Next 6.5mm caliber suggestion

Thinking about a new bolt gun. Already have an AR10 and a bolt gun coming in 308.

260 Remington
6.5CM
6.5x47

What would y'all recommend for flat shooting, less recoil and availability of factory ammo? I don't shoot much so cost of the bullet isn't too much of a concern.

I will hunt deer/hog with it though up to 200 yards.

6.5 Grendel in a bolt...

Cm first, 260 a close second

availability of factory ammo leaves out the 6.5X47

Of those 3 the Creedmoor or 260, both have good ammo available over the counter.

Having a boltaction in 6.5 Grendel built now.

creed hands down

CM

Between the 6.5 CM and the 260, I don't think it really matters as far as ballistics goes. Seems logical to go with the most available brass, and I'd think the 308 case for the 260 might be most common. The 6.5CM is really the 6.5-250 Savage Ackley Improved. Brass is certainly available, but quite honestly the hunters have not really embraced the 6.5's of any type, so will brass be readily available for either in 10 years? With that possibility in mind, the 308 case is for sure going to be available, so 260 brass will be easy to make. That's just my thinking on it, for what it's worth.

sorry 603 but I am going to disagree with you a little here. The CM is actually based off the 30 TC case, and it is definitely one that is here to stay. The Hornaday engineer at DSC came and talked with me quite abit about our guns and the 22 creedmoor we are doing. Said that they are very close, (sounded like within the year) to releasing the 6mm creedmoor in the 105 amax as a factory loaded round as well. Yes the 308 has been around but the CM case is a better design, and the factory ammo is really solid. I won't argue that the 264 never really caught on but I will say we have about 100 Creedmoors out there just this year that are being hunted with plenty.

6.5x284 is my favorite. I have 2 with different twists. But my AR of choice,is a 6.5 Grendel.

If talking factory ammo I would go with the creedmore. The factory hornday ammo is as close to hand loaded ammo that you can get.

Walter

Derrick, I believe that I am right, though in this case that doesn't mean that you are wrong. I understand that the 30TC is a shortened 308 case and that the 6.5 CM can be made from 308/30TC cases (I have not personally done that). The 6.5 CM can be made from 22-250AI cases or from 250AI (30 degree shoulder) cases and since the Savage case predates the 308 family of cases, I'm of the opinion that the earlier/original parent case of the 6.5CM would therefore be the 250AI or 22-250AI.

If you change your mind and go 30. I have a Tikka Tactical .308

6.5x47 loaded ammo has always been readily available from several different outlets. It is supposed to be very high quality ammo. Only trouble is the cost. 2.50 per round is hard to wrap your mind around when 6.5 creedmoor sells for 1.25 a round.

Of course, you could probably sell that once fired x47 brass for 50 cents a piece and get your 10 bucks back per 20.

603,

Really?

The 6.5x55 does pretty well and is an awesome hunting cartridge that's been around for how long? Hum...

Do you have a 6.5 CM? I have 6.5 CM, 6.5x55 and .308, and I have no doubt they will all be around for many many years. The CM is a legit long range caliber with very manageable recoil which the mags don't have...yes I know you like the .308 but the recoil is still greater, my experience, and the ballistics are not as good as the 6.5 CM.

So if you have any statistics that back up your claim please provide so I can start preparing for the demise of my 6.5s....

Don't get all upset Deerhunter. For the record, I use mostly a 260 for hunting deer/pig/coyote and never use a 308. I'm not a 308 fan (which will get someone else to chewing on me). As for 6.5 calibers, they really aren't very popular with the general hunting population. Certainly they are popular with us on this forum, but we aren't the general hunting population. It's the long range shooting folks that love and promote the CM and the 260, and that's not a huge number of people.

I really like my 260, but does it do anything that my 270 can't do? Nope, though it does kick less. If I was back in eastern Louisiana, where I grew up, and if I didn't reload, would I be inclined to buy a 260 or 6.5 CM for hunting? Nope. 270, 30-06, 308, 243, maybe 7-08. That's why it's much easier to buy a rifle in those calibers.

But...I do reload and I like my 260.

^^^^
This

Not upset...but the word on 6.5s certainly seems to be spreading...and reloading components seemed to be harder to find as well as ammo when hunting season began.

Very true, but only Lapua ammo loaded with Scenar bullets which are good bullets but having a choice of other bullets and ammo on the shelf of a store is more what I was referring to. Didn't word it as well as I should have.

Be nice if that were a factory option without having to go custom.

Either the Creedmore or the 6.5x284. I like them both.

Here ya go...

260

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-seven/model-seven-cdl.aspx

I usually play it safe and side with cartridges produced by rifle & ammo manufacturers Just to keep things simple.

this has been debated till the cow comes come home...

the 6.5x47 would be my preferred. However, unless you reload the ammo is expensive. Like really expensive sometimes and not commonly available. IE Bass Pro, cabalas, etc.

So that leads to 6.5CM and 260
From my standpoint 6.5CM is getting FAR more press right now. Many rifle makers are tooling up on it, and ammo makers (beyond Hornady) are pumping it out.

Based on that I would say 6.5 CM

Unless you had an AR to go with it, why would you handicap yourself with a Grendel when the others will do it all, and do it better and easier?

I thought about buying a CM, after I sold the SAKO 260 & couple other guns I had to generate some funds to do the retooling project that's underway, even with owning couple hunnert rd's of new 260 brass...but bottom line it came down to realizing that it was lots more easy longterm if push came to shove ....to find range pickups in 243 & 7'08, or even go thru the giant hassle of prepping milsurp LC stuff, and convert any and all of that to functional 260 brass, than depend on (at that time) a single source of brass in a non mainstream limited retail distribution caliber....and bought a Tikka T3 260 instead to use as a Do All shooter.... Just Sayin' THAT was MY thought process in the choice of a new 6.5.

Meanwhile I'll begin to rathole more 260 brass & boolitz as I can afford it for the next time this #%@! happens....and how I still happen to have almost a K of 270 boolitz left over. I won't get caught hunting for brass or bullets....and a good argument for buying a 308 again...the current great average hunting caliber with current access to Mil Surp brass.
JMHO & YMMV
Ron

For almost all of my shooting and hunting the Grendel will get the job done with 25% less powder and less recoil than the other calibers in 6.5 most are using today. Powder consumption is 60% of what I use in the 6.5-284. Have an AR in the Grendel and the more I hunt with it the more I like the round but prefer to hunt with a bolt action.

I for one do not see an efficient round that will get the task accomplished at 400 yards and in as a handicap. But we all have our favorites and opinions.

Really what do the 6.5 Creedmoor, 260 and 6.5X47 do that the 120+ year old 6.5X55 do other than make a little more efficient use of modern powders. If talking about hunting rounds (for distances most shoot) deer, hogs, antelope, sheep.... flip a coin. They will all work.

260, but if you want something special; build a 280ai

I have ditched the 260 in favor of the creedmoor and am building another. It's so nice to order ammo from my FFL buddy for $1 rd that shoots 1/2" and kills. I like reloading and have not used factory ammo for about 15 years but it sure is nice to not have to load. Way more creedmoor ammo avaliable than 260 where i have looked.

It wasn't on your original list and a couple of folks have mentioned it here but with what you are planning to do with it a 6.5x55 would be a great choice also. I have a 6.5x284 and my son shoots a Swede. I just got the 6.5x284 and haven't shot anything but paper but my son has taken a bunch of game with his Swede. Good availability if ammo and lots of choices in factory loads.

Got a t3 sporter 6.5x55 cut to 16.25 in and that thing is amazing

Seems to be less types of ammo available for 6.5cm but its cheaper and has momentum so going with that. Thanks guys.