6.5 Creedmoor Vs 223
A Comprehensive Guide
The 6.5 Creedmoor vs 223 are cartridges with similar ballistic traits, but each has something unique. If you’re looking for a gun that can hold up to the wear and tear of shooting in adverse conditions, 223 Remington is your best bet. The 6.5 Creedmoor is great for long-range shots with its heavier bullet weight, but it has less penetration power than 223 rounds do. There are pros and cons of both cartridges, so make sure you know what’s right for you before buying.
Table of Contents
The 6.5 Creedmoor
A relatively new cartridge, the 6.5 Creedmoor, was developed by Hornady and given SAAMI certification a short while later. It’s designed for hunting medium-sized game like deer, hogs — even large predators like bears and mountain lions. The cartridge features a case that is 30% more efficient than that of the .308 Winchester. The 6.5 Creedmoor was initially designed for long-range shooting and has featured success in competitions ranging from F-Class to Palma. The cartridge is versatile and can be used on everything from prairie dogs to elk or even targets up to 1,200 yards away. While it’s a tremendous long-range cartridge, it also performs well at short ranges for varmints.
Positive
- Good buck wind and gravity
- Low chamber pressure
- Low recoil
- Easy to reload
- Fit in an AR-10 and short-bolt action
Negatives
- Not accurate at long ranges
- For shorter-range shooters
The .223 Remington
Like the 6.5 Creedmoor, the .223 is new to the game of rifle cartridges. It was created in 2007 by Remington and quickly became popular during its first year on the market. The .223 is a short-action cartridge that can push a 55-grain bullet at speeds of 3,230 feet per second. The .223 Remington is a high-speed cartridge and one of the few that can compete with the 6.5 Grendel in terms of velocity. It was designed to be a varmint round capable of quickly taking down games like prairie dogs and small animals.
It can take targets as far as 500 yards while remaining effective at ranges closer than 300 yards. Muzzle energy is higher with the 223, although it may not be as versatile as other cartridges like the 6mm Creedmoor or 6.5 Creedmoor. Some gun experts believe that it’s only slightly more potent than .22LR rounds, which is why many hunters don’t consider it viable for their sport.
Positive
- Cheap to produce
- Lightweight rounds
- Quick to reload
Negatives
- Low ballistic coefficient
- Low velocity
- Lower trajectory drop after 50 yards
Cost of 6.5 Creedmoor Vs 223
While both rounds are similar on paper, there’s no doubt that each performs differently based on where you’re shooting from and how far away your target is. It’s hard to say which round is better since they both have their own set of pros and cons. The 6.5 Creedmoor, for example, has a round that’s 30% more efficient than the .308 Winchester, so it tends to knock down the game faster and at further distances without losing any accuracy. This means you can shoot with confidence, knowing that you won’t need a second shot to do what needs to be done.
On the other hand, if your target is close by or there’s no room for error when aiming. Sometimes even an inch can make all the difference — then you’ll probably want something more robust like a .223 cartridge or even a 7mm Magnum, which isn’t necessarily known for power but instead precision.
6.5 Creedmoor Vs 223: Which is Better?
Size
Since the 6.5 Creedmoor was designed to be a .308 cartridge, it fits into a standard 308 magazine and has the same overall length. The .223 Win, on the other hand, has more powder capacity than the Creedmoor, but that doesn’t mean it will shoot farther because of that. Larger bullets give you better downrange energy, but they usually have less velocity per grain of powder, which results in slower, too (at least until you get past 500 yards).
Accuracy
The 6.5 Creedmoor is more accurate than a .223, but the difference isn’t huge. The 6mm standard bullet diameter (.243) on both cartridges should offer excellent accuracy and efficiency with your reloads and will allow you to make accurate shots at long range with ease. If we were to put these two rifles up against each other in a competition, I would think it would be pretty even.
Range
If you’re looking at longer range distances, then the 6.5mm Creedmoor is a better choice over the .223 Winchester, provided your barrel is long enough to make use of the added velocity for downrange energy. The key to long-range shooting is consistently hitting your target with the first shot, relying heavily on proper bullet selection.
Hunting
In terms of hunting, you would be hard-pressed to find any situation where either caliber would perform better than the other. Both can take game up to 400 yards or so, but at longer ranges, a 6.5mm would do better due to having more energy (the .223 isn’t much different from a 22-250, for example).
Recoil
If you’re looking at recoil as one factor in deciding which cartridge is best, then it has to be the 6.5 Creedmoor, hands down. The .223 is a high-speed cartridge that can deliver some serious kick. The 6.5 Creedmoor has the same velocity, but it also provides more energy which helps keep the recoil down despite having slightly less powder capacity.
Cost
It’s also worth mentioning that Windham Weaponry uses a 6.5 Creedmoor chamber in their R-15 rifles (which are currently priced at about $800, or $35 less than their .223 R-15). While both cartridges are made by one of the most respected ammo makers today, 6.5mm ammo will be cheaper than .223 pretty much all day long. With rifle prices rising over time and not many places making their ammunition, you’re looking at a win for the Creedmoor here as well.
Performance of 6.5 Creedmoor Vs 223
The 223 Remington has a reputation of being an “all-purpose” cartridge. It’s not very good for long-range, but the lighter weight and more negligible recoil make it better at handling quick shots on targets out to 300 yards. And with relatively low recoil, it can also be used more effectively by people who are new to shooting or suffer from chronic pain or other illnesses that limit their ability to manage heavy recoils well.
Things To Remember
● You should take care when handling bullets
● Using a muzzleloader can create an explosion and fire
● You should be careful using this around children
To avoid injury, you need to wear eye protection, gloves, long sleeves, and hearing protection. If the bullet is loaded in your gun without being shot, it will not produce any of this hazard,s but if the cartridge has been fired previously, there might still be some unburned powder left, so care needs to be taken. Another consideration for rifle caliber is how much recoil you want or are willing to deal with. The smaller cartridges have less felt recoil than larger calibers because they generally use lighter weight projectiles that leave the barrel at higher speeds which means more energy on target before escaping back out again.
FAQs
Important Note:
Any activity using a firearm has the potential to be harmful and can lead to death, serious injury, permanent disability, or property damage. Only general educational and informational purposes are served by the advice, graphics, photographs, videos, and information found on Ballachy firearm reviews. The knowledge provided about guns, gun handling, tactics, training, legal issues, and marksmanship skills on this page is the author’s opinion based on his experience and education. This knowledge, which includes advice and training methods, is applicable only in a given set of conditions that the reader cannot precisely recreate. The author disclaims any liability for improper use or incorrect interpretation of the information on this website. Use of this website as a replacement for training or any information found on this website is not legal advice of any kind.
The 6.5mm Creedmoor is a medium-power cartridge comparable to the 260 Remington and 6.5×47mm Lapua. An independent reviewer lists Three-hundred yard energy using 129-grain Hornady SST bullets as 1,641 foot-pounds force (2,225 J).
Important Note:
Any activity using a firearm has the potential to be harmful and can lead to death, serious injury, permanent disability, or property damage. Only general educational and informational purposes are served by the advice, graphics, photographs, videos, and information found on Ballachy firearm reviews. The knowledge provided about guns, gun handling, tactics, training, legal issues, and marksmanship skills on this page is the author’s opinion based on his experience and education. This knowledge, which includes advice and training methods, is applicable only in a given set of conditions that the reader cannot precisely recreate. The author disclaims any liability for improper use or incorrect interpretation of the information on this website. Use of this website as a replacement for training or any information found on this website is not legal advice of any kind.
The wildly popular Creedmoor may seem a little light, but it makes a list because out to around 400 yards, this mild-kicking round not only does the job on black bears but is also a joy for anyone to shoot, including young hunters.
Conclusion
If your most important consideration is accuracy, then it’s hard to beat the Grendel cartridge due to its long-range trajectory that can help keep shots where they need to be and still make shots out to 700 yards. However, if you’re looking for something more versatile, the 223 has a much more comprehensive range of ammo options. Still, it will also have lower accuracy than the Grendel at long distances with factory loads. If your most important consideration is accuracy, then it’s hard to beat the Grendel cartridge due to its long-range trajectory that can help keep shots where they need to be and still make shots out to 700 yards.
Author Profile
- Gabriel Tackett
- Gabriel Tackett is an experienced shooter and hunter for over 15 years with a degree in Engineering from the University of Minnesota. He is also a certified National Rifle Association (NRA) officer for 10 years And his passion lies in teaching others how to safely enjoy the hobby by recommending the best practices & products in the gun industry.
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