18 or 21 inch 6.5 CM

[Nalgene]

I am looking at the Barret Fieldcraft in 6.5. The 18 inch come threaded and the 21 does not. How much will the three inches cost me in the real world? Use will be Elk and smaller, I am wanting a light mountain rifle.

 

[huntsman22]

go 18.......

 

[danmayland]

I personally would never own one less than 24. Your defeating the efficiency of the round with that short of a barrel. It's going to be pretty hard to find factory ammo that will shoot well put of either of those barrel lengths. Almost all factory ammo is going to be loaded to reach velocity nodes consistent with 22-26" barrels. If you hand load you will have a better chance of finding the velocity node for that short of a barrel but you looking at 200+ fps loss which equates to a loss in energy which is not desirable for elk hunting


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[huntsman22]

energy don't kill elk........hint

 

[Beastmode]

3 inches is roughly going to cost you 75 FPS. A good rule of thumb is about 25 FPS per inch. Shot placement will be key with the 6.5 CM, it can absolutely kill elk at shorter distances with a well placed shot.


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[Kotaman]

In my experience some cal. are more sensitive to a shorter barrel than others. The Creedmoor is one of those that really tapers off fast with a shorter barrel. I had the Kimber Adirondak and the gun was painfrpull slow with anything I shot through it. I'm one that truly believes the 6.5 cm needs a longer barrel to perform efficiently. Ideally 24"...

 

[hodgeman]

Your defeating the efficiency of the round with that short of a barrel. It's going to be pretty hard to find factory ammo that will shoot well put of either of those barrel lengths.

....and yet... I know of a half dozen 6.5s with 18 or 21" barrels that shoot well under sub MOA with factory ammo.

The 6.5 isn't a speed demon regardless of barrel length. I'll give up 75 fps to get a handy rifle to pack in the toolies.

 

[huntsman22]

and have a threaded barrel for a can......

 

[Sodbuster]

huntsman22
and have a threaded barrel for a can......

This ^^^^^ .Exactly why I have the 18 inch Fieldcraft. 140 grain Berger under an inch.
A friend from Alaska was just at my place and hit a nine inch steel plate on his first shot at 500 yes.
I suppose not hard for a lot of shooters but it was his longest poke at a target. He is still smiling and getting ready
to start buttering up his wife for a new rig.

And, suppressors are the future.

 

[luke moffat]

I am running 2700 fps with 147s and 3 shot .6” groups multiple times. Doesn’t matter the barrel length. The efficiency of the round is in the bullets it spits not the velocity.....6.5 Creedmoor will never be a SAUM so just get what suits your needs for portability of a hunting rifle.
In a designated PRS rifle then sure a 24-27” barrel works better. For ranges most will be killing game with the creedmoor (600 yards and in) there isn’t much a 18” won’t kill that a 21” will.

 

[danmayland]

. For ranges most will be killing game with the creedmoor (600 yards and in) there isn’t much a 18” won’t kill that a 21” will.

I do agree with this but still contend the extra velocity and energy are beneficial when killing elk!



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[danmayland]

energy don't kill elk........hint

I never said it did...glasses


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[danmayland]

....and yet... I know of a half dozen 6.5s with 18 or 21" barrels that shoot well under sub MOA with factory ammo.

The 6.5 isn't a speed demon regardless of barrel length. I'll give up 75 fps to get a handy rifle to pack in the toolies.

No it certainly isn't a speed demon and that's why it needs all it can get!

I guarantee your 18" will be a heck of a lot slower than my 26" and my 24". The 24" only weights 8lbs scoped with a medium profiled barrel. I'd have no issues shooting an elk in the boiler room at 700 yards with either. My 24
Is almost 100 fps slower than my 26 with the exact same load.

If it's a timber gun and you want light weight and compact so be it. I'm only expressing an opinion based on my experiences and I've seen two short barreled 6.5's struggle with factory ammo.

You clearly have more experience with the short barreled rifles and I respect that. Your original question revolved around velocity and I provided you a reasonable reply. My opinion is only worth .2C take it or leave it!!

I don't care who you are and how much you shoot; shooting a sub 7lb rifle is extremely difficult to do accurately at distance. Sure it's fine for timber work and if that's your game then go for it.

Why not build a 6.5cm with a 22" carbon barrel on a Tikka action? Best of both worlds and would probably weigh in right around 7lbs scoped.


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[luke moffat]

My 24” is shooting 143s at 2910 fps....my 18” with 147s at 2705. Both are fine inside 600 which like you said is a LONG ways for a 7 lb all up rifle to be hunting elk. So in my mind pick he barrel length that floats your boat

One drops below 1800 fps at 750 and the other at 825....we are talking like 75 yards did both of which is a poke at an elk with a 7 pound rifle. I think we both can agree there is better toools for that job

 

[huntsman22]

yeah, like a 6 pounder.

 

[luke moffat]

yeah, like a 6 pounder.

Haha what’s your setup for 6 pound all up rifle?

 

[danmayland]

My 24” is shooting 143s at 2910 fps....my 18” with 147s at 2705. Both are fine inside 600 which like you said is a LONG ways for a 7 lb all up rifle to be hunting elk. So in my mind pick he barrel length that floats your boat

One drops below 1800 fps at 750 and the other at 825....we are talking like 75 yards did both of which is a poke at an elk with a 7 pound rifle. I think we both can agree there is better toools for that job

Damn Luke that’s a hot rod!!! What’s your load with the 143’s in the 24”?

My 26” only runs the 140’s at 2770 with h4350. I’m not pushing it at all though. I get no pressure signs and it shoots 1/4 moa all day. The 24” I built ran the exact same load at 2685. I bumped up the charge in that rifle and got the velocity to 2750 and it also shoots 1/4 moa. I’ve considered trying R17 to bump up the velocity but figured why mess with a great shooting combination. I actually sold my 24” to a buddy so I can build a 6.5x55 improved to get the 147 ELDM up in that 2900 fps Range.


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[KurtR]

My 24” is shooting 143s at 2910 fps....my 18” with 147s at 2705. Both are fine inside 600 which like you said is a LONG ways for a 7 lb all up rifle to be hunting elk. So in my mind pick he barrel length that floats your boat

One drops below 1800 fps at 750 and the other at 825....we are talking like 75 yards did both of which is a poke at an elk with a 7 pound rifle. I think we both can agree there is better toools for that job

what are you pushing the 143 with i am at 2860 with 42.5 grns of 4350 would like to hit that 2900 mark

 

[howl]

Velocity loss isn't the big deal the increase in muzzle blast might be. I wouldn't go shorter unless I was a 100% positive I would put a can on it.

 

[luke moffat]

Damn Luke that’s a hot rod!!! What’s your load with the 143’s in the 24”?

My 26” only runs the 140’s at 2770 with h4350. I’m not pushing it at all though. I get no pressure signs and it shoots 1/4 moa all day. The 24” I built ran the exact same load at 2685. I bumped up the charge in that rifle and got the velocity to 2750 and it also shoots 1/4 moa. I’ve considered trying R17 to bump up the velocity but figured why mess with a great shooting combination. I actually sold my 24” to a buddy so I can build a 6.5x55 improved to get the 147 ELDM up in that 2900 fps Range.


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RL-26 in both the 24” and 18” loads. Was glad to see RL26 was still able to get a 147 to 2700 even in the shorty barrel.

In the 24” I just got done with all 300 pieces of lapua virgin brass. The load for those 300 was right at 2840 fps proven to 1400 and ES was 15. Now it’s once fired and merely bumping the shoulder back 2 thou I picked up another 60 fps. Still tight primer pockets (lapua small rifle primer may contribute to that to keep the pockets from expanding) or stiff bolt lift, or marks on brass, and primers look good. Just start at like 44 grains and see where you find pressure. I will say without a drop tube I ran out of space in the lapua brass with RL26 before I found pressure with the 143s

To keep things separated and because I had a pile of once fired hornady brass from shooting quite a bit of hornady factory loads too I only run hornady brass in the 18” and I did find pressure 1.5 grains above what was best accuracy with the 147s.