6.5 creed with 150g SMK

[nockhunter]

I have a question for the rifle "loonies". My son shoots a 6.5 creed in PRS, he is having a Defiance action rifle built for next year and wants to shoot the 150g SMK bullets. What would the optimum freebore be? Any specific reamer number any advice is appreciated. He shot in production class this year and did very well with a Rem Magpul hunter and 142g SMK.

Mike

 

[ShootDots]

First you will need a 1-7.5 twist barrel and a 1-7.25 is better yet. And a .200 freebore is about perfect. As far as reamers are concerned, Dave Kiff at Pacific Tool and Gauge is a wellspring of info on reamers. However, he has a tendency to recommend the shortest freebore that works. I always add about 20-30 thousandths on to his recommendation. But you could not talk to anyone with more technical knowledge about reamers than Dave.

 

[Raptor]

Mike, I would re-evaluate your choice on bullets. You probably won't be able to push it fast enough out of a Creedmoor to get an advantage. You might want to stay with the 140s.The PRS would be a better choice for that heavy of a bullet. But maybe you already have if so good luck!!

 

[nockhunter]

WOW that was fast. He already has a faster 1:7.7 (I think) Bartlein barrel that will be 27" complete. He is set on the 150's, I think, he thinks he may be able to drive them fast enough, but I may try to talk him out of them. The 142's are readily available, and less costly.

Thanks for the info

Mike

I was just looking at the PT&G website

 

[mysticplayer]

Been doing alot of development work with the Sierra 150gr MKs to fit in a 308 AICS type mag. I started with a 260 AI as I didn't feel the 6.5 Creedmoor would have enough boiler room... I own 2 6.5 CM's and is one of my favorite chamberings.

The 260AI didn't have enough boiler room and I am running OAL at 2.92".. so that barrel was rechambered to a 6.5-284.

If not restricted by mag length and can throat very long, you can get some decent performance from the 6.5 CM... but if you want to go into a typical AICS or AW mag, might not be worth the headache....

And recoil..

Jerry

 

[swd]

I have a good friend shooting 150's out a CM and it's a hammer! It's a shorter free bore but the rifle doesn't care.

 

[nockhunter]

My son will be shooting from Magpul AICS mags, so OAL will be an issue. I have been surfing the net to find a lot of shooters are getting good results with the 150 SMK in the creed at @ 2700fps, mag length. He is going to try them, if they don't shoot there are the 142SMK to fall back on. He did very well in production class at the club matches with those. Hopefully the freebore isn't going to be too long.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Grimstod]

Someone here managed 2800 using a 6.5x47. I suppose its advantage though is the shorter case and the identical speed it can again due to its greater efficiency. Plus the shorter case you can run a much longer freebore. I think he was running 4350. Don't bother with Varget as that will be to fast for a heavy bullet like that. I would worry about running out of space in the magazine with the longer CM.

 

[1shot]

In my testing as well as others on here, it's not that you won't be able to get the 150's to shoot well, but more of an issue of not getting enough velocity to realize all the BC that the bullet has available. I'm running them at 2,987 with very good results, but its not out of a Creedmoor.
A better choice would be about anyone's premium 140 class bullet.
I hope this helps,

Lloyd

 

[Park ranger]

I’m shooting them in my 6.5 Creedmoor at 2.965” oal. 2800 fps with H4350 in a 30” barrel. They do ok, but not as good as 140 hybrid

 

[nockhunter]

Thanks for all the input. We are probably going with the 142g SMK. we will see what happens when the gun is built.

Mike

 

[JBT47]

For PRS I would talk him into using 140 Berger Hybrid or 130 Berger Hybrid OTM.

 

[bbarber25]

First you will need a 1-7.5 twist barrel and a 1-7.25 is better yet. And a .200 freebore is about perfect. As far as reamers are concerned, Dave Kiff at Pacific Tool and Gauge is a wellspring of info on reamers. However, he has a tendency to recommend the shortest freebore that works. I always add about 20-30 thousandths on to his recommendation. But you could not talk to anyone with more technical knowledge about reamers than Dave.

I have a 6.5x47 with an 1-8” twist and a .170FB, no, it does not have the same neck length as a creedmoor, but the 150gr SMK shoots phenomenally out of my rifle, as good if not better than 140 Hybrids. I do not believe you need a 1-7.5” twist. Maybe at lower elevations, as my shooting has all been done at 4700+ft elevation, but in my experience, and in my environment the twist calculators say it’s all good, and I have been impressed from the get go with this bullet. I’ve never had a bullet failure and never seen a key hole in 800+ of these sent down range at 600 and 1,000 Yards. Pic is of a 600 yard group.

 

[bbarber25]

For S&G’s here’s a 180 Hybrid at 2825fps, and my 6.5x47 with 150’s at 1,000 Yards using litz’s BC’s, the 150 SMK is a game changer in my opinion. Less powder and more importantly less recoil.

 

[Geno C]

For S&G’s here’s a 180 Hybrid at 2825fps, and my 6.5x47 with 150’s at 1,000 Yards using litz’s BC’s, the 150 SMK is a game changer in my opinion. Less powder and more importantly less recoil.

How does a 130jlk compare in those conditions though? I run a 260ai also. The 150s seem like a great idea until you look down in weight and up in speed. PRS usually has a speed limit, running the bullet that will get you closest to that speed is usually the winner in any given caliber. After that, you have to see what kind of recoil you like to deal with in the worst of positions that they're going to put you in to be able to spot your misses/impacts.

I'm going to generalize here, most find 130-140 to be about as much recoil as they want to deal with in this sport. Less is always better and the 105-115 in 6mm is popular for that reason.

Now don't get me wrong, 150-155s in a 6.5wsm is always on my mind

 

[bbarber25]

How does a 130jlk compare in those conditions though? I run a 260ai also. The 150s seem like a great idea until you look down in weight and up in speed. PRS usually has a speed limit, running the bullet that will get you closest to that speed is usually the winner in any given caliber. After that, you have to see what kind of recoil you like to deal with in the worst of positions that they're going to put you in to be able to spot your misses/impacts.

I'm going to generalize here, most find 130-140 to be about as much recoil as they want to deal with in this sport. Less is always better and the 105-115 in 6mm is popular for that reason.

Now don't get me wrong, 150-155s in a 6.5wsm is always on my mind

Not sure, the 130 JLK isn’t in litz’s data base. I can understand recoil being a big factor in PRS, I’m primarily an F-class guy, so recoil isn’t as big of an issue since I’m not trying to spot hits off of unstable rests. F-class wind is the killer so I want to minimize it.

 

[Geno C]

Not sure, the 130 JLK isn’t in litz’s data base. I can understand recoil being a big factor in PRS, I’m primarily an F-class guy, so recoil isn’t as big of an issue since I’m not trying to spot hits off of unstable rests. F-class wind is the killer so I want to minimize it.

I did the figuring. The 150 at 2800 shoots inside the 130 at 3100 at 1000. The 130 has less drop.

 

[Beeman]

Bbarber what powder and length of barrel to get the 150 going that fast out of a 6.5x47? I run the 130 Berger hunting at 2950 fps with 42.2 gr of H4350 out of a 26” Broughton. Not max in my gun but probably getting close.

 

[mysticplayer]

Took my 6.5-285/ 150gr MK combo for a drive out to 1642yds.. it shot very well and flew much flatter then JBM predicted.

Some more fine tuning but really starting to like this bullet... but in a larger case.

Jerry

 

[ben_g]

Took my 6.5-285/ 150gr MK combo for a drive out to 1642yds.. it shot very well and flew much flatter then JBM predicted.

Some more fine tuning but really starting to like this bullet... but in a larger case.

Jerry

Very keen to hear more info about your 6.5x284.
I am seriously considering chambering one to shoot the 150’s in Fclass matches.

What twist and land configuration are you running? What powder for what velocity?

Being in Australia I will have to wait for barrels but I want a 7.75tw 5R rifling and was hoping for at least 2950fps in a 30” tube.

Biggest issues I can see are keeping the bullet together during hot long strings of fire but still having enough twist for colder months here in Australia.
Most of my shooting is at altitudes near sea level.