Range Report 6.5 CM vs 6CM Ballistics

[fmjfirearms]

I was thinking of building another 6mm, I currently have a 6x47.
I had too much spare time on my hands and started going through the Hide forum and thinking should I build a 6.5CM instead?
Are there any real ballistic advantages to a 6.5CM over a 6CM?
It will be used mainly for PRS type comps and plinking out to 1200.
Im not worried about off the shelf ammo availability, as I will be reloading.

 

[Diver160651]

My 6CM started opening up after about 650 rounds.. it is not completely toast but still. I am sure changing the load again will help.. It just eats barrels.. I have one barrel left then I will be going back to something else..


Main advantage in plinking the 6.5 has, is seeing the darn impacts in that >1K range.

 

[Dthomas3523]

If you don’t care about factory ammo, look into 6 dasher, any of the other BR variants, or 6xc.

6cm will toast a barrel at 900-1100 rnds. IMO, factory option is the only reason to run it over other 6mm.

 

[Dthomas3523]

My 6CM started opening up after about 650 rounds.. it is not completely toast but still. I am sure changing the load again will help.. It just eats barrels.. I have one barrel left then I will be going back to something else..


Main advantage in plinking the 6.5 has, is seeing the darn impacts in that >1K range.

Same. I keep a 6cm barrel around specifically just for factory ammo in a pinch.

My 6mm going forward are 6xc and possibly gay tiger.

 

[Nortex]

6 creed isn't a barrel burner if you use cooler powders and run a longer barrel. I have 2 primary ones that are match guns one with 1500rds the other 500rds and they both shoot the same exact load within 5fps of each other and both are sub moa guns.

Unless you are confined to factory ammo I would go 6.5x47 over creed in 6.5 anyway.

 

[Ranger188]

Their is no advantage to the 6.5 over the 6.
If you run the 6 with 105's, 107 or the 110 and warm. you'll see the 6
has it beat.
Coming from someone that ran a 6creed for a couple years, it's great (3 barrels)
for the first 400-500 rounds, like magic. Will shoot with anything.
Ran the 110 smk's at 3140. My club allowed 3200 max
After that, the marriage is over. You need to start chasing the lands,
adjusting the load constantly to keep it shooting great.
It's a great round if you only intend to plink or run 200-300 rounds year
but if you run it warm( and it's the only way it beats the 6.5)
and shoot 1000 rounds per year, I'd go 6.5 creed, higher BC bullets,
longer barrel life. You already have a fast 6 in the 6x47.
Your maybe gaining 50-100fps with the 6 creed

 

[JMGlasgow]

6 creed isn't a barrel burner if you use cooler powders and run a longer barrel. I have 2 primary ones that are match guns one with 1500rds the other 500rds and they both shoot the same exact load within 5fps of each other and both are sub moa guns.

Unless you are confined to factory ammo I would go 6.5x47 over creed in 6.5 anyway.

Out of curiosity, why do you think Lapua is better than Creedmoor?

 

[Nortex]

Out of curiosity, why do you think Lapua is better than Creedmoor?

I feel like its easier to load for. Everything shoots super well and has relatively low sd numbers you just pick what you want. 6.5 creed imo is a bit more work or has been in my experience between the two. You give up a little speed with the x47 but not enough to matter.

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Out of curiosity, why do you think Lapua is better than Creedmoor?

The 6.5 Creed is better in every way than the lapua. Other than coolness.

 

[b6graham]

The 6.5 Creed is better in every way than the lapua. Other than coolness.

you couldn't shoot or reload the difference between the two.

 

[Ranger188]

Their might have been a little edge to the 47L a couple years ago,
but now Lapua and Alpha (and others) make brass in either the SRP or LRP.
I think it's a toss up on who's doing the reloading.
Seen both shoot very well.
I've shot both.

 

[Sutherlandsd]

I shoot both the lapua has to be pushed to get to creedmoor speeds, which will negate the excellent brass life, it becomes really evident if you decide to shoot 147s. To me the lapua shines with a 130gr or less bullet.

Both will have low sd/es with quality components and good reloading practices.

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

I'm on barrel #5 in 6 Creedmoor with #6 already broken in and set aside as a warm spare. In my experience, I have yet to have a barrel go south earlier than 1800 rounds, either in accuracy or velocity, and I have multiple barrels north of 2k now that still have no issues. 98% of what I have done with mine has been 105 Hybrids or RDFs at 3080-3125 (powder lot dependent) with H4350 and Hornady 108s at 3020-3080 (again, lot dependent) with H4350 from a 26" barrel. The first barrel was a 24" run exclusively with 105s at 2985-3015, again with H4350. (I briefly experimented with IMR 4451 early on, and later with 110JLKs, both with poor results)
I don't baby my barrels, but I don't abuse them either. Even in 100* weather here in FL, I usually shoot 10-12 rounds then let the barrel cool down between strings - just like in a PRS match. I've never had to chase the lands (at one point I was running 105 Hybrids and RDFs at .1" of jump on a barrel with 1900 on it), and I have never had to chase powder charges across the life of a given barrel. I've also never had issues finding (and keeping) a load that gave me single digit SDs and a low ES, or one that shot ~.5 or better. My current barrel and load has given me a consistent 2-4SD and 8-12ES with groups in the .2-.4 range, with the occasional .1-.2.

TL;DR: 6 Creedmoor is a damn good option, and I have never had the issues with barrel life or chasing consistency that others report.

 

[Supersubes]

I'm on barrel #5 in 6 Creedmoor with #6 already broken in and set aside as a warm spare. In my experience, I have yet to have a barrel go south earlier than 1800 rounds, either in accuracy or velocity, and I have multiple barrels north of 2k now that still have no issues. 98% of what I have done with mine has been 105 Hybrids or RDFs at 3080-3125 (powder lot dependent) with H4350 and Hornady 108s at 3020-3080 (again, lot dependent) with H4350 from a 26" barrel. The first barrel was a 24" run exclusively with 105s at 2985-3015, again with H4350. (I briefly experimented with IMR 4451 early on, and later with 110JLKs, both with poor results)
I don't baby my barrels, but I don't abuse them either. Even in 100* weather here in FL, I usually shoot 10-12 rounds then let the barrel cool down between strings - just like in a PRS match. I've never had to chase the lands (at one point I was running 105 Hybrids and RDFs at .1" of jump on a barrel with 1900 on it), and I have never had to chase powder charges across the life of a given barrel. I've also never had issues finding (and keeping) a load that gave me single digit SDs and a low ES, or one that shot ~.5 or better. My current barrel and load has given me a consistent 2-4SD and 8-12ES with groups in the .2-.4 range, with the occasional .1-.2.

TL;DR: 6 Creedmoor is a damn good option, and I have never had the issues with barrel life or chasing consistency that others report.

Well this is Snipers Hide, and it’s considered good form to hotrod the shit out of your 6mm’s, clearly you didn’t get that memo!

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

Well this is Snipers Hide, and it’s considered good form to hotrod the shit out of your 6mm’s, clearly you didn’t get that memo!

I used to think speed was awesome, then I realized it really didn't matter, and consistency was more important.

 

[Supersubes]

I used to think speed was awesome, then I realized it really didn't matter, and consistency was more important.

Couldn’t agree more!

 

[47guy]

i shot 5 6cm barrels...1 went 1700 the other 4 went between 1300 and 1500...accuracy started to taper off around 1000 rounds at 1300 throwing fliers.

 

[Praeger]

I had too much spare time on my hands and started going through the Hide forum and thinking should I build a 6.5CM instead?
Are there any real ballistic advantages to a 6.5CM over a 6CM?
It will be used mainly for PRS type comps and plinking out to 1200.
Im not worried about off the shelf ammo availability, as I will be reloading.

In terms of drop vs wind drift, easy to compare in a ballistic calculator. Using Hornady 4DOF, 107 SMK @3100 vs 142 SMK @2800: at 1200 yards the 107 needs 10.3 Mils elevation, the 142 needs 11.2 Mils. Wind drift from 10 mph full value, the 107 needs 2.5 Mils, the 142 2.2 Mils. In that sense, it's a wash in my book. If you're picking nits, are you better able to gauge distance or wind?

In terms of recoil, the 107 will be lower. Barrel life, the 142 by 2x. Impact visibility, advantage 142, but with flashers not an issue.

Pick what's most important to you. Both forgiving rounds to load, match factory ammo readily available, and easy to tune.

 

[Mxridr]

Went back to 6.5 creedmoor. Really not much more recoil. Was at a match last weekend and a stage had more rounds than stated needed 1 more round. Guess what was not hard to find someone with a factory 140 eld to borrow.

 

[fmjfirearms]

Thanks for the reply's guys.
I have just finished a PRL 3 day comp here in the UK.
The 6x47 was great up to 950 metres but out to 1200 metres was unable to really see splash, or see hits on steels.
The 6.5 creeds were easier to see.
We dont have flashers over here on targets.
May have to use the 6x47 to 900 then change to something else for the longer stuff.

 

[Praeger]

We dont have flashers over here on targets.

Savages . . .

 

[LawnMM]

Could see splash at 1470 on Sunday with a 6x47L, dry climate though