Federal’s new 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak is supercharging the 6.5 Creedmoor with the company’s Peak Alloy Case Technology.
Changing a single component of a cartridge can make a massive difference. We saw this at the end of the 19th century with the advent of smokeless powder. By simply loading existing cartridges with that instead of the old, low-efficiency black powder, their performance was massively improved overnight. Federal has just done something similar, but with case technology instead of powder.
Federal’s Peak Alloy Case Technology was first introduced to the world with the 7mm Backcountry. While the new cartridge was a massive success and instantly exploded in popularity, its one drawback was that it required new rifles to shoot it. But, it sent a clear message to anyone paying attention: improved case material can allow for the loading of cartridges to higher pressures, and that means more performance. So, Federal has just used that technology to supercharge the well-loved 6.5 Creedmoor with the new 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak. The best part? It doesn’t require new guns. Just about any old, standard 6.5 Creedmoor rifle can shoot 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak. There are a few exceptions, such as CVA break-action models, so consult Federal’s website and your rifle’s manufacturer before shooting it to be safe.
Traditional brass cartridge cases can handle 65,000 PSI of pressure, but Federal’s Peak Alloy cases can handle 80,000 PSI. That extra 15,000 PSI may not sound like a lot, but it is. It allows for dimensionally identical 6.5 Creedmoor cases to be loaded hot enough to produce muzzle velocities that are 300 fps faster than conventional 6.5 CM loads without increasing perceived recoil. That means that 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak ammunition outperforms 6.5 PRC by 100 fps across all barrel lengths while having less kick, too.
The 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak’s impressive performance out of shorter barrel lengths has never been more important, as hunters across the country have overwhelmingly embraced the use of suppressors in recent years. With the added length of a can now in consideration, shorter hunting rifle barrels are almost a necessity. The excellent ballistic performance of 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak out of shorter barrels means that you don’t have to sacrifice terminal effect when you start taking inches off your hunting rifle. The high BC, heavy-for-caliber bullets used in 6.5 CM +Peak will still provide less drop, less drift and ample energy on target at increased ranges.
Federal is initially offering 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak in 130-grain Terminal Ascent and 155-grain Fusion Tipped, but Gold Medal Sierra Tipped MatchKing, Barnes LRX, Berger Elite Hunter and more loads will be coming soon as well. Federal says that 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak is “only the start” of this new era of ammunition technology, and that means the company will probably be using its Peak Alloy cases to revolutionize other calibers down the road as well.
Whether you’re a hunter or a competitive shooter, 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak is a game changer.
For more information, visit federalpremium.com.
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