Dept. of Defense adopts 6.5CM

[Chucktshoes]

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/department-of-defense-chooses-hornady-65-creedmoor-ammo/375762
 

As a recent adopter of the 6.5 CM round I think this is pretty cool. I really think it’s going to eat into the .308’s market share in a serious way. 

[DaveTN]

27 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/department-of-defense-chooses-hornady-65-creedmoor-ammo/375762
 

As a recent adopter of the 6.5 CM round I think this is pretty cool. I really think it’s going to eat into the .308’s market share in a serious way. 

They aren’t replacing the .308 with it, they are replacing the .300 WinMag. The 6.5 creedmoor does not out perform either of those. Just another way for the military to waste money.

It certainly won’t eat the 308’s market share in the civilian market. 

[deerslayer]

It's arguably superior to both.  It will kill pretty much anything a .308 will with less recoil and a flatter trajectory, especially past 500 yards.  It is not more accurate, but is easier to shoot accurately at extended range because it remains supersonic another 500-600 yards after the .308 has gone sub.  It was designed to duplicate the trajectory of the .300 Win Mag without rearranging the shooter's spine.  It succeeded and the military took note.  Go to a long range shooting match that doesn't require 5.56 or .308 and you will see plenty of 6.5s.  Go to the Bass Pro ammo section and you might find about as many 6.5 CM SKUs as you will .308.  It's not just another fad or designer cartridge and it has already taken a chunk of the .308's market share.  The 6.5 CM is here to stay.  

Edited May 10, 2020 by deerslayer

[rodteague]

On 5/9/2020 at 8:03 PM, deerslayer said:

It's arguably superior to both.  It will kill pretty much anything a .308 will with less recoil and a flatter trajectory, especially past 500 yards.  It is not more accurate, but is easier to shoot accurately at extended range because it remains supersonic another 500-600 yards after the .308 has gone sub.  It was designed to duplicate the trajectory of the .300 Win Mag without rearranging the shooter's spine.  It succeeded and the military took note.  Go to a long range shooting match that doesn't require 5.56 or .308 and you will see plenty of 6.5s.  Go to the Bass Pro ammo section and you might find about as many 6.5 CM SKUs as you will .308.  It's not just another fad or designer cartridge and it has already taken a chunk of the .308's market share.  The 6.5 CM is here to stay.  

I have to agree on all counts. I have been a big fan of the 6.5mm and see no downside to it's performance. FWIW when JC Garand developed the M1, the cartridge was initially a 7mm. From Wiki:

Quote

In early 1928, both the infantry and cavalry boards ran trials with the .276 Pedersen T1 rifle, calling it "highly promising"^[20] (despite its use of waxed ammunition,^[21]shared by the Thompson).^[22] On 13 August 1928, a semiautomatic rifle board (SRB) carried out joint Army, Navy, and Marine Corps trials between the .30 Thompson, both cavalry and infantry versions of the T1 Pedersen, "M1924" Garand, and .256 Bang, and on 21 September, the board reported no clear winner. The .30 Garand, however, was dropped in favor of the .276.^[23]

Further tests by the SRB in July 1929, which included rifle designs by Browning, Colt–Browning, Garand, Holek, Pedersen, Rheinmetall, Thompson, and an incomplete one by White,^{[nb 2]} led to a recommendation that work on the (dropped) .30 gas-operated Garand be resumed, and a T1E1 was ordered 14 November 1929.

Twenty gas-operated .276 T3E2 Garands were made and competed with T1 Pedersen rifles in early 1931. The .276 Garand was the clear winner of these trials. The .30 caliber Garand was also tested, in the form of a single T1E1, but was withdrawn with a cracked bolt on 9 October 1931. A 4 January 1932 meeting recommended adoption of the .276 caliber and production of approximately 125 T3E2s. Meanwhile, Garand redesigned his bolt and his improved T1E2 rifle was retested. The day after the successful conclusion of this test, Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur personally disapproved any caliber change, in part because there were extensive existing stocks of .30 M1 ball ammunition.^[24] On 25 February 1932, Adjutant General John B. Shuman, speaking for the Secretary of War, ordered work on the rifles and ammunition in .276 caliber cease immediately and completely, and all resources be directed toward identification and correction of deficiencies in the Garand .30 caliber.^[22]:111

Had MacArthur not insisted on keeping the .30 caliber; we might be arguing "how many angels can dance on the head of pin" regarding 7mm vs 6.5mm. Differences are slim at best. Not the case between 6.5  and .30 cal/300WM.  The 6.5mm CM is vastly superior in most comparisons.

Regards

Rod

[Capbyrd]

On 5/9/2020 at 1:35 PM, DaveTN said:

They aren’t replacing the .308 with it, they are replacing the .300 WinMag. The 6.5 creedmoor does not out perform either of those. Just another way for the military to waste money.

It certainly won’t eat the 308’s market share in the civilian market. 

Please show me anything that proves that 6.5cm doesn't out perform .308.   Go ahead, I'll wait.  

 

 

On 5/9/2020 at 8:03 PM, deerslayer said:

It's arguably superior to both.  It will kill pretty much anything a .308 will with less recoil and a flatter trajectory, especially past 500 yards.  It is not more accurate, but is easier to shoot accurately at extended range because it remains supersonic another 500-600 yards after the .308 has gone sub.  It was designed to duplicate the trajectory of the .300 Win Mag without rearranging the shooter's spine.  It succeeded and the military took note.  Go to a long range shooting match that doesn't require 5.56 or .308 and you will see plenty of 6.5s.  Go to the Bass Pro ammo section and you might find about as many 6.5 CM SKUs as you will .308.  It's not just another fad or designer cartridge and it has already taken a chunk of the .308's market share.  The 6.5 CM is here to stay.  

 

Not to mention the difference in recoil. I think it was American Rifleman that did a recoil comparison in an article within the last year.  The 6.5 was was 2/3rds or less of what a 308 was.   For long days or recoil sensitive shooters, thats a huge difference.