Amazing. No random firearms spread out on the table, no 5 gun safes with 400 stickers in the background. Just a man, calmly talking with a lot of information. Neither a fanboy or hater. How refreshing. Thank you.
No intro with the volume 47 times louder than the rest of the video with guy shooting 50 different guns, poorly. No need for sponsorship disclaimers because video is about knowledge. Gentleman has his reading glasses not all of his tacticoolguy gear.
I have studied exterior ballistics for many years and every time I begin to get a big head about it all I have to do is watch a GunBlue490 video and I realize how much I still have to learn.
Unfortunately so much of this information is going to be lost. I’ve spent my lifetime acquiring information about shooting and at 71, my life is coming to an end with no one to share it with. Seems like so many of the younger generation could care less about those things important to us older shooters. What a shame. This gentleman has a wealth of knowledge to pass on
Getting a bit fed up of people babbling on about how amazing this cartridge is. "sell your .303" they say "it shoots like a banana". "Got to get a creed" . I cringe now every time someone mentions this calibre. I've therefore have deliberatley gone the opposite way. I wanted a light weight stalking rifle for deer and just to upset them ordered it in .303 British. So when they ask "what are you shooting" I wont be saying "6.5 Creed". "It aint the arrow its the Indian". Great video GunBlue. I love your videos and sensible information you provide. From the UK by the way.
My comment is right above yours. I basically said the same thing and I didn't see your comment until after mine posted. We are so lucky that he shares his experience and info on video for all of us, and for all time.
The 6.5 x 55 Swede and the 6.5 creedmoor are virtually the same! I have both and both perform very much the same, so your argument that the Swede is better than the creedmoor is pure BS
i have a modern 6.5x55 SE rifle which is build by gunsmith, i can easily shoot 143gr bullets with over 900ms/2950 fps, it is completely in different category than 6.5 crm. i allso dont want to talk about powder charges, but they are way over what the cartridge was made of in 1894. 1 thing in 6.5x55 Swede/Mauser/Skan is really fascinating, it is over 120 years old, but they seated the bullet really long, and that really opens up the possibilities in modern rifles and modern bullets.
I want to thank you for the wisdom and time you share passing on history and knowledge. My late grandfather was a history buff, teacher, fireman and ex airforce. You remind me of him. I'd sit cross legade on the floor and listen to him for hours. He too was a firearm collector and antique fishing gear enthusiasts. I hated history class but his wisdom demanded my attention. God bless
Love you! Gun Blue! Both of my best friends bought 6.5 Creedmoors as hunting rifles. I fought off there constant nagging and kidney jabs and bought a 308 exclaiming “The 308 has been fighting wars and killing medium game since the early 50’s, it’s fine” Plus I shoot service rifle competition and “Creedmoor” is the metaphorical “Anacrombie and Fitch” of shooting which makes me Nacious every time time I say it or write it, in fact I might go throw up now having writing this. The Wizard AKA Gun Blue always brings peace to my Gun nerd mind.
Sir You remind me so much of my father that passed away in 2013. You look almost exactly like he did. Your calm and factual explanation is exactly how he handled and taught my sister and I. The voice..... well we are South African so there is a huge difference. Thank you for the great content and for reminding me how much my father loved hunting and rifles; and the great times we had pursuing game. God bless you and your country!
As others have said here "this man has forgotten more than most of us will ever know" He is a pleasure to listen too. I have recommended him to others in our shooting club.
I've owned the 6.5 swede, 260 remington, and 6.5 creedmoor. They all basically have the same ballistics for the most part. And in my opinion you can't go wrong with any of them. Whichever one of these you have, be happy with it because they are all great cartridges.
@@tomnguyen658 dont really have a use for one honestly. I only target shoot at 300 yards, so no need for the extra powder and barrel wear. It is a fantastic cartridge without a doubt, and would be hard pressed to find a better open country game cartridge. My hunting is in the wooded hills of Northeast MS, I use 9.3x62, 416 taylor improved, and 416 remington magnum. Fast and flat is great, but I also like that 4,000 to 5,300 ft lbs of energy also. I just have to pretend those whitetail im sneaking up on are cape Buffalo 😁
@@andrewcleveland 😆 either you hate your shoulder or your shoulder hates you since you put it through such abuse just to take down a whitetail. Do you shoot those chamberings because you have to shoot through dense brush and want to minimize deflection or do you just hunt with them because you enjoy them?
@@cristianespinal9917 Not gonna lie, they get rough on the shoulder during long range time. I dont shoot them for brush, nothing really penetrates brush without deflecting the bullet. Honestly I shoot them because I've read the great old African books since I was a kid. And have always been fascinated with African cartridges. I may never get to go to Africa. But I atleast have the rifles already anyway 😁
My first Swede was a Mauser. I had a choice of 6 & had a raincheck when the sporting goods store ran out of .303 British rifles. I "settled" for the 1896 for a whopping $69.00. Little did I know. Immediately started handloading due to scarceness of ammo. Then found a Rem 700 in 6.5 Swedish. Love this cartridge.
How refreshing to listen to someone who tells it as it is! No exaggerated sales pitch!He not out trying to sell it to us. Thank you for a great video, a pleasure watching you.
I have reloaded my own ammo for over 30 years. This guy knows his stuff. What he is talking about is exactly why I am on the way to building an AR10 in 6.5 CM. This is an in intriguing caliber for me, and I have several 30-06 rifles and loads for each, and also why I didn't opt for 308 WIN. Be safe with your reloading and shooting, and pass on your knowledge and passion for firearms to a young person! Cheers
I always enjoy this mans videos. Straight ahead with information with no real hype or un- disclaimed bias. As hunters, I believe our most elusive prey is the perfect cartridge. IMO the 6.5 Creed is NOT the best in any one category. Head to head with other cartridges, there are many others with better velocities, better trajectories, better energy at distance, lower recoil, similar effective range, BC's, sectional density... There are lots of cartridges that will outshine the 6.5 in any one category, but very few that will beat it in every area as a whole. It is the 'Goldie Locks' cartridge - not too this , not too that, but just right... IF... if... it is right for the job you're doing. Good moose cartridge? NO. Good deer cartridge? YES. Best deer cartridge? Sure, if you want it to be. If not, that's okay too. Good long range abilities, good hunting applications, light recoil. It's just a nice all around cartridge. If you don't like it, that's fine pick another one - there are lots of 'good cartridges', so everyone should feel free to find their happy place. I don't think the perfect cartridge will ever exist for many reasons, not the least of which is that physics will never allow it. Happy Hunting.
love it shooting my husqvarna I had trouble with consistency a gentleman next to me recognized it and told me its my ammo saying it should shoot as well as his tika passed me a couple of 139gr Norma's and voila problem solved , no way my rifle was as nice as his but I felt better
Wayne, I bought the Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor rifle about 9 months ago. I think its a great round and rifle, but if I didn't have it, I'd be fine with only having my 30/30 Marlin and my 10/22 Ruger; I guess I'm simple but they work and are both fun to shoot. Thank you for this and all your videos. I think you are the best at explaining everything from gun cleaning (and not oiling) to specifics on numerous firearms. Thank you for all you do.
I appreciate the knowledge passed on in this video, SD is something I tend to leave out of discussions because of the complexities that you have explained so well. I haven't jumped onto the 6.5 wagon because of the "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." theory. When one of the new "wonder rounds" come out, the first thing I do is look for older wildcats that are similar. My son got all hopped up about the .300 Whisper, I found a .300 Whisper wildcat, almost identical to the current version from the mid 1950's. It seems that it fills a niche for some but it isn't worth the investment for me and how and what I shoot.
Thank you for another informative and honest video. I own a 6.5 in a BLR, it is a beautiful rifle that is a joy to shoot but I am not a fan of the BS hype that has been pushed by the manufacturers regarding the caliber. I have rifles in many sizes, styles, and calibers that fall into the flat shooting reasonable recoil category and they all bring something great to the table. They are fun and accurate. The groups that can be achieved from my .243, 25-06, 6.5, 7mm-08, 7mag, and 30’s are all great but not one makes me want to get rid of the others. I haven’t hunted with the 6.5 as I have with the others but I have no doubt it will take a deer down at humane distances just like every other caliber from .243-30s with a well placed shot and proper bullet selection. Quality optics, practice, and proper technique will always work out better on game and paper than a quality marketing campaign. God bless you and I look forward to future content.
I recently purchased an inexpensive 6.5CM and did so even after a significant amount of research that is now confirmed by your input. I compared a wide variety of calibers, barrel lengths, ammunitions, etc via ballistic charts and personal reviews from blogs or UA-cam. 7mm, .270, and many other proven calibers passed by my radar with much consideration. The superior trajectory and nearly every other stat of the 270 over the 6.5CM, for example, were not lost. Ultimately, I will not be doing much, if any hunting, and the specs and aftermarket potential best suit my needs at this time. I appreciate your depth of knowledge and will continue to study as I progress to my future endeavors.
You are 100% correct with all of this. Even so, while acknowledging that you are correct and previously knowing and accepting all of this information, I just ordered a Savage 12 LRP in 6.5. No hunting with that thing, except maybe some prairie dogs but I will definitely be cutting some air and paper with it. As always really appreciate your videos, information and opinions.
I think the 6.5 calibers popularity comes from the low recoil. And the 1-8 , 1-8.5 standard twist in factory rifles, making it possible to use the longer best bc bullets. Whitout having to buy a new barrel. Easy on the shoulder. Easy on the wallet. Good performance in wind.
I've shot both and it's no lighter recoiling than 7-08. They're both easy to shoot and both good rounds, but I would agree with GB490 and others that the 6.5's marketing exceeds its actual performance.
@@David-er1cy In what way? I'm sorry but as a range rifle for sending a high volume of rounds down range in one sitting a 6.5CM is much more pleasant to shoot than the 7mm is and THAT can effect your performance ultimately.
As always, I'm that much smarter after watching your videos!! There aren't many people that I am willing to set and listen to these days but you are most certainly one of them. Thanks for taking the time to pass your wisdom on to your viewers. I know it is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, opinions, and observations with us. You are very well educated, well spoken and you put together an eloquent presentation. We are lucky to find your youtube channel and witness adequate explanations like this one you put together. I wish more people see this video and take away and mimic your mannerisms. Cheers
The consumer of firearms and munitions has an ombudsman right here. You can fool all the people some of the time, but you won't fool Mr. GB at any time! Thank you Mr. GB. You are so credible!
I shouldn't be laughing ...Mr Blue's sent of humour is classic. In between being memorized with the lesson and the sense of gratitude i feel with all his videos...his humour catches me off guard and i crack up...then have to rewind 30 seconds to hear what I have missed. What a guy.
thank you sir! i punch paper at long distances, 600 and 1000 yards, i enjoy using the 6.5 c.m. OR the 6 br, but in pursuit of game, i will not drag either into the woods!
I too have always enjoyed your comments. You put a lot of effort into each episode. I’m a 270 guy but recently had one of my 270’s rebarreled in 25/06 always wanted one, how about a chapter on that round.
I understand what you're saying about comparing cartridges or calibers. I've also read this baloney that is put out by writers and manufacturers reps. Putting that aside, I really appreciate your knowledge and willingness to send it to us. I nominate you as the educator of the decade. Thanks, once again, I watch often and learn much.
Thanks for sharing all your experience and knowledge. I shopped for a new bolt deer rifle, and was going to get a 7mm-08 after watching your vid from four years ago about the 6.5 Creedmoor that you mentioned in this video. But I noticed recently gun makers dropping the 7mm-08 from their offerings. Then I noticed ammo selection shrinking to the point that today there are nearly 3 times as many factory loads for the 6.5 compared to the 7mm-08. I chose to buy a Creedmoor before you published this video based on my observations above. All my hunting buddies in CT used 257 Roberts for years, and it was very popular. I feared the 7mm-08 would be the next 257 Roberts after seeing this trend develop in offerings of both guns and ammo for 7mm-08, so I bought the 6.5 Creedmoor instead. Thanks a million for all your efforts to educate and inform. You're efforts are much appreciated. Best, Bill
I like my 6.5 it puts down hog and deer here in texas. I like my .270 it puts down hog and deer here in Texas. I’m still a huge believer in shot placement is what’s most important. Love your videos please keep it up sir!
I love your informative chats, it is clear that you have forgotten more about cartridges and ballistics than the new 'experts' know. I love the wisdom that you share, clear and concise. God bless you too.
Another great video!! Your comment about choosing the correct bullet design when hunting with a 6.5 Creedmoor vs punching holds in paper (and, like to do both) is very important - if not critical. Thanks for sharing your extensive knowledge.
Well done sir..! I built and own several 6.5 Creedmoor’s but I also understand there are some limitations. Either way, it’s a great round and I’m very happy with it. My favorite round is the 142gr HPBT pushed with a BR4 and H-4831 in a quality case.
Thank you Sir, I have been reloading for about 40 years now and really enjoy your talks. My favorite is my new Savage 110 300 win. Mag heavy barrel. Out of the box my first three rounds were under 1 inch. 168 gr. Nosler ballistic tip with 70 gr. IMR 4350 , CCI magnum primers. It’s fun working up new loads. Might try some 110 grain .308 Hollow Point for woodchucks. Have an old box of Sierra bullets might as well try them out. Looking forward to your next talk.
This man is a wealth of information, the only critique I would add is the 77 Grain Sierra Match King does a splendid job of tearing up organic material, the ogive helps expansion on tall thinly built bipeds, which is why we use it downrange in the 5.56. Ofcourse, his point was to never use it when you can use a hunting cartridge.
This is my favorite channel, facts and data without any hype. I'm surprised there's not millions of subscribers. I see some channels with millions subscribing, but they don't have this kind of detailed knowledge. I've learned so much, Thank you.
I hunt, I never shoot targets unless Im sighting in a rifle or pistol. I consider the 6.5 a complete waste unless your shooting targets...There is nothing HUNTING it will do better than calibers we already have. BUT if you want to spend your money and take the advice of marketers and gun writers who are getting paid for their opinion...rock and roll....thanks for this video and agree the only thing that will save our country is prayers and brave men and women standing up for what they believe. We are under attack
6.5 is far from useless for hunting. Works just fine for most things in North America. 2 main reasons it can even be better than 308: much less wind drift-gravity is very predictable and people always compare the DROP of 6.5 but that’s not really where it shines or what really matters Less recoil-means you can reasonably carry a significantly lighter gun and still make effective shots
Thank you for your videos. I found your channel several months ago. I was headed on a hunt for whitetail or mule deer in South Dakota and I was trying to figure out the right caliber gun for me. My Dad like you is in love with the 7mm-08. Being younger and listening to all the talk I wanted the 6.5 cm. I told my Dad he was old and stuck in his ways until I actually found your channel. I ended up buying a Tikka T3 lite x in 7mm-08. A week after my hunt I’m happy to say I shot a big mule deer at 307 yards and he dropped where he once was standing. I’m a fan of the 7mm-08 but I’m still thinking my next gun will jump up to a .300 wsm. Headed on a elk hunt next year so I want to make sure I can reach across any draw or coulee.
God bless you as well and thank you to share your time with us. I do own a 6.5 Creedmoor and enjoy shooting it. The AR platform reduces recoil and allows a follow-up shot if required. I like to shoot long distances for deer and elk. The 6.5 Creedmoor seems to be a good medium range deer and elk cartridge with about 600 yards as my max distance with it. I like to at least have 900 - 1000 lbs of energy at terminal distance which puts me at 650 yards. And yes you can kill with much less energy than that, just my personal preference. It was refreshing to hear an educated piece, instead of a persuasive argument on behalf of either cartridge.
I enjoyed this video. I shoot both 6.5 Creed and the 7mm-08 Rem, both excellent cartridges. I never bought into the hype that there was anything magic about the Creed. I shoot the Creed very well and enjoy the low recoil. I have my Dad (he's in his early 80s) shooting a Creed and he shoots it very well compared to his old 30-06. Keep the great videos coming, Take Care.
Not a bit of truly measurable difference between the Swede and the creedmoor. I have both and love both and they perform not any different than the other.
@@wiseguysoutdoors2954 Yup, that's why I roll my eyes at all the people just now discovering 6.5 and declaring it the best. 6.5 swede is over a hundred years old lol. The good thing is now 6.5 bullets are more plentiful so reloading variety is better.
In modern bolt action rifles, the reloadings beat the 6.5CM. But since it has more powder capacity that's normal. You can also say the 6.5x284 is better than the swede and so on
@@grosminetytp5520 I just wish that 6.5 Swede had gotten a commercial craze like 6.5 CM did so companies besides CZ can start to make rifles in that caliber again. Plus now that CZ discontinued the 550, you can only get 6.5 swede from a CZ 557. I still yearn for that CZ 550 Mannlicher stock in 6.5 swede.
A splendid explanation. I’m glad you mentioned the 6.5x47 Lapua. A good friend of mine has a Keppeler rifle chambered in that cartridge. We often go shooting together and since have to travel a long way, we normally take more than one rifle. He shoots well. Way better than me. But his 6.5x47 Keppeler rifle really excels and impresses. The precision and consistency is amazing. Were it not so expensive (the rifle) and had we a closer shooting range, I’d have gone for that. For the time being, I’ll keep playing with my 308s and 6.5 Swedes. Cheers and thanks.
Such a class act!!! I really enjoyed this video. Absolutely perfect presentation and supporting data. I hope you continue to make these videos. I'd watch them all day! I hunt deer with the 260, but got into the AR-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor. Recently picked up a bolt gun as well. Of course if I see a 6.5 Swede, I'd probably buy it. I'm just such a 6.5 fan. Thank you very much for your time!
I've had a 6.5x55 Swedish for 15-18 years. It will do pretty much the same thing as a 6.5 creedmore and it's been doing it way longer. It just wasn't popular here in the US. I happened across mine by picking up a restocked military rifle and it was very well done and it was cheap. I believe I paid 100 dollars for it. Shoots great and has taken some deer over the years. I am very interested in the 6.5 PRC it has a bit more punch. In fact they probably could have called it the 6.5 magnum. I still prefer the 7-08 personally and the 308 for most of my deer hunting. In Ohio I use a 50 cal black powder Thompson center encore and it works fantastic. For bigger game I use the old dependable 30-06 has never let me down.
Agree on the 65PRC , I have been working with one for a few months now. First box of factory Hornady 147 off bipod and my shoulder did 1/4 - 3/8 easily. Ive used it on thrree big feral hogs now and believe the 147 match behaves similar to the older Amax
Excellent video, well done! The Swedes had it right way back in the 1800’s. I compete with a 1917 Mauser that still holds 1” for 5 shots at100 with mild recoil. I have also been shooting the 6.5 Creedmore for 2-3 years regularly out to 1000-1200 yards. That being said, you can do the same thing with excellent accuracy with a heavy .308 bullet, BUT, you have to get up into the 190-208gr pills which equates to significantly more recoil- but it can be easily done. Sometimes cartridges take on a “mythical “ reputation, which the 6.5 Creedmore has done- but it’s no purple unicorn! Actually the 6.5 Swede in a MODERN rifle is an even better cartridge. Keep up the excellent work!
Yes, they did the same thing when the 7mm08 came out. They all have their place. But if you get right down to it for hunting a White tail deer that weighs 100-150 lbs. I shoot an 85gr hpbt from sierra and they fall like struck by lightening. If you look at it they are all from 2900 to 3400fps a 222 to a 7mm mag will work but why shoot something that kills at both ends.
I just listened to you for the first time. I thank you for your graceful critique. I learned a bit and know that it is the experience of men like you that will keep us on the straight and narrow. Thanks again.
I have a beautiful CZ 550 in 6.5 Swede, but it's too nice to take in the field, so I hunt deer with a synthetic stocked Remington Model 7 in 7-08. It meets my needs in a small handy package. When the the 6.5 Creedmore came out I passed on it. I just can't see it filling any niche between these two rifles, but I agree it is a very efficient round.
I agree with you on this topic 100%. And if I may, I'd like to add that the frontal mass of a projectile is an often over looked subject. For example which would one I rather have for personal protection from large animals like brown bears, at 25 yards? A 6.5 140 gr at 2900 fps which is in the range of the 264 win mag or a 400+ gr 45-70 at about 2/3rds that velocity. The bigger diameter and massive weight of the 45-70 will cause a bigger, longer hole and more of a secondary wound channel than the 264. To push the point farther, Add the .700 inch diameter 12 ga shotgun to the mix with a 1oz slug at +/- 1200 fps. There is a reason why most Alaskan fishing guides carry a 12ga over most any rifle. Though not my first choice, the 130+ year old .303 Brit does not fare favorably on paper to the almost any "modern" round. But inside 250 to 300 yards it will still kill any game animal on north or south America. It will, and certainly has, also worked very well on most soft skinned animals on the other side of other globe. If you are a target shooter, the 6.5 is hard to beat. But don't bury your trusty .30 cal in the closet for a 6.5 to make you a better hunter. NO matter the caliber, bullet placement is still king.
Addendum: Imagine putting a broomstick in finger hole of a bowling, then stick it out the window, drive 60 mph (88fps) and hitting a person with it. It would be massive damage and no doubt fatal. Compare the previous to a necked down a 20mm cannon round to fire a sewing needle at 10 's of 1000's of fps. The latter would most likely have a complete pass though, anyplace you like and the subject might very well not only survive but may not even notice anything other than some minor discomfort. Two extremes, I know, but kind of illustrates the point. The 6.5's has it's place along WITH dozens of other rounds.
I have been waiting for this video for a year+, and thought that the marketing claims were bogus as well. I didn't look up the details to find out, however I am glad that you did research the topic, as your analysis is invaluable and many times what I ever could have drawn from just confirming the sectional density fraud they are pulling. Thanks so much for sharing your amazing overview!
I had a fellow ELR Competitor tell me his 6.5 had the EXACT same ballistics as my .300 WM. I use 215 grain berger hybrids, putting them out at 2950 fps. He is using 147 grain eld-m at 2600... It was exactly the kind of claim you would hear during the CM's debut. I have no problem with the cartridge, but it attracts both professional capable shooters, and complete morons.
I’m always suspect of any gun product that comes with a bunch of media/community hype saying THIS is the thing you need, and all others are now obsolete. Love they way you apply logical thought, and shudder the thought, actual fact based reason and analysis in explaining these things. Well done and you are correct about our country needing prayers. 🙏
Thank you for taking me to school, love your channel. Two things the Creed got going against it for me, a 7mm08 and a 6.5 Swede. If anything there’s maybe a small niche for the even smaller 6.5 Grendel. There’s just no room for a Creed in my arsenal overcrowded in that range as it is already. Also for hunting try sticking a 156-160 gr bullet in the Creed, not happening without severe speed loss. May God bless you and your family, and God bless America!
Thank you so much just for teaching us! Wish I knew you when I was shooting in the Western Division Marine Corps rifle matches. Shot a 243 and was the high tyro next day a dismal 236 .... a great woman Marine, who I don’t remember got me by 2 points on the second day and was awarded a match grade M1 Garand that year. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. Semper Fi!!
I'm new to rifles. This is like a class at school. All good information. Marketing can make anything seem better than something else by skewing the number. Bill calls them out. Good work sir.
Sir, you are ALWAYS spot on with your knowledge, experience and common sense when it comes to shooting and hunting. You are a true sportsman and a great American. God bless you and your family and yes.....pray for America and President Trump 2020!
You, sir, are an endless wealth of gun and cartridge knowledge. Oh, that the editors of the popular gun articles would watch your videos before they wrote their material. Thank you for your clear-cut, no-nonsense destruction of the "hype."
To add to what you said about the small rifle primers, a lot of brass companies are now offering the creedmoor brass in small rifle. Thanks for your input and video sir, your advice is pretty sound.
I’ve been waiting for someone like yourself to do this video for a couple of years now. I’ve had the identical thoughts as you but am only a UA-cam watcher. Thank you from a faithful subscriber.
Oh my the Holy Grail has finally been located .. More hype now than there ever was on bullet BC and SD.. Gawd Whenever i buy a box of bullets the most important information is right on the box, BC and SD and this is new now i see , also the Rate of barrel twist required ..Now how about the bullets in the box? .. funny .. 20 years ago at the range no one really knew or cared what BC was or cared , one fellow said, only target shooters use that.. Today at the range the most talked about thing is not accuracy , not how flat this super duper ctg shoots , not the new scope , the bullet BC i find that really funny .... We live today in a world of new firearms and new ctgs , i hate to pick up a new gun mag anymore because there is 4-6 new plastic handguns being tested .. With 77 years behind me and 31 handloading manuals on my book shelf today , i trusted the information within and used it all my life .. Some new manuals i'm not so certain the ctg write up is accurate and others are quite difficult to swallow .. Now for very well proven accurate ctgs over the years i lean towards the very fine 6.5mm X 47mm Lapua i would go to next for my liking .. I find the 6PPC ctg a development that is leading the pack , those two fellows figured out the problems and how to solve them by setting world benchrest records .. As we follow trends , around 12 years ago i started to see the .338 LaPua chambered rifles start to show up on my range and it was the Holy Grail and the only ctg to own .. ya okay .. no i did not buy one .. Then the 6.8 mm SPC shows up now we have a new kid on the block but soon it got kicked to bottom place by the 300 Blackout which is the only one to have ..The 6.5 Creedmoor is still hot out there at the range and long range (we are all 1,000 yard shooter) Now i really do not agree that the 6.5 Creedmoor is an 800 yard Elk ctg in fact very few ctgs are suited for that range .. As one hunter said , he ranged his elk at 1,100 yards and got his Elk .. What kind of message does this send to new hunters and shooter ? It makes us older hunters just cringe at what's going on...Wounded and lost big game animals are on the increase every season and almost every state , should we be doing that ?? I think not ..
Great video! I'm a fan of the .260 Rem and it is my deer cartridge - but I never shoot game past 300 yards . . . and seldom gongs any further than that. Savage M11 did it right with a 1:8" twist and an action/magazine that will accomidate 2.90" C.O.L. (and the freebore/throat allows the secant bullets set out that far). I prefer the 130 gr Swift Scirocco II and Sierra Tipped GameChanger bullets for whitetail. It's not the best perhaps, but it does the job I need and drops whitetail nicely. Coyotes as well. Today I would most liekly go with the 6.5 Creedmoor . . . but I get a little better velocity at that weight. For a non-reloader - no question the 6.5 Creedmoor is the better choice. God bless you as well.
Thank you for explaining this for the masses...everyone around me jumped at this cartridge when it came out except for me and a couple other friends....as a hand loader I’ve adjusted my calibers (.223-.270-.308)with bullet weights for its specific intentions....finalized its accuracy and never let me down ( hunting )...although I do purchase different set ups for different species of fish !!! 😂
Not sure what your point is because he did say it is a great deer round, did he say it was bad ?? No and most of the deer hunters will use it unless your chasing elk or moose so I’m confused about your comment here
I Friggin' love your videos sir. I appreciate and respect you passing on your knowledge and wisdom and tips and foresight and all.....amazing vids to watch I'll say again. Have been a subscriber since I discovered one of your videos for the first time.
Very well put. A couple of related aspects people rarely mention. First, that flat-backed non boat tail bullets Stabilise Much closer to the muzzle after leaving it, than boat tail bullets do. Thats why my .243 was loaded with Sierra 100 grain flatback soft point bullets, for headsets out to 600+ yds, and my 7mm-08 used Sierra Gameking bullets for headsets out to 1200 yds. When culling very large numbers of deer (for example on estates pre survey thought to have one herd of deer, turned out post survey to have up to 3 herds, which chronically overpopulated the ground capacity for healthy numbers to go forward with), All Deer have to be taken with Headshots, to maximise the return from the Game Dealers. So you can start shooting at ranges up to 100 yds, and as the day goes on, ranges start increasing significantly. Next, on bullet weights, to get effective equivalent Ballistic performance at range, you rapidly run into that uncomfortable Wall called Recoil, which to tame an result in significant consequences for Gun Weight, especially if you need to fire a heck of a lot of rounds every "Wwork Day". The dramatic Eye Opener, is comparing Recoil and efficient bullet weights with the range at which they become Trans Sonic. Given the experience of the Japanese with 6.5mm during WW2 - they ditched it, for good reasons - I am not a fan of 6.5mm for fundamental ballistics reasons. However, I was tempted by 6.5mm and 6.8mm for accurate non Target Range Real World use, but ended up happy having gone with 7mm-08 in a relatively lightweight Rifle - A Browning A Bolt - and handloadng for it to tune the ammunition for optimum performance(nb, both .243 and 7mm-08 were loaded for 2,975 fps to facilitate rifle switching, with both having the same telescopic sights), If you compare what can be done with smooth shooting High performance loads in 7mm, with what it takes to match that with 7.62mm/.30, and how much further out the trans Sonic range is, it really is no contest. To Be Honest, Today, I would look seriously at that superb new Case the 6.8 Western has, and I'd neck it up to 7mm, and get a Barrel for it, with a set of Custom reloading Dies for it (Hornady Dies if possible, as I found their standard dies I bought, were as precise as Benchrest dies from other makers i tried). If I lived in the USA and even though now retired, I'd get one built anyway. Best Wishes, and Praying for the USA and the American People. Bob. 👍🏴 edit for typos and minor additions.
Your videos are an absolute treasure! On the subject of ballistic coefficient, you are slightly off ito physics. Yes, largely determined by caliber, but also, and do t ignore… bullet length. The longer, the higher the bc. 6.5 cm achieves higher bc for 6.5mm bullets thru their length. I say that as absolutely respectfully as I can.
You are absolutely correct. To see that a higher ballistic coefficient is not superior to a lower one while retaining higher down range energy is ludicrous. The same for sectional density. Higher sectional density gives better penetration. This is how colts and weird religions get started. Never listen to one person for all of your information without questioning it. Good on you.
I came here from your 2016 vid about choosing a defensive pistol. I disagreed with a few of your points in that. After watching this, I'm highly impressed with your knowledge, attention to detail and presentation. Thank you for your time and effort in sharing with us. Much appreciated Cap!
Definitely, "pray for our country" well said. I almost went with a 6.5 Creedmoor Ruger American, but I saved $60 going with .243 Ruger American. For me, it came down to the dollar:) HA! I hope we do good this year:) Another great and informative video. Thanks for sharing.
The .243 is a perfect round. I've had many and loved them, however, the 6.5 creedmoor has the recoil, accuracy of the .243 and you have 29-50 grs heavier bullets, which makes all the difference on a marginal shot. Not a purposeful marginal shot, but the occasion one that creeps up on occasion, for all of us over time.
Love my .243! Shot an 11 point buck with it. Now I don’t hunt much so I bought a long range scope for it to shoot steel at 100-500 yards. It should work just fine. Next I’m gonna buy the dies for it so I can load my own Bullets, along with my .223, and 9mm.
I’ve been enjoying my 6.5 Tika in a McGree chassis for a few years and liked the round so much I made an AR in 6.5 with a 24” match barrel. I’m now trying out the 6mm ARC. I’m enjoying the softer shooting rounds, compared to a 308 or 300 WM. Thank you for your videos and the sharing of your vast knowledge. Aloha and happy vets day!
Amazing. No random firearms spread out on the table, no 5 gun safes with 400 stickers in the background.
Just a man, calmly talking with a lot of information. Neither a fanboy or hater.
How refreshing.
Thank you.
He's great isn't he? I've been listening for a few years. One of the most legitimately knowledgeable firearms experts on UA-cam. Massively underrated
I cant stand the hunting videos where someone is videoing with deer mounts on the wall behind them.
No intro with the volume 47 times louder than the rest of the video with guy shooting 50 different guns, poorly.
No need for sponsorship disclaimers because video is about knowledge.
Gentleman has his reading glasses not all of his tacticoolguy gear.
Take it from someone in his age group; it's called wisdom!
@@Dougarrowhead I am scratching my head on that one. Don't like hunting vids with deer trophies in them?
This man has forgotten more than most of us will ever know!! What a pleasure to listen.
I have studied exterior ballistics for many years and every time I begin to get a big head about it all I have to do is watch a GunBlue490 video and I realize how much I still have to learn.
I've said the very same thing on several occasions...
"What a pleasure to listen.".. you said it for me too.
😮huh?
I like how he called what the writer was doing a sin. We need more teachers like this man. God bless you and your family, sir.
And journalists
Unfortunately so much of this information is going to be lost. I’ve spent my lifetime acquiring information about shooting and at 71, my life is coming to an end with no one to share it with. Seems like so many of the younger generation could care less about those things important to us older shooters. What a shame. This gentleman has a wealth of knowledge to pass on
Getting a bit fed up of people babbling on about how amazing this cartridge is. "sell your .303" they say "it shoots like a banana". "Got to get a creed" . I cringe now every time someone mentions this calibre. I've therefore have deliberatley gone the opposite way. I wanted a light weight stalking rifle for deer and just to upset them ordered it in .303 British. So when they ask "what are you shooting" I wont be saying "6.5 Creed". "It aint the arrow its the Indian". Great video GunBlue. I love your videos and sensible information you provide. From the UK by the way.
When this gentlemen is talking we should all sit and take out pen and paper,thank you for your videos.
Very well said!
My comment is right above yours. I basically said the same thing and I didn't see your comment until after mine posted. We are so lucky that he shares his experience and info on video for all of us, and for all time.
I agree this guy is the most likeable and knowledgable on you tube. If you dont learn anything from this guy you are unteachable
I agree! The only thing that bugs me is his damn accent. Lol
That's a fact.
6.5 Swede, one of the finest cartridges ever devised. It survived 124 years and did so without fake advertisement.
The 6.5 x 55 Swede and the 6.5 creedmoor are virtually the same! I have both and both perform very much the same, so your argument that the Swede is better than the creedmoor is pure BS
@@wiseguysoutdoors2954 lol I didnt even mention 6.5 CM in my comment.
@@prairiefalcon9494 I think he is just very upset, he just learned his 6.5 creedmoore isn’t the second coming he just had to lash out lol.
Americans couldn't use what exists they have to invent their own "wheel"
@@prairiefalcon9494 new name 6.5BS lol
i have a modern 6.5x55 SE rifle which is build by gunsmith, i can easily shoot 143gr bullets with over 900ms/2950 fps, it is completely in different category than 6.5 crm.
i allso dont want to talk about powder charges, but they are way over what the cartridge was made of in 1894.
1 thing in 6.5x55 Swede/Mauser/Skan is really fascinating, it is over 120 years old, but they seated the bullet really long, and that really opens up the possibilities in modern rifles and modern bullets.
I want to thank you for the wisdom and time you share passing on history and knowledge. My late grandfather was a history buff, teacher, fireman and ex airforce. You remind me of him. I'd sit cross legade on the floor and listen to him for hours. He too was a firearm collector and antique fishing gear enthusiasts. I hated history class but his wisdom demanded my attention. God bless
Greetings from Canada! Thanks for passing down all of your knowledge. Its a pleasure listening to you.
Love you! Gun Blue!
Both of my best friends bought 6.5 Creedmoors as hunting rifles. I fought off there constant nagging and kidney jabs and bought a 308 exclaiming
“The 308 has been fighting wars and killing medium game since the early 50’s, it’s fine”
Plus I shoot service rifle competition and “Creedmoor” is the metaphorical “Anacrombie and Fitch” of shooting which makes me Nacious every time time I say it or write it, in fact I might go throw up now having writing this.
The Wizard AKA Gun Blue always brings peace to my Gun nerd mind.
Sir
You remind me so much of my father that passed away in 2013. You look almost exactly like he did. Your calm and factual explanation is exactly how he handled and taught my sister and I. The voice..... well we are South African so there is a huge difference.
Thank you for the great content and for reminding me how much my father loved hunting and rifles; and the great times we had pursuing game.
God bless you and your country!
Always a pleasure to hear a gentlemen speak. Especially during times we are in now.
As others have said here "this man has forgotten more than most of us will ever know" He is a pleasure to listen too. I have recommended him to others in our shooting club.
The guy here @mrcervuselaphus is not me and I put this posting up. ??
I've owned the 6.5 swede, 260 remington, and 6.5 creedmoor. They all basically have the same ballistics for the most part. And in my opinion you can't go wrong with any of them. Whichever one of these you have, be happy with it because they are all great cartridges.
Next time buy 6.5 PRC
@@tomnguyen658 dont really have a use for one honestly. I only target shoot at 300 yards, so no need for the extra powder and barrel wear. It is a fantastic cartridge without a doubt, and would be hard pressed to find a better open country game cartridge. My hunting is in the wooded hills of Northeast MS, I use 9.3x62, 416 taylor improved, and 416 remington magnum. Fast and flat is great, but I also like that 4,000 to 5,300 ft lbs of energy also. I just have to pretend those whitetail im sneaking up on are cape Buffalo 😁
@@andrewcleveland 😆 either you hate your shoulder or your shoulder hates you since you put it through such abuse just to take down a whitetail. Do you shoot those chamberings because you have to shoot through dense brush and want to minimize deflection or do you just hunt with them because you enjoy them?
@@cristianespinal9917 Not gonna lie, they get rough on the shoulder during long range time. I dont shoot them for brush, nothing really penetrates brush without deflecting the bullet. Honestly I shoot them because I've read the great old African books since I was a kid. And have always been fascinated with African cartridges. I may never get to go to Africa. But I atleast have the rifles already anyway 😁
@@andrewcleveland That's a really cool reason to have them. No one can ever say you aren't bringing enough gun!
My first Swede was a Mauser. I had a choice of 6 & had a raincheck when the sporting goods store ran out of .303 British rifles. I "settled" for the 1896 for a whopping $69.00. Little did I know. Immediately started handloading due to scarceness of ammo. Then found a Rem 700 in 6.5 Swedish. Love this cartridge.
How refreshing to listen to someone who tells it as it is! No exaggerated sales pitch!He not out trying to sell it to us. Thank you for a great video, a pleasure watching you.
I have reloaded my own ammo for over 30 years. This guy knows his stuff. What he is talking about is exactly why I am on the way to building an AR10 in 6.5 CM. This is an in intriguing caliber for me, and I have several 30-06 rifles and loads for each, and also why I didn't opt for 308 WIN. Be safe with your reloading and shooting, and pass on your knowledge and passion for firearms to a young person! Cheers
What’s nice about the AR308 platform is that you can have an upper for the 6.5 & .308 and the lower is the same.
I always enjoy this mans videos. Straight ahead with information with no real hype or un- disclaimed bias. As hunters, I believe our most elusive prey is the perfect cartridge.
IMO the 6.5 Creed is NOT the best in any one category. Head to head with other cartridges, there are many others with better velocities, better trajectories, better energy at distance, lower recoil, similar effective range, BC's, sectional density... There are lots of cartridges that will outshine the 6.5 in any one category, but very few that will beat it in every area as a whole. It is the 'Goldie Locks' cartridge - not too this , not too that, but just right... IF... if... it is right for the job you're doing.
Good moose cartridge? NO. Good deer cartridge? YES. Best deer cartridge? Sure, if you want it to be. If not, that's okay too.
Good long range abilities, good hunting applications, light recoil. It's just a nice all around cartridge. If you don't like it, that's fine pick another one - there are lots of 'good cartridges', so everyone should feel free to find their happy place. I don't think the perfect cartridge will ever exist for many reasons, not the least of which is that physics will never allow it.
Happy Hunting.
G’day from Australia mate, Swede works for me in my Tikka!
love it shooting my husqvarna I had trouble with consistency a gentleman next to me recognized it and told me its my ammo saying it should shoot as well as his tika passed me a couple of 139gr Norma's and voila problem solved , no way my rifle was as nice as his but I felt better
In a modern gun it can be handloaded to it's true potential.
@@etvonrashke3763 in theory you should be able to make brass from any of the x57mm Mauser derived cases.
Wayne, I bought the Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor rifle about 9 months ago. I think its a great round and rifle, but if I didn't have it, I'd be fine with only having my 30/30 Marlin and my 10/22 Ruger; I guess I'm simple but they work and are both fun to shoot. Thank you for this and all your videos. I think you are the best at explaining everything from gun cleaning (and not oiling) to specifics on numerous firearms. Thank you for all you do.
Excellent overview and analysis. A voice of sanity in a world of hype.
I believe a 7mm 08 hits the sweet spot for BC, SD and felt recoil...Next up the .308
Thank you for all of the knowledge you bestow upon the youtube community. Greatly appreciated!
I appreciate the knowledge passed on in this video, SD is something I tend to leave out of discussions because of the complexities that you have explained so well. I haven't jumped onto the 6.5 wagon because of the "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." theory. When one of the new "wonder rounds" come out, the first thing I do is look for older wildcats that are similar. My son got all hopped up about the .300 Whisper, I found a .300 Whisper wildcat, almost identical to the current version from the mid 1950's. It seems that it fills a niche for some but it isn't worth the investment for me and how and what I shoot.
Thank you for another informative and honest video. I own a 6.5 in a BLR, it is a beautiful rifle that is a joy to shoot but I am not a fan of the BS hype that has been pushed by the manufacturers regarding the caliber. I have rifles in many sizes, styles, and calibers that fall into the flat shooting reasonable recoil category and they all bring something great to the table. They are fun and accurate. The groups that can be achieved from my .243, 25-06, 6.5, 7mm-08, 7mag, and 30’s are all great but not one makes me want to get rid of the others. I haven’t hunted with the 6.5 as I have with the others but I have no doubt it will take a deer down at humane distances just like every other caliber from .243-30s with a well placed shot and proper bullet selection. Quality optics, practice, and proper technique will always work out better on game and paper than a quality marketing campaign. God bless you and I look forward to future content.
I recently purchased an inexpensive 6.5CM and did so even after a significant amount of research that is now confirmed by your input.
I compared a wide variety of calibers, barrel lengths, ammunitions, etc via ballistic charts and personal reviews from blogs or UA-cam. 7mm, .270, and many other proven calibers passed by my radar with much consideration. The superior trajectory and nearly every other stat of the 270 over the 6.5CM, for example, were not lost. Ultimately, I will not be doing much, if any hunting, and the specs and aftermarket potential best suit my needs at this time.
I appreciate your depth of knowledge and will continue to study as I progress to my future endeavors.
Yes! A perfect video for me to sit and trim brass to. Hello from Minnesota, sir.
You are 100% correct with all of this. Even so, while acknowledging that you are correct and previously knowing and accepting all of this information, I just ordered a Savage 12 LRP in 6.5. No hunting with that thing, except maybe some prairie dogs but I will definitely be cutting some air and paper with it.
As always really appreciate your videos, information and opinions.
I think the 6.5 calibers popularity comes from the low recoil.
And the 1-8 , 1-8.5 standard twist in factory rifles, making it possible to use the longer best bc bullets. Whitout having to buy a new barrel.
Easy on the shoulder.
Easy on the wallet.
Good performance in wind.
This is absolutely true. It outperforms a 308 and without the recoil. It is a lot of fun to shoot
I've shot both and it's no lighter recoiling than 7-08. They're both easy to shoot and both good rounds, but I would agree with GB490 and others that the 6.5's marketing exceeds its actual performance.
7mm magnum will shit on any of the 6.5 including the 6.5 prc
Finally someone who isn't a brain dead .270 fudd!
@@David-er1cy In what way? I'm sorry but as a range rifle for sending a high volume of rounds down range in one sitting a 6.5CM is much more pleasant to shoot than the 7mm is and THAT can effect your performance ultimately.
Sir, I cannot thank you enough for sharing your knowledge and understanding of various cartridges.
God bless you and your loved ones as well!
As always, I'm that much smarter after watching your videos!! There aren't many people that I am willing to set and listen to these days but you are most certainly one of them. Thanks for taking the time to pass your wisdom on to your viewers. I know it is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, opinions, and observations with us. You are very well educated, well spoken and you put together an eloquent presentation. We are lucky to find your youtube channel and witness adequate explanations like this one you put together. I wish more people see this video and take away and mimic your mannerisms. Cheers
The consumer of firearms and munitions has an ombudsman right here. You can fool all the people some of the time, but you won't fool Mr. GB at any time! Thank you Mr. GB. You are so credible!
I shouldn't be laughing ...Mr Blue's sent of humour is classic. In between being memorized with the lesson and the sense of gratitude i feel with all his videos...his humour catches me off guard and i crack up...then have to rewind 30 seconds to hear what I have missed. What a guy.
This man is a national treasure
Very well said!
He even sounds like one.
He really is!
I disagree.
He is an international treasure.
why dont you marry it then?
thank you sir! i punch paper at long distances, 600 and 1000 yards, i enjoy using the 6.5 c.m. OR the 6 br, but in pursuit of game, i will not drag either into the woods!
What would you take into your neck of the woods?
@@mapled3135 a model 29 s&w
@@DOUGLASLASH-xy4ct 😂
@Randy Joe A decent length barrel Model 29 can take deer pretty handily at shorter distances.
I too have always enjoyed your comments. You put a lot of effort into each episode. I’m a 270 guy but recently had one of my 270’s rebarreled in 25/06 always wanted one, how about a chapter on that round.
Wonderful to hear you voice, it’s like an old friend now. When you mentioned Benny my heart felt a nice lift. Our dogs truly are God’s gift.
Be well.
I'd just like to say thanks for sharing with us. I like to learn and enjoy your videos a lot. Blessings.
I understand what you're saying about comparing cartridges or calibers. I've also read this baloney that is put out by writers and manufacturers reps. Putting that aside, I really appreciate your knowledge and willingness to send it to us. I nominate you as the educator of the decade. Thanks, once again, I watch often and learn much.
Still have & use my 30-06, 30-30, & 308 for plinking & hunting. My favorite 6.5 is the .264 win mag model 70 with 26 inch barrel.
Thanks for sharing all your experience and knowledge. I shopped for a new bolt deer rifle, and was going to get a 7mm-08 after watching your vid from four years ago about the 6.5 Creedmoor that you mentioned in this video. But I noticed recently gun makers dropping the 7mm-08 from their offerings. Then I noticed ammo selection shrinking to the point that today there are nearly 3 times as many factory loads for the 6.5 compared to the 7mm-08. I chose to buy a Creedmoor before you published this video based on my observations above. All my hunting buddies in CT used 257 Roberts for years, and it was very popular. I feared the 7mm-08 would be the next 257 Roberts after seeing this trend develop in offerings of both guns and ammo for 7mm-08, so I bought the 6.5 Creedmoor instead. Thanks a million for all your efforts to educate and inform. You're efforts are much appreciated. Best, Bill
I like my 6.5 it puts down hog and deer here in texas. I like my .270 it puts down hog and deer here in Texas. I’m still a huge believer in shot placement is what’s most important. Love your videos please keep it up sir!
I love your informative chats, it is clear that you have forgotten more about cartridges and ballistics than the new 'experts' know. I love the wisdom that you share, clear and concise. God bless you too.
Another great video!! Your comment about choosing the correct bullet design when hunting with a 6.5 Creedmoor vs punching holds in paper (and, like to do both) is very important - if not critical. Thanks for sharing your extensive knowledge.
His videos are the best! Here in Norway the 6,5x55 is very popular. l have two rifles both in 6,5x55. A tikka t3x and a ZC 550 American
Great caliber to hunt with. My friends from Moss, Norway would agree! Love your country. Have visited twice and enjoyed being there for OL 94.
Well done sir..! I built and own several 6.5 Creedmoor’s but I also understand there are some limitations. Either way, it’s a great round and I’m very happy with it. My favorite round is the 142gr HPBT pushed with a BR4 and H-4831 in a quality case.
Thank you Sir, I have been reloading for about 40 years now and really enjoy your talks. My favorite is my new Savage 110 300 win. Mag heavy barrel. Out of the box my first three rounds were under 1 inch. 168 gr. Nosler ballistic tip with 70 gr. IMR 4350 , CCI magnum primers. It’s fun working up new loads. Might try some 110 grain .308 Hollow Point for woodchucks. Have an old box of Sierra bullets might as well try them out. Looking forward to your next talk.
Thanks for another excellent video. So glad to hear Benny is doing well and God bless you and your family.
This man is a wealth of information, the only critique I would add is the 77 Grain Sierra Match King does a splendid job of tearing up organic material, the ogive helps expansion on tall thinly built bipeds, which is why we use it downrange in the 5.56. Ofcourse, his point was to never use it when you can use a hunting cartridge.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I love my 6.5 creedmoor, but now I have more understanding about it.
This is my favorite channel, facts and data without any hype. I'm surprised there's not millions of subscribers. I see some channels with millions subscribing, but they don't have this kind of detailed knowledge. I've learned so much, Thank you.
Great video. I feel like a school boy when I watch your channel.
I can listen to you for hours.Out of 88 gun and hunting sites ,you by far i listen to the most.
I hunt, I never shoot targets unless Im sighting in a rifle or pistol. I consider the 6.5 a complete waste unless your shooting targets...There is nothing HUNTING it will do better than calibers we already have. BUT if you want to spend your money and take the advice of marketers and gun writers who are getting paid for their opinion...rock and roll....thanks for this video and agree the only thing that will save our country is prayers and brave men and women standing up for what they believe. We are under attack
6.5 is far from useless for hunting. Works just fine for most things in North America. 2 main reasons it can even be better than 308:
much less wind drift-gravity is very predictable and people always compare the DROP of 6.5 but that’s not really where it shines or what really matters
Less recoil-means you can reasonably carry a significantly lighter gun and still make effective shots
Complete waste? Really?
Thank you for your videos. I found your channel several months ago. I was headed on a hunt for whitetail or mule deer in South Dakota and I was trying to figure out the right caliber gun for me. My Dad like you is in love with the 7mm-08. Being younger and listening to all the talk I wanted the 6.5 cm. I told my Dad he was old and stuck in his ways until I actually found your channel. I ended up buying a Tikka T3 lite x in 7mm-08. A week after my hunt I’m happy to say I shot a big mule deer at 307 yards and he dropped where he once was standing. I’m a fan of the 7mm-08 but I’m still thinking my next gun will jump up to a .300 wsm. Headed on a elk hunt next year so I want to make sure I can reach across any draw or coulee.
Thanks Gunblue. Lot B.S. in firearm marketing. Another great vid .Thanks again from Doug in Tennessee.
Like the .350 "legend"? "Fastest straight walled cartridge"? Haha
God bless you as well and thank you to share your time with us. I do own a 6.5 Creedmoor and enjoy shooting it. The AR platform reduces recoil and allows a follow-up shot if required. I like to shoot long distances for deer and elk. The 6.5 Creedmoor seems to be a good medium range deer and elk cartridge with about 600 yards as my max distance with it. I like to at least have 900 - 1000 lbs of energy at terminal distance which puts me at 650 yards. And yes you can kill with much less energy than that, just my personal preference. It was refreshing to hear an educated piece, instead of a persuasive argument on behalf of either cartridge.
I enjoyed this video. I shoot both 6.5 Creed and the 7mm-08 Rem, both excellent cartridges. I never bought into the hype that there was anything magic about the Creed. I shoot the Creed very well and enjoy the low recoil. I have my Dad (he's in his early 80s) shooting a Creed and he shoots it very well compared to his old 30-06. Keep the great videos coming, Take Care.
You explained what I've failed to adequately explain since this mania all started. Thank you.
Thank you. 6.5 Swede all the way.
Not a bit of truly measurable difference between the Swede and the creedmoor. I have both and love both and they perform not any different than the other.
@@wiseguysoutdoors2954 Yup, that's why I roll my eyes at all the people just now discovering 6.5 and declaring it the best. 6.5 swede is over a hundred years old lol. The good thing is now 6.5 bullets are more plentiful so reloading variety is better.
In modern bolt action rifles, the reloadings beat the 6.5CM. But since it has more powder capacity that's normal. You can also say the 6.5x284 is better than the swede and so on
@@grosminetytp5520 I just wish that 6.5 Swede had gotten a commercial craze like 6.5 CM did so companies besides CZ can start to make rifles in that caliber again. Plus now that CZ discontinued the 550, you can only get 6.5 swede from a CZ 557. I still yearn for that CZ 550 Mannlicher stock in 6.5 swede.
@@NoQuestions4sked Well you don't shoot PRS matches or Long range target shooting so you wouldn't understand
A splendid explanation. I’m glad you mentioned the 6.5x47 Lapua. A good friend of mine has a Keppeler rifle chambered in that cartridge. We often go shooting together and since have to travel a long way, we normally take more than one rifle. He shoots well. Way better than me. But his 6.5x47 Keppeler rifle really excels and impresses. The precision and consistency is amazing. Were it not so expensive (the rifle) and had we a closer shooting range, I’d have gone for that. For the time being, I’ll keep playing with my 308s and 6.5 Swedes. Cheers and thanks.
Such a class act!!! I really enjoyed this video. Absolutely perfect presentation and supporting data. I hope you continue to make these videos. I'd watch them all day!
I hunt deer with the 260, but got into the AR-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor. Recently picked up a bolt gun as well. Of course if I see a 6.5 Swede, I'd probably buy it. I'm just such a 6.5 fan.
Thank you very much for your time!
I've had a 6.5x55 Swedish for 15-18 years. It will do pretty much the same thing as a 6.5 creedmore and it's been doing it way longer. It just wasn't popular here in the US. I happened across mine by picking up a restocked military rifle and it was very well done and it was cheap. I believe I paid 100 dollars for it. Shoots great and has taken some deer over the years. I am very interested in the 6.5 PRC it has a bit more punch. In fact they probably could have called it the 6.5 magnum. I still prefer the 7-08 personally and the 308 for most of my deer hunting. In Ohio I use a 50 cal black powder Thompson center encore and it works fantastic. For bigger game I use the old dependable 30-06 has never let me down.
Agree on the 65PRC , I have been working with one for a few months now. First box of factory Hornady 147 off bipod and my shoulder did 1/4 - 3/8 easily. Ive used it on thrree big feral hogs now and believe the 147 match behaves similar to the older Amax
Excellent video, well done!
The Swedes had it right way back in the 1800’s. I compete with a 1917 Mauser that still holds 1” for 5 shots at100 with mild recoil.
I have also been shooting the 6.5 Creedmore for 2-3 years regularly out to 1000-1200 yards. That being said, you can do the same thing with excellent accuracy with a heavy .308 bullet, BUT, you have to get up into the 190-208gr pills which equates to significantly more recoil- but it can be easily done.
Sometimes cartridges take on a “mythical “ reputation, which the 6.5 Creedmore has done- but it’s no purple unicorn! Actually the 6.5 Swede in a MODERN rifle is an even better cartridge.
Keep up the excellent work!
Yes, they did the same thing when the 7mm08 came out. They all have their place. But if you get right down to it for hunting a White tail deer that weighs 100-150 lbs. I shoot an 85gr hpbt from sierra and they fall like struck by lightening. If you look at it they are all from 2900 to 3400fps a 222 to a 7mm mag will work but why shoot something that kills at both ends.
It’s because of the word creedmoor! If was called 6.5 jackrabbit it wouldn’t have been as popular. Just sayin
I just listened to you for the first time. I thank you for your graceful critique. I learned a bit and know that it is the experience of men like you that will keep us on the straight and narrow. Thanks again.
The 6.5 Creedmoor is the closest cartridge I could find to the 257 Roberts with available ammunition. It’s a joy to shoot with low recoil.
The roberts will run with any of the similar bore guns in its powder capacity. With the right bullets and +P loads it takes groundhogs to elk.
This man is highly educated, I learn so much from every video! BRAVO sir!
I have a beautiful CZ 550 in 6.5 Swede, but it's too nice to take in the field, so I hunt deer with a synthetic stocked Remington Model 7 in 7-08. It meets my needs in a small handy package. When the the 6.5 Creedmore came out I passed on it. I just can't see it filling any niche between these two rifles, but I agree it is a very efficient round.
I agree with you on this topic 100%. And if I may, I'd like to add that the frontal mass of a projectile is an often over looked subject. For example which would one I rather have for personal protection from large animals like brown bears, at 25 yards? A 6.5 140 gr at 2900 fps which is in the range of the 264 win mag or a 400+ gr 45-70 at about 2/3rds that velocity. The bigger diameter and massive weight of the 45-70 will cause a bigger, longer hole and more of a secondary wound channel than the 264. To push the point farther, Add the .700 inch diameter 12 ga shotgun to the mix with a 1oz slug at +/- 1200 fps. There is a reason why most Alaskan fishing guides carry a 12ga over most any rifle. Though not my first choice, the 130+ year old .303 Brit does not fare favorably on paper to the almost any "modern" round. But inside 250 to 300 yards it will still kill any game animal on north or south America. It will, and certainly has, also worked very well on most soft skinned animals on the other side of other globe. If you are a target shooter, the 6.5 is hard to beat. But don't bury your trusty .30 cal in the closet for a 6.5 to make you a better hunter. NO matter the caliber, bullet placement is still king.
Addendum: Imagine putting a broomstick in finger hole of a bowling, then stick it out the window, drive 60 mph (88fps) and hitting a person with it. It would be massive damage and no doubt fatal. Compare the previous to a necked down a 20mm cannon round to fire a sewing needle at 10 's of 1000's of fps. The latter would most likely have a complete pass though, anyplace you like and the subject might very well not only survive but may not even notice anything other than some minor discomfort. Two extremes, I know, but kind of illustrates the point. The 6.5's has it's place along WITH dozens of other rounds.
I have been waiting for this video for a year+, and thought that the marketing claims were bogus as well.
I didn't look up the details to find out, however I am glad that you did research the topic, as your analysis is invaluable and many times what I ever could have drawn from just confirming the sectional density fraud they are pulling. Thanks so much for sharing your amazing overview!
I had a fellow ELR Competitor tell me his 6.5 had the EXACT same ballistics as my .300 WM.
I use 215 grain berger hybrids, putting them out at 2950 fps. He is using 147 grain eld-m at 2600... It was exactly the kind of claim you would hear during the CM's debut. I have no problem with the cartridge, but it attracts both professional capable shooters, and complete morons.
I’m always suspect of any gun product that comes with a bunch of media/community hype saying THIS is the thing you need, and all others are now obsolete. Love they way you apply logical thought, and shudder the thought, actual fact based reason and analysis in explaining these things. Well done and you are correct about our country needing prayers. 🙏
Enjoy your videos very much- Glad to see Benny is doing well!
Thank you Sir for your time, words, and knowledge... I look forward to learning more with each video you send out...
Another awesome video from a man that knows what he is talking about, keep um coming.
Thank you for taking me to school, love your channel. Two things the Creed got going against it for me, a 7mm08 and a 6.5 Swede. If anything there’s maybe a small niche for the even smaller 6.5 Grendel. There’s just no room for a Creed in my arsenal overcrowded in that range as it is already. Also for hunting try sticking a 156-160 gr bullet in the Creed, not happening without severe speed loss. May God bless you and your family, and God bless America!
Wow. This guy is an encyclopedia of cartridge knowledge.. i could listen to him all day long! But my wife needs her car washed...
Fine job!
Dear Sir I came across your channel and I really enjoy listening to you . learning a lot thank you for sharing your knowledge .
This man has probably forgotten more than I'll ever know about firearms.. God bless you Sir.
Amen I respect and admire your shared wisdom...thank you for your constructive advice
Thank you so much just for teaching us! Wish I knew you when I was shooting in the Western Division Marine Corps rifle matches. Shot a 243 and was the high tyro next day a dismal 236 .... a great woman Marine, who I don’t remember got me by 2 points on the second day and was awarded a match grade M1 Garand that year. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. Semper Fi!!
Semper Fi Marine, and thanks for your service.
@@GunBlue490 My pleasure!! I truly miss a lot of it.
I tune in when I have the urge to listen to intelligence and common sense. Your videos are all A-1 top shelf. Thank you sir.
You're welcome. God bless.
I'm new to rifles. This is like a class at school. All good information. Marketing can make anything seem better than something else by skewing the number. Bill calls them out. Good work sir.
Reinventing ammo , all marketing, from fire arms to ammunition. Great videos Sir 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank you so much for sharing your vast knowledge in such an easy-to-watch format, sir. I always learn a lot from your videos.
Wisdom at its finest
Thank You its what you have and use, practice makes perfect and when you reload and customize your load you can beat any comparison.
Sir, you are ALWAYS spot on with your knowledge, experience and common sense when it comes to shooting and hunting. You are a true sportsman and a great American. God bless you and your family and yes.....pray for America and President Trump 2020!
You, sir, are an endless wealth of gun and cartridge knowledge. Oh, that the editors of the popular gun articles would watch your videos before they wrote their material. Thank you for your clear-cut, no-nonsense destruction of the "hype."
To add to what you said about the small rifle primers, a lot of brass companies are now offering the creedmoor brass in small rifle. Thanks for your input and video sir, your advice is pretty sound.
I’ve been waiting for someone like yourself to do this video for a couple of years now. I’ve had the identical thoughts as you but am only a UA-cam watcher. Thank you from a faithful subscriber.
Oh my the Holy Grail has finally been located .. More hype now than there ever was on bullet BC and SD.. Gawd Whenever i buy a box of bullets the most important information is right on the box, BC and SD and this is new now i see , also the Rate of barrel twist required ..Now how about the bullets in the box? .. funny .. 20 years ago at the range no one really knew or cared what BC was or cared , one fellow said, only target shooters use that.. Today at the range the most talked about thing is not accuracy , not how flat this super duper ctg shoots , not the new scope , the bullet BC i find that really funny .... We live today in a world of new firearms and new ctgs , i hate to pick up a new gun mag anymore because there is 4-6 new plastic handguns being tested .. With 77 years behind me and 31 handloading manuals on my book shelf today , i trusted the information within and used it all my life .. Some new manuals i'm not so certain the ctg write up is accurate and others are quite difficult to swallow .. Now for very well proven accurate ctgs over the years i lean towards the very fine 6.5mm X 47mm Lapua i would go to next for my liking .. I find the 6PPC ctg a development that is leading the pack , those two fellows figured out the problems and how to solve them by setting world benchrest records .. As we follow trends , around 12 years ago i started to see the .338 LaPua chambered rifles start to show up on my range and it was the Holy Grail and the only ctg to own .. ya okay .. no i did not buy one .. Then the 6.8 mm SPC shows up now we have a new kid on the block but soon it got kicked to bottom place by the 300 Blackout which is the only one to have ..The 6.5 Creedmoor is still hot out there at the range and long range (we are all 1,000 yard shooter) Now i really do not agree that the 6.5 Creedmoor is an 800 yard Elk ctg in fact very few ctgs are suited for that range .. As one hunter said , he ranged his elk at 1,100 yards and got his Elk .. What kind of message does this send to new hunters and shooter ? It makes us older hunters just cringe at what's going on...Wounded and lost big game animals are on the increase every season and almost every state , should we be doing that ?? I think not ..
Killing at long range may be necessary for game management out west, but it is NOT hunting!
That's because PRS and Long range shooting is really popular, that's why people care. Not average Joe hunter
Great video! I'm a fan of the .260 Rem and it is my deer cartridge - but I never shoot game past 300 yards . . . and seldom gongs any further than that. Savage M11 did it right with a 1:8" twist and an action/magazine that will accomidate 2.90" C.O.L. (and the freebore/throat allows the secant bullets set out that far). I prefer the 130 gr Swift Scirocco II and Sierra Tipped GameChanger bullets for whitetail. It's not the best perhaps, but it does the job I need and drops whitetail nicely. Coyotes as well. Today I would most liekly go with the 6.5 Creedmoor . . . but I get a little better velocity at that weight. For a non-reloader - no question the 6.5 Creedmoor is the better choice. God bless you as well.
Thank you for explaining this for the masses...everyone around me jumped at this cartridge when it came out except for me and a couple other friends....as a hand loader I’ve adjusted my calibers (.223-.270-.308)with bullet weights for its specific intentions....finalized its accuracy and never let me down ( hunting )...although I do purchase different set ups for different species of fish !!! 😂
Not sure what your point is because he did say it is a great deer round, did he say it was bad ?? No and most of the deer hunters will use it unless your chasing elk or moose so I’m confused about your comment here
It's wonderful to hear a man talk that actually knows what he's talking about. Thank you sir!
I Friggin' love your videos sir. I appreciate and respect you passing on your knowledge and wisdom and tips and foresight and all.....amazing vids to watch I'll say again. Have been a subscriber since I discovered one of your videos for the first time.
Very well put. A couple of related aspects people rarely mention. First, that flat-backed non boat tail bullets Stabilise Much closer to the muzzle after leaving it, than boat tail bullets do. Thats why my .243 was loaded with Sierra 100 grain flatback soft point bullets, for headsets out to 600+ yds, and my 7mm-08 used Sierra Gameking bullets for headsets out to 1200 yds. When culling very large numbers of deer (for example on estates pre survey thought to have one herd of deer, turned out post survey to have up to 3 herds, which chronically overpopulated the ground capacity for healthy numbers to go forward with), All Deer have to be taken with Headshots, to maximise the return from the Game Dealers. So you can start shooting at ranges up to 100 yds, and as the day goes on, ranges start increasing significantly. Next, on bullet weights, to get effective equivalent Ballistic performance at range, you rapidly run into that uncomfortable Wall called Recoil, which to tame an result in significant consequences for Gun Weight, especially if you need to fire a heck of a lot of rounds every "Wwork Day". The dramatic Eye Opener, is comparing Recoil and efficient bullet weights with the range at which they become Trans Sonic. Given the experience of the Japanese with 6.5mm during WW2 - they ditched it, for good reasons - I am not a fan of 6.5mm for fundamental ballistics reasons. However, I was tempted by 6.5mm and 6.8mm for accurate non Target Range Real World use, but ended up happy having gone with 7mm-08 in a relatively lightweight Rifle - A Browning A Bolt - and handloadng for it to tune the ammunition for optimum performance(nb, both .243 and 7mm-08 were loaded for 2,975 fps to facilitate rifle switching, with both having the same telescopic sights), If you compare what can be done with smooth shooting High performance loads in 7mm, with what it takes to match that with 7.62mm/.30, and how much further out the trans Sonic range is, it really is no contest. To Be Honest, Today, I would look seriously at that superb new Case the 6.8 Western has, and I'd neck it up to 7mm, and get a Barrel for it, with a set of Custom reloading Dies for it (Hornady Dies if possible, as I found their standard dies I bought, were as precise as Benchrest dies from other makers i tried). If I lived in the USA and even though now retired, I'd get one built anyway. Best Wishes, and Praying for the USA and the American People. Bob. 👍🏴
edit for typos and minor additions.
Your videos are an absolute treasure!
On the subject of ballistic coefficient, you are slightly off ito physics. Yes, largely determined by caliber, but also, and do t ignore… bullet length. The longer, the higher the bc.
6.5 cm achieves higher bc for 6.5mm bullets thru their length.
I say that as absolutely respectfully as I can.
You are absolutely correct. To see that a higher ballistic coefficient is not superior to a lower one while retaining higher down range energy is ludicrous. The same for sectional density. Higher sectional density gives better penetration. This is how colts and weird religions get started. Never listen to one person for all of your information without questioning it. Good on you.
I came here from your 2016 vid about choosing a defensive pistol. I disagreed with a few of your points in that. After watching this, I'm highly impressed with your knowledge, attention to detail and presentation. Thank you for your time and effort in sharing with us. Much appreciated Cap!
Definitely, "pray for our country" well said. I almost went with a 6.5 Creedmoor Ruger American, but I saved $60 going with .243 Ruger American. For me, it came down to the dollar:) HA! I hope we do good this year:) Another great and informative video. Thanks for sharing.
The .243 is a perfect round. I've had many and loved them, however, the 6.5 creedmoor has the recoil, accuracy of the .243 and you have 29-50 grs heavier bullets, which makes all the difference on a marginal shot. Not a purposeful marginal shot, but the occasion one that creeps up on occasion, for all of us over time.
I did the same, and have not regretted it one bit.
Good choice in my books!! Theres not a dang thing wrong with a .243..
.243 is a fine round for medium sized game!
Love my .243! Shot an 11 point buck with it. Now I don’t hunt much so I bought a long range scope for it to shoot steel at 100-500 yards. It should work just fine. Next I’m gonna buy the dies for it so I can load my own Bullets, along with my .223, and 9mm.
I’ve been enjoying my 6.5 Tika in a McGree chassis for a few years and liked the round so much I made an AR in 6.5 with a 24” match barrel. I’m now trying out the 6mm ARC. I’m enjoying the softer shooting rounds, compared to a 308 or 300 WM. Thank you for your videos and the sharing of your vast knowledge. Aloha and happy vets day!