In the Nordic, the 6.5×55mm (also called 6.5×55 Swedish (Mauser) and 6,5 × 55 SE) is widely know and used – and will continue to be.

However, not long ago a lot of shooters started talking and (a few) also bought rifles in 6,5 Creedmoor.

My own experience with the 6,5 Creedmoor is nothing but brief, but very positive.

I had the opportunity to shoot 5 rounds of Hornady factory loads in a Rhino Arms with a 22″ barrel at 300 meters. I shot 49/50, and could easily feel the one point I lost. The inner ten is 10 cm (~4″) diameter, but my group was much smaller. I was very impressed, there’s a lot of potential in the round.

Below: Impressive setup, hard to miss in the snow. Rhino Arms 6,5 Creedmoor with carbon fiber handguard, sold via GP Rifle. Kahles 624i in Spuhr mount.

I’m considering re-barreling my Ruger Precision Rifle from .308 Win to 6,5 Creedmoor, but figured I’d at least break it in before I change anything.

Lapua will be using small primers for added accuracy

In any case (pun intended), Lapua seems to have understood the calibers potential and will start manufacturing. The case will be available in Q1 2017.

The press release:

We are happy to announce the addition of the 6.5 Creedmoor case to the Lapua line! Despite a relatively short time on the marketplace, the 6.5 Creedmoor has made a tremendous splash in the field, rapidly becoming one of the most requested cases we hear about from shooters.

Lapua’s 6.5 Creedmoor is designed to function in a short action, which is also a plus for hunters, vitally concerned with the rifle’s weight and compactness. In fact, many of the same features which make for a successful competition cartridge, translate nicely to the hunting fields as well.

For most species of mid-size game such as deer or boar, the Creedmoor will prove to be a deadly performer. And while the selection of high grade Match bullets in the 6.5 bore size is tremendous, there’s no shortage of exceptionally good hunting bullets either. The 6.5’s as a group have always been known as excellent performers on game.

Made with Lapua’s typical dedication to precision, our new 6.5 Creedmoor case has been refined just a bit, to make it an even better performer. We’ve opted for the small rifle primer, which normally produces an optimized ignition and better accuracy than large primers in mid-sized cartridges like the Creedmoor.

We’ve also incorporated our smaller diameter flash hole (1.5mm, rather than the industry standard 2.0mm), which has proven to provide enhanced accuracy, and is used in a number of our other accuracy oriented cases. In this respect, the new 6.5 Creedmoor joins the ranks of our other dedicated accuracy cartridges such as the .220 Russian (6mm PPC), the 6mm BR Norma, the 6.5×47 Lapua and the .308 Win. Palma cases.

Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor case head

And naturally, the new 6.5 Creedmoor will be made with our well known Passion for Precision. Strictest control over the metallurgy, the forming and drawing processes, precise annealing all performed under the watchful eyes of our production experts. For you, the handloader, that means the durability for which our cases are famous, combined with consistency and long life. Already proven in competition, we predict that the 6.5 Creedmoor will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.

Just in case you ran thru the press release too quickly, don’t miss that Lapua will use a smaller diameter for smaller primers. Now who is going to test the accuracy based on using larger or smaller primers for us?

Below: 6,5 Creedmoor (Hornady 140 gr A-Max), .308 Win Hornady 168 gr Z.Max and the 6,5×55 Swedish/Mauser. Cold Steel Tanto.