Help me select a "long range" 6.5 Creedmoor and glass

[EmperorMA]

I am looking to add a second 6.5 Creedmoor to the collection. I also have several other rifles but I am getting up in age and have some anatomical issues and the lesser recoil of the Creed works well for me.

My current 6.5 Creedmoor is a cheap rifle that is accurate with a bunch of different bullets and loads, but it is a relatively compact rifle with a 22" barrel. I am comfortable with it to 600 yards but really would like to get something a bit more suited to the task of shooting steel out to 800 or 1,000 and game out to 600 or perhaps a bit farther. That would relegate the current rifle to woods work. This means the 22" rifle goes when I am expecting all shots to be inside of 400 yards, even well inside that. The new rifle goes when I feel like a shot of 300-600 yards or more will be quite possible. All manner of NA hooved game animals will be on the menu.

My first question is, 24" or 26" barrel? My thought on this is 26" would be better to help wring out every bit of velocity in the little cartridge and also to help differentiate the two rifles a bit more.

Second question is, what scope for the new rifle? What magnification ranges would be nice? I have a good quality 4-16 on the current rifle and would like a bit more, perhaps.

The new rifle will be set up to shoot a heavy, sleek bullet. The 147 ELDM comes immediately to mind, as does the 153 A-Tip. I'd probably drop back to something like the 129 ABLR for the older rifle, or perhaps the 140 ELDM, which is likes both of very well.

My budget is $1,000 - 2,000 for the rifle and $1,500 for the scope. Mounting system recommendations are separate and all your recommendations for those are also appreciated.

No Tikkas, please. I don't like them and hate their stocks and don't really want to do much to the new rifle other than maybe clean up and lighten a factory trigger.

I am looking for out of the box accuracy with heavy bullets, a rifle-only weight of 6.25 - 7.25 pounds, and a 24' or 26" barrel. It will need to be threaded for a brake or have one included. I am not looking to do a bunch of upgrades and will use factory ammo. Thanks!

 

[Lawnboi]

Weight and price range?

Do yourself a favor and shoot bergers

 

[EmperorMA]

Weight and price range?

Do yourself a favor and shoot bergers

My budget is $1,000 - 2,000 for the rifle and $1,500 for the scope.

I am looking for out of the box accuracy with heavy bullets, a rifle-only weight of 6.25 - 7.25 pounds, and a 24' or 26" barrel. It will need to be threaded for a brake or have one included. I am not looking to do a bunch of upgrades and will use factory ammo.

Not many Berger loads in factory ammo.

 

[Lawnboi]

My budget is $1,000 - 2,000 for the rifle and $1,500 for the scope.

I am looking for out of the box accuracy with heavy bullets, a rifle-only weight of 6.25 - 7.25 pounds, and a 24' or 26" barrel. It will need to be threaded for a brake or have one included. I am not looking to do a bunch of upgrades and will use factory ammo.

Not many Berger loads in factory ammo.

Berger factory ammo comes in Lapua brass, which you can easily sell once fired from a bolt gun, and IME it’s much more consistent than any Hornady Iv fired. Your going to save a boat load of messing around by buying good factory ammo of the same lot in bulk.

As for the rifle, your weight parameter is going to be what’s tough to meet with high quality components imo.

Are you mil, Leo or a first responder? If so you may be able to get more scope for that price.

 

[nobody]

At that price, why don't you just have one built? Pick up a barreled action from these guys:

https://aprifles.com/collections/barreled-actions/products/apr-barreled-actions

Get some epoxy and bed the action into your favorite flavor of stock.

Pick up a Nightforce NXS or a Trijicon Tenmile, mount them up in some Seekins Precision rings and go to town.

 

[Antares]

The new rifle will be set up to shoot a heavy, sleek bullet. The 147 ELDM comes immediately to mind, as does the 153 A-Tip. I'd probably drop back to something like the 129 ABLR for the older rifle, or perhaps the 140 ELDM, which is likes both of very well.

My budget is $1,000 - 2,000 for the rifle and $1,500 for the scope. Mounting system recommendations are separate and all your recommendations for those are also appreciated.

No Tikkas, please. I don't like them and hate their stocks and don't really want to do much to the new rifle other than maybe clean up and lighten a factory trigger.

I am looking for out of the box accuracy with heavy bullets, a rifle-only weight of 6.25 - 7.25 pounds, and a 24' or 26" barrel. It will need to be threaded for a brake or have one included. I am not looking to do a bunch of upgrades and will use factory ammo. Thanks!

You can be anti-Tikka all you want but a Roughtech checks all your boxes. 7.1 pounds, 24.3" barrel threaded 5/8-24, cost about $1k, out of the box accuracy, will likely shoot the 140 ELDM well, lighten the trigger with an $8 spring, take your extra money and buy whatever aftermarket stock/chassis your heart desires, and still have $1800 for your scope budget.

 

[Lawnboi]

You can be anti-Tikka all you want but a Roughtech checks all your boxes. 7.1 pounds, 24.3" barrel threaded 5/8-24, cost about $1k, out of the box accuracy, will likely shoot the 140 ELDM well, lighten the trigger with an $8 spring, take your extra money and buy whatever aftermarket stock/chassis your heart desires, and still have $1800 for your scope budget.

A tikka in a krg bravo would do it all. No messing around, just need to screw it together. That’s something you should know how do to anyhow. Plus it’s adjustable so you can fit the gun to yourself.

Plus you end up with leftover money for a suppressor.

 

[Doc Holliday]

For the month of September, Christensen Arms is offering a $350 rebate on (non FFT, nonTitanium) Ridgelines and Mesas. At 6.5# and 24" barrel, the Ridgeline would meet your criteria.

 

[svivian]

A tikka in a krg bravo would do it all. No messing around, just need to screw it together. That’s something you should know how do to anyhow. Plus it’s adjustable so you can fit the gun to yourself.

Plus you end up with leftover money for a suppressor.

For shits and giggles bump up to the 6.5PRC too

 

[thinhorn_AK]

A tikka in a krg bravo would do it all. No messing around, just need to screw it together. That’s something you should know how do to anyhow. Plus it’s adjustable so you can fit the gun to yourself.

Plus you end up with leftover money for a suppressor.

I’ve been thinking of putting my 6.5 superlite in a bravo stock just to have a chassis set up to play with. I have several other rifles to fill other roles but no dedicated “Lon range” chassis gun.

 

[Lawnboi]

I’ve been thinking of putting my 6.5 superlite in a bravo stock just to have a chassis set up to play with. I have several other rifles to fill other roles but no dedicated “Lon range” chassis gun.

I think it’s worth it to see what works for you. Even better if the grip was adjustable but the bravo grip generally feels good to most. For the price a bravo takes to get I think it’s worth it to keep one around.

 

[chutinlead]

Why not the Springfield Waypoint 2020? Custom feel, factory price.

 

[EmperorMA]

Why not the Springfield Waypoint 2020? Custom feel, factory price.

Barrel is too short.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Keep it simple.

Grab a Tikka Roughtech, top it with a NF NX8, preferred base/rings, and grab as much ammo as you can.

 

[Macintosh]

If you arent finding what you want and you're OK to spend close to $2k on a rifle why not go semi-custom? Action, steel shouldered prefit barrel of your choice, trigger of your choice, bottom metal and a krg bravo stock should be right around $2500 and just bolts together, check headspace and you're off and running?

7lb seems awfully light for a longer-range rig, curious what your thoughts are on that--I'm guessing you'd have a lot more options (and stability) if you added a pound or three.

 

[Lawnboi]

For shits and giggles bump up to the 6.5PRC too

I’d agree but if the goal is being proficient farther out, I don’t think the answer is more power initially. Maybe after he burns out that first creedmoor barrel.

 

[EmperorMA]

If you arent finding what you want and you're OK to spend close to $2k on a rifle why not go semi-custom? Action, steel shouldered prefit barrel of your choice, trigger of your choice, bottom metal and a krg bravo stock should be right around $2500 and just bolts together, check headspace and you're off and running?

7lb seems awfully light for a longer-range rig, curious what your thoughts are on that--I'm guessing you'd have a lot more options (and stability) if you added a pound or three.

I hunt at anywhere from sea level to near 12,000' an all the terrain is steep AF. Lighter is better, but I guess I could go up to maybe 8 lbs rifle only. That puts me around 10 lbs all up.

It's also why I want it chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, to help mitigate the recoil of a lighter rifle.

 

[Macintosh]

OK, I guess since you said your existing rifle is accurate with a bunch of ammo and it's already got a higher powered scope, I dont understand what the distinction will be between this and your existing rifle that will make it that much more appropriate for shooting out past the range you are comfortable with now--just barrel length? Nothing wrong with that, it's only that if that's the only difference I'd personally rather just get one rifle that does both. I dont notice 2 inches of barrel length in the woods, heck, for decades I've hunted partridge over a dog in northern new england with a 30" barreled shotgun and not felt hindered by it at all. I also don't think an extra 50fps is going to do anything noteworthy in terms of range. Guess if it were me and I wanted a rifle to do something noticeably different, I'd be looking for a noticeably different rifle, that's all.

 

[EmperorMA]

OK, I guess since you said your existing rifle is accurate with a bunch of ammo and it's already got a higher powered scope, I dont understand what the distinction will be between this and your existing rifle that will make it that much more appropriate for shooting out past the range you are comfortable with now--just barrel length? Nothing wrong with that, it's only that if that's the only difference I'd personally rather just get one rifle that does both. I dont notice 2 inches of barrel length in the woods, heck, for decades I've hunted partridge over a dog in northern new england with a 30" barreled shotgun and not felt hindered by it at all. I also don't think an extra 50fps is going to do anything noteworthy in terms of range. Guess if it were me and I wanted a rifle to do something noticeably different, I'd be looking for a noticeably different rifle, that's all.

I hear ya.

I think that is why I am leaning toward a 26" barrel. I think if I get something with a 24" barrel that the two rifles will be so similar that I may end up keeping just one. It is hard to get rid of a rifle that is easy to shoot well and that likes a whole bunch of different factory ammo, even if it is a cheap rifle that really does nothing for me other than breed confidence and hit whatever I shoot it at.

I also don't really want to lug much weight up a down the steep mountains. I am old and have some of the physical issues that go along with playing sports and having numerous adventures over that relatively long period of time. I can't imagine ever using a rifle that weighs over 10 lbs in the mountains I like to hunt. I also don't care for very light rifles and their whippy nature, especially when huffing and puffing after chugging up a steep mountainside at 10,500'.

 

[EmperorMA]

Berger factory ammo comes in Lapua brass, which you can easily sell once fired from a bolt gun, and IME it’s much more consistent than any Hornady Iv fired. Your going to save a boat load of messing around by buying good factory ammo of the same lot in bulk.

As for the rifle, your weight parameter is going to be what’s tough to meet with high quality components imo.

Are you mil, Leo or a first responder? If so you may be able to get more scope for that price.

I am not adverse to Berger bullets or ammo, although I have seen a couple of dicey situations with a buddy using Berger bullets. Kinda like some other guy here who doesn't like the 147 ELD-M because his wife hit a cow elk kinda low with one and it required a half-mile tracking job. Maybe not, as one of my buddy's bullets hit a bull's shoulder about perfectly but blew up and stopped well short of the vitals.