6.5 creedmoor = 6.5x47 ?

[NotMalware]

It seems like there's no relevant difference between 6.5creedmore and 6.5x47 lapua at this point.

Both have lapua brass (6.5cm even has peterson brass)
Both achieve similar MV
Both feed well from an AI magazine
Both use the same powders

Is there a reason to pick one over the other? I'm deciding on a new barrel now, so should I be flipping a coin? This rifle is only for target shooting steel at 1800yds and closer. I do reload. I want to shoot the Berger 135r classic hunter, because it has the best G7 form factor of the Berger 6.5's. I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Notdylan]

Creedmoor can be pushed a bit faster. The lapua may have a bit better barrel life since it burns less powder. The lapua is one of the easiest calibers to tune and can use more powders than the Creedmoor.

 

[NotMalware]

That's interesting. The 6.5x47 lapua is easier to tune. For accuracy or velocity dispersion?

 

[SuperSneakySniper]

I can't speak from experience, but I've heard that if you plan to reload, go Lapua, and if you think you might use factory ammo at all, 6.5CM.
Like Notdylan said, Lapua seems more forgiving for reloaders. Not that Creed is bad, but you're splitting hairs between the two choices lol.

 

[NotMalware]

I can't speak from experience, but I've heard that if you plan to reload, go Lapua, and if you think you might use factory ammo at all, 6.5CM.
Like Notdylan said, Lapua seems more forgiving for reloaders. Not that Creed is bad, but you're splitting hairs between the two choices lol.

I agree they are very similar. I don't have experience with the lapua currently, so I'm looking for something that might distinguish them. I'm finishing up a 6.5cm barrel, and I'm considering trying the lapua. I'm under the impression that the 6.5x47 will tend to have less velocity dispersion. I don't know if that's true. Why is the 6.5x47 represented more in PRS than 6.5cm? (I'm looking at the "what the pros use" article on the precision rifle blog for that info.)

 

[padom]

6.5x47L is an inherently accurate cartridge. Everything I have stuck in it has shot well. It's the most accurate bolt gun cartridge I've ever owned. I've owned all the popular SA 6.5's. 260rem, 6.5cm and 6.5x47L. I get sub 5 SD's all day long and tiny one hole groups with Varget which is easy to acquire.

6.5cm is also very accurate with H4350 but is hard and harder to find these days.. if your shooting factory ammo go 6.5cm all day long.

 

[Dthomas3523]

I can't speak from experience, but I've heard that if you plan to reload, go Lapua, and if you think you might use factory ammo at all, 6.5CM.
Like Notdylan said, Lapua seems more forgiving for reloaders. Not that Creed is bad, but you're splitting hairs between the two choices lol.

+1

If using factory ammo, you'll have much more choices with creed. Same idea with .260

 

[NotMalware]

I'm intending to start off the 6.5x47 barrel with the lapua 123 factor ammo and develop a load for it on that brass. I'm thinking 135gr or 130gr berger bullets. I also want to try the 121gr flat line bullets. I'm thinking at 1:7 twist rate would work well for everything. Any thoughts?

 

[bohem]

They're both super easy to tune, very accurate, and long lived. The x47 and the Creedmoor (aka 6.5x49) have the same forward end cartridge design. Long neck, 30 degree shoulder, etc.

Now that we have Lapua small primer 6.5 Creed brass the only real difference is the appx 2.5 grains more powder that goes in the Creed case which nets about 75-100fps difference.

The x47 is super competitive in matches.

 

[FUNCTIONAL]

Just went through this same ordeal. Decided to get out of the 6mm game and was stuck between these two rounds. For me it came down to ease of load development and not having to depend on h4350 and I went with the 6.5x47. Only 2 advantages I saw with creedmoor was factory ammo (decided Ill just take my 308 if I wanted to just grab a rifle and shoot) and its got a smidge more oomph to push the sierra 150s to a more desireable fps (still waiting to see how they prove out in use in my soon to be x47).

 

[rookie7]

@FUNCTIONAL why did you decide to leave the 6mm calibers? Interesting.

 

[TheOE800]

@FUNCTIONAL why did you decide to leave the 6mm calibers? Interesting.

Tired of spotters making no-calls?

 

[FUNCTIONAL]

Tired of spotters making no-calls?

Haha almost lost a point to that last weekend. Smacked it dead center and at 890yrds the plate didnt budge. Luckily a few others on spotters saw the bullet explode and called it for the RO.

The 6mm performs great... when it works. No matter what barrel i use about every 400rds i have to screw with the load with how fast the barrel starts to deteriorate. 98% of the time there is no warning..just drops off almost instantly. My last barrel bit the dust completely at 600rds. Just tired of chasing loads every other match... wanted something that stays stable longer.

Supposidly the dasher isnt as finniky as the 6 creedmoor/6x47/243/etc but I have no experience with it and figured go with whatever was the easiest to load with good barrel life and no h4350 needs. 6.5x47 fit the bill. Helped that i found 8lb containers of Varget for sale at $150 a jug when i was deciding haha

 

[NotMalware]

Haha almost lost a point to that last weekend. Smacked it dead center and at 890yrds the plate didnt budge. Luckily a few others on spotters saw the bullet explode and called it for the RO.

The 6mm performs great... when it works. No matter what barrel i use about every 400rds i have to screw with the load with how fast the barrel starts to deteriorate. 98% of the time there is no warning..just drops off almost instantly. My last barrel bit the dust completely at 600rds. Just tired of chasing loads every other match... wanted something that stays stable longer.

Supposidly the dasher isnt as finniky as the 6 creedmoor/6x47/243/etc but I have no experience with it and figured go with whatever was the easiest to load with good barrel life and no h4350 needs. 6.5x47 fit the bill. Helped that i found 8lb containers of Varget for sale at $150 a jug when i was deciding haha

Why did you choose 6.5x47 over 6.5 creedmoor given the availability of brass and both having small rifle primers and such...

 

[b6graham]

Why did you choose 6.5x47 over 6.5 creedmoor given the availability of brass and both having small rifle primers and such...

Read his first post. #10. Reliance on 4350 and load development

Course the dasher/br variants seem to be about the least finicky but they're 6mm

 

[NotMalware]

Those two are so close it seem like you could use the same powder in either one. Why rely on 4350. Why not N550 or something?

 

[bjay]

I tried 6.5 one 6 creed and went with 3 6.5x47 barrel...if you want a 6.5 cartridge in SA mag loading..rugged hole day one fresh barrel..x47 is where my money..less finicky..only problem is to choose which of those quarter moa you should pick

 

[NotMalware]

I tried 6.5 one 6 creed and went with 3 6.5x47 barrel...if you want a 6.5 cartridge in SA mag loading..rugged hole day one fresh barrel..x47 is where my money..less finicky..only problem is to choose which of those quarter moa you should pick

You're really selling it.

 

[bjay]

You're really selling it.

Lmao... Cool aid is better and it has vodka on the other side. ...

 

[NotMalware]

How many bullets went through that hole?!

 

[bjay]

How many bullets went through that hole?!

Just 5
Here's another five

 

[NotMalware]

Yes. That's what I want.

 

[bjay]

Yes. That's what I want.

 

[NotMalware]

I'm ordering a 6.5x47 lapua. Awesome.

 

[lte82]

6.5x47L is an inherently accurate cartridge. Everything I have stuck in it has shot well. It's the most accurate bolt gun cartridge I've ever owned. I've owned all the popular SA 6.5's. 260rem, 6.5cm and 6.5x47L. I get sub 5 SD's all day long and tiny one hole groups with Varget which is easy to acquire.

6.5cm is also very accurate with H4350 but is hard and harder to find these days.. if your shooting factory ammo go 6.5cm all day long.

Have you tried varget in the creedmoor tho?

 

[Supersubes]

Like bohem said, these cases are identical with the creedmoor being about .080 longer in the body. The speed advantage of the creed is exactly as you’d expect it to be with the extra capacity. Barrels and chambers are individuals, but if you could erase the variables, the only reason a 47 can go as fast as a creed is if it’s running at higher pressures.

Op, here’s a 5 shot group from my 20” .260 with varget and 140’s. They’re all capable of it. The creedmoor gives up nothing to the other two in this regard.

 

[NotMalware]

I haven't tried varget. I'm just over 2500 rounds on my 6.5 creedmoor barrel. A smith named "moon" made it: it was on the rifle when I got it, so the round count is kind of an estimate. I've been using H4350, and I've tried different primers and bullets. I've just never seen great accuracy or velocity consistency. I'm getting 0.5" groups (which is pretty good) and 12-14 SD's with the magnetospeed (those SD's work pretty well). It may be my poor reloading technique, but I've tried to eliminate confounding variables. I used a lab scale at one point to get consistent charge weights down to the miligram, and I've tried weighing cases (hornady) and different neck tensions. I haven't tried the lapua brass yet because my AI has the large firing pin, and I end up punching a hole in the primers at very, very mild loads. I'm talking with a smith in TX currently to get my firing pin bushed for the small rifle primers of either 6.5 creedmoor or 6.5x47 for the next barrel. It may also be my shooting ability; it seems like that would be a likely cause of inaccuracy, but the velocity thing may not be accounted for by that.

 

[Supersubes]

If that’s the same Moon we all know here on the hide, it probably isn’t that. Do you anneal? If you want to tinker with other cartridges, by all means do it. I don’t think any of your woes can be attributed to the creedmoor. FWIW, If you’re holding half minute consistently, youre doing just fine. If your seating close to the lands, back them off, and if you’re not annealing, start.

 

[NotMalware]

If that’s the same Moon we all know here on the hide, it probably isn’t that. Do you anneal? If you want to tinker with other cartridges, by all means do it. I don’t think any of your woes can be attributed to the creedmoor. FWIW, If you’re holding half minute consistently, youre doing just fine. If your seating close to the lands, back them off, and if you’re not annealing, start.

It probably is that Moon. It seems like a great barrel, and I agree that's probably not the problem unless it's how clean it is or something...

 

[padom]

Have you tried varget in the creedmoor tho?

Yes, I have. And couldnt get anywhere near the velocity I get with H4350 without seeing pressure. Ive also shot H4831sc, AR Comp and 4166. While they all were VERY accurate, none had the velocity that H4350 has.

 

[shax2lex]

I used to x47 and I switched to 6.5CM. I got tired of having to spend so much time working the brass. I didn’t mind reloading but annealing them regularly was a pain. I didn’t want to drop boat loads on an annealer so I did it by hand. My brass got to the point they had to be trimmed for my rifle. I was always digging through the brass pile at matches because the rifle was married to the brass. Trimming was the last straw. In fact, I’m selling 300+ pieces of brass, some FGMM small rifle primers, a bunch of Berger 140hybrids, some other 6.5 hunting bullets, the dies, and a hawk hill barrel chambered for a Defiance Deviant. It has 1510 Rounds through it. Message me if you are interested. It shot but I just can’t spend that much time reloading anymore. My creed shoots factory ammo and loves it.

 

[spife7980]

How much more brass work could a x47 really be over a creed? How does one need annealing and the other doesn’t? That said the factory ammo is a respectable consideration but that’s a reloading vs buying argument and you could still buy lapua ammo (gulp). Not a x47 vs a creed argument.

 

[padom]

x47 requires less work than any caliber I've reloaded for. I haven't trimmed in almost 8 firings, it just doesn't grow. it only needs bumped May be every 5-6 firings or so. I cant say the same for any other caliber.. i anneal every 3rd firing and yes i have a machine so its super quick and easy. I know guys that don't anneal at all and still get over 20 reloads out of it.

 

[shax2lex]

I guess it just came down to if my x47 brass went missing or just wasn’t good anymore, I felt like crying when I chunked it. 6.5cm brass is so easy to get that if it goes bad, then I don’t feel bad about losing it or trashing it. Plus, I did some math on how much it cost me to reload vs buy ammo and it was an extra $0.14/rd to just buy it. To me, it’s worth my time and money to pay the extra $0.14/rd. What are you really gaining by have a 14SD factory load vs a 3SD handload. I can’t ahoot that well to tell the difference.

 

[NotMalware]

I guess it just came down to if my x47 brass went missing or just wasn’t good anymore, I felt like crying when I chunked it. 6.5cm brass is so easy to get that if it goes bad, then I don’t feel bad about losing it or trashing it. Plus, I did some math on how much it cost me to reload vs buy ammo and it was an extra $0.14/rd to just buy it. To me, it’s worth my time and money to pay the extra $0.14/rd. What are you really gaining by have a 14SD factory load vs a 3SD handload. I can’t ahoot that well to tell the difference.

I've been shooting out to 1800 yards recently with my 6.5 creedmoor, and the factory ammo has enough velocity dispersion to go over the top of the ipsc and then under the target on the next round. That's pretty frustrating. I'm sure I'll get the obligatory "use a better ELR round" or "move the target closer..." response. But It's fun. And I have only one rifle, so it would be nice to be able to curb that velocity spread if possible. I used factory ammo for the first 1500 rounds or so, and then started reloading the mountain of brass I have. The barrel has just over 2500 rounds on it now, maybe that's a confounding factor...

 

[Rthur]

While the 6.5 creed does fine the 47L is one of the easiest cals I've loaded.
It seemed most any bullet I tried would shoot .5 moa or better with a baseline load.
After tuning they'd stack like the photos seen above.

R