SOCOM Looking at .260 Rem and 6.5 Creedmoor Sniper Systems

[Popeye212]

260 and 6.5 are basically the same....why test 2 rounds that are basically identical.....

They are not that close Remington developed the .260 as hunting round the Creedmoor was developed for long range competition. AT least from what I read and the Creedmoor accepts heavier bullets without using compressed loads.

[dobrodan]

http://soldiersystems.net/2018/03/23/ussocom-adopts-6-5-cm/

6.5 Creedmoor adopted.

[BluntForceTrauma]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer cartridge.

Money quote from report: "As both cartridges were similarly accurate and reliable, the determining factor for selection of 65CM would end up being trade space. The prevailing attitude is that there was more room with the 65CM to further develop projectiles and loads."

[stanc]

Looking forward to seeing the SOCOM Assault Machine Gun in 6.5 CM.

[tangodown]

So what's wrong with BAD News AR in 300 win mag or 300 ultra? They even make a 338 Lupua in a AR platform.

[jwynn481]

im not buying the 260 is too expensive to shoot, i have one in AR10 and ammo is 20-25$ for hornady match ammo which according to midwayusa is the same price as 6.5cm hornady match ammo. I believe it comes down to personal preference. In my opinion the creedmoor is like crossfit, once you try it you can't stop talking about it.

[LR1955]

im not buying the 260 is too expensive to shoot, i have one in AR10 and ammo is 20-25$ for hornady match ammo which according to midwayusa is the same price as 6.5cm hornady match ammo. I believe it comes down to personal preference. In my opinion the creedmoor is like crossfit, once you try it you can't stop talking about it.

jw:

Where did you get the idea that a decision was made based on cost? I didn't see anything in the link about cost.

LR55

[jwynn481]

I didn’t think the decision was based on cost. Having read some previous posts talking about the cost of 260rem being too high this was my rebuttal. The CM gives you more options due to the case being shorter, makes sense why it was chosen.

[LR1955]

I didn’t think the decision was based on cost. Having read some previous posts talking about the cost of 260rem being too high this was my rebuttal. The CM gives you more options due to the case being shorter, makes sense why it was chosen.

jw:

Rog -- got it and thanks. Was wondering if I had missed something.

LR55

[mpd61]

The 6.5 Creedmoor is probably the Marketing success of this century.......................Ho-Hum

Remember the Hooplah about 6.8 SPC (and 6.5 Grendel outperformed it)?
6.5-284, .260 Remington, 6.5x55 Swede, 6.5 Rem mag, .264 Win mag, 6.5 Grendel, 6.5 PRC..................Thank Heaven the 6.5 Creedmoor finally showed up to put us all on the path to salvation

[stanc]

Program update, including a few slides from the 2018 NDIA Armaments meeting: http://soldiersystems.net/2018/05/10...zation-update/

[bj139]

It's funny how the sweet spot always leads back to 6.5mm.

[stanc]

It's funny how the sweet spot always leads back to 6.5mm.

It doesn't always.

For sniper rifles (and possibly machine guns), 6.5mm may be optimum.

But, for assault rifles in a two-caliber system, 5.5mm is a better choice.

[LRRPF52]

I think 6mm or 6.35mm would make an ideal general purpose rifle or carbine bore, as well as a light machine-gun, given the right projectile profile and construction.

A 6x39mm off the 5.45 cartridge would be interesting.

6.5mm for the heavier shoulder-fired weapons.

Let's keep it on track for discussions solely about SOCOM's adoption of 6.5mm for Sniper Systems now, with the recent selection of 6.5CM and the TDP issued to ammunition manufacturers.

I wonder what bullet(s) they'll be going with.

In the course I ran this weekend, we were shooting 6.5CM 130gr Prime ammo with the Berger VLD, and 123gr Scenar CORBON .260 Rem from the bolt guns.

I noticed that in the same simultaneous wind conditions at 1000yds, the 130gr VLD needed 1.7 mils wind hold, whereas the .260 Rem with primer-popping CORBON ammo was holding center and getting hit after hit.

My best guess is that it was so flat, its maximum ordinate didn't rise high enough to fly through faster wind speeds that the 130gr was getting into, and the 130gr is flat as a pancake at 1000yds with 6600ft elevation, thin air already.

That 123gr Scenar CORBON load was smoking hot, with only 6.4 mils drop at 1000yds.

Also, I saw daylight clear as can be through the 200yd AR500 plate after timed engagement drills on the 200yd plate.

6.5CM or .250 Rem with a lighter bullet will smoke the dog crap out of armor, especially if you use the 6.5mm 855A1-type projectile.

[bj139]

I was thinking of buying a 6.5 Creedmoor in Savage or Howa heavy barrel.
I wonder if Savage might supply any rifles to SOCOM.