So I am a bit new to barrel wear and wear out. My GAP .308 is still going strong at 6K rounds but my 6.5CM seems to be showing strain at 1400. I am now at 1800 rnds through it. Grouping is fluctuating, tight .5MOA then suddenly 1.4MOA. Also, zero has changed dramatically and I just had to adjust by 2MOA in the verticle. Is this what folks would expect? What sort of number of rnds are people getting through a 6.5CM barrel before having to change out? The barrel is an AI. Ammo has been FGMM 6.5CM.
- Thread starter Knight6
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I've heard various numbers, but my RPR 6.5CM stock barrel is at 2200 rounds and still going strong. I'd say it's actually getting BETTER, but it's really me that's getting better. 
I'm consistently sub-MOA with 5-shot groups, some 1/2-MOA and even less on occasion. We'll see how it does.... I do... tomorrow.
I'm consistently sub-MOA with 5-shot groups, some 1/2-MOA and even less on occasion. We'll see how it does.... I do... tomorrow. Last edited:
Is there any significant velocity loss? Could be it just needs a good cleaning.
With that said my last 6.5 creed barrel died at 2000.
With that said my last 6.5 creed barrel died at 2000.
I'm at over 2000 through my 6.5 barrel. I would do a thorough cleaning and copper strip and see how it does.
This is what a 2200 round, moderately loaded 6.5 Bartlein barrel looked like at 2200 rounds. I swapped it out at 2500 not so much for accuracy, but because it was like cleaning a cheese grater. The cratering literally scraped the copper off the jackets.
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That’s like half the barrel life you would think.
Dying at 2200 rounds seems extreme.
Dying at 2200 rounds seems extreme.
I got about 2900 rounds down my last 260 barrel before I noticed any degradation. Maybe opened up to 3/4 MOA. Lost about 75 fps on it also. It's going to wear at the throat and at the muzzle, both inward. Check there for anything wonky in detail.
6.5CM/260REM have a nearly identical lifespan. Definitely no 308, 10K round count caliber.
6.5CM/260REM have a nearly identical lifespan. Definitely no 308, 10K round count caliber.
6.5 barrel burning out at 2200 is extreme??
2500 is the expected average life of 6.5creed.
Doesn’t do much good to ask “if if if.”
Check the crown. Clean the brake or shoot without. Clean the barrel really well. Shoot a box of ammo through it, if it doesn’t tighten back up, it’s toast.
Can also run a camera through it.
But the bullet doesn’t lie and there’s only a few things besides a burnt barrel it could be.
Check the crown. Clean the brake or shoot without. Clean the barrel really well. Shoot a box of ammo through it, if it doesn’t tighten back up, it’s toast.
Can also run a camera through it.
But the bullet doesn’t lie and there’s only a few things besides a burnt barrel it could be.
Mine started acting funny at 1800 rounds but still making velocity. At 2300 rounds now and I've lost 50 fps.
I'm noticing some similar stuff to this in a .204 Ruger barrel (though mine seems to be less severe than the above pics), and am wondering if it makes sense to leave the copper in place (rather than chemically stripping it) and smooth out the "alligatored" area with some bore polish. The theory being that the copper fills in the low spots while the bore polish knocks off the high spots and blends the copper to the steel for a smooth transition between the two metals (kind of like sanding a bondo'd spot on a car body to blend it to the surrounding steel).
this right here^^^
not 6.5CM but ive had 65 barrels last as long as 2800 rounds and as little as 850 rounds but then a lot depends on the persons idea of whats accurate.
my 6.5 cm barrel started loosing accuracy around 1300, started to chase lands but was never impressed with es sd numbers so i pulled it. i felt i ran it moderately at 2800 fps with rl16 and 140 eldm
Check your velocity and compare to old. If safe, another couple tenths of powder may bring it back.
As your throat wears, pressure (and therefore velocity) decreases.
A little more powder may bring it back up to the velocity/accuracy node it likes.
If you don't reload, try different ammo, if that doesn't help, then a new bbl, or live with it.
As your throat wears, pressure (and therefore velocity) decreases.
A little more powder may bring it back up to the velocity/accuracy node it likes.
If you don't reload, try different ammo, if that doesn't help, then a new bbl, or live with it.
Really appreciate the input. Have a few avenues to try and to monitor now. Much appreciate the input Hiders!!
Went to the range today. With a bit over 2,200 rounds through my factory barrel (Ruger Precision Rifle 6.5CM), I turned in this best group for the day. It happened to be my last group of the day, too. Five shots. Not bad. Without the "flyer," which I knew I pushed, it was sub-1/2-MOA (0.387-MOA). It's always that fifth shot! But, I counted the fifth shot in the group measurement. Still pretty good at 0.589-MOA.
But, I counted the fifth shot in the group measurement. Still pretty good at 0.589-MOA. Last edited:
Nice!Went to the range today. With a bit over 2,200 rounds through my factory barrel (Ruger Precision Rifle 6.5CM), I turned in this best group for the day. It happened to be my last group of the day, too. Five shots. Not bad. Without the "flyer," which I knew I pushed, it was sub-1/2-MOA. It's always that fifth shot!
View attachment 7016834
Went to the range today. With a bit over 2,200 rounds through my factory barrel (Ruger Precision Rifle 6.5CM), I turned in this best group for the day. It happened to be my last group of the day, too. Five shots. Not bad. Without the "flyer," which I knew I pushed, it was sub-1/2-MOA. It's always that fifth shot!
View attachment 7016834
What ammo and Bullet performance nice Group
Annotated at the top of the photo.
Factory Federal Gold Medal Match Berger Hybrid 130-gr.I would try an overnight soak with a kroil/cleaner (hoppes elimiator etc.) then do a good 5-10 strokes with brass brush then do a a couple strrokes with jb/kroil.
I tried this same method and it saved him from buying another barrel.... Well delayed him lol
Shooters in general seem to all have there own specific cleaning routes and often this leads to missing something that can slowly build up over time.
The only 6.5 Creedmoor barrel I've shot out so far went at about 3,500 rounds. At around 2,800 rounds it stopped shooting solids, at 3,000 it stopped shooting 140 Hybrids, and at 3,300 or so it stopped shooting ELD-M's with the last 200 rounds being 123gr SMKs before it well and truly gave up the ghost and couldn't group under 1 MOA.
