So, I know that there are endless questions posted about what is the "best" load for a 6.5 Creedmoor, etc, etc, etc... Mine is sort of like that, but asked a little different. There is SO MUCH info, and SO MUCH of it may be dated, now that the round is a bit more mature.
I'm about to buy a pre-fit barrel for a Zermatt Origin action. I'll be running 16" on a heavy palma contour. The only thing that I've not quite got nailed down, is the sweet spot for freebore. I have zero bench time on a 6.5 Creedmoor. In fact, full disclosure - I am upgrading to the Creedmoor, because I just love my Grendel so damned much.
I have no doubt about what I want to load in the rifle. I tend to build a gun around exactly one round. For me, I'm choosing the Berger 140 hunting VLD with H4350 powder, Lapua brass, Federal BR primers. I intend to use the brass as fire formed, with only an OAL trim. My research tells me that rifling erosion tends to be fairly high in the Creedmore - somewhere between .005-.006" per hundred rounds fired. I've not seen tons of data on different barrel materials, so I assume that to be 416R, and not Chrome Moly. (where CM would be higher erosion)
I'm trying to implement some of the data from precision rifle blog, to help develop a strategy that would see the barrel shoot into a sweet spot after about 1000 rounds, before beginning its downward spiral. For that reason, I'm half tempted to order a chamber that starts out with the bullet "stuffed", and let it wear in. However, I suspect that this may also not be so straightforward. (maybe accelerated and/or non-linear erosion)
For those of you who have been shooting this round for years, what are your opinions? What freebore would you order for this round?
Oh, also, I plan on using this primarily for long range hunting, with that being defined as < 700 yards, for large game like deer and elk. Everything under 300 yards is an absolute snap for the Grendel.
I'm about to buy a pre-fit barrel for a Zermatt Origin action. I'll be running 16" on a heavy palma contour. The only thing that I've not quite got nailed down, is the sweet spot for freebore. I have zero bench time on a 6.5 Creedmoor. In fact, full disclosure - I am upgrading to the Creedmoor, because I just love my Grendel so damned much.
I have no doubt about what I want to load in the rifle. I tend to build a gun around exactly one round. For me, I'm choosing the Berger 140 hunting VLD with H4350 powder, Lapua brass, Federal BR primers. I intend to use the brass as fire formed, with only an OAL trim. My research tells me that rifling erosion tends to be fairly high in the Creedmore - somewhere between .005-.006" per hundred rounds fired. I've not seen tons of data on different barrel materials, so I assume that to be 416R, and not Chrome Moly. (where CM would be higher erosion)
I'm trying to implement some of the data from precision rifle blog, to help develop a strategy that would see the barrel shoot into a sweet spot after about 1000 rounds, before beginning its downward spiral. For that reason, I'm half tempted to order a chamber that starts out with the bullet "stuffed", and let it wear in. However, I suspect that this may also not be so straightforward. (maybe accelerated and/or non-linear erosion)
For those of you who have been shooting this round for years, what are your opinions? What freebore would you order for this round?
Oh, also, I plan on using this primarily for long range hunting, with that being defined as < 700 yards, for large game like deer and elk. Everything under 300 yards is an absolute snap for the Grendel.
