Thread: 6.5CM craze

Originally Posted by Beetroot

It doesn't perform any better than a 260 or 6.5x55, what it offers is the same or similar performance slightly more efficiently, but fitting comfortably in a small action.
The biggest advantage is the right from the get go it was marketed well, knew what section of the market it appealed too and ensure rifles had barrels with the right twist rrate for heavy projectiles and factory ammunition was widely available at a reasonable price with match grade ammo being easy to get.

Whilst a lot of the new wonder cartridges don't do anything ground breaking, they are marketed correctly and have a steady supply of gpod factory ammo available that you can go buy a gun with good accurate ammo from day one.

There are dozens of cartridges developed over the last 50 odd years that were good rounds, but failed due to lack of factory ammo, rifles in stupid twists, lack of match ammo etc etc.

The 260rem was almost dead in the water due to being marketed to the wrong crowd, same with 284win.
Both excellent cartridges, but almost dead as a do do due too not knowing their intended end user.

Exactly. Marketing. Good selection of rifles and accurate off the shelf ammo. With PRS style shooting becoming more and more popular, the availability of bulk accurate factory ammo at a good price for those that dont reload i think is probably the biggest factor in the success.

Sweed and 260 should theoretically get higher velocity's. But really you are splitting hairs in the differences.
260 ammo on the shelf is like unicorns. And if you find it on the shelf you pay for it too. My 260 came with a box of 140gr core loks that the sticker price was $85 !!! who wants to pay 85 bucks for 20 soft point rounds?
and as others have mentioned factory swede ammo is anemic AF.

Any wild cat or new cartridge released there will be an existing cartridge that will do a very similar job. Its all in the marketing and availability of ammo and reloading components.