Real world data for an 18" bolt action 6.5 Creedmoor?

[Darryle]

Has anyone built an 18" 6.5 Creedmoor bolt action?

Where was your real world minimum terminal velocity yardage for your chosen bullet?

Yardage for minimum expansion velocity for that bullet?

Real world muzzle velocity?

What were the build specifics, action, barrel, barrel contour, stock, optic choice, final build weight?

Trying to decide if it's a worthwhile build when I have a 7lb 24" carbon barrel 6.5 Creedmoor now.

Thanks Darryle

 

[gtriple]

My 16" has a muzzle velocity of 2510fps shooting the 127gr Barnes LRX. It's a blast to shoot and easy to carry. 1800fps at 425 and around 1600fps around 560. Thats plenty of range for deer. 2000fps around 300yards is probably where I'd stop for elk, depending on wind and visibility. With the scope I've got on it, it's not setup as a long range shooter anyways. It's meant as a backup gun for my fiancée to carry. I carry the heavier main shooter and she carries the 6lb backup.

 

[ElPollo]

I have a 16.5” Tikka that gets 2450-2500 with 140 gr factory Hornady eldm. My handloads are easily getting around 2650 with 130 gr TMK and H4350. Short barrels with suppressors are awesome. With my suppressor my rifle is the same OAL as the factory 24.3” barrel, and it weighs 7.2# scoped with the can.

 

[grappling_hook]

A few relevant experiences shared here: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/loading-for-6-5-creedmoor-with-18-barrel.287988/

 

[Gtscotty]

I have an 18" Sig Cross that I mostly shoot Staball 6.5 and RL16 in, here are some of my Chrono notes from the range. The 6.5 holds up pretty well with shorter barrels (actually the .30-06 does too, the one I was chronoing the same day has an 18.5" barrel.

 

[Gtscotty]

Realizing that my range handwriting is somewhat illegible, the numbers on the first, green paper are for the 130gr Sierra TGK, and the 143gr ELDx. The second, white paper has 130gr TGKs and 140gr Gold Dots. I was also looking at the velocity difference between Starline and Peterson brass, so there's some variance there.

 

[Darryle]

A few relevant experiences shared here: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/loading-for-6-5-creedmoor-with-18-barrel.287988/

I tried to search and my results were clouded with 18" 308, but I knew that in the 260/6.5 thread and the Tikka threads there was information, I just couldn't find what I was looking for.

Thank you for the link!

 

[HGL]

I've got an 18" 6.5 CM and my load info is below. All with lapua srp brass and CCI 450s.

120 BT with RL-17 @ 2915
130 AB with RL-17 @ 2790
139 Scenar with H4350 @ 2675

I actually worked up a load with a 140 BT and RL-26 that accurately ran at 2755, but I don't have much of that powder and I use it in my .280 Ackley, so I don't shoot that load much at all. It was a highly compressed load and required a drop tube, but it worked.

 

[Fox625]

My wife uses an Sig Cross in 6.5 Creed with the 18” factory barrel. Using Factory loaded Nosler ABLR (142gr) we average 2450 fps At 3,500 ft and 67 degrees.
Not all the info you were looking for, but another data point none the less.

 

[Rieckman]

Where was your real world minimum terminal velocity yardage for your chosen bullet? 1780ish, on an antelope at 650. 143 Eld-x. Have a half a dozen shots between 380-460. I'll be honest I didn't do a lot of investigation on bullet performance, either I watched the animal die, or I found it from a blood trail within minutes.

Minimum expansion yardage for that bullet? Hard to say as I punched through a shoulder at roughly 65 yards.

Real world muzzle velocity? 2620 at the muzzle

What were the build specifics, action, barrel, barrel contour, stock, optic choice, final build weight? Stock 18" sig cross, NX8 2.5-20, Harvestor 300 suppressor, bipod, and loaded mag I'm under 10 lbs.

 

[Keith Stone]

Tikka factory barrel 18” with R30 can
MV 2620
140 ELDM
1800fps at 650 yards