25 creed speed

[WKR]

Wanting to know what barrel length, bullet weight, and muzzle velocity guys are getting with a 25 creedmoor.
Looking at building one but I want to know how short I can go on my barrel and still make the 380k power factor for nrl hunter. Ideally I want a 22 inch bbl

 

[khuber84]

22" is gonna be toasty at the 2860+ fps to make power factor with the heaviest 25 cal bullets. I have had 4 25 creed barrels. Three at 26 one at 28". The 28" runs 135s at 2860 a very low psi load, but shoots very well there typically 1/3 moa at 400y paper. The two 26" ran 133 blackjacks at 2910, and this was a warm load, after 3x firings on Peterson brass, the redding typeS dies were no longer sizing cases enough at the base causing heavy bolt lift. Small base dies fixed it. The blackjacks were a great bullet, was sad to see em disappear. I've ran things up to 3k fps with rl26, which is what you'll like need for power factor in a 22" barrel. Personally for nrl hunter I'd be running 156 Bergers in a 65cm at 2600-2650fps from a 7.5tw barrel. You only need 2470fps to make power factor with that bullet, and there's nothing that touches it's BC till you step to big heavy 7mms.

 

[hereinaz]

If you run the Berger 133s, which I recommend over the 135 because they are more finicky, you will need 2957 fps.

The guys I saw running the 25 creed at NRL had 26” barrels to get the speed and keep pressure lower. The 257 bullet weights require more velocity to make power factor over the heavier 6.5.

If you buy “factory ammo” power factor doesn’t come into play with a .257 if I am remembering right. That’s the loophole. I seem to remember someone making off the shelf stocked 25 creed ammo.

They basically took the 6mm 115 bullet and pushed the velocity high enough to make it impossible to make power factor. Then, set the number.

 

[khuber84]

I am under the impression you have to use a 6.5mm 130gr or larger with factory ammo no power factor stipulation, or be shooting factory class where there is zero power factor, where a 6 creed would be king. 1 day nrl hunter matches have zero power factor and no weight classes, all under 16# tho.

 

[hereinaz]

I am under the impression you have to use a 6.5mm 130gr or larger with factory ammo no power factor stipulation, or be shooting factory class where there is zero power factor, where a 6 creed would be king. 1 day nrl hunter matches have zero power factor and no weight classes, all under 16# tho.

Crap, it is 6.5 for factory ammo, sorry.

 

[WKR]

I really want to stick with the 25, if I have to step up to a 24 inch barrel to meet requirements then thats what ill do before going to a 6.5

 

[khuber84]

With the 25 you're married to 3 bullets, 133/135 Berger and the new 135 eldm. The eldm has a other 25k bearing surface over the 135 which is already long. My 25cm reamer is 150fb, most are 130. With the 133/135 Bergers I can get about 40k jump before Im stuffing bearing surface below the neck. The eldm will be about 15k jump before doing so. The 150fb worked awesome with the blackjacks as I had about 65k I could operate in before pushing pressure ring into donut zone, but with the Bergers and Hdy bullet, I'd spec freebore around 175 if I get another reamer.

 

[WKR]

Is this even doable at 22 inches? I'd like to keep it short for suppressor use in a hunting situation

 

[khuber84]

2850fps will be your minimum velocity to make power factor. Top end from most 26" barrels is 2950fps with most convential temp stable single base powders. So even if you do make power factor you're gonna be near psi, lil bad weather like rain or blowing dust you're gonna be fighting bolt lift and extraction. Go with a longer barrel or do a 25 PRC and fight more recoil from your 22" to get your operating velocity window higher.

 

[WKR]

I have a standard bolt face, 25 prc won't work.
Maybe ill change gears to a 260 ai
Is the recoil comparable between the two?

 

[khuber84]

I have a standard bolt face, 25 prc won't work.
Maybe ill change gears to a 260 ai
Is the recoil comparable between the two?

260ai will hold another 6gr powder over 65cm(lil more recoil), and a longer OAL due to its case length,which will have you deep seating the longer high bc bullets. A friend of mines round 260ai in nrl hunter at 2950fps with 140 eldm but he ran into psi in poor weather, run it at 2850 and all will be well. Make sure you have an action cut for long aics mags, or mod the feed ramp to run from 2.95-2.97 aics mags without binder plate.

 

[hereinaz]

2850fps will be your minimum velocity to make power factor. Top end from most 26" barrels is 2950fps with most convential temp stable single base powders. So even if you do make power factor you're gonna be near psi, lil bad weather like rain or blowing dust you're gonna be fighting bolt lift and extraction. Go with a longer barrel or do a 25 PRC and fight more recoil from your 22" to get your operating velocity window higher.

I have come to hate sacrificing what I really want for some limited purpose… Right now I have a 24” 25 SST, but I regret it. So, I ordered a 21” barrel so my hunting rifle is shorter after I came from my 26” 7 SS to the 25 so I could shorten my rifle.

 

[WKR]

I think ill be happy with a 24 inch barrel and a short 5 inch can. I'll just use this rifle for nrl and open country hunting. I have a 19.5 inch 7prc with folding chassis I can use for the thick timber stuff.

 

[WKR]

Or a 22 inch with +p throat?

 

[khuber84]

Or a 22 inch with +p throat?

I don't have experience with the stepped bore rider throats, so who knows how much extra velocity it'll deliver.

 

[Keith5579]

Can't help with a 22" barrel but my 28" match barrel runs 2928 fps with low single digit SD's when loaded with H4350 and berger 135's. There's probably more speed to be had but it's shooting too good to mess with it.

My hunting rifle with a 24" barrel has an average velocity of 2851 and an SD of 3.1. That's using .5 grains more powder (H4350) and the extinct 131 Ace. My notes failed to mention if that was with the ThunderBeast Ultra-5 attached. (See profile picture)

 

[SteveFlock]

My son has a 26" barrel and runs 2954 fps with H4350 and that is just under pressure with a suppressor. I would say with a 26" barrel and suppressor, 2900 fps would be about max with H4350 and the 135 Berger. No way will a 22" barrel make 2850 and be under pressure with hot weather possible. My opinion.

 

[Bruno82]

22" is gonna be toasty at the 2860+ fps to make power factor with the heaviest 25 cal bullets. I have had 4 25 creed barrels. Three at 26 one at 28". The 28" runs 135s at 2860 a very low psi load, but shoots very well there typically 1/3 moa at 400y paper. The two 26" ran 133 blackjacks at 2910, and this was a warm load, after 3x firings on Peterson brass, the redding typeS dies were no longer sizing cases enough at the base causing heavy bolt lift. Small base dies fixed it. The blackjacks were a great bullet, was sad to see em disappear. I've ran things up to 3k fps with rl26, which is what you'll like need for power factor in a 22" barrel. Personally for nrl hunter I'd be running 156 Bergers in a 65cm at 2600-2650fps from a 7.5tw barrel. You only need 2470fps to make power factor with that bullet, and there's nothing that touches it's BC till you step to big heavy 7mms.

If you don't mind what powder are you running?

 

[khuber84]

In the 26" 25cm with 131s I ran RL16. In the new 28" with 135s at 2860 I'm using N555.

 

[Bergerblaster]

I think ill be happy with a 24 inch barrel and a short 5 inch can. I'll just use this rifle for nrl and open country hunting. I have a 19.5 inch 7prc with folding chassis I can use for the thick timber stuff.

Did you ever build this rifle? Just ordered a proof cf 24” for my 25 creed NRL Hunter build. I’m a little worried about meeting power factor.