18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

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18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by RunRabbit » 12 Dec 2022, 1:19 pm

I'm looking around for options for a 6.5 creedmoor in a shorter barrel and lighter stock for my wife to use when hunting. I've got a 308 and she is ok with it but since I'm getting her a new rifle, I figured the 6.5cm has a bit less recoil with very little disadvantages except a bit less energy and a bit more expensive ammo.

Are there many options around for 18-20" in that caliber? Anyone have recommendations of what's around to compare?
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by bladeracer » 12 Dec 2022, 2:31 pm

RunRabbit wrote:I'm looking around for options for a 6.5 creedmoor in a shorter barrel and lighter stock for my wife to use when hunting. I've got a 308 and she is ok with it but since I'm getting her a new rifle, I figured the 6.5cm has a bit less recoil with very little disadvantages except a bit less energy and a bit more expensive ammo.

Are there many options around for 18-20" in that caliber? Anyone have recommendations of what's around to compare?


If you want something short perhaps just buy a rifle you like and shorten it to suit, I doubt it's expensive on a rifle without sights - in Qld I think you would have to have it done by an armourer? You, or your wife, may find the muzzle blast obnoxious from a short barrel that you mount a muzzle device and lose what you gained in shortening it to begin with. In Qld you can still have folding stocks can't you? That makes a 22" rifle very compact indeed for moving through bush but generally requires some sort of chassis rather than a conventional stock.

Recoil will come down to bullet mass and velocity, lighter bullets at lower velocities in the .308 would have similar recoil to the 6.5CM with the same bullet weights at the same velocities. Factory loads with 150gn bullets in .308 run around 2800fps usually, factory 6.5mm Creedmoor 147gn loads run round 2700fps so there's not much difference in recoil. With a lighter Creedmoor rifle it might actually have more perceived recoil than a heavier .308 rifle. Hornady do reduced loads, like 125gn .308's at 2675fps which would probably have less recoil than standard 6.5mm Creedmoor loads.

I'd have a look at the Ruger American and Howa 1500, but there are plenty of others. Determine which rifle you prefer then shorten the barrel to suit, don't go chasing a short barrel to end up with a rifle you might not enjoy shooting.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by in2anity » 12 Dec 2022, 2:37 pm

Don't dismiss the option of getting the chop. You may find a desirable factory package, that only requires a simple barrel reduction. A straightforward job for any gunsmith, or even hobbyist.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by RunRabbit » 12 Dec 2022, 4:45 pm

bladeracer wrote:
RunRabbit wrote:I'm looking around for options for a 6.5 creedmoor in a shorter barrel and lighter stock for my wife to use when hunting. I've got a 308 and she is ok with it but since I'm getting her a new rifle, I figured the 6.5cm has a bit less recoil with very little disadvantages except a bit less energy and a bit more expensive ammo.

Are there many options around for 18-20" in that caliber? Anyone have recommendations of what's around to compare?


If you want something short perhaps just buy a rifle you like and shorten it to suit, I doubt it's expensive on a rifle without sights - in Qld I think you would have to have it done by an armourer? You, or your wife, may find the muzzle blast obnoxious from a short barrel that you mount a muzzle device and lose what you gained in shortening it to begin with. In Qld you can still have folding stocks can't you? That makes a 22" rifle very compact indeed for moving through bush but generally requires some sort of chassis rather than a conventional stock.

Recoil will come down to bullet mass and velocity, lighter bullets at lower velocities in the .308 would have similar recoil to the 6.5CM with the same bullet weights at the same velocities. Factory loads with 150gn bullets in .308 run around 2800fps usually, factory 6.5mm Creedmoor 147gn loads run round 2700fps so there's not much difference in recoil. With a lighter Creedmoor rifle it might actually have more perceived recoil than a heavier .308 rifle. Hornady do reduced loads, like 125gn .308's at 2675fps which would probably have less recoil than standard 6.5mm Creedmoor loads.

I'd have a look at the Ruger American and Howa 1500, but there are plenty of others. Determine which rifle you prefer then shorten the barrel to suit, don't go chasing a short barrel to end up with a rifle you might not enjoy shooting.


There are a heap of options for .308s in shorter barrels that wouldn't require any cutting down. That might be a better option with lighter projectiles for reducing recoil.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by bladeracer » 12 Dec 2022, 6:21 pm

RunRabbit wrote:There are a heap of options for .308s in shorter barrels that wouldn't require any cutting down. That might be a better option with lighter projectiles for reducing recoil.


Definitely, but I would recommend trying to have a go with one first, the muzzle blast may not be to your liking.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by Blr243 » 12 Dec 2022, 7:18 pm

It may have already been mentionrd but if not im unsure of the optimum battel lentgh for the creed / regarding performance and powder consumption etc. i guess some cals are affected in a minor way and othets more drastically from chopped barrels
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by SCJ429 » 12 Dec 2022, 8:30 pm

Why not get her a rifle in 6.5 Grendel, very mild to shoot, super accurate. The shorter barrel will not knock it around too much and it is a capable hunting rig at reasonable ranges.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by deye243 » 12 Dec 2022, 9:09 pm

SCJ429 wrote:Why not get her a rifle in 6.5 Grendel, very mild to shoot, super accurate. The shorter barrel will not knock it around too much and it is a capable hunting rig at reasonable ranges.

Ammo availability?????
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by in2anity » 13 Dec 2022, 7:51 am

deye243 wrote:
SCJ429 wrote:Why not get her a rifle in 6.5 Grendel, very mild to shoot, super accurate. The shorter barrel will not knock it around too much and it is a capable hunting rig at reasonable ranges.

Ammo availability?????


Indeed. I was even thinking that about the 6.5cm - immensely in vogue. Meanwhile ye olde 762x51 keeps chugging along... was gonna say just shoot ADI 144gr f4 762 ball, but the humanity police will probably come and school me.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by SCJ429 » 13 Dec 2022, 5:53 pm

deye243 wrote:
SCJ429 wrote:Why not get her a rifle in 6.5 Grendel, very mild to shoot, super accurate. The shorter barrel will not knock it around too much and it is a capable hunting rig at reasonable ranges.

Ammo availability?????

What??????????? Are you telling me there are people out there who are incapable of reloading¿

This is why everyone should shoot 223 or 308. :unknown:
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by deye243 » 13 Dec 2022, 6:26 pm

SCJ429 wrote:
deye243 wrote:
SCJ429 wrote:Why not get her a rifle in 6.5 Grendel, very mild to shoot, super accurate. The shorter barrel will not knock it around too much and it is a capable hunting rig at reasonable ranges.

Ammo availability?????

What??????????? Are you telling me there are people out there who are incapable of reloading¿

This is why everyone should shoot 223 or 308. :unknown:

Most definitely is why I shoot on my own but seriously how many factory rifles are chambered for that cartridge and how much factory ammo can you get the OP never mentioned anything about handloading or reloading the way components are these days I suppose he can get Peterson brass I'm sure the lapua make this now at well north of 200 250 bucks 100 .
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by bladeracer » 13 Dec 2022, 7:53 pm

SCJ429 wrote:
deye243 wrote:
SCJ429 wrote:Why not get her a rifle in 6.5 Grendel, very mild to shoot, super accurate. The shorter barrel will not knock it around too much and it is a capable hunting rig at reasonable ranges.


Ammo availability?????

What??????????? Are you telling me there are people out there who are incapable of reloading¿

This is why everyone should shoot 223 or 308. :unknown:


It's hard to believe but there are still a lot of people that simply don't want to load their own, makes no sense to some of us but it is a supply of once-fired for those of us that don't like factory stuff :-)

How did you invert the question mark :-)
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by SCJ429 » 14 Dec 2022, 6:33 pm

Yes, I forget that people buy loaded ammo and not for a rimfire. It is like people who cannot operate a clutch in their car.

Nothing gets past you Blade, you can just hold down the ? Button until it inverts. ¿
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by SCJ429 » 14 Dec 2022, 6:46 pm

deye243 wrote:
SCJ429 wrote:
deye243 wrote:
SCJ429 wrote:Why not get her a rifle in 6.5 Grendel, very mild to shoot, super accurate. The shorter barrel will not knock it around too much and it is a capable hunting rig at reasonable ranges.

Ammo availability?????

What??????????? Are you telling me there are people out there who are incapable of reloading¿

This is why everyone should shoot 223 or 308. :unknown:

Most definitely is why I shoot on my own but seriously how many factory rifles are chambered for that cartridge and how much factory ammo can you get the OP never mentioned anything about handloading or reloading the way components are these days I suppose he can get Peterson brass I'm sure the lapua make this now at well north of 200 250 bucks 100 .

Both CZ and Howa make rifles chambered in the Grendel. But you can always rebarrel a action if you really want it. Why would limited availability of both rifle or ammo stop you, you can always plan ahead and order stuff. Most rifles I have don't use readily available components but it has never stopped me shooting them regularly.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by in2anity » 14 Dec 2022, 8:40 pm

SCJ429 wrote:Yes, I forget that people buy loaded ammo and not for a rimfire. It is like people who cannot operate a clutch in their car. ¿


You are revealing your hand as a bench bandit there. There are a couple of top level TR shooters in our club who have been weekly TR shooting for 50+ years, and they still choose to run (match grade) factory ammo. Just like 22lr, they find what works and buy in bulk. And they focus on everything else besides the “making ammo” factor (that F-class guys get very hung up on). This mentality stems from bygone era when shooters all just ran milsurp ammo. Even today, when you shoot Bisley you must use the ammo provided on site, to keep the field level. Heck even your chamber has to be Bisley spec - else the armorer sticks a reamer in it. That’s very pure target shooting in my eyes, far from a gear race, and is territory occupied by the world’s best.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by SCJ429 » 15 Dec 2022, 7:26 am

I have rifles chambered in 6 & 7mm BR Norma which are hunting rigs. These are very effective hunting calibres used in the correct application. Would I recommend them to the OP for his wife to use, yes absolutely. Is the 6.5 Grendel an alternative for the OP to consider over the Creedmoor? Does the OP need to buy another 308? Yes he could but how boring would that be?
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by in2anity » 15 Dec 2022, 2:32 pm

SCJ429 wrote:I have rifles chambered in 6 & 7mm BR Norma which are hunting rigs. These are very effective hunting calibres used in the correct application

What's your definition of "correct application" here then? 300m and just ignore the wind completely?
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by SCJ429 » 15 Dec 2022, 5:17 pm

in2anity wrote:
SCJ429 wrote:I have rifles chambered in 6 & 7mm BR Norma which are hunting rigs. These are very effective hunting calibres used in the correct application

What's your definition of "correct application" here then? 300m and just ignore the wind completely?

You might be surprised that with lighter 110 to 120 grain bullets the 7mm BR has 90% of the performance of your 308. So the answer is whatever you would try to do with a 308 using that weight of bullet.
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Re: 18" - 20" 6.5 creedmoor Options

Post by in2anity » 15 Dec 2022, 6:05 pm

SCJ429 wrote:You might be surprised that with lighter 110 to 120 grain bullets the 7mm BR has 90% of the performance of your 308. So the answer is whatever you would try to do with a 308 using that weight of bullet.

Maybe on paper. But I regularly see amazing shooting from 120gr 308 pills out to 300m, on the service range... easy V bull (~3moa) groups from a service sling, front blade sight. They zip in fast and flat. It's the fullbore side out to 900m where such crappy light pills won't hold the 2moa 5 ring, under fishy winds. Let alone the 1moa bulleye entry level for F.
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