the 22 cal may have dropped lower as we are now some decades further removed from the heyday of the .222.

Thinking it was also sensible as a novice to minimise recoil I picked what I thought was a sweet spot and went with a .257. Over the years I have come to understand the limitations which led to 10% disapproval. Today I would pick a 6.5x47 or Swede.

The recently introduced Lapua brass for the 6.5CM might change the game. Also small primer. Does anyone have any yet and can report on how it handles top loads please ?

6.6x68 90grn bullet 3900 fps

The 6.5/300 Weatherby beats it, both wear out barrels by the time you work up a load and shoot a couple of deer

.264 magic
hehehehheh scratching your heads will make you go bald faster
get a .204 ruger case (.222 magnum and a bit) and neck it up to 6.5mm
my old mate swears by his and doesnt have any trouble dropping animals with it.

6.5 x 65 RWS

Originally Posted by johnd

Apologies if its been done to death, nothing showed in the search, so here goes.

So I am considering going to a 6.5 but which one? Most of the shorter versions seem to be trying to emulate the 6.5 x 55
260 Rem sounds nice but then as I see from other threads that there's several improvement versions.
So how about 6.5 x 284

What do I want to achieve.

Lighter rifle platform, most shooting under 300M but able to confidently shoot to 400 when needed ( not a game changer though )
Short barrel of 20 inches or less.
I like to reload so need to consider seating ability / variations which impacts on action length ?

Currently shoot 270, but these days I find it to be too much gun for carrying any distance.

Fire away with your options and opinions please.

6.5/06 mate you will love it same case as the 270 so a quick resize and you have brass, still holds a ton of energy out to around 600yds depending on bullet, my one is chambered on the p17 action which is the same case 30/06. where you based if near tauranga to can have a shot out of mine if you like to try it.

I don't think the question is so much which 6.5 is best for you, is more which rifle/brand you like and what is available to purchase in NZ in which 6.5 cal?

Sounds like you have found that and going for a model 7 fits your purpose.

There's one thing with the Creedmore though that hasn't really been mentioned is that due to its design and modern rifles are designed to take the longer high BC bullets and mag fit etc.
Practically for most hunting is not going to make a difference but is worth a mention.

Thanks for the offer @mucko, I was surely tempted by the '06 but went with the short action for a change.
I am pretty central in Tauranga, wouldnt mind checking out the 6.5 06 though.



@jackson21 I have noticed I am a bit limited with mag length, but have limited myself to lighter weights of projectile. I can always single feed if I want to go long though

[QUOTE=shooternz;551179...The 6.5x47 Lapua was all the rage for a few years when shooters found out that it was not killing deer at a kilometre they dumped it ..[/QUOTE]

Only a knuckle-dragger would make that extrapolation from reading magazine reports on the 6.5L. I've read a lot on the 47 including forums and I've never seen it described as such. To even imagine it would be useful on deer past 500yds is ridiculous. I have a seriously accurate one (built as a target rifle) and wouldn't hesitate to use it on deer up to say 400yds in reasonable conditions but I know of no-one who thinks they're even remotely suitable for "long range" deer.

Originally Posted by johnd

Thanks for the offer @mucko, I was surely tempted by the '06 but went with the short action for a change.
I am pretty central in Tauranga, wouldnt mind checking out the 6.5 06 though.



@jackson21 I have noticed I am a bit limited with mag length, but have limited myself to lighter weights of projectile. I can always single feed if I want to go long though

I have to ladder test the accubond lr at some point you welcome to come along when I go.