Thoughts on 6.5 creedmoor

[spandexlurch]

I just won a Savage axis ii and was considering getting it in 6.5 creedmoor since I have a choice on caliber. I am unfamiliar with the 6.5 round, is this a decent cartridge that my wife and I could both shoot?

Edit: I guess it would help you all to know that I also have a rifle chambered in 30-06 (savage), .308 (Mossberg), .22 LR (ruger), and 5.56/.223 (stag AR). My wife refuses to shoot any of our rifles except the .22 and her .410. I'm looking for some sort of comparison towards my heavier caliber rifles to the 6.5 cm.

[SIGFAN86]

Just got a ruger precision rifle in 6.5 creed from a member here. It's a sweet shooting round. With a muzzle break it shoots as light as a non brake 5.56 rifle.
It's flat shooting
Bucks the wind
Accurate out to 1k yards.
A bit of a barrel burner though... Expect 2500-3000 rounds before needing a new barrel

[Nate7667]

What do you want to do with the rifle?
Range only, hunt, both?
The Savage Axis II is by no means a target rifle. So dont expect to grab a 6.5 and start poking small groups at distance. In my opinion 6.5 Creedmoor would be a complete waste.
If your wife does not want to shoot a 30-06 and a 308, my first guess was a 243, but she also won't shoot your 556 AR, not really sure what to say.

[IrocGuns]

it is a great target and hunting round in the standard kind of velocity variety regarding barrel burner, it is not - this is generally an issue with like the really hot wildcat rounds. I would imagine similar performance to a 270 in terms of velocity and projectile rate but with a better bc. lots of great factory ammo available now. Recoil probably a tad less than your 308 but not by much.

[Twoboxer]

A quick look at the specs show a 22" barreled, 6.5 lb rifle available in calibers from 22-250 through 7mm-08. Unfortunately, all of those calibers are likely to produce more recoil than your AR. And the rifle is most likely lighter as well, so the rifle probably won't appeal to your wife based on recoil.

6.5 Creedmoor is a fine caliber with many bullets available at higher BCs than the 30-cals. A lot of people have chosen the caliber for LD and ELD target work with more shooter-friendly recoil than equivalent 30-cals.

[Badger Tuff]

I have a Browning X Bolt and a Savage Model 11 in the 6.5 Creedmoor and both are very accurate. Recoil is comparable to a 243 with factory ammo. If you load your own ammo you can get that recoil down quite a lot. Excellent deer cartridge, I'm 3 deer for 3 shots last year, 2 were bang flop 1 went about 10 yards and dropped.

[FJW]

I would be happy if they'd mainstream any one of those modern 6.5 cartridges, such as Grendel or Creedmore. I know 6.5CM is a whole step above the Grendel. 6.8SPC seems to be the one which is really catching on and staying that way. I number of times I saw Grendel ammo for very good prices, even in stores like Dunhams. A eurostyled AUG type rifle, or even a bolt scout rifle (also like Steyr) with a 20rd mag in 6.5 Gren would really be cool. If that company which made some AUG clones started making them in 6.5 Grendel I'd almost sell my AK to buy one. But I'm just not a 5.56 guy so until they do I will probably never get an AUG.

[jl6665]

I have a Savage Axis in 6.5CM, it is accurate enough for a deer/hunting rifle, a tack driver it is not. I have only shot Hornady American Whitetail ammo through it and it kicks like a mule. I added a Rifle Basix trigger, and wasted money on a Boyd's AT-One stock to try and tame it, did not help at all ......... I have some Berger 140gr VLD bullets and some H4350 powder that I am going to experiment with to come up with a softer load, as it stands, at the moment, I dislike this rifle. I will hunt with it, however, I will put it back in the cheap ass synthetic stock to do so.

savage.jpg

[spandexlurch]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'm pretty much just a target shooter. I've been working on getting my wife interested in shooting more, right now she really only shoots her .410, her .22, and a couple of our .380 pistols. I would love for her to try out at the very least my AR but she thinks it's "too heavy". If I had a choice in the rifle I'd pick something other than a savage but because we won it at a raffle I can only choose a caliber. Side question, how is the 3-9 scope that comes on these rifles? The 30-06 savage I have, I bought used and had to buy a scope separately.

[eatmydust]

Here's another angle, I see that the Axis II is available in .223, why not grab one in that caliber and show your wife that it really is a tame round. After time with a bolt action, she may be willing to pick up the AR and bang away with it later. Just a thought.

Besides, you'll end up with a nice varmint/predator gun anyway.