Real world data for an 18" bolt action 6.5 Creedmoor?

[Darryle]

Has anyone built an 18" 6.5 Creedmoor bolt action?

Where was your real world minimum terminal velocity yardage for your chosen bullet?

Yardage for minimum expansion velocity for that bullet?

Real world muzzle velocity?

What were the build specifics, action, barrel, barrel contour, stock, optic choice, final build weight?

Trying to decide if it's a worthwhile build when I have a 7lb 24" carbon barrel 6.5 Creedmoor now.

Thanks Darryle

 

[gtriple]

My 16" has a muzzle velocity of 2510fps shooting the 127gr Barnes LRX. It's a blast to shoot and easy to carry. 1800fps at 425 and around 1600fps around 560. Thats plenty of range for deer. 2000fps around 300yards is probably where I'd stop for elk, depending on wind and visibility. With the scope I've got on it, it's not setup as a long range shooter anyways. It's meant as a backup gun for my fiancée to carry. I carry the heavier main shooter and she carries the 6lb backup.

 

[ElPollo]

I have a 16.5” Tikka that gets 2450-2500 with 140 gr factory Hornady eldm. My handloads are easily getting around 2650 with 130 gr TMK and H4350. Short barrels with suppressors are awesome. With my suppressor my rifle is the same OAL as the factory 24.3” barrel, and it weighs 7.2# scoped with the can.

 

[grappling_hook]

A few relevant experiences shared here: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/loading-for-6-5-creedmoor-with-18-barrel.287988/

 

[Gtscotty]

I have an 18" Sig Cross that I mostly shoot Staball 6.5 and RL16 in, here are some of my Chrono notes from the range. The 6.5 holds up pretty well with shorter barrels (actually the .30-06 does too, the one I was chronoing the same day has an 18.5" barrel.

 

[Gtscotty]

Realizing that my range handwriting is somewhat illegible, the numbers on the first, green paper are for the 130gr Sierra TGK, and the 143gr ELDx. The second, white paper has 130gr TGKs and 140gr Gold Dots. I was also looking at the velocity difference between Starline and Peterson brass, so there's some variance there.

 

[Darryle]

A few relevant experiences shared here: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/loading-for-6-5-creedmoor-with-18-barrel.287988/

I tried to search and my results were clouded with 18" 308, but I knew that in the 260/6.5 thread and the Tikka threads there was information, I just couldn't find what I was looking for.

Thank you for the link!

 

[HGL]

I've got an 18" 6.5 CM and my load info is below. All with lapua srp brass and CCI 450s.

120 BT with RL-17 @ 2915
130 AB with RL-17 @ 2790
139 Scenar with H4350 @ 2675

I actually worked up a load with a 140 BT and RL-26 that accurately ran at 2755, but I don't have much of that powder and I use it in my .280 Ackley, so I don't shoot that load much at all. It was a highly compressed load and required a drop tube, but it worked.

 

[Fox625]

My wife uses an Sig Cross in 6.5 Creed with the 18” factory barrel. Using Factory loaded Nosler ABLR (142gr) we average 2450 fps At 3,500 ft and 67 degrees.
Not all the info you were looking for, but another data point none the less.

 

[Rieckman]

Where was your real world minimum terminal velocity yardage for your chosen bullet? 1780ish, on an antelope at 650. 143 Eld-x. Have a half a dozen shots between 380-460. I'll be honest I didn't do a lot of investigation on bullet performance, either I watched the animal die, or I found it from a blood trail within minutes.

Minimum expansion yardage for that bullet? Hard to say as I punched through a shoulder at roughly 65 yards.

Real world muzzle velocity? 2620 at the muzzle

What were the build specifics, action, barrel, barrel contour, stock, optic choice, final build weight? Stock 18" sig cross, NX8 2.5-20, Harvestor 300 suppressor, bipod, and loaded mag I'm under 10 lbs.

 

[Keith Stone]

Tikka factory barrel 18” with R30 can
MV 2620
140 ELDM
1800fps at 650 yards

 

[mustelid_master]

Tikka factory barrel 18” with R30 can
MV 2620
140 ELDM
1800fps at 650 yards

Was this with factory hornady eld-m ammo?

 

[Pilsner]

18" barreled Mossberg Patriot
6.5 creed
2600 flat with factory ELD-M ammo
Oddly I've been getting 2610 with a Banish Backcountry can on it.
Haven't done any LR work with it yet to give numbers but have taken it to 700y with it's 1MOA red dot on it (wife's rifle and she is cross eye dominant so I tossed a red dot on it for her to hunt with).

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Just adding data for the thread, this is what my factory 18" Bergara chrono'd about 10' from the muzzle with factory ammo.

Bergara 18" 6.5 CM suppressed
Hornady 143gr ELD-X
2544
2553
2545
2539
2549
Norma Bondstrike
2524
2557
2540
Superformance 129gr SST
2823
2813
2827
American Whitetail 129gr Interlock
2668
2655
2658

 

[peaches]

18 inch Tikka. I can get 2700 with 127 Lrx and a max book load of 6.5 Staball. Mid level loads of Hunter or Rl17 give about 2550-2600 for target loads with 129 SST or other 130 class lead bullets.

 

[Fever Buck]

Bumping this thread. Anyone got velocities with 120gr or smaller? Going to be building a 6 or 6.5 creed and trying to figure out if a 18” 6.5 creed shooting 120s would get me into the 2800s.

 

[ID_Matt]

Bumping this thread. Anyone got velocities with 120gr or smaller? Going to be building a 6 or 6.5 creed and trying to figure out if a 18” 6.5 creed shooting 120s would get me into the 2800s.

If you are going that light in bullet with the 6.5 case, may as well take advantage of BC and do a 6 creed with 108 eldm's.

 

[Fever Buck]

If you are going that light in bullet with the 6.5 case, may as well take advantage of BC and do a 6 creed with 108 eldm's.

I had been leaning that way, I just worry about continued factory support. I don’t currently reload. I’d be curious about comparable velocities.

 

[ID_Matt]

I had been leaning that way, I just worry about continued factory support. I don’t currently reload. I’d be curious about comparable velocities.

I don't think the 6 creed is going anywhere with hornady seeming to back it.

 

[The Guide]

I had been leaning that way, I just worry about continued factory support. I don’t currently reload. I’d be curious about comparable velocities.

There are 26 offerings on Midway currently with 22 of them in-stock ready to ship. I don't think you need to worry about the 6CM not having factory support any time soon.

Jay