6.5 Creedmoor

We’re all guilty, each and every one of us, myself included. We’ll be at a summer barbecue, or sharing a beer at the local pub, or sitting around the campfire, and the cartridge debate will begin. And, once it begins, you’re bound to hear all sorts of boastful claims, insistent arguing points, hand-me-down tales of perfect, flawless performance in the hands of various uncles and grandsires, and all sorts of reasons why any other cartridge than the metallic hero receiving adoration at that moment is a silly, wasteful, childish design. Sometimes you’ll hear – possibly simultaneously if the crowd is large enough and the tongues are loose – that old cartridge should be put out to pasture.

The 6.5 Creedmor isn’t a new round, it was introduced in 2008 by Hornady. But this will be remembered as the year it began its dominance in the market place. In reference to .308, I think the words of Winston Churchill say it best. “This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, this is just perhaps the end of the beginning.”

Since its introduction in 2007, Hornady has continued to hit the sweet spot among long-range shooters with the 6.5 Creedmoor. A modification of the .30 TC and ultimately an offspring of the .308 Win., the 6.5 Creedmoor is effective because it capably seats bullets with high sectional density and ballistic coefficients, which are remarkably adept at producing flat trajectories and handling the wind. The 6.5 is also popular among competition shooters because it successfully houses these long, sleek bullets in a case that still fits in standard AR-10-style magazines and short-action bolt guns. As a result, the cartridge has been popular in competition and among game hunters.

SIG’s cashing in on the Creedmoor craze, announcing this week the release of the 6.5 Creedmoor Open Tip Match (OTM) round.

Since its introduction in 2007, the 6.5 Creedmoor has taken off like wildfire and Thompson Center (T/C) has delivered a rifle chambered in 6.5 that will go head to head with rifles a few weight classes above it. Thompson Center is one of the oldest names in American hunting. They’re known primarily for their muzzle loading guns that are without peer.

It seems like Savage rifles garner a love hate relationship with much of the shooting population. Some people love them because they’re an affordable rifle with features and a level of performance that hits well above their price point. Savage rifles are known for shooting exceptionally well while possessing a great adjustable trigger and a barrel nut system that makes barrel swaps relatively easy.

Not that long ago if you had asked me to find a rifle with a street price under $1,000 that had a fully adjustable stock with a detachable magazine system, was suppressor capable, was compatible with some Remington 700 parts, and had a 1 MOA guarantee, I would’ve said no way. However, Bergara USA has delivered just such a rifle in the form of their B-14 Hunting/Match Rifle.

Normally, I am a buy American kind of guy. I drive a Ford truck, I drink Coors, and go out of my way to buy work boots made in the USA. Sometimes, however, we want something a little bit exotic. And the Finnish Tikka T3X TAC A1 is quite possibly the most impressive rifle I have ever picked up. And I have shot a couple rifles in my day.

We are seeing some serious innovation in the firearms market, which is a nice change. LEt’s take a look at some of the emerging trends we are seeing today.