6.5 Creedmoor

[Buffalo1]

I bought a Bergara B-14 Ridge in a 6.5 Creedmoor. The barrel on this rifle is heavier barrel that traditional hunting barrel for the caliber. Barrel length was 22". I got a wild hair and decided I wanted a shorter barrel for weight purposes and ease of handling in deer woods and shooting houses. My absolute max range would be 400 yds.

After consulting with Begera and several noted gunsmiths in the area I made a decision to have the barrel shorten to 18". All parties assured me I would not lose any accuracy with this barrel length, only a slower bullet (approx 150 fps slower)

With the original barrel length, the gun would shoot lights out with a Hornady Precision Hunter 143 gr. EDL-X and Federal Non Typical 140 gr. SP ammo. After shortening the barrel, I went on adventure to find a new ammo diet. I tested the following ammo in the gun:

Hornady Outfitter 120 GMX
Winchester Deer Season XP 125
Barnes VOR-TX 127 LRX BT
Norma Premium 130 Scirocco II
Federal Premium Hybrid 135 Berger
Federal Fusion 140 Bonded SP
Federal Non Typical 140 SP
Hornady Black 140 BTHP
Hornady Precision Hunter 143 EDL-X

After many rounds of testing and cleaning and testing and cleaning again the most accurate load for my gun is the Norma Premium 130 Scirocco II.

This was an interesting and educational experiment. I took a lot of time to find the right ammo, but I finally found the right one for my gun. I am now anxiously awaiting to see what type of terminal damage the Scirocco II bullet will deliver. I have got the gun zeroed for 250 yds. which is about my average long shot range.

I have got a muzzle break on the gun so there is virtually no recoil. I do have to wear ear protection because with the short barrel it is loud. I handles well walking through the woods and is easy to move around in a shooting house.

 

[lwaters]

The advantage is you can buy factory ammo at any Gunshop or Big Box store. The 260 not so much. I have sold a couple hundred boxes of 6 .5 Creed this year but not one 260.

That's why I own the 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[samu]

Even in scandinavia the 6.5 scales are slowly tipping towards Creedmoor over Sex Edition. Factory loads are tiny bit faster, US brands have much better variety in CM while Norma and Lapua are giving big finger to 6,5mm users. Norma by refusing to publish their existing and tested 6.5 Eco strike and Lapua by sticking to unnecessarily heavy and slow Naturalis design that's based on old law for hunting large game in Finland and Sweden. Only thing where x55 still wins is availability of cheap Lapua Scenar factory ammo, 80€ vs 125€ per box of 50. And that's 6,5x55 vs. any other 6,5mm they load.