Does anybody have any experience with this cartridge for larger whitetails. I am and always have been a magnum cartridge kind of guy. But I'm looking for something in a short action rifle. I know shot placement is critical and I consider myself to be a better than average shot. Do any of you have any experience with this or recommend any other short action cartridge over the Creedmoor. 7 mm O8 was another choice of mine. Thanks to all

Greenetrapper, My hunting partner purchased a ruger 6.5 creedmoor. He harvested a black bear and a large whitetail with it. One shot on both animals and they dropped. He is really pleased with the creedmoor. Eric

Ballistically the Creedmore is so similar to the 257 Roberts, 260, 6.5x55 Swede that there is no tangible difference between them. Especially if all you want to do is hunt. The amount of ink that has been spilled over the Creedmore is spectacular, especially considering it is nothing new under the sun.

Personally, I’m not enamored with the 6.5C like the rest of the shooting public. The 7-08 you mentioned would be my choice if I were going short action and not looking for a magnum. 308 and 243 would be good options as well. In fact, the 243 with a twist rate capable of stabilizing the longer high BC bullets would be my choice way before the 6.5C. It’ll shoot just as flat and still has plenty of thump for deer. Plenty of guys have killed bears back home with the 243. If you’re looking for heavier bullets though, get the 7-08. Killed a pile of deer growing up with the 7-08.

If you’re a fan of the magnums but like a short action, look into the WSM family of cartridges. The 7WSM with a 162 hornady eld-x is a devastating rig but you’ll probably have to hand load. Haven’t seen them in factory rounds but I’ve not looked real hard either. The 300WSM is a great performer in a short action. Only draw back is that some have feeding issues. My browning not the exception. Has trouble picking up the last round from the magazine but the first 3 are more then enough anyway. Read somewhere how to tweak the magazine but haven’t tried it yet. Just one mans opinion.

I have recently changed from a 270 to a 6.5 Creedmoor. The 270 is an excellent long action cartridge, just wanted a bit less recoil (rotator cuf surgery, right side, in recent years), also wanted a lighter rifle (getting old).
Anyway, the 6.5 CM will do about whatever you want it to do, if you do your part.
Yep, the 260, 7mm-08, 308, etc, are all fine cartridges and will perform equally as well.

Isn't that the truth.

Osky

^^^ This

Hornady did a great job promoting this round. And it had been around for some time before they started pushing it so hard. Shame they didn’t do the same for the 280, 257 Roberts, 284, and many of the other great rounds that fell off into obscurity.

That statement only holds water for factory ammo. For the hand loader there is quite a difference.

How much are you really gaining with hand loads? All the above mentioned rounds are loaded to lawyer specs. There’s not enough difference in case capacity between the 260 and 6.5C to get excited about. Maybe, maybe, you might get an extra 200 FPS. Any shooter worth his sand can figure out dope for drop and at that point, it becomes moot. A deer will never notice the difference. Bears or elk neither. I’m not trying to pick a fight. Just took me the longest time to recognize that a couple hundred FPS just didn’t matter. Want real gains? Jump to the 26 Nosler. There’s a whiz bang 6.5 that’s worthwhile.

I have a 6.5 Creedmor custom build that I really like. There are several other calibers that will accomplish equal ballistics and are also equally suited to to the woods and the range . I chose it simply because there is a lot of high quality factory ammo available these days, I wanted to become a better longer range shooter out to 500 yards and a white tail deer is the biggest animal that I am likely ever to shoot. Choose a caliber that suits your needs and learn its characteristics, strengths and weaknesses and shoot it often enough to be very proficient with it.I have fallen into a trap with a new round before (.30 TC don't want to talk about it) but the 6.5 Creedmor is here to stay so if it meets all of your needs buy it.

If my memory is right, last year my buddy took a cow elk with his 6.5 creedmoor

7-08 any day ammo and components readily accessible inherently accurate. Have three friends that cleanly kill elk with them every year.

The problem as I see it is that Factory ammo is loaded so that grand dad won't blow up his 1900 vintage Mauser. If you load the Swede to take advantage of modern actions those extra 6 + grains of case capacity do make quite a difference. Going with your argument, May as well go with a 6.5 Grendel as the difference between the Creedmoor and the Grendel is not worth a discussion.
By the by I have a Grendel, sold the Swede and am missing it but am in the process of building a 6.5 Gibbs. I really like the 6.5 but do not see a Creedmoor in my future. Another Swede is very likely though.

Now we’re talking. 6 grains will make a difference. I’d take the Swede over the creed any day of the week. Not even a question.

6.5 is my favorite caliber for Whitetails, hands down. The bullets just seem to perform perfect on this size animal.

I bought a 6.5 Creedmoor because I couldn't find a 260 Rem in a rifle platform that I liked. Didn't want the bother to re-barrel a short action rifle I like.

The creedmores only advantage comes in the AR platform.

How come ??? It has an advantage in price as every ammo manufacturer and they dog are churning them out now . I think an AR10 is a heavy piece of equipment to lug around in the field no advantage there IMHO.

I am thinking about getting one. Every gun store has a big pile of them and claims they dont sell. I keeping hoping they will start a sell on them. I think the majority that are stock piled are Remingtons, I dont want a Remington.

Imo cant beat a 7mm08.