6.5 creedmoor COMPAIRED to 243 cal

NDAR15MAN

NDAR15MAN

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I want to start shooting longer range. I have a nice Tikka 243 bolt in 243 22 inch barrel that shoots 7/8 groups with 100 grain factory Remington ,Federal ,Winchester ammo. Nikon 4-16x42 monarch 3 scope. I have 700 rounds of 243 100 gr shells stored a away for this gun. more then I would need till I retire in 8 years. I have the WANTS FOR A 6.5 Creedmoor in AR10 APF 24 INCH GUN $1750.00 or Ruger American or Savage Axis or Vaunguard bolt. Bolts are sale all around $350.00 -550.00 but will need a new Boyd stock. **** Do I really need to spend the money ? ha ha ha ha Will I see a big improvement with the 6.5 Creedmoor on range OVER THE 243 CAL ? at 57 need to start thinking about my retirement money. ha ha ha. martyd
 
You already have the 243, maybe not a reloader? Then there is the 7mm-08, which is a great round.

Is it mostly for target shooting or hunting? Most of us buy more than we need, that 'want' thing, as mentioned.

I could probably still get by with my Model 70 in 308 almost all of my hunting. The one I got as a 1st rifle at 14. As it is now, I awash in rifles.
 
Just the ammo alone turns a 243 into several different cartridges.
Try some HSM ammo w/95 berger. The BC's of the Bergers rock the 243 win.
I too would like to try the 6.5 in the AR platform I have seen them at the range. All the owners love them. Guess it all depends on your $$ you want to spend.
I just finished reloading for a XBolt in 7mm mag w/168 Bergers @ 2975 w/ 1/4 MOA @ 500 yards. The BC is crazy high. If it was mine, I would put a muzzle brake on it and it would be my windy day yote blaster. Has a leupy 3.5-10 CDS. Almost like a little 338 Lapua.
I have a kimber montana that shoots 1/2 MOA w/88 Bergers and a BAR in 270 win w/130 bergers ( 1/2 MOA @ 500). I feel like the high BC's the Bergers offer steps up whatever a person is shooting by several grades for the wind deflecting and trajectory increases that are their results.
 
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YEP THE WANTS ARE GETTING BAD. HA HA HA HA. 308 AR10 would not be a bad gun with 24 inch barrel. I had the R25 IN 308 but it had 20 inch barrel. Heavy gun but accurate. only thing with the 6.5 Creedmoor shells are hard to come by and big money. I guess I need to shoot my Tikka 243 at 800 yards and see what it will do , I might be surprised. martyd
 
Originally Posted By: NDAR15MANI guess I need to shoot my Tikka 243 at 800 yards and see what it will do , I might be surprised. marty

Give her a run, you might be surprised.
Either way you can't go wrong-Get the one you want the most.
 
Do you know what twist the 243 is? I used to shoot a lot of 105 amax out of mine, but you usually need a 1-9 twist to shoot those well. And probably need to reload.

My opinion, with factory ammo the 6.5 creed will probably shoot better at long range than the 243 with normal 100 gr bullets. Those just don't have the bc that the sleek target bullets have. I did see one load from HSM using 95 gr berger vld's, those might work well as was mentioned above. I guess it depends on what ranges you're talking.

Handloading changes the mix entirely. If you could get the Tikka to shoot 105s, or one of the sleek 95's like the sierra match king, it's one heck of a long range round.

FWIW, I have a DPMS pattern 260 (6.5 ballistic twin) that I built, and shooting to 875 yds (my furthest range) is like a walk in the park once you have your dope.

It's really all in what you want to do. I'd say try what you have first, if it isn't satisfactory look at other options.
 
I Stevens in .243 and a Ruger Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor. I haven't stretched either out to their limits. I think the 6.5CM's heavier projectiles will deliver more authority at farther distances.
 
Do what xphunter recommended. If you listen to all of us you'll still be reading instead of shooting....lol. But since you are still on the fence buy both....
 
biased here because I haven't shot the .243 ever, I have a savage LR hunter in 6.5 creedmoor and I absolutely love it. I shot three animals last year with it, running Berger 140 grn VLD hunting rounds. 1 antelope and 2 mule deer didn't take more than 4 steps before expiring. I don't see what you're intended purpose for the rifle is, if it is long range target; the creedmoor was developed just for this purpose. I reload and haven't found the brass etc to be any more expensive or hard to locate than my .308, or .30-06. I have over 1000 rounds for the 6.5 that I got the brass for from amazon.

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I should start learning how to read, you said you wanted to start shooting longer range. the .243 ballistic wise has the capability, the 6.5 may carry better over the distance though.
 
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Thanks for the good info. I think I am going to shoot my tikka 243 on the next few months and see what it will do with the factory hunting 100 gr bullet at 800 yards Then if I enjoy this long range shooting might go with the Creedmoor. This will be my last gun purchase ( every one says that ha ha ha. ) Here in iowa and for that matter east of the Mississippi River a 800 yard shot on any animal or steel or paper target is a rare thing. Will see if at age 57 I can still see and hit a target at that range first. Martyd
 
If you are considering deer, I would prefer the Creed.
That being said, a fast twist 6mm with the 105 A-Max kills good.
Still, I would go with the 6.5 Creed for deer at distance.
 
If your tikka shoots that well with factory ammo, I would invest in some reloading supplies and just go with it. Targets at long range I see no issue with. Hunting game at the same ranges I'd want a heavier bullet.
 
Quote:I reload and haven't found the brass etc to be any more expensive or hard to locate ..Me neither...While I don't own a .243, I have been very impressed with my 6.5 CM. With Sierra producing the 123gr and 143gr bullets that have a BC in the low 500s, your long range shooting shouldn't be a problem for target work and while those bullets may not be the best for hunting, the 6.5 bullet category has historically proven to be an accurate long range game stopper when used in the 6.5x55 Swede and hunting bullet configurations are available in the .264"..
 
Originally Posted By: xphunterThe 140 Hornady A-Max and the 130 Nosler Accubond are two good hunting bullets in 6.5

I concur...though I am shooting them in the 6.5X47 Lapua variant.
 
I love both calibers. I own a 243 that I hunt yotes with, though I only shoot 87gr Vamax's through. Maybe some day I will get it rebarreled to shoot some 105's.

As far as the 6.5 I shoot a 260Rem with Hornady 140gr bthp, 123gr A Max, and the 140gr Amax. It shoots them all great. I do believe they have discontinued the 140gr Amax, they may be hard to find. So.... I have 500 ELDM's parked on the loading bench to start load development next week.

As far as witch caliber too choose, that depends on what you want to use it for and how far you want to shoot it. They are both great!

So in short... Get both
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Just go find a used savage 3006 or 270. Buy a 243 barre in a 1-8 twist and then a 6.5cm barrel to. It's a quik and easy swap. You could test them side by side so to speak in about 10 minutes of each other. Then sell the one you didn't want. The 6.5cm brass is semi precious metal by the look of cost. 243 is everywhere. You can make 6.5 from 308 if you wanted though.
 
You didn't say if you were hunting with it or target shooting.

Being fairly new to the AR scene and no longer much interest in shooting long range, it's more challenging to me to get the game close than shoot it way out there.

Unless you have a need for a fast second , third or more shots I'd back away from the AR in a custom or wildcat chambering. I have one in 20 Practical and it isn't fun to lose or dig out of the dirt brass that is expensive to buy or put effort into create.

A bolt action Rem or Sav. will be half the price, usually have a better trigger or reasonably priced replacement, less finicky to load for, manage brass better and a number of other advantages, So unless you need rapid fire I'd go with a bolt action.

Last year I built a nice little rifle from scratch for under $600. that I won my AR with. While the AR is very accurate, it is heavy and awkward to carry, it has a very crisp trigger but very heavy compared to my bolt guns. I'll most likely only take it out hunting just enough to say I killed a coyote with it, it will be a target gun for fun(serious target shooting will get the bolt gun) and maybe some work on PD's or GS's.

As far as cartridges I doubt that there is a whole lot of difference in accuracy from 243 to 308 with the premium target bullets available today. For many years the 308 was king on the MS coarse but the 7mm-08 made inroads due to flatter trajectory, less recoil and still be able to knock down targets. That was in the 1980's I haven't followed any of the LR sports since then.

Have fun with this, putting together a rig is as much fun as shooting it.
 
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If I bought the 6.5 Creedmoor i would use it for target and coyote , deer hunting etc. But i am thinking at age 57 might just keep the tikka 243 i have with the 700 factory 100 gr ammo shells. older you get you start looking at retirement expenses and really i think my tikka 243 will shoot 800 yards. I don't think i can justify the Creedmoor right now in my life for $2500.00 with scope. if i was a younger man and did not have the 243 tikka i would go with the AR10 6.5 Creedmoor. martyD
 
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