Compare 6.5x55 Swede and 6.5 Creedmore

Mongo1 · Jan 18, 2015

What are the benefits? Thanks

Jamie6.5 · Jan 19, 2015

Creedmore uses less powder, and was conceived to be a benchrest/match round.
Swede has been around for 100+ years and is recognized as a very effective hunting round that does match shooting pretty darned well too.

coyotecaller · Jan 20, 2015

6.5 Creedmoor is a high pressure short action cartridge. 6.5x55 is a low pressure long action cartridge (but can be loaded to higher SAAMI pressure in modern rifles). Both are commercially available and the Creedmoor is more efficient and ballistically superior to the Swede.

Darkker · Jan 23, 2015

Careful with the "ballistically superior" bit...
Only in 'Merica is the Swede loaded to low pressures, the rest of the world loads it to full power. The difference is:
Short action cartridge that can seat match bullets long without losing powder capacity, 30° shoulder, efficient, easily reformed brass.
Verses long action, limited options on brass cartridge.

Think of it like the old "30-06 Vs 308" argument. Do you want to burn a lot more powder for a very little more speed, and have a long action or not? Both are great cartridges.

As with all things new and exciting, people tend to get stupid and ambitious and forget reality. I've hooked-up the Pressure Trace, loaded and tested ammo on many guns, with many powders and many bullets. People will tell you they "can get 2800+ fps from the Creed with no pressure signs, from a 26" barrel". NOT while using 140gr bullets, NOT while using H4350, NOT within SAAMI pressure you can't.
Enjoy the cartridge for what it is, not what you wish it was.

tac · Feb 28, 2015

In 1990, whilst on a two-day break in a winter exercise, three of us got taken off for a culling seesion with our interpreter/guides/directing staff. My mentor, Geir, got me to shoot the most beat-up HVA m/38 I've ever seen before or since, with open sights, and Norma's patent 140gr core-lokt bullet. It had been his dad's from the time that he had lived in Sweden, but moved to Norway just after the war was over.

Later that afternoon, about three and as the sun was heading for the hills, we came upon an elk, blowing hard and looking a tad skinny. He was about 75m away from me, downwind, and I took him 3/4 through the left front quarter, demolishing the heart on the way. He dropped like a stone, right there, and never even twitched. I felt good about it because I had saved him from starving to death.

Although Geir had said to take him because he was getting skinny, with ribs showing and patchy hide, he still weighed just over 590 kg.

That's a big ol' animal, dropped right there by a near hundred-year-old bullet design.

6.5x55 is still THE to-go calibre form many professionals in Scandinavia.

tac

45alive · Feb 28, 2015

tac said:
In 1990, whilst on a two-day break in a winter exercise, three of us got taken off for a culling seesion with our interpreter/guides/directing staff. My mentor, Geir, got me to shoot the most beat-up HVA m/38 I've ever seen before or since, with open sights, and Norma's patent 140gr core-lokt bullet. It had been his dad's from the time that he had lived in Sweden, but moved to Norway just after the war was over.

Later that afternoon, about three and as the sun was heading for the hills, we came upon an elk, blowing hard and looking a tad skinny. He was about 75m away from me, downwind, and I took him 3/4 through the left front quarter, demolishing the heart on the way. He dropped like a stone, right there, and never even twitched. I felt good about it because I had saved him from starving to death.

Although Geir had said to take him because he was getting skinny, with ribs showing and patchy hide, he still weighed just over 590 kg.

That's a big ol' animal, dropped right there by a near hundred-year-old bullet design.

6.5x55 is still THE to-go calibre form many professionals in Scandinavia.

tac

6.5 Carcano was the Rifle - Bullet that killed JFK. I read the 6.5 is known as The Kennedy Round.

coyotecaller · Feb 28, 2015

The 6.5Swede is .264 diameter and the 6.5 Carcano is .268 usually chambered in a poor quality military rifle

Darkker · Mar 1, 2015

coyotecaller said:
The 6.5Swede is .264 diameter and the 6.5 Carcano is .268 usually chambered in a poor quality military rifle

Again grass-hoppa, careful with numbers and no details.

In fact, testing done by many, including P.O. Ackley, were unable to produce catastrophic action failure. Those actions were many things perhaps, but not weak.

.268" is actually the groove diameter, the bore is .257". That is why many think the guns are "junk" when you have the wrong sized bullet, it shouldn't be a surprise they are inaccurate.

45alive · Mar 1, 2015

Darkker said:
Again grass-hoppa, careful with numbers and no details.

In fact, testing done by many, including P.O. Ackley, were unable to produce catastrophic action failure. Those actions were many things perhaps, but not weak.

.268" is actually the groove diameter, the bore is .257". That is why many think the guns are "junk" when you have the wrong sized bullet, it shouldn't be a surprise they are inaccurate.

Ha, ''Again Grasshoppa'' Kung Fu is my favorite TV show! My friend got his 6.5 Carcano for $50 at a garage sale years ago and its a nice little rifle. Masta PO say,''Like Chihuahua is small, so is 6.5 Carcano rifle, but like Chihuahua, although small, have big BALLS!''

coyotecaller · Mar 6, 2015

Darkker said:
Again grass-hoppa, careful with numbers and no details.

In fact, testing done by many, including P.O. Ackley, were unable to produce catastrophic action failure. Those actions were many things perhaps, but not weak.

.268" is actually the groove diameter, the bore is .257". That is why many think the guns are "junk" when you have the wrong sized bullet, it shouldn't be a surprise they are inaccurate.

Ok Darkker, let me learn you a thing or two on this one; first the .268 is the correct bullet diameter of the
6.5×52mm Parravicini-Carcano. There is nothing in this caliber with .257 diameter. Firing a .257 bullet through the Carcanos .268 bore would at best give you lots of gas loss and musket grade accuracy. Second, the action may not be weak but what I said is, that the military rifle was of poor quality and not considered accurate. I know my numbers and as far as details, at least Google it to make sure your info is accurate and correct.

AMProducts · Mar 6, 2015

Given the option between the two, I would go with the swede, however, if my options were limited to 6.5, I would go with the .260 remington.

Darkker · Mar 7, 2015

coyotecaller said:
Ok Darkker, let me learn you a thing or two on this one; first the .268 is the correct bullet diameter of the
6.5×52mm Parravicini-Carcano. There is nothing in this caliber with .257 diameter. Firing a .257 bullet through the Carcanos .268 bore would at best give you lots of gas loss and musket grade accuracy. Second, the action may not be weak but what I said is, that the military rifle was of poor quality and not considered accurate. I know my numbers and as far as details, at least Google it to make sure your info is accurate and correct.

I suggest you take your own advice about using Google, consider reading a couple books. Start with Hornady's manual, page 279 in Vol. 9. Or try Richard Hobb's excellent book about the Carcano titled "The Carcano, Italy's Military Rifle".
For the virtual reading, cruise over to the CIP pages and look at the spec for the Carcano bore AND groove.

coyotecaller · Mar 7, 2015

On the Carcano, Groove diameter is .268 and lands (bore diameter) is .260-.263 (on military rifles). Anyways I proved my point enough your argument is off topic to this forum's question. Plus there is no reward at the end of this debate for me. Sorry, lost interest

tac · Mar 8, 2015

45alive said:
6.5 Carcano was the Rifle - Bullet that killed JFK. I read the 6.5 is known as The Kennedy Round.

Well, over here in sunny Northwest Yoorup and Scandinavia, WE call the 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser by its name, the 6.5 Swedish Mauser cartridge.

I'm making the broad assumption that if you are in the ballpark where you are playing with a '6.5 Swede and 6.5 Creedmore' that the matter of the 'other' 6.5 - from Italy - never enters into the equation. I'm certainly not aware that there is ANY 6.5 Carcano-calibre modern sporting rifle made anywhere, and here I'm excluding any bubba'ed milsurp Carcanos or Ternis.

In answering the original OP's question, MANY ammunition brands of 6.5x55 Swedish are generally available, especially here in Yoorup, but the amount of 6.5 Creedmore you'll see on dealers shelves can readily be counted on a closed fist. I've never seen any, of any kind. Prvi Partizan [PPU] make 6.5 Carcano in an analogue version of the military stuff, but apart from that.........not that I've ever seen such a rifle/carbine here in UK in my entire shooting career. No bringbacks here in UK, y'see.

tac

coop44 · Mar 9, 2015

in a milsurp rifle, in a 6.5 caliber I would pick the swede every time. Well made, good looking guns. Inherently accurate caliber, nothing bad to say about them. Carcano "dropped only once" rifles have never impressed me with being well made or quality firearms.

as far as commercial guns, a Winchester model 70 or a Ruger #1 in 6.5 would be very cool. Say with a douglas barrel.

pinne65 · Mar 10, 2015

Back in the ole country we'd shoot sporterized (free floated barell, cut off handguard & diopter sights) 6.5 mils. Or if you were really lucky you'd get a Carl Gustav 63. They were very accurate out to 600m. My buddy even took huge a moose with one. I'm tempted to get one again for old times sake.