Loading for 6.5 Creedmoor with 18" barrel

[elkstabber]

In typical barrel lengths of 22-24" I've had great luck with the fairly common load:

140gn bullet with 41-42gn of H4350. It's accurate and gives a MV of 2700-2750 fps or so.

All of the load data I've seen is for 24-26" test barrels. I read this report on cutting down a 6.5 Creedmoor and the affect on speed here: 6-5-creedmoor-effect-of-barrel-length-on-velocity-cutting-up-a-creedmoor. What was really cool was seeing that the bullet was faster in some cases in a 24" barrel than a 27". But generally the velocity drops as the barrel is shortened.

I'm considering have the barrel shortened down to 18" and using a suppressor.

Since the barrel is going to be considerably shorter should I use a faster powder like Varget to get a better burn in the shorter barrel? Or, more simply, is there load data for shorter barrels available?

 

[SouthPaw]

Varget is our go-to powder for great accuracy and decent speed with the 130-135 class bullets in 20" creeds. With the heavier bullets I can get similar speed with compressed loads of H4350 but accuracy falls off.

RL16 could also be worth a try if you have it.

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

Food for thought @elkstabber. I have a suppressed 18in 6.5CM.

Lapua small primer brass
Federal 205M primer
41gr H4350
153gr Hornady A-Tip
2645 and incredibly accurate.

I didn’t have experience with small primers until this setup. Very pleased with the results

 

[sndmn11]

Your chosen barrel length doesn't change what powder should be chosen when everything else is equal.

One wouldn't see a max load of powder B faster than a max of powder C in a 24" barrel, but then see powder C be faster in an 18" barrel than B when everything else is the same.

 

[ID_Matt]

I am interested in this as well - mostly for velocity reports. I have a 24" creed now but would like to rebarrel to a shorter tube to make it less cumbersome with the suppressor. The loss in velocity for hunting doesn't bother me too much but I would like to use the gun for NRL hunter as well, so would have to be 2715 FPS with a 140 or 2475+ with a 153. Have no issues running 140's at 2800 FPS with H4350 in the 24" tube and a mild load.

 

[NorthernHunter]

I have not used it with an 18" barrel but I've had a ton of success loading 140 sst with superformance out of a 20" barrel

 

[MHWASH]

For reference I'm getting 2787 in a 20" barrel. Using the same load in the same 24" barrel before I cut it was 2870. RL 16 and 135 Berger.

 

[260284]

I am getting 2739 with Rl16, srp Peterson brass, CCI 450s, 143 ELDX out of a 18" CarbonSix barrel. My 18" Bartlein is a little faster. I may try some 147s with Rl16 for NRL Hunter. I shot 140 ELDM out of a 28" with 40.6 of Rl16 and was getting 2843 without pushing it. I like the shorter barrels for hunting, plus I would like to stay under 12 lbs if possible.

 

[DEW0341]

18” Rock Creek by PVA

MV: 2723
3.6/8 SD/ES

42.6g of H4530
CCI450
Peterson SRP
130gr Sierra TGK


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[deerhunter628]

From what i have read, the fastest powder in a 24” barrel will also be the fastest in an 18” barrel. I have not tested this myself.

 

[DEW0341]

My buddies 6.5cm 18” Sig Cross

MV: 2650
43.5gr of Stanball 6.5
143ELDX


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[Conrad]

R26 is your friend even in short barrels….

 

[DEW0341]

R26 is your friend even in short barrels….

The question is, where do you find R26?


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[Blaze2020]

Dropping down to the 130 grain bullets in a shorter creedmoor definitely helps if you’re not stuck on 140 and above