What 6.5 Creedmoor O.A length are you using to touch the lands?

[68bthp]

I was wondering if any of you guys out there have handloaded your 6.5 creedmoor cartridge to touch the lands/rifling in your barrel. If so, what is the overall length of your cartridge to touch the lands? .....and what bullet is it that you are using?
I am having my smith cut .200" of freebore in the barrel and I'm hoping I can adjust the OAL of the 130gr-140gr Hornady and Berger bullets to touch the lands if I desire.


My Accuracy International dtachable magazine has a maximum available space of 2.880" and I'm concerned I will not be able to seat the bullets out to touch the lands if that's what the rifle prefers for best accuracy.

 

[thrusty]

I'm seating a 142SMK at 2.81" COL and it's about 0.020" from the lands. I think the same held true for the 140Amax. I don't recall what the Berger 140 Hybrid was....
I just asked GAP to make me a masterpiece...and they did.

 

[garandman]

My COL is 2.820" using Hornady 140 A-max

COL to touch the lands would need to be 2.847"

But when I went longer than 2.820" groups opened up significantly.

 

[K_4c]

Buy the Sinclair gauge, develop your test loads, shoot.... Find out what works for you, make a dummy round (using all of components you used) and mass load.

Guys above are giving you good info, but if you want to tailor a round for your rifle, pony up the cash and get the correct tools for the job.The old saying "Anything worth doing is worth doing right" holds true here.

 

[garandman]

Hornady sells a case length gauge cheap, and it works very well.

 

[K_4c]

Hornady sells a case length gauge cheap, and it works very well.

The only thing I don't like about Hornady's case gauge is the use of a modified unfired case and it's cartridge dependent. Otherwise it is a great tool that will certainly get the job done.

 

[68bthp]

My COL is 2.820" using Hornady 140 A-max

COL to touch the lands would need to be 2.847"

But when I went longer than 2.820" groups opened up significantly.

Thanks garandman. My Accuracy International detachable magazine allows an OAL of 2.875" so it would seem then that if 2.847" puts the bullets up into the lands, that I should then have plenty of leeway to adjust any 130-to-140 grain bullet in or out of the case as I need.


K_4c

You're jumping ahead and not catching the detail of my opening post in which I explained that my smith is about to cut a .20" freebore chamber......and I wanted to be sure I chose the necessary freebore length so I can be sure my magazine length doesn't limit seating length. Once that is determined, then I can proceed with what you mention. Thanks.

 

[68bthp]

I'm seating a 142SMK at 2.81" COL and it's about 0.020" from the lands. I think the same held true for the 140Amax. I don't recall what the Berger 140 Hybrid was....
I just asked GAP to make me a masterpiece...and they did.

We don't know what freebore length GAP used when making the "masterpiece". But if they chose the standard .20"freebore, then that .20" length I instructed my smith to use should work good for me too....... as I have .2875" OAL space to work with in the detachable magazine.


Thanks.

 

[K_4c]

My bad bud... I see what your saying. Sounds like you got it figured out.

I've noticed that the 142 SMK's jump much better than Lupua 139's or 140 AMAXs... food for thought.

 

[garandman]

Thanks garandman. My Accuracy International detachable magazine allows an OAL of 2.875" so it would seem then that if 2.847" puts the bullets up into the lands, that I should then have plenty of leeway to adjust any 130-to-140 grain bullet in or out of the case as I need.


.

I'm certainly not the mostest expertest shooter, but my general sense is that every rifle is different.

Like K_4c says 140 A-max's don't jump well for him. They jump 0.027 fine for me.

Honestly, I think you may be overthinking it. Its prolly just best to get your gun, and then see what works

 

[demolitionman]

Here are my numbers in my Savage Target action bull barrell giddyup.

120AMAX to lands is about 2.747
130VLD Hunting is about 2.866
140AMAX is about 2.849
140VLD is about 2.882
SMK142 is about 2.840

 

[68bthp]

Here are my numbers in my Savage Target action bull barrell giddyup.

120AMAX to lands is about 2.747
130VLD Hunting is about 2.866
140AMAX is about 2.849
140VLD is about 2.882
SMK142 is about 2.840

Demolitionman,
Because I'm not a Savage guy, (my wife insists that I'm actually quite boring) I don't know what kind of Savage rifle it is that you have. Is that a factory rifle, or is it a Savage action with a custom smithed barrel on it?. (factory will be .200" of freebore......but if it's custom, then how much freebore was reamed into it? . I'll leave you alone if you can answer that!) Thanks for those stats.

 

[demolitionman]

Demolitionman,
Because I'm not a Savage guy, (my wife insists that I'm actually quite boring) I don't know what kind of Savage rifle it is that you have. Is that a factory rifle, or is it a Savage action with a custom smithed barrel on it?. (factory will be .200" of freebore......but if it's custom, then how much freebore was reamed into it? . I'll leave you alone if you can answer that!) Thanks for those stats.

It's a stock Savage lrp