Which 6mm and 6.5mm tolerate short barrels the best?

[Matt in Virginia]

Gentlemen,
I have had many, many rifles built and the simple fact is that I tend to prefer shorter barrels and shorter scopes. My full custom 26" barreled .300 WMs and 22" barreled .308s got shot a fraction of the amount I shot my factory LTR. Which 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges take best to shorter barrels(20" plus a suppressor mount)? Your input would be greatly appreciated. I'm largely looking for low maintenance rounds like the 6XC and 6.5x47 Lapua with great brass and plenty of load work already done... Thank you ahead of time.

Regards, Matt Garrett
Chesapeake, Virginia

 

[sawcarver]

I have a specialty pistol chambered in 6 Dasher running a 14" barrel it it does great. I also have a 6.5 creedmoor in a 16.5" I've run both guns out to 1k without any problems

 

[TGP]

I've seen sawcarver shooting both guns and they both shoot great, I also have a XP in a 6.5 Creedmoor with a 15" barrel and it's one of the most accurate guns in the safe.

 

[fastarget]

6 creed shoot well out of 21-22 " barrels, my last one was very accurate.........6.5x47 has a good rep in the PRS series as well.

 

[savagedasher]

6 MM BR The case is small enough so it isn't over bore . Larry

 

[Clavius-Walker]

Add PPCs to the list

 

[dkhunt14]

I would do a 6BR. Less powder then an XC or other 6mm's. Great accuracy and barrel life. Easy to tune. Cheap to shoot . Good brass available. What's not to like. Matt

 

[CTK]

Gentlemen,
I have had many, many rifles built and the simple fact is that I tend to prefer shorter barrels and shorter scopes. My full custom 26" barreled .300 WMs and 22" barreled .308s got shot a fraction of the amount I shot my factory LTR. Which 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges take best to shorter barrels(20" plus a suppressor mount)? Your input would be greatly appreciated. I'm largely looking for low maintenance rounds like the 6XC and 6.5x47 Lapua with great brass and plenty of load work already done... Thank you ahead of time.

Regards, Matt Garrett
Chesapeake, Virginia

I will try to post some speed data on my 23" 6.5x47. I will not have a big sample size as I use a Magnetospeed and do not want to shoot with it on for group testing. I will say that I did not get the speed I had hoped for with H4350 and 130 VLD's. I only shot one for speed as waited until quitting time to pull the Magnetospeed out. I will test again and am going to try Varget and possibly RL16. If I remember correctly I shot 2680 or so with a H4350 load slightly over Berger manual max.

 

[25classic]

I have a 20" barreled 6X45 and a 20" 6.5 X 47 Lapua both do very well with a direct thread suppressor. Have shot a .171 group with the 6X45 using Lapua 223 brass and RL 10X .And under a half inch with the 6.5 and a hunting scope.

 

[CTK]

I have shot a handful of sub .25 groups with my 7 lb. 6.5L. I think it is an amazing cartridge. Most loads have gone under .5. I am now just trying to find a little more speed for hunting purposes. Have only had it out 4 or 5 times. Shot a .16" 3 shot group immediately after sighting it in. Go figure that was not able to duplicate that again, but it shoots great. Sent pic of that group to Jon Beanland.

 

[swd]

There's some great choices out there. I can't add any more other than in 6.5 the 47Lapua case would be tough to beat and in 6mm the BR is a great one although the 6x45 is one heck of a fun little cartridge and would really lend itself to being extremely quiet with a suppressor. Set up with a 1-9" for 95's it performs quite nicely to 600 yards or so.

 

[6xcshooter]

6xc bar none 8 twist for 105s, 10 twist for everything smaller.

 

[Crosswire3]

I built a 22" 6.5x47 that shoots .1s and .2s, and just chambered an 18" barrel for one yesterday that will hopefully do the same.

 

[fredo]

First measured shots (#6-8) outta my new 22" 6.5SAUM 4s
130Hybrids and "standard" load of H1000:

Bet that little sucker will crowd 3100fps with a tailored load. 3K is already bringin' the mail, lotsa punch from a little rifle...

 

[Phil]

First measured shots (#6-8) outta my new 22" 6.5SAUM 4s
130Hybrids and "standard" load of H1000:

Bet that little sucker will crowd 3100fps with a tailored load. 3K is already bringin' the mail, lotsa punch from a little rifle...

Watching this one play out......

It will be good....

 

[JASmith]

You might want to look at the 6.5 Grendel.

Lots of load data, two reloading handbooks on the market, low recoil.

Some folks get first round hits on steel at 1,000 yards with 16 and 18 barrels. The 20-inch will be faster and buck the wind a bit better.

 

[gat]

Personally own a 6.5 Lapua with a 19" Hart barrel Remington varmint contour on a Remington short action. Stocked with a HS precision Short police tactical stock. It shoots bugholes (.200) all day and I still get 2900fps with the short barrel. I shoot 130 Berger hunting VLD over 43 grains of H4350.

 

[BoilerUP]

My previous 18" 1:8 6 Dasher got 2799fps with a 107SMK over 32.6gr Varget, per Magnetospeed V2.

 

[fredo]

Watching this one play out......

It will be good....

130HVLDs @ 63.0gr H1000, 3070 fps with light ejector swipe on virgin brass.

62.5gr H1000 avg. 3052 fps from 22" barrel. That's where imma roll wit it...