In the firearms world there is a plethora of calibers to choose from, but few boast the versatility of the 6.5 Creedmoor. Known for its precision and its flat trajectory, this cartridge earned its reputation in the world of long-range precision shooting. Shortly after, this round became popular in the hunting world because of its extreme versatility. With the ability to have one caliber that could take a whitetail deer in the dense forest and be able to take an elk with a 400-yard shot there’s no question why this round became so popular. That said, how do you choose the best scope for your 6.5 Creedmoor?
THE BALLISTICS
When using Hornady’s 6.5 Creedmoor 143 gr Precision Hunter at 100 yards the velocity is 2,557 FPS with 2,076 FT/LB of energy which is way more than enough to down a whitetail from the stand. Looking closer at what this round does at further distances like 500 yards you get 2,030 FPS with 1,309 FT/LB of energy, which is not much of a drop and still fully capable of taking down big game such as elk.
Looking at this cartridge through Hornady’s Ballistic Calculator at a range of 1,000 yards the velocity is at 1,478 FPS which means you only need to come up 9 MILS to get on target, making this round viable for long-range shooting. Using this round with your 6.5 Creedmoor not only allows you to make a lethal shot on an animal during the hunting season but also allows you to practice and push your limits with distance in the off season.
MAGNIFICATION & RETICLES
Most of the time if we’re talking hunting a 3-9x or a 4-16x will do the job. For long-range precision shooting you’ve got options from a 6-24x all the way to a 4-32x. But most of these optic magnification ranges have reticles that are specific to an application. No one is entering a long-range precision competition with a 3-9x duplex. The same for hunting, no one is heading to the deer stand with a 4-32x with a Christmas tree reticle. So how do you choose an optic that allows you to get the best of both worlds?
THE 6.5 CREEDMOOR’S KEY TO VERSATILITY
If not before, you are now aware of the versatility the 6.5 Creedmoor has to offer. I’m sure you now have that same question. Which optic can fully bring out the potential this round has to offer? Considering this rifle cartridge is so versatile you’d want to have an optic for it that offers that same value.
The 3 Primal 3-18×50 from Riton Optics is exactly that scope, this optic has quite literally every feature you would need for such applications you would be using the 6.5 Creedmoor for. Going hunting in Wisconsin? Perfect, duplex style reticle on the lower powers. A buddy wants to go shoot to 1,000 yards? The 6.5 will do it and so will the scope.
Stunning clarity thanks to superior coatings and optical design make it easier to see in various conditions. The reticle is where this optic really stands out specifically for the 6.5 Creedmoor.
This reticle was designed to be usable on any magnification level for hunting, not something you typically see with a long-range first focal plane scope. Usually, you’d have to get about halfway through your magnification before you can pick out your reticle among dense cover. But for the 3 Primal the reticle on 3 power looks similar to a duplex. So pulling up on a deer as close as 20 yards isn’t out of the equation.
As you find yourself either needing to take a long shot hunting or looking to kill time long range shooting in the off season. The 3 Primal 3-18×50 reticle will do just that. On your higher magnification levels it opens up into a christmas tree style reticle with MIL hash marks offering 10 MILS in the reticle alone. Adding to the reticle you’ve got exposed turrets allowing for more adjustment when needed.
Secondly, the magnification is ideal for hunting and long-range shooting. Think of this scope as a crossover optic, combining one traditional hunting optic and one common long range optic. The 3-9x and the 6-24x, you can cover just about every range in both hunting and long range shooting. If you combine these two keeping the low end of the 3-9x while taking a little magnification off the 24x. You’ve got yourself a workhorse of an optic with a lot of adjustment that most hunting scopes don’t have.
As you can see this scope is perfect for versatility. If you’re someone that wants to get one set up that can do it all from long-range shooting to hunting basically anywhere for any game you may find the best scope for the 6.5 Creedmoor just might be the Riton Optics 3 Primal 3-18×50.
