.270 Winchester vs. 6.5 Creedmoor

Ryan L said:

Awww... c'mon, you're just sulking! :)
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Not really but, it is my prerogative....:giggle:.

"It's is not without good reason that it is referred to as the 6.5 Manbun..."

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Yes, it is and that's a bit of a shame because it really is a good cartridge. My entire issue isn't with the cartridge but with the ignorance of so many of it's users. I have always and still maintain that had the same amount of R&D and marketing been put into almost ANY light recoiling cartridge the results would have been the same. I admit it has some little perks....if they are the kind that is important to one. The cartridge is a marginally more efficient but not enough to honestly matter in the larger scheme of things. Recoil is light but Jimney Cricket, so is most 6.5's....and a host of other cartridges. It comes in a short action which, to me, is utterly meaningless. I never did buy into a short action being more mechanically accurate. Short actions are mostly chambered in cartridges less powerful than rifles in long actions, which typically house 30-06 class cartridges. Less powerful, less recoil equals greater accuracy for nearly all shooters, me included. Why does anyone suppose that when the 308 was introduced the 30-06 lost favor on the target ranges? The tide has ever been toward lighter recoiling cartridges and, that's fine, we shoot them more accurately

The thing that amazes me most is so many act as if Hornady and the US shooter/hunter suddenly, single handedly, discovered 6.5mm caliber. Now that's a laugh a minute. There is some evidence a cartridge nearly identical to the CM was introduced in Australia in either the late 50's or 60's. The 6.5 Swede was developed in 1891 and adopted in 1894, the 6.5 Mannlicher/Schoenauer was derived from the earlier 6.5 X 53R M/S cartridge of 1891, the X54 was introduced at the 1900 Worlds Fair along with the exquisite Mannlicher/Schoenauer carbines. The 6.5 X 52 Carcano dates from 1889 to 1891 when it was introduced. The 6.5 X 57 Mauser dates to 1893-94, the 6.5 X 68 Schuler from 1938 and, like the 264 Win. Mag, leaves most all 6.5's in a trail of ballistic dust. For that matter, given a rifle capable of the SAAMI, 62 KPSI of the CM, most of the 6.5's mentioned will out run or, run with the CM AND, if one dumps the R&D and marketing money into any of them, they'll be just as accurate at equal distances. THAT'S my beef and again, not with the cartridge, with the uninformed users.

As previously mentioned, I have two 6.5's, a 1903 Mannlicher/Schoenauer and the Husqvarna 6.5 X 55. I was working with a Model 70 Featherweight, push feed and one of those re-worked Kimber Mod. 96 Swedes back in the late 80's or early 90's. That class cartridge impressed me then and, it still does. But, good grief, there's nothing magical or intrinsically remarkable about the 6.5 CM that couldn't be done with any other cartridge. Those who proclaim it to have such properties need to have a significantly better grasp of history and ballistics....and you can throw in accuracy.

Now, I'm gonna drag out my 1870's double rifle in 11.15 X 60R and my 16 X 10.5 X 47R combination gun and go "burn some charcoal an' sling some lead."

You already have the 270 and it is a fine cartridge. If you are happy with it, keep it.
Yes, you will hear that this is better or that is better, but, is it better for you.
As you all know I live in Canada and I do hunt deer and moose. I have also hunted in different countries and even though I have several gun vaults, I have only three main hunting rifles. And none of them are really on this list or mentioned.
For deer, I use a 243
For moose, I use a 270WSM
And if I am going after something that might hurt me, it is a 405 Winchester.

The point I am trying to make is leave the hype and the paper ballistics behind and use what you are comfortable with.
If you are not comfortable with the rifle, you are not going to do well in the field.

My dad had a 30-06 rifle, and he missed a lot of deer and moose in his lifetime.
I built him two rifles. One was a 243 and the other was a 6.5X55. After that , his biggest complaint was that he would go out in the morning and by noon he had filled his tags. And now he didn't know what to do with the other 13 days left of hunting season.

I know people in the far north that shoot everything with a 22HP. Would I suggest using it, no. But they know how to hunt and are comfortable with the cartridge and know what it can do and what it can't.