quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
For us hand-loaders the above test is flawed. 26" vs 20" barrel, load will be different. Shorter barrels have a completely different power curve.

Valid point, as I was thinking one load for all barrel lengths.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:

quote:

Originally posted by D4Heavy:
I’m seriously considering building a CM in the AR15 platform. Low recoil, accurate and not real expensive if you reload.

Actually, a 6.5CM or 6CM would be built in an AR-10 platform.

With good components, a Creedmoor AR-10 is quite accurate. The real accuracy challenge comes from the shooter -- the fundamentals of marksmanship are much more critical in the AR-10 platform. There's a whole lot more gas flowing in the system, the BCG is heavier and moves a longer distance, the recoil pulse is heavier and lasts longer.

I have several 6.5 Creedmoor in both bolt action and "AR10" (not Armalite). What you said about the BCG and recoil impulse is true, and it does make impacts harder to spot. But IMO, what makes it more difficult (to shoot as well as a bolt action) is the lock time. It's about 3 times longer in an AR than in a Rem 700 type action. That means your fundamentals need to be perfect every time, which is not as easy when firing off of barricades, rocks, rooftops, etc., especially with limited time.

quote:

Originally posted by Fundman:
I wouldn't consider the Creedmore "low recoil." It is close to 308.

Not really. I have shot a heavy .308 back-to-back with a heavy 6.5CM, and the recoil is much lighter with the 6.5CM. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples. If you want good long-range performance from the .308, you need at least 168 gr. bullets, which are obviously going to recoil significantly more than 140 gr. from the Creedmoor. It's simple physics. It's not realistic to compare a 150gr Winchester White Box .308 to a 140 grain ELD, because that 150 grain FMJ can't compete. I could load much lighter bullets in the Creedmoor too, but for good long range performance, we need the longer (heavier) bullets. That means 140-147 gr. in the Creed, and 168-178 in the .308. More mass propelled at similar velocity means more recoil.

I can’t get enough of this gun. I shot 250 rds yesterday at the range. Ringing the plates at 400 yards is just too much fun. I see a second or third in my future.

I got to get a progressive press!

What’s the barrel life on 6.5cm?

quote:

Originally posted by D4Heavy:
I can’t get enough of this gun. I shot 250 rds yesterday at the range. Ringing the plates at 400 yards is just too much fun. I see a second or third in my future.

I got to get a progressive press!

What’s the barrel life on 6.5cm?

Maybe 3000, maybe a little less. I had one open up at about 2600.

quote:

Originally posted by D4Heavy:
I can’t get enough of this gun. I shot 250 rds yesterday at the range. Ringing the plates at 400 yards is just too much fun. I see a second or third in my future.

What’s the barrel life on 6.5cm?

I retired my first barrel at 3200 rounds. It was still shooting great out to 500 yards or so. Muzzle velocity was still good. At a match in New Mexico I saw some low impacts at 700-1000 yards. Low impacts are odd for me, as when I shoot with poor technique, the shot almost always flies high. With an ELR match rapidly approaching, I figured it was time to pull the barrel. I didn't want an older barrel to go south in the middle of shooting targets out to 1700 yards.

When my 'smith installed the new barrel, his comment upon inspecting the old barrel was that I "shot the shit out of that barrel". Evidently the bullets had a pretty substantial jump to the lands -- as in more than 1 inch. The throat looked pretty rough, too. FWIW I had a Bartlein SS M24 contour and I shot only factory Hornady ammo.

I hear of 6.5 competition shooters pulling barrels from 2500 to 4000 rounds. A lot depends on how rapidly strings are shot and what accuracy expectations are. A hunter might be satisfied with as many as 5000 rounds on a barrel. I suspect most steel match shooters figure the barrel is getting long in the tooth around 3000 rounds.

I don't know what type of 6.5CM rife you have. I suggest owning no more than two 6.5CM rifles if you really like the caliber. That leaves you one to be in service as the other is being rebarreled. IMO it's better to invest in on more really good quality rifle/action/barrel/scope than buying two more rifles with components that are a compromise in quality.

quote:

Originally posted by D4Heavy:
I can’t get enough of this gun. I shot 250 rds yesterday at the range.

I rarely shoot more than 120 rounds in a day with my 6.5CM. Even that is a pretty heavy day of competition or training -- lots of stages over many hours, with time between most strings to let the barrel cool. Most days are probably in the 60 to 80 rounds ballpark.

If you're consistently shooting 200+ rounds per day, you will see your barrel's accuracy go south faster than most of us. Especially if you're only shooting out to 400 yards, I recommend a caliber less harsh on barrels. For roughly the same case size, a 308 Win provides more barrel life.

If you're willing to go for a smaller bore than 6.5, then maybe a 6BR or a .223 Remy makes sense.

Fritz, it’s a Ruger American action/receiver/barrel in a Magpul American Hunter stock. I have 500ish total in the rifle. I purchased it exclusively to be the practice boltgun for me and my kids. I’m more into trigger time and teaching mode right now. This rifle is loaded and shot as fast as my kids can load the mags. If it wears out, I’ll toss it and buy another. Once trigger time gets to acceptable levels I’ll spend more on one.

200-250rds will probably be normal for a weekend of shooting. Not every weekend but, often as I can.

Oh and the NF ATACR 5-25F1 makes it all the more fun. Yeah, I have a 3k scope on a $500 gun

And thanks for the comments. Your posts are always great info. I have learned a lot from you.

If you want to forestall throat erosion in your rifles, shoot at a slower pace. Lots of rounds in a short time wears out barrels sooner, due to higher temperatures in the chamber. If your barrel gets so hot that it's uncomfortable to touch, it's time to let it cool down.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:
If you want to forestall throat erosion in your rifles, shoot at a slower pace. Lots of rounds in a short time wears out barrels sooner, due to higher temperatures in the chamber. If your barrel gets so hot that it's uncomfortable to touch, it's time to let it cool down.

Copy that! Thanks for the info