The 6.5 Craze

[Wolfdog91 7,050]

Was curious if the whole 6.5 craze has made it over the pond yet?  The 6.5 Grendel has become kind of the do all for the semi auto crowds (got one my self in a little 12" AR pistol config) but has kind of dropped out of the spot light due to the. 224 Valkyrie and 6mm ARC however the 6.5 Creedmore has become the new wonder round. Everyone from target shooters, hunters, to long range competition guys are  raving about it. It's become the "first real rifle" for alot of young shooters after they get the. 22lr down pact.  Low recoil, high bc, super accurate so on and so on. Has got to the point about any store that sells guns is going to have at least two budget 6.5 creed and scope combos on the rack (the savage axis and mossberg patriot are both retailing around the $450 -$500 sometimes down to $350 if it's a sale).  All the old guys are arguing how the old 6.5 Swede and .260 are better options but I guess the 6.5 creed is winning out because you can get a 40 round box of rounds for $50 instead of 20 for $48 lol. 

Anyhow wanted to know if the craze has creeped it's way over there yet.  If so how is it being taken?  

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Some are falling for the sales pitch.

Anything 6.5 ( actually shoots close to a 7mm bullet) with around 40g of fuel behind it is going to give good service.

Swede fan myself.

Bit to old to get excited over an extra 200fps or a slight increase in BC now. In actual fact a lead ball is of more interest.

[sussex 5,777]

6.5 x55swede fan as well , been my go to rifle for a few years now ...fits the bill for accuracy and stopping abilities...

[Wolfdog91 7,050]

Are you guys hand loading or is Swede just a common off the self cartridge in the UK? It's one of those that you either need to order online or pay 2x the price in store because it's so uncommon.  Again you can find creed in about three or four bullet weights and designs at every Walmart, gas station and hard where store now for $20. Last box of Swede I saw $48.95 and they said it was because no one ever asks for it. 

I will say though online prices are pretty respectable.

 I've been told factory ammo out side of Europe is pretty low loaded and just plain doesn't give the cartridge justice. 

[si brown 8,486]

Got a few mates who use 6.5 creed but I use 6.5 sweed it’s a nice round and can home load for about 70p a shot. 

it still an expensive round to buy over the counter over here, fly Norma target ammo is £60 for 20 in my local shop

the reason that they are mellow loads in sweed over your way is because of all the old ww2 surplus rifles floating about and not wanting to get sued 

[KimE 487]

"(the savage axis and mossberg patriot are both retailing around the $450 -$500 sometimes down to $350 if it's a sale).  All the old guys are arguing how the old 6.5 Swede and .260 are better options but I guess the 6.5 creed is winning out because you can get a 40 round box of rounds for $50 instead of 20 for $48 lol. "

6,5*55 is only 125years new and shiny, its the most common cartridge in Sweden and one of the smallest allowed for big game. Now are 308w the most sold rifle cartridge for new rifles. Ammunition are more expensive in Sweden than in US both for *55 and creedmore. Most countries in europe have a limitation on the number of hunting rifles you can own Sweden has a six hunting gun/rifle limit so you dont want to buy low budget rifles (or old ones from your grandfather)  who fill up your cabinet space.

[Wolfdog91 7,050]

21 minutes ago, si brown said:

Got a few mates who use 6.5 creed but I use 6.5 sweed it’s a nice round and can home load for about 70p a shot. 

it still an expensive round to buy over the counter over here, fly Norma target ammo is £60 for 20 in my local shop

the reason that they are mellow loads in sweed over your way is because of all the old ww2 surplus rifles floating about and not wanting to get sued 

Good to see Norma is expensive as hell everywhere else as well lol.  Seems then and Lapua are always going to cost an arm and a leg.  And that makes sense but figured the old military actions wouldn't mind the higher pressures, it is unjust the Swedish stuff in general? Because I know you can't break most mosins if you tried and don't even get me started on the enfields and and M1917s, guess it might be pressure differences in modern powders

[Wolfdog91 7,050]

11 minutes ago, KimE said:

"(the savage axis and mossberg patriot are both retailing around the $450 -$500 sometimes down to $350 if it's a sale).  All the old guys are arguing how the old 6.5 Swede and .260 are better options but I guess the 6.5 creed is winning out because you can get a 40 round box of rounds for $50 instead of 20 for $48 lol. "

6,5*55 is only 125years new and shiny, its the most common cartridge in Sweden and one of the smallest allowed for big game. Now are 308w the most sold rifle cartridge for new rifles. Ammunition are more expensive in Sweden than in US both for *55 and creedmore. Most countries in europe have a limitation on the number of hunting rifles you can own Sweden has a six hunting gun/rifle limit so you dont want to buy low budget rifles (or old ones from your grandfather)  who fill up your cabinet space.

Well that would explain why all I see from guys over there are Blazer Tika and the like.  Too rich for my blood though lol. Rather buy a cheap rifle or used rifle and spend the next year adding after market parts

[sussex 5,777]

18 hours ago, Wolfdog91 said:

Are you guys hand loading or is Swede just a common off the self cartridge in the UK? It's one of those that you either need to order online or pay 2x the price in store because it's so uncommon.  Again you can find creed in about three or four bullet weights and designs at every Walmart, gas station and hard where store now for $20. Last box of Swede I saw $48.95 and they said it was because no one ever asks for it. 

I will say though online prices are pretty respectable.

 I've been told factory ammo out side of Europe is pretty low loaded and just plain doesn't give the cartridge justice. 

I’m using a 129gr home load that a pal of mine loads for me ..it costs me about a pound a round ..it’s accuracy is spot and stopping power is perfect for the fallow , and with minimal carcass damage .Having shot hundreds of fallow with both the .308& .243 the 6.5 x55 swede is my absolute perfect round ..Truth is it’s been around for a long long time for a reason , it does the job ..

[Wolfdog91 7,050]

Ugh you guys are making me want to add a Swede to my collection problem is all new production rifles are starting out at $850 or so but above what I like to pay for a base rifle . Maybe I can find a old Swedish mauser and sporterize it. My mosin needs some company any how lol

[sussex 5,777]

1 hour ago, Wolfdog91 said:

Ugh you guys are making me want to add a Swede to my collection problem is all new production rifles are starting out at $850 or so but above what I like to pay for a base rifle . Maybe I can find a old Swedish mauser and sporterize it. My mosin needs some company any how lol

Don’t buy one mate .....you’ll end up with cobwebs on all the other ones in the cabinet .......

[Alsone 789]

If you want the latest and greatest craze, maybe wait to see if the .277 Sig Fury takes off? Could easily become the next hot potato, at least in the US, if ammo's not too pricey given the casing differences.

[KimE 487]

".277 Sig Fury takes off"

Not many hunting rifle actions can take a daily use with a 80000psi cartridge.

[Wolfdog91 7,050]

3 hours ago, Alsone said:

If you want the latest and greatest craze, maybe wait to see if the .277 Sig Fury takes off? Could easily become the next hot potato, at least in the US, if ammo's not too pricey given the casing differences.

Honestly can't see my self with the fury.  I really have the vibe is going to go the course of the. 224 Valkyrie that came out like a year and some change ago.  Was supposed to be the greatest thing for the AR platform and all.  With in about three months if it being mainstream people where talking about how they where getting case head separation, pressure spikes, two shot brass life, heck some of the bullets where being pissed so hard through that round where shattering at around the 300yd mark.  I think it's going to be a good round for the PRS guys and such but I cant really see my self using it.  That being said though there is a semi wild cat already known as the. 277 wolverine and I can make my own brass for that out of 5.56/.223 and since I pick up a few hundred or so piece of that at the rage every month I think it would be a better option logistically speaking. Less case capacity though but meh

[Meece 1,957]

On 26/09/2020 at 04:52, Wolfdog91 said:

Was curious if the whole 6.5 craze has made it over the pond yet?  The 6.5 Grendel has become kind of the do all for the semi auto crowds (got one my self in a little 12" AR pistol config) but has kind of dropped out of the spot light due to the. 224 Valkyrie and 6mm ARC however the 6.5 Creedmore has become the new wonder round. Everyone from target shooters, hunters, to long range competition guys are  raving about it. It's become the "first real rifle" for alot of young shooters after they get the. 22lr down pact.  Low recoil, high bc, super accurate so on and so on. Has got to the point about any store that sells guns is going to have at least two budget 6.5 creed and scope combos on the rack (the savage axis and mossberg patriot are both retailing around the $450 -$500 sometimes down to $350 if it's a sale).  All the old guys are arguing how the old 6.5 Swede and .260 are better options but I guess the 6.5 creed is winning out because you can get a 40 round box of rounds for $50 instead of 20 for $48 lol. 

Anyhow wanted to know if the craze has creeped it's way over there yet.  If so how is it being taken?  

 Nope.  Craze,?  What craze. Totally different gun situation over here  The world is covid bound and I  doubt if any gun shop has sold many new rifles this year at all  The UK is a small island with only a few species of deer that are available for control that would require a purchase of this sort.  Fancy names and salesmans / gunmags hype go straight past most of the few customers that would be in a category who would want  to buy a new rifle.  Simple calibers like  243 or 270  more than adaquate for all UK deer species even if the 6.5 Swede is a highly rated caliber . If someone thrust a new gun forward and said something like what do you think of my new wolverine or sabre toothed bear monster or some other stupid hype named gun I'd  probably burst out  laughing at them. Over here you have to show a good reason to obtain guns and anyone who would have a reason to purchase a gun like this almost certainly wouldn't  be looking for a basic economy model. If any gun shop stocked one anyway.