salt and battery
Moderator
Jmr40 I have not seen such a high bc for a 6.5 140 grain yet. but I shoot the magnificent hornady A Max 7MM 162 grain with a bc .625 out of a 26" barreled 280 Rem at 2950-3000 fps. that is flat shooting
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What caliber for me? Target rifle..
- Thread starter baddarryl
- Start date
Hornady 143 ELDX is around .660 BC, the 140 ELD is .620. The Sierra 142 MK is .620 and Nosler LRAB 142 has a .700 BC. You may not see these often on your local reloading supply store but if you can't find on the web bullets in the 140 grain range with a .600+ BC you aren't looking.
Don't get me wrong, it's not that I dislike the 6.5mm caliber, just that there is only one thing the Creedmore does that a 260 Rem doesn't.
That is seat a long, match grade bullet out so as not to impede on the powder charge and fit in an AR magazine.
That was the whole purpose of the Creedmore being developed in the first place.
I myself do intend on building a 6.5mm rifle. Just that I'm choosing the 6.5mm Rem Mag and at least a 26" barrel.
That is seat a long, match grade bullet out so as not to impede on the powder charge and fit in an AR magazine.
That was the whole purpose of the Creedmore being developed in the first place.
I myself do intend on building a 6.5mm rifle. Just that I'm choosing the 6.5mm Rem Mag and at least a 26" barrel.
The 6.5 CM was designed for target use with what is the current state of the art as far as what best gets you that.
While there is nothing wrong with a 260 Rem, its a hunting cartridge
To me magnums are vastly overrated with a lot of powered burn for not much gain. They also are not target oriented.
Add in the burning up of a barrel in much lower round counts.
The 6.5 CM also deals with that.
The 6.5 CM was designed for a short action and still get you all the benefits.
6.5 Lapua the same.
300 WM will get you out further with energy, but you pay the price and no one shoots competition at 1000 with it. For that its really a snipers rifle.
Reality is if you shoot at 1500 yds and hit something on the first shot, you were just plain lucky. Either you lucked out and doped it (granted the skill to do it) or there was no wind and you got that right.
To this day, not just one but the two shots at 400- 600 yds in the Peninsular War by a Baker rifle man were stunning beyond belief. One yes, two, no way, he was on a roll. Should have gone gambling instead. Once in 500 years.
Ok, rant over.
While there is nothing wrong with a 260 Rem, its a hunting cartridge
To me magnums are vastly overrated with a lot of powered burn for not much gain. They also are not target oriented.
Add in the burning up of a barrel in much lower round counts.
The 6.5 CM also deals with that.
The 6.5 CM was designed for a short action and still get you all the benefits.
6.5 Lapua the same.
300 WM will get you out further with energy, but you pay the price and no one shoots competition at 1000 with it. For that its really a snipers rifle.
Reality is if you shoot at 1500 yds and hit something on the first shot, you were just plain lucky. Either you lucked out and doped it (granted the skill to do it) or there was no wind and you got that right.
To this day, not just one but the two shots at 400- 600 yds in the Peninsular War by a Baker rifle man were stunning beyond belief. One yes, two, no way, he was on a roll. Should have gone gambling instead. Once in 500 years.
Ok, rant over.
I would get a savage in either .308 or 7mm-08. I shoot a savage in 30-06. Used to kick like a mule til I added a muzzle break and weight to the stock. Definitely not a rifle you want to be toting around the woods but great for the range.
Also, what ever you buy make sure it's a heavy barrel. Check out www.savageshooters.com
Also, what ever you buy make sure it's a heavy barrel. Check out www.savageshooters.com
To the OP, sorry I do not have the time to go through every posts and comment on them, but there is some good and some bad in every thread.
I own a 6.5CM, a .260, sold the 7mms and rarely shoot the .30s. I own 5 .243Wins and for purely target shooting, will take those every day over the 6.5s. The 6.5s get grabbed when I need a little more energy on target.
At the American Marksman finals, I gave the three finalists RPRs in .243Win with Burris XTRII 3-15s on top. They were 3 to 4 inches off bullseye at 200 yards and I gave them 30 minutes to set up and shoot 10 rounds to get their dope before they started competing. None of them had shot precision nor mil optics. Armed with a dope chart and a little help from a coach, these three shoot all 10s and Xs at 200, 300 and 600 yards until we had a winner. The ammo was Hornady 87 SSTs at 2710 fps (about 500 fps below normal speed). Wind was variable from 3-9 mph. Those three rifles chrono'd within 5 fps of each other and my personal RPR in .243Win. They all shot the same groups too. Low recoil is a benefit to shooting targets!
.243Win is soft shooting, widely available, cheaper than the "sexy 6.5CM or 6CM" and every bit as accurate, if not more so. Twist rate to bullet weight is a key element in precision shooting. Anyone who says a .260Rem is purely a hunting cartridge does not understand what they are talking about. Those 6.5mm bullets care about twist rate more than a few degrees different shoulder angle. I prefer the .260 over the 6.5CM in bolt guns and the 6.5CM over the .260 Rem in gas guns. There are reasons, but irrelevant to your question.
I would certainly suggest a good .22 trainer if that is possible. But for a centerfire to shoot targets from 100 to 1200, the .243Win has some great appeal and several decent rifles in that chambering. When you go to 6.5, you have a little more cost, a little more recoil and, depending on load, have to be a little more precise on the wind calls.
I own a 6.5CM, a .260, sold the 7mms and rarely shoot the .30s. I own 5 .243Wins and for purely target shooting, will take those every day over the 6.5s. The 6.5s get grabbed when I need a little more energy on target.
At the American Marksman finals, I gave the three finalists RPRs in .243Win with Burris XTRII 3-15s on top. They were 3 to 4 inches off bullseye at 200 yards and I gave them 30 minutes to set up and shoot 10 rounds to get their dope before they started competing. None of them had shot precision nor mil optics. Armed with a dope chart and a little help from a coach, these three shoot all 10s and Xs at 200, 300 and 600 yards until we had a winner. The ammo was Hornady 87 SSTs at 2710 fps (about 500 fps below normal speed). Wind was variable from 3-9 mph. Those three rifles chrono'd within 5 fps of each other and my personal RPR in .243Win. They all shot the same groups too. Low recoil is a benefit to shooting targets!
.243Win is soft shooting, widely available, cheaper than the "sexy 6.5CM or 6CM" and every bit as accurate, if not more so. Twist rate to bullet weight is a key element in precision shooting. Anyone who says a .260Rem is purely a hunting cartridge does not understand what they are talking about. Those 6.5mm bullets care about twist rate more than a few degrees different shoulder angle. I prefer the .260 over the 6.5CM in bolt guns and the 6.5CM over the .260 Rem in gas guns. There are reasons, but irrelevant to your question.
I would certainly suggest a good .22 trainer if that is possible. But for a centerfire to shoot targets from 100 to 1200, the .243Win has some great appeal and several decent rifles in that chambering. When you go to 6.5, you have a little more cost, a little more recoil and, depending on load, have to be a little more precise on the wind calls.
MarkCO: Very Good post overall but I do think you owe it to the community to read the previous posts before responding. If you don't have time limit yourself to fewer posts to respond to.
I don't know about any one else but I find that comment I don't have time most annoying.
That said: The 260 was designed as a hunting cartridge. I am not saying its not a highly capable target cartridge (308 is as is 30-06). It is one I am interested in (I have about 5 of those lined up!)
The 6 and 6.5 were designed as target cartridges with the maximum accuracy and low barrel impact of modern design.
How much that gets you is maybe debatable, certainly nothing for someone starting out. But you also have to consider where it ends up.
I do have a report on how easy the 6.5 shoots so that is a plus and we are dealing with an individual l who is very recoil sensitive .
243: Another one I am interesting in and may try some day. On the fence as a 6.5 CM or Lapua has a lot of appeal. 243 does use up barrels faster than the others.
The issue is as you get into this is how much can you afford?
That's one reason a Savage is such a great setup for anyone up through medium advanced. Its got it all to get you to a pretty high level and that allows you to figure out if you are the next German Salazar or one of the rest of us.
Inside of two years shooting a lot you are gong to use up a barrel. Either you can change your barrels or a gun smith can do it for very low cost (you have to invest about $150 in tools if you do it, but if you do 2 or 3 that's under gun smith cost for one) Savage allows that.
6.5 is going to last longer than the 243.
Could the OP see that? Probably not for some years. Maybe sooner if he goes into it heavy.
At best a 308 is going to last 8000 rounds. Probably less for tack driver bench rest accuracy. Call it 5.
Shoot the same gun 100 rounds a week (which I think is minimum to get good) and in 52 weeks? That puts it in perspective.
In looking this over my best bet would have been to get a Savage Target in 308 or 6.5. On the other hand I have had a lot of fun putting my own together and I have the stock type I prefer in them.
Cost me about half of the target types.
So there is a balance. I have 3 of them so I am not replacing a barrel each year and one is a switch barrel test gun (thats the one that will get the fun barrels when I get them)
Off the shelf you can get 6 or 6.5 targets, no one makes a 243 targets.
My personal view is you start with equipment you KNOW is far better than you are so you have a way to gauges how well you are doing.
Once you hit 3s consistently you may want to switch gears but not a lot can do that. Savage in the 6.5 is going to take you down that road for a good 5 years and maytbe forever.
I don't know about any one else but I find that comment I don't have time most annoying.
That said: The 260 was designed as a hunting cartridge. I am not saying its not a highly capable target cartridge (308 is as is 30-06). It is one I am interested in (I have about 5 of those lined up!)
The 6 and 6.5 were designed as target cartridges with the maximum accuracy and low barrel impact of modern design.
How much that gets you is maybe debatable, certainly nothing for someone starting out. But you also have to consider where it ends up.
I do have a report on how easy the 6.5 shoots so that is a plus and we are dealing with an individual l who is very recoil sensitive .
243: Another one I am interesting in and may try some day. On the fence as a 6.5 CM or Lapua has a lot of appeal. 243 does use up barrels faster than the others.
The issue is as you get into this is how much can you afford?
That's one reason a Savage is such a great setup for anyone up through medium advanced. Its got it all to get you to a pretty high level and that allows you to figure out if you are the next German Salazar or one of the rest of us.
Inside of two years shooting a lot you are gong to use up a barrel. Either you can change your barrels or a gun smith can do it for very low cost (you have to invest about $150 in tools if you do it, but if you do 2 or 3 that's under gun smith cost for one) Savage allows that.
6.5 is going to last longer than the 243.
Could the OP see that? Probably not for some years. Maybe sooner if he goes into it heavy.
At best a 308 is going to last 8000 rounds. Probably less for tack driver bench rest accuracy. Call it 5.
Shoot the same gun 100 rounds a week (which I think is minimum to get good) and in 52 weeks? That puts it in perspective.
In looking this over my best bet would have been to get a Savage Target in 308 or 6.5. On the other hand I have had a lot of fun putting my own together and I have the stock type I prefer in them.
Cost me about half of the target types.
So there is a balance. I have 3 of them so I am not replacing a barrel each year and one is a switch barrel test gun (thats the one that will get the fun barrels when I get them)
Off the shelf you can get 6 or 6.5 targets, no one makes a 243 targets.
My personal view is you start with equipment you KNOW is far better than you are so you have a way to gauges how well you are doing.
Once you hit 3s consistently you may want to switch gears but not a lot can do that. Savage in the 6.5 is going to take you down that road for a good 5 years and maytbe forever.
Geo_Erudite
New member
They will be offering the Ruger Precision (as well as the American Predator) in 6 mm Creedmoor for 2017. The barrel has a 1:7.7 twist rate.
the jigger
New member
Longrange??
Before you make your final decision take a look at the Savage 10 FCP-SR. Currently it only comes in 308. I traded for one a month ago. I haven't shot it past 400yds but it shows some real potential for more. I know, the 308 has fallen in favor of the 6.5's but the 308 still has potential. Just see if you can find one to fondle before you make your final decision. By the way, I have a dedicated longrange rifle so I probably won't use the 308 past 600yds.
Before you make your final decision take a look at the Savage 10 FCP-SR. Currently it only comes in 308. I traded for one a month ago. I haven't shot it past 400yds but it shows some real potential for more. I know, the 308 has fallen in favor of the 6.5's but the 308 still has potential. Just see if you can find one to fondle before you make your final decision. By the way, I have a dedicated longrange rifle so I probably won't use the 308 past 600yds.