Is factory 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition good enough to win a PRS or NRL competition? The answer is a resounding “YES” if we’re talking about Berger ammunition. Produced with Berger match bullets and premium Lapua brass, this Berger 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition demonstrated excellent accuracy, impressive velocity, and very good ES/SD numbers. When tested at 1000 yards with an MPA-stocked PRS rig with Rem 700 action, this ammo showed just half-MOA of vertical, and produced a group that would have been a 50-1X in F-Class competition. That’s quite impressive for a PRS rig.
This ammo test was performed by our friend Erik Cortina from Texas. The reigning SW Nationals F-Open champion, Erik is a top F-Class competitor who also shoots tactical matches (for fun and glory). A couple seasons back, Erik built a new 6.5 Creedmoor with a Remington 700 action. Though this rifle sports a top-shelf MPA chassis and premium Kahles scope, Erik calls this his “budget build” because it has a plain Rem 700 factory action rather than the elite Borden actions he normally runs. Erik’s actions of choice are the Borden Mountaineer for PRS and Borden BRM-XD for F-Class.
Erik posted: “Shot my budget 6.5 Creedmoor … with Berger Bullets factory ammo. I shot five rounds over the chrono to get speed. I used BC info from the box and it all lined up properly. I adjusted my ECTuner to tune load and it took just 15 shots to get it shooting well. It’s simple with good components.”
This Berger factory ammo features Berger 130gr Hybrid OTM Tactical bullets. The Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor cases have a large rifle primer. You can see this ammo displays good velocity with Extreme Spread and Standard Deviation rivaling good hand-loads.
Cortina says the very accurate Brux barrel and razor-sharp 6-24x56mm Kahles scope help achieve this kind of outstanding performance at 1000 yards. Here are the key components for Erik’s latest PRS rig:
Barrel Tuner by Erik Cortina — Fits Behind Muzzle Brake
This rifle features a barrel tuner designed and crafted by Erik Cortina. You can the EC Barrel Tuner alone, or, as you can see, the EC Tuner can be fitted BEHIND a muzzle brake. Erik tells us: “The EC Tuner allowed me to tune the barrel to my ammo rather than tuning the ammo for barrel as is done when reloading. With the tuner, there is no need to try different brands of ammo as they can all be tuned to shoot as good as possible in my rifle.”
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Erik Cortina is one of the world’s top F-Class shooters. Erik won the 2023 Southwest Nationals in F-Open Division, and he was a member of Team USA which won the F-Open World Championship in South Africa. And Erik also won the individual F-Open title at the South African National Championship which preceded the 2023 F-Class Worlds. Erik also has competed successfully in Long-Range and Precision Rifle matches. Along with his shooting skills, Erik is a respected video host. His Erik Cortina Video Channel now boasts nearly 500 videos, covering a wide range of shooting disciplines, along with reloading, load tuning, and other gun tech topics.
This Saturday we are featuring nine of Erik’s informative videos. These cover reloading techniques, marksmanship tips, and more. We start with two vertical-format “shorts”, both worth watching. In the first video you can see Erik nail five straight targets at 500 yards, with the last one a tiny square.
Two “Shorts” — Precision Steel and Advanced Reloading
500-Yard “Know Your Limits”
Cortina with 6mmBR Nails ‘Em All
Loading Cartridge with
SuperTrickler and AMP Press
Barrel Break-in — Don’t Waste Barrel Life
A factory barrel can benefit from a break-in regimen. Some custom barrels shoot great from the get-go and don’t require elaborate break-in rituals. In this popular video, Erik explains how he determines the appropriate break-in procedure for his barrels: “Deciding if you need to break-in a barrel is not as easy as many think. In this video, I discuss the thought process I go through in deciding if I need to break in a barrel or not.”
Smallest 1000-yard Group Ever Caught on Camera
This 1000-yard group was NOT shot in a match, so it is not a record. But Erik shot a truly spectacular group during practice. This shows what modern F-class rifles can do with ideal conditions. Erik drilled five shots in 1.3″ inches, with 4 shots in under 1/2″ (see 1:15 – 2:20 time). And the first 3 shots landed right on top of each other (about 1/4″). Erik notes: “While shooting, I decided to set up my camera and record the screen on my phone so I could see the shots on my Electronic Target. To my surprise, the shots kept stacking up on top of each other. I had a 3-shot group under 1/4 inch! Most shooters would be happy with that at 100 yards, but this is at 1,000 yards!”
Common Sense Reloading
All novice reloaders should watch this video. Erik explains the three key items when reloading for accurate rifles. Erik explains: “We as humans have a tendency to complicate things, and reloading is no different. For some reason, we think that the more complicated it is, the better the end product will be. It doesn’t have to be that way, today I explain the three different things that must be in check to ensure you have a consistent and efficient load. Once you get these three things corrected, you’ll always have a good load.”
Team USA F-Open World Champions
The 2023 F-Class World Championships were recently held in South Africa. There were talented teams from many countries. With a strong, come-from-behind performance on the last day of the team match, The U.S.A. F-Open Team topped South Africa to win the F-Open Team Championship with a 3540-366V score (South Africa finished with 3535-374V — a “V” is like an “X” in the USA). Congratulations to the 2023 USA F-Open team, the new World Champions! Erik Cortina was a member of Team USA.
Stop Neck-Sizing Brass
With over 400,000 views, this is one of Erik’s most popular videos. Erik explains why it is NOT smart to neck-size only. For almost all rifle applications, you’ll get better case life and more consistent loads if you full-length size your cases. Full-length sizing also provides vital shoulder bumping, which is essential for proper case-feeding and smooth bolt closure. Proper full-length sizing will also help optimize ES and SD.
Precision Reloading Class at PRS Expo 2022
This 8-minute video records a seminar Erik conducted at the 2022 PRS Expo. In this segment, Erik explains the key elements of accuracy. He advises that the bullets are the most expensive element of each cartridge, and are critical to accuracy, so competitors should always buy the best — never attempt to cut costs on projectiles. CLICK HERE for PART TWO of Erik’s presentatiion.
About Erik Cortina Precision Products Cortina Precision makes some of the best barrel tuners on the market. The EC Tuner was developed over a decade ago and has many championships under its belt. The EC Tuner was recently revamped and released as the EC Tuner V2. The V2 model employs a spring to maintain load on the tuner at all times and eliminate backlash. That helps with consistency. The EC Tuner V2 works well for centerfire, rimfire, and even air rifles.
Cortina Precision also offers the EC Tuner Brake. The Tuner Brake combines a barrel tuner with a muzzle brake. The EC Tuner brake greatly reduces recoil and allows you to tune your rifle to your load. These Tuner Brakes are a good choice for hunters and PRS/NRL competitors, as they work equally well with handloads and factory loads. For more information, visit ShootSmallGroups.com. – Erik Cortina
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Want to see the details?CLICK HERE to view full-screen photo.
Here are five targets, each with FIVE shots in essentially one hole. This amazing feat of accuracy was accomplished six years ago. We are reprising our report because this five-target Aggregate arguably represents the most impressive feat of 100-yard accuracy in the history of marksmanship on this planet.
Check out those five targets. The Aggregate (average) of all five targets is a tiny 0.0840 inches! These were shot by Gary Ocock at 100 yards in a California benchrest match on August 6, 2017. Though Gary’s amazing 0.0840 Five-Target Agg beats existing records, this was not a “sanctioned” match, so Gary’s killer Agg will NOT be submitted for IBS or NBRSA records. So, sadly, the Agg won’t appear in the record books, but this remains a spectacular, verified feat of rifle accuracy, accomplished in competition.
The argument can be made that this is the Most Accurate Gun Ever Built. As far as we can determine, no one has ever shot a smaller 5-target Agg anywhere, at any time.
The Unlimited Benchrest Record That Will Never Be (Official)
Report by Boyd Allen
Gary Ocock’s stunning unlimited Aggregate is beyond amazing. That’s an average of five, 5-shot groups of .0840. Shot under sanctioned match rules, but at an unsanctioned 100-yard fun match, this Aggregate is well under the current 100-yard official records of the IBS (.1386), and the NBRSA (.1242). The fourth of the five groups measured a minuscule .018, less than half the size of the existing NBRSA Unlimited record of .049 (also shot by Gary). Check it out:
When the top 15 shooters all post teen Aggs, conditions must be pretty favorable. However there were some light switchy winds — Gary said that he shot better in the left to right condition.
GUN SPECIFICATIONS
Ocock’s red Jay Young Unlimited Railgun features one major difference from Young’s typical Railgun designs. The bottom of the barrel block is integral with the top (moving part), of the gun. The barrel is Ocock’s usual 1:13.5″-twist Krieger chambered for the 6 PPC. The BAT Neuvo action is unusual in that its lugs are horizontal at lock-up instead of the usual vertical. With horizontal lugs, both lugs maintain contact with their abutments when the action is cocked. In the more normal configuration when cocked the top lug is forced off of its seat by a combination of the angle of the trigger cocking piece interface, the pressure of the striker spring, and bolt clearance at the rear of the action.
LOAD SPECIFICATIONS
Gary shot this remarkable Agg with well-used brass, Vihtavuori N133 powder, and self-made 66gr BT bullets* seated at “jam”. This amazing Agg was shot on the second day of a 2-day Unlimited Benchrest match. On Day 1 Gary had experimented with various loads using both surplus IMR 8208 and Vihtavuori N133, but was not satisfied with the results. For his first group on Day 2, Gary tried a light load of N133. After seeing the result, however, he decided to go to the other extreme — a super stout N133 load — with the same powder. As you can see, Gary’s willingness to experiment paid off.
Notably, Gary used light neck tension. Ocock found that for these bullets and this barrel, light neck tension worked best (contrary to “normal” N133 benchrest practice). Ocock used a bushing that only produces .001″ difference between the diameters of sized and loaded case necks.
Comment on Ocock’s Achievement
Congratulations to Gary Ocock for superb shooting (and smart loading). Even though the match was not sanctioned (so the Agg will never be a record), Ocock has raised the bar very high, and given us a new standard of ultimate accuracy.
Though this 0.0840 Aggregate and 0.018 group will never go into the record group, they are still noteworthy. There’s virtually no doubt that they would have survived inspection by any record committee. Except for the lack of fixed backers, an IBS requirement (for detecting cross-fires), all other conditions were met for an officially-sanctioned match.
Boyd Allen notes: The reason that the match was not sanctioned was that the sanctioning bodies like to have a month’s notice when scheduling a sanctioned match and because the range had been down for modifications and this was the first match after that, there was some question as to whether the work required to have stationary backers could be finished in time for the match. Rather than promise what might not be deliverable, the decision was made to hold the match under all of the usual competition rules as a non-sanctioned “fun” match. None of this diminishes Gary’s performance.
* Gary Ocock shot his own, boat-tail match bullets, made with George Ulrich-crafted dies using Hood cores. Although he said that it had been a while since he had weighed any, his best guess was that they weigh something around 66.5 grains.
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Watch the video below to learn about the kneeling position, as explained by National Paralympic Coach Bob Foth and 2012 Olympian Amanda Furrer. Three-time Olympian and Silver Medalist Bob Foth details the proper techniques (both body position and gun-handling) for kneeling position shooting. Putting Foth’s coaching tips into practice, three-Position smallbore shooter Amanda Furrer demonstrates how to properly shoot from a kneeling position using a .22 LR match rifle.
Amanda, a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, shows how to set up the right body position when kneeling, how to support the rifle, and how to relax breathing to steady the shot. This takes practice, but remarkable accuracy can be achieved from the kneeling position by top-level shooters. This is a great video, well worth watching.
The video uses superimposed graphics and diagrams to show rifle hardware/sights, and key aspects of the head position, sling set-up, and hold. If you are a position shooter, this is a “must-watch” video. Narrated by Olympian Bob Foth, it is very informative.
Watch Kneeling Position Video
As a member of the U.S. Olympic Team, Amanda Furrer competed in the Womens 3P 50m event at the 2012 Olympics, finishing 15th. Amanda first started shooting at 11 years old with the Spokane Junior Rifle Team. Shooting is a family sport and all compete and shoot guns together. Furrer’s father shoots tactical matches and her mom shoots pistols. Amanda qualified for the national team as a member of the 2007 Pan American Team at the age of 16. She won bronze in the 2011 National Championships. Amanda is currently a student at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business, majoring in Finance and competing on the Rifle Team.
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The total economic impact of the firearm and ammunition industry in the United States increased to $80.73 billion in 2022 from $19.1 billion in 2008, a 322% increase, while the total number of full-time equivalent jobs rose to over 393,696 from approximately 166,000, a 136% increase in that same period, according to a report released by the NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association. READ Full REPORT.
The Firearms and Shooting Sports Industry Now Generates 393,696 Jobs in America
On a year-over-year basis, the industry’s economic impact rose to $80.73 billion in 2022 from $70.52 billion in 2021. Total jobs increased by over 17,877 in the same period, to 396,696 from 375,819. The firearm industry has broader impacts throughout the American economy. The gun industry also generates business for firms not directly related to firearms — creating jobs in industries such as banking, retail, accounting, metalworking, and printing.
Gun Manufacturers and Ammo Makers Now Pay over $7.48 Billion in Taxes
The firearm and ammunition industry paid over $7.48 billion in business taxes, including property, income, and sales-based levies. An additional $1.15 billion was paid in federal excise taxes, which directly contributes to wildlife conservation.
“Our industry’s economic input is undeniably contributing to every state and every community. This milestone achievement of over $80 billion in economic impact proves that the American firearm and ammunition industry is strong,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “Over 4.2 million Americans from all walks of life, for the first time, discovered and exercised their right to lawful firearm owners and safely participate in the recreational shooting sports last year. This growth equals more jobs that add to our local economies, averaging $65,000 in wages and benefits, up from $56,900 reported last year. Since 2008, federal tax payments increased by 266%, Pittman-Robertson excise taxes that support wildlife conservation by 226% and state business taxes by 46%.”
The annual Firearm and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report provides a state-by-state breakdown of job numbers, wages and output, as well as federal excise taxes paid. CLICK HERE for Full Report (Printable PDF).
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When shooting pistols do your shots normally land smack dab in the middle of the target? If not, you may have some technique problems that are causing your shots to move off center. Top Shot Champion Chris Cheng has produced a good video for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) that helps handgunners diagnose accuracy issues. By shooting 3-shot groups and looking at the pattern and location of the shots, you can see what you’re doing wrong (or right). Here are some examples. Note, this process works best for shooters whose shots fall typically in one target zone. If your shots are all over the target, your form is inconsistent and problems will be harder to diagnose.
1. Low Left — Jerking Trigger: Here we see three (3) shots at the 7 O’clock position. This shows that the shooter is jerking the trigger, meaning that the shooter is pulling the trigger too quickly and therefore forcing the barrel to drop when breaking the shot. This is a very common problem, particularly with novices who are reacting to the noise/recoil of the pistol.
2. 9 O’Clock — Too Little Trigger Finger: If we see three (3) shots at the 9 O’clock position, what this can be indicative of too little trigger finger on the trigger. And therefore with every shot, the shots are getting pushed to the left. Try moving your trigger finger on to the pad of your index finger. Also try dry firing drills.
3. High Left — Anticipating Recoil: In this next example, we see three shots around the 11 O’clock position. What could be happening here is that the shooter is anticipating the recoil, and is actually lifting the gun up when he shoots. We recommend slowing down, working on your breathing, and, again, do dry-firing drills.
4. 3 O’Clock — Too Much Trigger Finger: Finally, if you see three (3) shots at the 3 O’clock position, this can indicate that there is too much trigger finger on the trigger. Therefore when the shot breaks the shooter is pulling each shot to the right.
Note: Each of these descriptions is for a RIGHT-handed shooter. If you are a left-handed shooter you’ll want to reverse those descriptions with respect to shot position left/right of the centerline. For example, in example number 4, the lefty would have his shots fall at the 9 O’clock position
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Every gun enthusiast can use a large supply of .22 LR rimfire ammunition for fun plinking and steel target work at the range. Yes, rimfire ammo has increased in price over the past decade, but there are still some exceptional deals. Here’s a great .22 LR rimfire ammo deal we found at SportsmansGuide.com.*
Right now, for just $109.99, you can get a bucket of 1400 Remington rounds with 36gr plated Hollow Point (PHP) bullets. That works out to just 8 cents per round ($0.078). Compare that to $0.20/rd for 9mm Luger ammo, and $0.50/rd or more for bulk .223 Rem centerfire ammo. That’s why this ammo is a good choice for high-volume plinking and plate owrk. The claimed velocity for the Remington ammo is 1280 FPS — a pretty fast speed for the .22 LR cartridge.
Range Test of Remington Bucket of Bullets .22 LR Ammunition
Here is a range test of the 36gr .22 LR rimfire cartridges in Remington’s Bucket of Bullets. The ammo was fired through a Ruger 10/22 with iron sights. The tester did observe one round that seemed weak (03:07 time), and this showed a 967 FPS velocity. That’s 313 FPS slower than the rated velocity. The tester produced about a 1.2″ group at 25 yards. He concludes he would not use this ammo for competition, but it is plenty good for “plinking, having fun… and poppin’ squirrels.”
* The price for regular customers is $109.99 for the 1400-rd bucket. However Sportsman’s Guide Buyers’ Club members pay $104.49, saving nearly 5%. And club members get FREE Shipping on orders over $49.00. This ammunition cannot be shipped to California.
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Some “progressive” states, such as California, are imposing broad new restrictions on the use of ammunition that contains lead. This is problematic for rimfire varmint shooters. Thankfully, Winchester now offers LEAD FREE 17 WSM ammunition. In this ammunition, zinc replaces lead in the bullet cores.
The team at Varminter.com has conducted an extensive test of Winchester’s new lead-free ammo. Over the course of multiple sessions, Varminter.com shot the ammo using no less than nine different rifles. Four, 5-shot groups were shot with each rifle from the bench at 100 yards.
Results were impressive. Average group size for a 1:9″-twist heavy barrel Savage B-Mag was a remarkable 0.5005 inches. Group size averages for seven of the eight other 17-cal rifles* ranged from 0.755 to 1.03 inches at 100 yards — pretty impressive for factory rimfire rigs. A LOT of time was invested in this test, and we recommend you read the full report on Varminter.com.
Fastest Rimfire Cartridge Ever
If you’re not familiar with this cartridge, the 17 WSM is the fastest, flattest-shooting rimfire round you can buy. It stomps the .22 LR, and even offers significantly better ballistics than the popular 17 HMR. This lead- free version is impressively flat-shooting. With a 100-yard zero, it drops only 4.3 inches at 200 yards. Compare that with a .22 LR which can drop 18 inches or more from 100 to 200 yards (based on 1150 fps MV).
Zinc Replaces Lead in Winchester’s Eco-Friendly 17 WSM
For folks who live in areas where lead ammo is restricted, such as California, the arrival of this Lead Free 17 WSM is good news. Winchester’s new 17 WSM ammunition features a Zinc-cored, polymer-tipped 15-grain bullet with 0.118 G1 BC. The ammo is rated at a speedy 3300 FPS velocity. Winchester says that the zinc core and “thin alloy jacket with engineered sidewall profile” deliver “explosive fragmentation.”
*The ninth rifle, a Savage BMAG with original thin-contour barrel, was the “odd man out”. Accuracy was mediocre, averaging 1.763 inches.
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We like well-executed DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects. You can save money with DIY projects, and often create something unique and special that can’t be purchased from any vendor. That’s the case with this very cool double shooting bench built by Jacob D., a pilot and 6.5 Creedmoor shooter. The design of the bench is smart — it allows two right-handed shooters, but it can also handle a right-hander and a left-hander. (The lefty sets up in the right half of the bench.)
Jacob, who flies for Arizona’s Mesa Airlines, built his own side-by-side benchrest shooting bench. He then posted photos of this on the 6.5 Creedmoor Group Facebook Page. We like this — very nice work Jacob!
Jacob writes: “Sighting in my new Ruger Precision Rifle with Leupold VX3i LRP 6.5-20x50mm and Burris tactical rings, using my benchrest table I built. Very happy with the combo!”
There is plenty of room for two shooters and two rifles on Jacob’s big and sturdy DIY shooting bench.
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Proper eye protection is ‘must-have’ gear for shooting sports. In addition to providing reliable impact protection, good shooting glasses should be comfortable, fog-free, and not interfere with your preferred hearing protection. Those who require corrective lenses also need to consider the various options available. In a past episode of their Weekly Gear Review, the 6.5 Guys discuss a variety of shooting glasses they have tried, including examples from DeCot, Oakley, and Wiley-X. Ed and Steve outline the key considerations when choosing eye protection, and then review practical aspects of eyewear design and construction that enhance comfort and functionality in the field.
The 6.5 Guys (Ed and Steve) offer a number of smart tips consider safety eyewear, helping you select the most effective safety glasses at an affordable price. Here are the 6.5 Guys’ KEY Take-aways when choosing shooting glasses, including prescription eyewear:
Key Things To Consider When Choosing Eye Protection
1. Avoid polarized lenses or lenses that reduce light transmission significantly (except for action shooting in very bright conditions with large, close targets).
2. Avoid frame designs that interfere with prone shooting.
3. Avoid designs that easily fog.
4. Avoid frame designs with thicker temples that are uncomfortable to wear underneath hearing protection.
5. Select lenses with an appropriate degree of ballistic protection. CLICK HERE to learn more about eyewear safety standards.
6. When you get your prescription, be sure your ophthalmologist includes the interpupillary distance. This is a critical measurement particularly for heavier prescriptions.
7. If you have a complicated prescription select a vendor who will actually spend time with you to address any concerns.
Horrific .50 BMG Kaboom — Eye Saved by Protective Eyewear
Think you don’t need eye protection? Watch this video starting at 4:10. The screw-on barrel “cap” (chamber closure) of the .50 BMG action flies into the shooter’s face. Without eye protection the shooter would have definitely lost his right eye. (See video at 5:20 for analysis).
Safety First — Your Eyes Are Irreplaceable Accurate shooting begins and ends with the human eye. Your career as a marksman could be cut short if you don’t use good eye protection every time you go to the range and/or handle a firearm.
Every year, over 1,000,000 people suffer serious eye injuries. Shooting is hazardous; it is estimated that there are 30,000 firearms-related eye injuries each year (if you include paintball sports.) After paintball, general hunting accidents comprise most firearms-related eye injuries.
Quality eye protection need not be expensive. You can find comfortable, ANSI Z87.1-certified shooting glasses for under $10.00.
If you select shooting glasses carefully, and ensure that your eyewear is safety-certified, inexpensive shooting glasses can perform very well. But you need to avoid cheap, soft-plastic lenses that claim “impact resistance” without satisfying a testing standard.
Do you own an RCBS electronic powder dispenser? If you do, take the time to watch this ChargeMaster Tuning video from 8541 Tactical. This nine-minute video demonstrates how to re-program your ChargeMaster to “tune” the dispensing process. The video shows the exact programming procedures to follow, step-by-step. Some folks want a faster powder flow — others tune their machines for a more reliable drop (with fewer over-runs). One cheap and popular modification is to insert a 1″-long section of a McDonald’s plastic straw in the ChargeMaster’s silver dispensing tube. This works surprisingly well to smooth kernel drop and prevent “clumping” that can cause an over-charge. The McDonald’s straw MOD is demonstrated in this video, starting at the 6:22 mark.
Large-Diameter Dispensing Tube Mod
Many folks have had success with the McDonald’s straw modification demonstrated in the above video. However, some folks would like to get even better flow performance (with virtually no clumping). Forum Member Frank B. has come up with a new option using a brass hose fitting with a large outside diameter. The hose fitting (with tape wrapped around the barbed nose section) is placed inside the RCBS dispensing tube (have some kind of wrap — you don’t want metal-on-metal). Here’s how the unit looks installed:
Frank tells us: “I have found a cure for the over-throw problem. It is a simple 1/4″ barbed hose nipple. I wrapped a couple layers of tape around the barbed end for a snug fit. With this in place, I have thrown 100+ charges of Varget without a single overthrow. The ID of the barbed end needs to be approximately 3/16″ to feed a steady flow. This works because of the larger ID at the drop.”
Frank adds: “You can see in the photo that the powder is not stacking up. You can watch it drop one grain at a time. Hope this will take the aggravation out of your case charging.” For best performance with this brass fitting MOD, we recommend de-burring and smoothing out the front edge of the brass fitting over which the kernels drop.
Brass fitting mod suggested by Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
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Rifleshooter.com does some great original research — providing “hard data” you can’t find anywhere else. Here are the eye-opening results of Rifleshooter.com’s 6.5 Creedmoor barrel cut-down test. You may be surprised at the results. Read on…
What do you get when you cut a 6.5 Creedmoor-chambered barrel down to just over 16 inches? A lot more velocity than you might think. Our friends at Rifleshooter.com conducted a remarkable barrel cut-down test with 6.5 Creedmoor test rifle, shortening the barrel from 27 to 16.1 inches in one-inch increments. Surprisingly, with a 142gr Sierra MK, the total velocity loss (as measured with a Magnetospeed) was just 158 FPS, an average of 14.4 FPS per inch of barrel length. With the lighter 120gr A-Max bullet, the total velocity loss was 233 FPS, or 21.8 FPS average loss per inch of barrel.
Test Procedure
Five (5) rounds of each type of cartridge were fired at each barrel length and the velocity data was recorded with a MagnetoSpeed V3 barrel-mounted chronograph. The rifle was then cleared and the barrel was cut back one inch at a time from 27″ to just over 16″. NOTE: During this winter test, the air temperature was a very chilly 23° F. One would expect higher velocities across the board had the outside temperature been higher.
The photo below shows how the barrel was cut down, inch-by-inch, using a rotary saw. The barrel was pre-scored at inch intervals. As the main purpose of the test was to measure velocity (not accuracy) the testers did not attempt to create perfect crowns.
6.5 Creedmoor vs. Other Mid-Sized 6.5mm Cartridges
The 6.5 Creedmoor is a very popular cartridge with the tactical and PRS crowd. This mid-size cartridge offers good ballistics, with less recoil than a .308 Winchester. There’s an excellent selection of 6.5mm bullets, and many good powder choices for this cartridge. When compared to the very accurate 6.5×47 Lapua cartridge, the 6.5 Creedmoor offers similar performance with less expensive brass. For a tactical shooter who must sometimes leave brass on the ground, brass cost is a factor to consider. Here’s a selection of various 6.5mm mid-sized cartridges. Left to right are: 6.5 Grendel, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor with 120gr A-Max, 6.5 Creedmoor with 142gr Sierra MK, and .260 Remington.
When asked to compare the 6.5 Creedmoor to the 6.5×47 Lapua, Rifleshooter.com’s editor stated: “If you don’t hand load, or are new to precision rifle shooting, get a 6.5 Creedmoor. If you shoot a lot, reload, have more disposable income, and like more esoteric cartridges, get a 6.5×47 Lapua. I am a big fan of the 6.5×47 Lapua. In my personal experience, the 6.5×47 Lapua seems to be slightly more accurate than the 6.5 Creedmoor. I attribute this to the quality of Lapua brass.” Now that Lapua offers 6.5 Creedmoor brass with small primer pockets, the 6.5 Creedmoor is even more attractive.
The creator of Rifleshooter.com also operates a Custom Rifle Building enterprise and gun shop in Long Island, New York: 782 Custom Guns Ltd.. He tells us: “We offer an unparalleled level of gunsmith machine shop services in the Long Island region. From precision rifles (USMC M40A3/A5/A6 XM3 clones) to customized Remington 870 and Mossberg 590 shotguns, and customized 1911s, chances are if you can dream it, we can build it!”
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Cortina says the very accurate Brux barrel and razor-sharp 6-24x56mm Kahles scope help achieve this kind of outstanding performance at 1000 yards. Here are the key components for Erik’s latest PRS rig:
Watch the video below to learn about the kneeling position, as explained by National Paralympic Coach Bob Foth and 2012 Olympian Amanda Furrer. Three-time Olympian and Silver Medalist Bob Foth details the proper techniques (both body position and gun-handling) for kneeling position shooting. Putting Foth’s coaching tips into practice, three-Position smallbore shooter Amanda Furrer demonstrates how to properly shoot from a kneeling position using a .22 LR match rifle.
Accurate shooting begins and ends with the human eye. Your career as a marksman could be cut short if you don’t use good eye protection every time you go to the range and/or handle a firearm.
