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20" 6.5 Creedmoor velocity with factory A-MAX

RobertB

RobertB

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Minuteman
    • Aug 20, 2009
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    Oak Grove, Louisiana
    Hey guys, my GA Precision 6.5 creedmoor is a tack driver. VERY accurate. It's got a 20" bartlien gain twist bbl sticking off of it. I know that most guys run at least a 24" tube on their 6.5 CM, and I will lose velocity when I take some inches off. But, how much is normal? I've got 2000 120 amax factory rounds and about 600 or so 140. I will be trying the 140's out in the next few days. As of now the 120's are doing great. I've worked my dope up with the 120's and everything is good. First round hits out to 1000 is gtg so far. (1000 yds is all I got now to test on)Ballistic program is telling me that my MV is 2770. Does this sound right? Factory claims 3,050 fps out of a 26 or 28" tube. I can't remember. I'm only asking if this sounds like a lot of loss. I'm sure someone here has a 6.5 CM with a shorter tube. I have a 6.5x47L with a 23" and a .260 with 28" both kreigers. I've only shot one load out of each both with different bullets. About 2900+ I think out of the 6.5L with 123 smk's and 2825 out of the .260 with 142 smks. SO I really don't know what to expect. Maybe everyone is seeing less than claimed MV. I'm fine with speed I'm getting as I can't change it and accuracy and repeatability are much more than I can hold. It shot like shit the fist 20-30 rounds and I was scared and unbelieving since it came from GAP. Took it out later that evening and either I or the rifle/scope what ever settled in and it's a scary accurate rifle. So, no worries there. I've got a 200 yd zero and in 3500 DA it takes me 3.5 mils to 600- 7.5 mils to 900 and 9 mils to a grand. Is this far off of other shooters. Thanks for any info guys.
     
    Pulse Pusher591, I know he has a shorter barreled 6.5 Creedmoor.
     
    Maybe he will chime in. I'm just interested. I want to know everything I can about the habits of the round. Thanks
     
    I've been contemplating this same thing. I run a 26" Bartlein on my gun now but am seriously thinking about having a 20" barrel chambered for it so I can use it when running a suppressor so it not super long and awkward.
     
    FamilyMan said:
    I've been contemplating this same thing. I run a 26" Bartlein on my gun now but am seriously thinking about having a 20" barrel chambered for it so I can use it when running a suppressor so it not super long and awkward.
    Click to expand...

    I tell ya that it's nice to be short and light. The bbl is tapered down so its pretty light. Still has great accuracy and long strings of fire shows no difference than short strings. Like I said, velocity suffers but the way I look at it is that the only thing that suffers is a SLIGHT wind change at distance and my max range is slightly shorter but it is still a fully functional 1200 yd rifle. First scope I got with a FFP Christmas tree reticle and I haven't diealed it one bit. SO a short light rifle that is quick to work with is very nice and helpful. It's adds to much confidence in the field. I say that 20"-22" is perfect for the 6.5 CM. But I still haven't tried the 140 amax in it. Probably will this evening or tomorrow.
     
    Your 9 mils to 1k is with the 120? That is what my 24" shot with the 140 factory loads.
     
    Surffshr said:
    Your 9 mils to 1k is with the 120? That is what my 24" shot with the 140 factory loads.
    Click to expand...

    I cant wait to try the 140's. Again, I have a 200 yd zero on this rifle (only target rifle I have with a 200yd zero) but that should change it much. Maybe .5 mil at most. Maybe my data is wrong. It just seemed like a lot os speed lost
     
    I guess another thing that confuses me is that my other 20" bbl rifle is a .308. bartlien made as well. It shoots the 175 SMK at 2650 fps. That's what it looks like I will be getting with the 140 grn 6.5 amax. Does this sound right. Capacity isn't much different between the 2 as seeing a 260 is a 308 necked down and the 6.5CM and 260 are very close. So since it's a smaller bore does that mean that a bullet weighing 35 grns less will go the same speed as the 175 smk from a .308? Am I missing something?
     
    I get 2830 w/factory 140gr Creedmoor ammo out of my 26" SAC Bartlien in my DTA and based on 25FPS/in. guideline it would put me around 2645 if I cut my barrel down to 20" but... all barrels are different some are faster than others and since it's a DTA barrel length is a non issue for me.
    Sully
     
    That is a nice thing about a bullpup design. Well it looks like that is 30 FPS per inch which isn't far off. I'm still thing about bow a mugh lighter bullet goes much slower with I think almost equal capacity. I might be over looking something or misinformed. Thanks for your info.
     
    I have 2 6.5 creeds the first is an AR-10 with 24" barrel the second is a custom on a badger M2008 with 26" bartlein barrel. Shooting the 142 SMKs I loose right around 100 fps in that 2" I would have to look a little more closely at the exact loads I am just refrencing shooter and the velocities in that and I dont remember if I was using the exact same powder charge but it was around that I am getting 2765 FPS with the 142 SMKs out of the M2008 which gives me 9mils of drop at 1000 with a 100 yard zero and 2.2 mils of wind drift with a 10mph wind at 1k.
     
    Thanks guys. I guess I was thinking the 6.5 CM was a little faster with the shorter bbl than it is. Not getting the speed isn't all bad though. It's such a hammer at long ranges that theres nothing I would want to change about it. Took two different cold bore shots today at work. 514 yds and 630 yds. Both hit within a sporting clay. GAP did this one right and I guess they sprinkled a lil MOJO on it. Came out perfect.
     
    I have a 20 3/4''-21" Rock Creek barrel on mine. I have no idea about the 120's as I have always shot the 140's. That being said I have a couple things that have worked together in harmony to help me achieve better then usual results, velocity wise. I've always heard Rock Creek barrels are a little faster then most. My smith has several rifles that have Rock barrels on them from the same lot of barrels and they are all faster then most in the same caliber and shooting the same lot of ammunition.

    As for ammunition, I have 2 lots of factory 140 Amax that produce different velocities. I have one lot that averages 2830fps, thats smoking for a 20-21" barrel, hell thats pretty fast for a 24-26'' gun. The other lot runs around 2750-2775. Both lots have been confirmed through a chrono and confirmed on dope out to 730 yards, which is the max I have to shoot right now. I have made a second round 760 yard shot on some 12" steel, and it was dead on once I made the right wind call.

    Pick which ever load your gun likes best, whether it's 120's or 140's and just shoot the crap out of it. I spent too much time trying to find the perfect load and would have been better off shooting more.
     
    Shot the 140's today. In 15-25 mph winds. Round did well as far as I could tell in the wind. In the wind we recorded it and we had a lot of "no-calls" but saw later that some where hits. I usually note all shots but shot 100 rnds of 140 and didn't log anything because it was super crazy winds that were coming from right to left to head winds. Still was pretty predictable out to 700. First round hits all the way out to 1000 has been confirmed several times. Guns shoots so much better than me. 120 shoots .2 mil higher than 140 on it's zero so I can't complain about that. Gonna do some more shooting day after tomorrow at my 800 yd range. Might ease around on the farm for a longer shot if I can as these 140s seem pretty impressive. BUT, the 120's shoot exceptional as well. THanks guys.
     
    Pusher591 said:
    I have a 20 3/4''-21" Rock Creek barrel on mine. I have no idea about the 120's as I have always shot the 140's. That being said I have a couple things that have worked together in harmony to help me achieve better then usual results, velocity wise. I've always heard Rock Creek barrels are a little faster then most. My smith has several rifles that have Rock barrels on them from the same lot of barrels and they are all faster then most in the same caliber and shooting the same lot of ammunition.

    As for ammunition, I have 2 lots of factory 140 Amax that produce different velocities. I have one lot that averages 2830fps, thats smoking for a 20-21" barrel, hell thats pretty fast for a 24-26'' gun. The other lot runs around 2750-2775. Both lots have been confirmed through a chrono and confirmed on dope out to 730 yards, which is the max I have to shoot right now. I have made a second round 760 yard shot on some 12" steel, and it was dead on once I made the right wind call.

    Pick which ever load your gun likes best, whether it's 120's or 140's and just shoot the crap out of it. I spent too much time trying to find the perfect load and would have been better off shooting more.
    Click to expand...

    WHats your come up to 760 yds?
     
    18.1 MOA or 5.3 mils. It's impressive with that particular fast lot of ammo. I lucked out I guess :)

    I have a McCourt loaded 130 VLD load that runs about 2920 fps and it's impressive as well, it's about the same as the 140's, even though the velocity is higher the BC is a little lower compared to the 140 Amax's.

    I really want to try the new 136 Lapua Scenars. Better speed then 140's and a BC of .600 (claimed). That's where you get into price vs. quality. You'd be better off shooting more then trying to find the best bullet. For me wind is harder to call so I like the heavier pills.
     
    Last edited:
    Yeah, I hear you on the wind. Well, it looks like its the 6.5 CM is a handy little round that will do everything. I'm just about on par with your comeups so it's making sense to me now. Thanks a lot guys
     
    Those come ups are for the 140 Amax at 2830. I dont regret at all going from the .308 to 6.5 Creedmoor. If you run factory Hornady match, you can usually find it fairly competative with .308 match. Its little pricier but the ballistics are leaps and bounds better.
     
    KYS338 said:
    That is really slow! Kind of defeats the purpose of the caliber doesn't it?
    Click to expand...

    I know where your coming from but since I have a 28" I went with a 20" on this one and even though the speed are much slower I still like it over the 308. Even if ballistics are equal I do see that the recoil is less. My 20" 6.5 CM is really light and my 20" 308 is much heavier and the 308 kicks much harder, neither have breaks. Recoil doen;t bother me at all but I can deff tell a difference. Now the 28" tube you really start to see the ballistic advantages of the round.
     
    KYS338 said:
    That is really slow! Kind of defeats the purpose of the caliber doesn't it?
    Click to expand...

    All depends on your (channeling Nutnfancy) philosophy of use, I suppose.

    A 6.5mm 140gr bullet at "only" 2640fps still looks pretty damn good compared to the typical 308, especially <20" barreled rifles.

    I'm planning to cut my 26" 260 down to 20-21"...I don't compete so the velocity loss doesn't matter, and the shorter barrel will balance the rifle better and make it handier for humping around the Washington Co hills where I hunt.
     
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