Sanity check first rifle config (elk, lightweight)

[sdirks3]

If that’s what YOU want then get it. Muzzle brake it until your suppressor shows up. Absolutely nothing wrong with the weight/caliber. I have an 8 pound 30 nosler being put together.

Hahaha, that's the attitude I like! (Even if my wallet doesn't)

I think the ultralight is the move, but I definitely see the wisdom in dropping the caliber and putting some serious rounds through the barrel. Might also be easier as a newb reloader to have the more established creedmoor cartridge

 

[deerhunter628]

I have 4 Christensen Arms rifles and they all shoot great. I have one in 6.5 creedmoor and i was thinking i needed a PRC instead. A lot of the people on here think the creedmoor is too small for anything. My 6.5 creedmoor will get me to 850 yards and still be above 1900 fps at 975 feet altitude. After looking at the numbers i dont need the additional fps the PRC would give me.

 

[Taudisio]

I have 4 Christensen Arms rifles and they all shoot great. I have one in 6.5 creedmoor and i was thinking i needed a PRC instead. A lot of the people on here think the creedmoor is too small for anything. My 6.5 creedmoor will get me to 850 yards and still be above 1900 fps at 975 feet altitude. After looking at the numbers i dont need the additional fps the PRC would give me.

See! And based on my experiences, I am in the complete opposite boat than him. Nothing wrong with his choices and nothing wrong with his experiences. We could debate back and forth about it until we are dead.

 

[deerhunter628]

See! And based on my experiences, I am in the complete opposite boat than him. Nothing wrong with his choices and nothing wrong with his experiences. We could debate back and forth about it until we are dead.

The fact that we have different experiences is not a debate. I dont debate the fact you were not happy with your experience and you can not debate that I have been happy with mine. I am just sharing my experience with the OP.

 

[BAKPAKR]

6.5 prc is fine, just dont shoot the eldx bullets out of it. I have shot 3 elk with those bullets now and all left zero blood trail and even with double lung shots the elk didnt go down for 100 +/- yards.

My daughter shot two elk last year with a borrowed 6.5 PRC and 147 gr ELD-M factory ammo. I can’t say that there was much of a blood trail for either. They both did drop in their tracks though.

 

[Taudisio]

The fact that we have different experiences is not a debate. I dont debate the fact you were not happy with your experience and you can not debate that I have been happy with mine. I am just sharing my experience with the OP.

I was thinking more about debating caliber choices as they have been debated around camps since well before I was born. But I concur!

 

[sdirks3]

I hate heavy rifles. Only you can determine what “heavy” is. A muzzle brake or a suppressor will knock down the recoil numbers. 8 pounds is a good, balanced hunting weight (not featherweight) to me. You could get a million different combinations which is a fun thing.

I'm a bit tempted to give the UL scope a try (at that price why not?) Which could bring me to sub 7 lbs

 

[deerhunter628]

I was thinking more about debating caliber choices as they have been debated around camps since well before I was born. But I concur!

Oh. Gotcha. I read the cartridge debate but i dont feel im educated enough about the subject to participate.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

What do you want it to be? Family only?

I’ve seen 3 of these rifles have problems which honestly is better then 50% of the guns I’ve been around.

1) 6.5 PRC with chamber and pressure problems. They made it right.

2) 26 Nosler that would not shoot. CA wouldn’t cover, said because they used reloaded ammo (early in CA production) they rebarreled on their own.

3) 6.5 Creedmoor with some serious stress, walked right off the paper with increased charge weight. They made it right.


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First hand experience by people who actually own them?

 

[Taudisio]

First hand experience by people who actually own them?

I had 2 major issues with mine. Smith said he wouldn’t waste his time or money on it. Sold it and won’t own another CA. Like I said earlier, their customer service was very nice and easy to work with. The end product was the issue.

 

[deerhunter628]

I cant find anywhere that the Savage has an accuracy guarantee. If they do not have an accuracy guarantee i would be leery.

 

[sdirks3]

I cant find anywhere that the Savage has an accuracy guarantee. If they do not have an accuracy guarantee i would be leery.

Dang man! Just looked it up and you've got a point

Savage - no accuracy guarantee, 1 year warranty

CA - sub moa guarantee, lifetime warranty

That's a big difference. And I know in an ideal world I wouldn't need either, but it says a lot about the company's confidence in their products imo

 

[deerhunter628]

Dang man! Just looked it up and you've got a point

Savage - no accuracy guarantee, 1 year warranty

CA - sub moa guarantee, lifetime warranty

That's a big difference. And I know in an ideal world I wouldn't need either, but it says a lot about the company's confidence in their products imo

I think they all make good ones and bad ones so i want the guarantee and the warranty. They all cost too much money to gamble with. Whichever rifle you buy make sure you follow their processes and requirements. With Christensen Arms for example make sure to follow their break in procedure and only use factory ammo until you know there are no issues.

 

[Loper]

I wouldn’t let the lack of an accuracy guarantee sway you away from a Savage. Savage has been around a long time, and while some may say they don’t look good, or they have flimsy stocks, or they have rough actions, very very few people speak poorly about their accuracy

 

[sdirks3]

I think they all make good ones and bad ones so i want the guarantee and the warranty. They all cost too much money to gamble with. Whichever rifle you buy make sure you follow their processes and requirements. With Christensen Arms for example make sure to follow their break in procedure and only use factory ammo until you know there are no issues.

Good advice on factory ammo to start. That's part of what pushed me off the 280 AI, didn't want my first shots to also be my first hand loads and AI ammo is almost as rare as lefty guns!

 

[sdirks3]

I wouldn’t let the lack of an accuracy guarantee sway you away from a Savage. Savage has been around a long time, and while some may same they don’t look good, or they have flimsy stocks, or they have rough actions, very very few people speak poorly about their accuracy

Yeah, the accuracy guarantee is less worrying to me that the extremely short warranty. Could definitely see a flaw in the carbon fiber stock not showing itself immediately for instance

 

[deerhunter628]

Good advice on factory ammo to start. That's part of what pushed me off the 280 AI, didn't want my first shots to also be my first hand loads and AI ammo is almost as rare as lefty guns!

That probably depends on the cartridge you choose. For 6.5 cm i would say Hornady Precision Hunter, Hornady Match, Norma Bondstrike. You would just need to try a few in the rifle you decide on to see what it likes.

 

[deerhunter628]

I wouldn’t let the lack of an accuracy guarantee sway you away from a Savage. Savage has been around a long time, and while some may same they don’t look good, or they have flimsy stocks, or they have rough actions, very very few people speak poorly about their accuracy

I would be the most concerned about the accuracy guarantee. Accuracy is obviously the most important thing. It would suck to spend good money on a rifle that isnt accurate and not have any standing. At that point it would be of little comfort that other people dont have a problem.

 

[deerhunter628]

This would be a good place to start with ammo for Christensen Arms rifles. This list is recommended ammo from Christensen Arms

 

[deerhunter628]

Here is another list provided by Christensen Arms. This one has 6.5cm on it