Field & Stream By Richard Mann April 05, 2021
Which of these 6.5mm long-range powerhouses is better? Here’s the truth behind today’s fiercest ballistic rivalry mericans probably hate and love the 6.5 Creedmoor more than any other cartridge. The irony is that until the Creedmoor, Americans never really gave two hoots about 6.5mm cartridges. The well-respected 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser has been around for more than 125 years, but no one really cares. The .264 Winchester Magnum was lauded with greatness when introduced in the early ’60s, but it’s now living, unloved, in the old folk’s home. And the .260 Remington was introduced in 1997, but was mostly ignored in that void between the .243 and the .308 until folks started claiming the 6.5 Creedmoor was better.
You can compare the 6.5 Creedmoor to all these cartridges but the only comparison that really matters is when it’s put up against the .260 Remington. This is because both of these cartridges fit perfectly in what are considered short-action bolt guns or AR10s. It’s also because both cartridges are used by those who find joy hitting targets at great distances. Arguing this topic on the Internet has become a favorite past time of many, but the truth of the matter is that the answer is very simple and supported by ballistic fact.
There are two ways to compare these cartridges and that’s to either put factory rifles and factory ammunition up against each other or to examine custom rifles and handloaded ammunition head-to-head. The 6.5 Creedmoor wins the factory rifle and ammunition comparison, and the .260 Remington can win the argument when custom guns and ammunition are considered. Let me explain.
Factory Guns and AmmunitionThe American manufacture of factory guns and ammunition is regulated by SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactures’ Institute Inc.). SAAMI publishes the guidelines that guns and ammunition must adhere to, so that when you buy a rifle from Savage it will work with ammunition from Federal and Hornady. It is a great organization, and their standards also allow ammunition made in 2020 to work in guns built in 1920. Among other things, these standards dictate the allowable pressure that is created in a rifle’s chamber and the twist rate of rifling in a rifle’s barrel.
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https://www.fieldandstream.com/hunting/65-creedmoor-vs-260-remington-65mm-cartrdridges/I'll stick with my two 6.5s. The 6.5x47 Lapua in my Rem SA Mod 700 and the 6.5 Grendel in my AR-15.
