Looking for input on less than 20" barrel on 6.5?

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Bayourambler

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I was looking for some input on short barreled 6.5 cm ect. I'm purchasing a suppressor from a friend and while my paperwork is being processed I want to start gathering components for a short 6.5 cm build. I have a savage short action and was going to order a short threaded shilen barrel. I would like to go as short as I could because the can is 9" long. I see some rifles with 16.5" barrels. Anyone here have experience with barrels this short? In my experience 20" barrels give up nothing on accuracy. I never shot anything but .22 with 16" barrel(and it's the most accurate. 22 I have). Im just wondering how much velocity I'd loose from a 20" to a 16.5"? I do reload and the rifle is to be used to shoot steel up ton1,000 yds.
 
@xphunter would have some info for short barreled 6.5 creed performance. Shorter than 16.5”.

Having owned specialty pistols myself in cartridges relatively similar to 6.5 creed such as 260, 243, 6BR, and 7-08, I would say you won’t struggle too much running a 6.5 creed in a 16.5” barrel out to 1,000 yards. No short barreled 6.5 creeds yet for me.
 
According to these guys you can still get 2500 fps from a 16" barrel vs 2650 from a 22" barrel with 142 gr Sierra Matchkings. According to my calculations that still gives you almost 1300 fps at 1000 yards.

https://rifleshooter.com/2016/02/6-...el-length-on-velocity-cutting-up-a-creedmoor/
Just the info I was looking for. I'm gonna go short on this rifle guys, with the can on the end, and 6.5 cm just in case my son doesn't take up reloading he can enjoy it for years. Thanks.
 
I was wanting a 18" barrel in 6.5 creedmoor when I built one on an AR10 receiver but the tech's at JP Enterprise convinced me to go with a 22", kind of the same deal with Benchmark when I rebarreled my SiG SSG-3000.

I have great respect for both companies ... both companies, their most convincing line was something to the effect of;
"If you want a big bullet in a short barrel, you'll get a big fireball because the barrel is too short to make use of all the powder ... but we'll do whatever you want, its your money."
 
Well I finally gathered all my parts for my short 6.5 creedmoor and put it all together! The action is a bighorn origin with a trigger tech 700 primary. It sits in a KRG Bravo stock. I settled on a 17" Shilen chrome moly barrel in varmint contour. I can never leave things be so I sponge camoflouged the stock and cerakoted the action. I'm happy with the way it looks for my 2nd build.
 

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100yds. Scope is Vortex viper 6-24. Seekins rings. I'm about to work up a load with Imr 4350 pushing 140 grain Hornady Eldm's. Ill post how it works out. I would think if I could get 2615 fps out of the 140 factory Federal round, I should be able to get close to 2600 on hand loads. We will see.
 
When I put together mr first 6.5CM, I bought a box of Hornady 130 performance something And loaded some 125 with some old Data 2230 I’d used for a 125g 308. Starting by adding the min and max load and divided by 2

After a fouling shot, the Hornady 5 shot group was almost 1.5 cleaned the barrel and shot my load and shot the fouling shot +5 and including the foul were .7” without the foul just under .5

At first I Thought the barrel was just settling in but I shot 2 more 5 round group of the Hornady and still ~1.5”

Not sure if it was a bad box of Hornady or the barrel just liked the 125’s better but it was the last & only box of 6.5 CM I ever bought.
 
Found a lil flat spot in velocity at 40.7 grains of imr 4350. Loaded 5 quick and went see what it would do. 140 Eldm's set .010" off the lands. I got average of 2618 fps ES of 22 and 9.22 on SD. Accuracy leaves much to want though. I didnt feel good about the one that hit off to the left. I like these velocities out this lil 17" barrel. I'll have to do some tweaking for sure!
 

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Yes 4 went into .75" then I have that 1 off 1.25"to the right. Could be me. I haven't been shooting much lately. I need some work. But I wanted to see how hard I could push and get some good #'s on chrono. I'll take a sd of 9. Your right I need to mess with seating depth. I could tell the federal factories wanted to shoot good the other day they also averaged 2615 fps. So I may be close on powder charge I need to explore seating depth. I measured the factory's they are .040" off lands. I'm very impressed to see 2618 fps out little 17" barrel!
 
I’d like to follow your progress on this project if you don’t mind posting updates.
I’m heavily invested into long range target rifles ( old fart stuff) so I don’t get to see these much.
very cool...
J
 
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