6.5 Barrel Life?

[bucksnort2]

Gents,
I'm considering F-Class and/or F/TR shooting this season. I now have a Savage Mod. 12 benchrest rifle in .308 that should qualify for F-Class. I've also been reading about the 6.5x264, and it being THE rifle for 1K. I've also heard reports about the barrel life for this caliber as not lasting too long. Has anyone else heard of this issue?

What are your thoughts about the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5x47 carts?
Thanks.

 

[tdoyka]

my 6.5 creedmoor has only 200+ rounds, 120gr ballistic tips. the t/c encore with a 16 1/4" MGM Barrel works wonders. i think it has about 3-4000 rounds in it. i don't have a chrono, but i'm quite low on my powder charge. .3" at 100 yards with 3 rounds works for me.
6.5-284 might leave you with 1500-2000 rounds, but i don't know.

 

[mikecr]

6.5x284 is good for ~1200rnds, and a 264WM would be far less.. I doubt it's THE cartridge for anything but occasional hunting of big game.

 

[fdshuster]

The 6.5x284 was my gunsmith's favorite long distance groundhog rifle, until he kept burning out the barrels in as little as 800 rounds fired. He now uses a 260 Remington chambering.

 

[Brent Martell]

900 through my 6.5-284 with hot loads and it is holding .3 moa. It is a hunter so I don't shoot strings of fire. 24" barrel and 2950 to 3000 fps depending on my load of choice. 160 are at 2760fps.

 

[brian427cobra]

My 260 went 4068 rounds, the last 20 grouped like a shotgun, I should have my rifle back soon with a new tube chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor

 

[TerryPohl]

On my 4th 6.5X284 1200 is about max competitive rounds. But I will keep shooting them, LOVE the round, Hell of around for accuracy.
Terry Pohl

 

[ShootDots]

I am on my 2nd 6.5 X 284 barrel I use for 1000 Yard F-Class. My first one went south at 1700 rounds. This one presently has 1100 rounds on it and it HAS TO MAKE it thru the April 1000 yard match. That will give me 1500+ load development rounds on it. At the moment it still shoots EXTREMELY well... I use S-L-O-W burning powders it, like H1000. I believe it is the use of them that gives me some extra barrel life.

 

[dooley]

my last .260 barrel had 3000+ rounds through it and it was still shooting way under 1/2 inch groups at 100 metres, the reason I changed it was to get a shorter barrel, a 32 inch barreled rifle was too difficult to get in my gun safe.
dooley

 

[Jeff A]

What are your thoughts about the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5x47 carts?
Thanks.

I too would be interested in the accurate barrel life of the 6.5X47 Lapua cartridge.

 

[Joe C]

Went through the same process myself this fall. Contimplated the 6.5/06 Gibbs but shied away due to shorter barrel life. Finally decided on the .260AI. Easy to fire form, decent barrel life, accurate and easy recoiling. I expect it to do well at 1000 yards. We'll see how it does in about a month at the Berger Nationals.

 

[vervi1jw]

Just rolled over 1200 rounds in my 260ai and in the process shot my first 200 with 9x. I expect many more accurate shots, however I only load to 2800 as its extremely accurate there and I am only shooting 600 yard fclass.

 

[Bob Sebold]

Bucksnort2, maybe you save a lot of time and shoot a straight .284. Use lapua brass necked up. Probably 80% of F class shooters use this now. It is by far the most popular round. Worlds team had to use 7 rsaums or short mags for the worlds. Most hated them and wish they could have used their .284's. I personally know several very good shooters who felt that way. You will only get 8-900 rds out of a 6.5 and 1500-2000 out of a .284. Use 180 Bergers or Sierra's. They are better in the wind.

 

[Erik Cortina]

You can expect 2,000 - 3,000 rounds with the 6.5x47 Lapua. However, as much as I like that round, I would not recommend a 6.5 for Long Range F-Class. I agree with Bob Sebold, a 284 Win. is a great choice.

If you want to stick to a 6.5 and want more speed than the "47" but are afraid of the 6.5-284 bbl life, look at the 6.5 GW, it's a 6.5x55 improved with 30° shoulder.

 

[Steve Blair]

Bob and Erik are right. There is a good reason most F-Class competitors use a .284 Win or variant, they work well. Recoil is mild in a 20-22 pound rifle and they are easy to tune. 7mm and caliber .30 magnums have a ballistic advantage but bring an assortment of baggage with them.

 

[Titandriver]

Dunno guys - George Gardiner from G.A. Precision said this last April about his 6.5 SAUM chambered rifle pushing 140 JLK's at 3080 fps: "Yes, I have over 3400 rounds on my rifle now and it's still shooting sub 1/2 inch". Interesting read over on the Snipers Hide in the bolt action rifle section.

I'm running 60.5 grs of H1000 in my 700 LA 6.5 Rem. mag with 142 MK's or Berger 140 VLD's averaging 3150 fps, will let you know if I can make it to 3000 rounds!

 

[mao0720]

You can expect 2,000 - 3,000 rounds with the 6.5x47 Lapua. However, as much as I like that round, I would not recommend a 6.5 for Long Range F-Class. I agree with Bob Sebold, a 284 Win. is a great choice.

If you want to stick to a 6.5 and want more speed than the "47" but are afraid of the 6.5-284 bbl life, look at the 6.5 GW, it's a 6.5x55 improved with 30° shoulder.

Does that mean the barrel is starting to go south at 2-3000 rounds or is it toast then? Better question is at what accuracy measurement do you consider a barrel shot out?

 

[Steve Blair]

Dunno guys - George Gardiner from G.A. Precision said this last April about his 6.5 SAUM chambered rifle pushing 140 JLK's at 3080 fps: "Yes, I have over 3400 rounds on my rifle now and it's still shooting sub 1/2 inch". Interesting read over on the Snipers Hide in the bolt action rifle section.

[br]
I know a couple of guys that shoot .308 GA rifles in F-TR and do well with them. They make a fine rifle. However, if you are shooting a 6.5 mm, of any kind, you are shooting in F-Open. If your rifle is only managing 1/2 MOA, don't bother going to an important match until you find out what is wrong with it, unless you don't care about winning. Shooting large, steel targets at various ranges is quite different from shooting a 10" circle at 1000 yards. That does not diminish what they do, it's just different. If one of my F-Open rifles is averaging over .25", I fix whatever the problem is, including replacing the barrel.

 

[Titandriver]

I'm not certain if he shoots F-TR or not, guessing not. I think the important part was the fact that he said it was still shooting sub 1/2 inch after 3400 rounds in his 6.5 SAUM. Pretty impressive to me!

 

[Elwood]

Hopefully within the next month or so I will be able to let you all know how the 6.5 Saum 4S performs in F class, and in about a years time I will let you know how the barrel is holding up, or not as the case may be ;D

It won't replace any of my 7mm's but it should be good fun at 600 yards with Berger 140 grain Hybrids or 140 grain JLK's.

Apparently George uses his for tactical comps which does include string firing?