Tactical 6.5mm

[DonnyJ]

Question for you 6.5mm guys.
I'd like to build a Tactical Rifle in a 6.5mm. Not sure if I want to with a .260 or 6.5x47 or 6.5 Creedmoor.
Let me hear your thoughts on which caliber, barrel and barrel length.
Thx
Donny

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Creedmoor. Fast if you want it to be. Middle of the pack on the three listed for case length so bullet seating options are good in 308 length mags. And it's as accurate as any listed.

Though you cant really go wrong with any of those choices. None of them are hard hitters or blazing fast, but All are accurate and plenty fast for deer hunting and long range target shooting. If barrel life is a concern, the 6.5x47 will stretch your wallet further

 

[Phil]

.260AI

 

[DennisH]

All three are great and Phil's suggestion is a very good one.

Do you have an idea what barrel length you want. It will make a difference in the twist recommendation.

Dennis

 

[swd]

I shipped a Creedmoor to a client a few weeks ago. He called last week to let me know his first 20 shots of break in went into .296 MOA at 200 yards prone off a bipod with factory ammo. Hard to go wrong there. One nice thing about the Creedmoor is there is excellent factory ammo if you need to get shooting in a hurry. But none of the 3 are a bad choice.

For barrel length, as long as you can. It's just free speed if you can stand more length.

 

[swampthang]

my 1000 yd ibs light gun is 6.5 creedmoor with berger 140 vld shoot with the best names in the country. just won the north fla 1000 with it last month. its easy on brass, GREAT BARREL LIFE ( have 1940 documented rounds and still shot a 4.109 in group at 1k)
when i was fireforming brass when it was brand new, i shot a box of hornady 140a-max and the first ever 5 shots down a brand new bartlein 5r shot them in 1 tiny hole that measured .433. - that was impressive. and my match load now consistantly shoots 5 in and better at 1000 when i do my part ( and read the wind and mirage). +1 for the creedmoor !!!
got tons of load info to help you get started if you go that way.

 

[R.Morehouse]

You didn't say how you are going to use your 6.5. I will throw the 6.5 Grendel into the mix. Bolt gun or gasser the round runs great. Not a real competitive 1000 yd round but super barrel friendly and high quality factory ammo as well. Lapua brass with Lapua 123 scenars ( Alexander Arms Ammo ) in a gasser with a 264LBC 20" barrel had my gun holding 1/4min. Plenty of punch for deer, hogs, whistle pigs ect.......Just another option for your consideration......... 8)

 

[GSRswapandslow]

i was in this boat recently...........from all the suggestions, research, and looking at what folks were shooting......i'm going with a 6.5x47L....OR a 6x47L. I looked at the creedmoor first, but lack of good brass kept me from going that route. Then the 260...but, I don't want to burn the extra powder over the x47 if I don't have to....so, just sticking with it.

 

[DonnyJ]

.260AI

All three are great and Phil's suggestion is a very good one.

Do you have an idea what barrel length you want. It will make a difference in the twist recommendation.

Dennis

You didn't say how you are going to use your 6.5. I will throw the 6.5 Grendel into the mix. Bolt gun or gasser the round runs great. Not a real competitive 1000 yd round but super barrel friendly and high quality factory ammo as well. Lapua brass with Lapua 123 scenars ( Alexander Arms Ammo ) in a gasser with a 264LBC 20" barrel had my gun holding 1/4min. Plenty of punch for deer, hogs, whistle pigs ect.......Just another option for your consideration......... 8)

I dabble in F T/R and Service Rifle.
Last weekend, I got my first taste of Tactical matches. It was a blast!
Most of the competitors were shooting 6.5 creedmoor or something along those lines.

As for as barrel length.. prolly about 28 inches.

I see Lapua is making brass for .260!

 

[fredo]

Given the 'tactical' rifle platform, that translates to rounds feeding from a detachable magazine.

With that in mind, the .260Rem can become limited in c.o.a.l. with long VLD bullets seated optimally in that case.
That's a reason why the 6.5Creed is so popular. Along with having good, affordable factory match ammo, the reloader can seat 140s out long in the Creed and not be constrained by limited magazine length. In short, when both cases are seated to mag. length, the 6.5Creed gives up very little (if anything) to the .260Rem. There are ways around getting the .260Rem to reach potential, but the short story is, the 6.5Creed is plain more easy to run...

That all said, if specifically wanting a 6.5, I'd do a 6.5x47L. Super dooper brass that lasts forever, efficient case design that will shine in a handy 22-24" barrel length, and the higher pressure case allows for about the same velocity of the 6.5Creed. In short (again), the 6.5x47L is more efficient 6.5Creed, with waaay better brass to feed it...

Now that those three are clear as mud, you could dust everyone with a 6.5SAUM, running a 140 @ 3150fps speed limit!!! 8)
That wicked performance comes at the cost of more powder burn and quite a bit more muzzle blast. Not really practical, from a tac shooter perspective, but it'd work in a pinch... ;D

Taking all of that into consideration, I'm building a 6x47L with a 23" Bartlein for a new Tac match rifle!

Have fun deciding! There really isn't a bad choice in the bunch...