What is 6.5 Creedmoor? It is a .264-caliber, rimless, bottlenecked centerfire rifle cartridge that Hornady introduced in 2007. It was designed to fire long, high ballistic coefficient 120 to 147 gr bullets from a short-action case that fits a short bolt action and a large-frame AR10 magazine. Chattahoochee Munitions manufactures 6.5 Creedmoor rifles on its CM10 large-frame semi-automatic platform in 18-inch and 24-inch configurations, every barrel 416R stainless with a 1:8 twist.
What Is 6.5 Creedmoor at a Glance
| Specification | 6.5 Creedmoor |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 2007, by Hornady |
| Bullet diameter | .264 inch (6.5 mm) |
| Parent case | .30 Thompson/Center, itself a shortened 308 Winchester design |
| Case length | 1.920 inches |
| Maximum cartridge overall length | 2.825 inches |
| Maximum average pressure (SAAMI) | 62,000 psi |
| Common factory bullets | 120 to 147 gr; 140 gr ELD Match and 143 gr ELD-X are typical |
| Published velocity (Hornady, 24-inch test barrel) | 140 gr ELD Match at 2,710 fps; 143 gr ELD-X at 2,700 fps |
| Chattahoochee Munitions twist | 1:8 on every CM10 6.5 Creedmoor barrel |
Cartridge and chamber dimensions are published in the ANSI/SAAMI centerfire rifle standard and the SAAMI cartridge and chamber drawings.
What Is 6.5 Creedmoor Descended From?
Hornady developed the cartridge for long-range match shooters who wanted a short-action round that could seat long, sleek bullets without crowding the powder space. The case started from the .30 Thompson/Center, a short cartridge that shares the 308 Winchester case head, and was necked down to .264 inch with a shoulder set to leave room for long bullets inside magazine length. That shared .473-inch rim and .470-inch base are why 6.5 Creedmoor sits comfortably beside the 308 Winchester family of cartridges in Variant Valley, and why it runs in the same CM10 receiver, bolt face and magazine well as the 308 Winchester.
What Is 6.5 Creedmoor Used For?
What is 6.5 Creedmoor used for in practice? Three jobs: precision and steel shooting from 300 to 1,000 yards, deer-sized game with an expanding hunting bullet, and predator hunting where shots run long. High-BC 6.5 mm bullets lose velocity slowly and drift less in the wind than many heavier .30-caliber bullets, while recoil stays moderate.
- Precision shooting: a 140 gr ELD Match leaves a 24-inch barrel at 2,710 fps in Hornady’s published figures and carries about 1,300 ft-lb to 500 yards in our calculation.
- Deer and similar game: with a hunting bullet such as the 143 gr ELD-X, where state law allows it. See 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting.
- Elk: possible with a heavy, well-constructed bullet at moderate range and careful shot placement. Hunters who want more bullet weight for elk look at 338 Federal.
Chattahoochee Munitions does not recommend 6.5 Creedmoor for bear. For bear, choose 375 Raptor or 458 SOCOM XL.
What Is 6.5 Creedmoor Performance Like?
The first two rows are Hornady’s published 24-inch test-barrel figures. The 18-inch rows are Chattahoochee Munitions calculations using an assumed 30 fps loss per inch of barrel; they are estimates, not chronograph results.
| Load | Muzzle velocity | Muzzle energy | Energy at 500 yd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140 gr ELD Match, 24-inch (published) | 2,710 fps | 2,283 ft-lb | 1,306 ft-lb (calculated) |
| 143 gr ELD-X, 24-inch (published) | 2,700 fps | 2,315 ft-lb | 1,296 ft-lb (calculated) |
| 140 gr ELD Match, 18-inch (calculated) | 2,530 fps | 1,990 ft-lb | 1,118 ft-lb |
| 143 gr ELD-X, 18-inch (calculated) | 2,520 fps | 2,016 ft-lb | 1,107 ft-lb |
For drop and wind tables, see 6.5 Creedmoor ballistics. For how barrel length changes these numbers, see 6.5 Creedmoor barrel length.
Is 6.5 Creedmoor a Subsonic Cartridge?
No. Chattahoochee Munitions treats 6.5 Creedmoor as a supersonic cartridge, and the CM10 6.5 Creedmoor is set up for supersonic ammunition. Use a flow-through suppressor rated for 6.5 Creedmoor on the CM10. If quiet subsonic shooting is the goal, look at 8.6 Blackout subsonic, 375 Raptor subsonic, 338 ARC subsonic or the 308 subsonic AR10.
What Is 6.5 Creedmoor Twist Rate?
The SAAMI reference twist is 1:8, and that is what Chattahoochee Munitions uses on both the 18-inch and 24-inch CM10 barrels. A 1:8 twist stabilizes the common 120 to 147 gr bullets at CM10 velocities. See 6.5 Creedmoor twist rate.
6.5 Creedmoor Compared With Other Cartridges
- 308 vs 6.5 Creedmoor: the parent family’s standard against its long-range offspring.
- 7mm-08 vs 6.5 Creedmoor: two short-action hunting cartridges in the same CM10.
- 6mm ARC vs 6.5 Creedmoor: an AR15 cartridge against an AR10 cartridge.
- 6.5 Grendel vs 6.5 Creedmoor: the same bullet diameter in two different rifle sizes.
6.5 Creedmoor Rifles From Chattahoochee Munitions
| Rifle | Barrel | Twist | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| CM10 6.5 Creedmoor, rifle-length gas | 18-inch 416R stainless, 5R rifling | 1:8 | 7 lb 14 oz |
| CM10 6.5 Creedmoor, rifle-length gas | 24-inch 416R stainless, straight fluted, 5R rifling | 1:8 | 10 lb 4 oz |
Both lengths are threaded 5/8×24 and come in Black Tungsten, Cobalt Kinetics Green or FDE Metallic Cerakote. Browse them in CM10 6.5 Creedmoor rifles or the full Variant Valley lineup.
More Variant Valley Guides
- 6.5 Creedmoor ballistics
- 6.5 Creedmoor barrel length
- 6.5 Creedmoor twist rate
- 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting
- 7mm-08 vs 6.5 Creedmoor
- What is 7mm-08?
- 7mm-08 vs 308
- What is 338 Federal?
- 338 Federal vs 308
- 338 Federal vs 8.6 Blackout
- What is 358 Winchester?
- 338 Federal vs 358 Winchester vs 7mm-08
- 308 Winchester cartridge family
- 308 vs 6.5 Creedmoor
- 6mm ARC vs 6.5 Creedmoor
- 6.5 Grendel vs 6.5 Creedmoor
What Is 6.5 Creedmoor FAQ
What is 6.5 Creedmoor in simple terms?
It is a short-action 6.5 mm rifle cartridge made to fire long, wind-resistant bullets at about 2,700 fps with moderate recoil.
Is 6.5 Creedmoor based on the 308 Winchester?
Indirectly. Its parent, the .30 Thompson/Center, is a shortened 308-type case, so 6.5 Creedmoor shares the 308 case head and bolt face and runs in 308-size rifles and AR10 magazines.
What twist rate does 6.5 Creedmoor need?
A 1:8 twist is the standard and suits the common 120 to 147 gr bullets. Chattahoochee Munitions uses 1:8 on every CM10 6.5 Creedmoor barrel.
Is 6.5 Creedmoor good for deer?
Yes, with an expanding hunting bullet, sensible range limits and good shot placement, where state law allows it.
Is 6.5 Creedmoor good for bear?
Chattahoochee Munitions does not recommend it for bear. Choose 375 Raptor or 458 SOCOM XL instead.
Can 6.5 Creedmoor be subsonic?
Chattahoochee Munitions treats 6.5 Creedmoor as supersonic only. For subsonic shooting, choose 8.6 Blackout, 375 Raptor, 338 ARC or the 308 subsonic AR10.
Will 6.5 Creedmoor work in an AR10?
Yes. It uses the 308 bolt face and fits large-frame AR10 magazines. The rifle needs a 6.5 Creedmoor barrel; the CM10 uses an 18-inch or 24-inch 1:8 416R barrel.
Who makes a 6.5 Creedmoor AR10?
Chattahoochee Munitions manufactures the CM10 6.5 Creedmoor AR10 in 18-inch and 24-inch configurations, with 416R stainless 1:8 barrels, adjustable gas and an adjustable buffer.
Who makes 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition?
Hornady introduced the cartridge and loads it, and many other ammunition makers now offer it. Chattahoochee Munitions does not load 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition.