6.5 creedmoor worth it for first prs?

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Remington92

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Minuteman
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Nov 7, 2022
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Montana
#1
I’m sure this has been asked a million times but I’m going at the question from a different angle. I just competed in my first prs match this weekend and it was a blast and now I got the itch for a specific use rifle. The rifle I used is my main hunting rifle which is a 6.5prc tikka chopped to 22”, silencerco scythe, 3-12 lrhs , and a stockys vg stock. I shot middle of the pack which I was fairly proud of have never done anything like this but I could definitely tell the recoil was not helping me.
I also don’t want to roast the barrel out of my hunting rifle.

Seems like the default recommendation most make is to get a 6.5 creedmoor when beginning PRS and I’ve got a tikka 24” ctr sitting in my shopping cart ready to check out. My question is will 6.5 creedmoor be enough of a step down in recoil to justify a whole other rifle or should I just got full out and have a 6 dasher or gt spun up?

I should also add I’m in northwestern Montana so the rifle most likely will have to fight decent amount of wind and the shoot I went to this weekend ranged for 200yds to 1430yds.
 
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#2
Go 6.5 Creedmoor.

Better in wind than the smaller 6's. I believe a lot of PRS shooters in the NW area tend to stick to the 6.5's - I could be wrong, but that's the impression I get from what I've been hearing.

You can always get a barrel down the road in a BR based cartridge if you want to explore different cartridges.

A hunting weight rifle probably isn't helping you much when it comes to recoil management, but be proud of finishing mid-pack on your first PRS match! If you do get another Tikka, you can set it up to be heavier than your hunting rifle. It also helps to have good fundamentals - a big one is being square behind your rifle. You'll be battling recoil if you aren't square behind the rifle, which is easy to do when rushing around a PRS stage.
 
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#3
Remington92 said:
I’m sure this has been asked a million times but I’m going at the question from a different angle. I just competed in my first prs match this weekend and it was a blast and now I got the itch for a specific use rifle. The rifle I used is my main hunting rifle which is a 6.5prc tikka chopped to 22”, silencerco scythe, 3-12 lrhs , and a stockys vg stock. I shot middle of the pack which I was fairly proud of have never done anything like this but I could definitely tell the recoil was not helping me.
I also don’t want to roast the barrel out of my hunting rifle.

Seems like the default recommendation most make is to get a 6.5 creedmoor when beginning PRS and I’ve got a tikka 24” ctr sitting in my shopping cart ready to check out. My question is will 6.5 creedmoor be enough of a step down in recoil to justify a whole other rifle or should I just got full out and have a 6 dasher or gt spun up?

I should also add I’m in northwestern Montana so the rifle most likely will have to fight decent amount of wind and the shoot I went to this weekend ranged for 200yds to 1430yds.
Click to expand...

www.aeroprecisionusa.com

SOLUS Competition Rifle - 22" 6.5 Creedmoor, Sendero

Shop SOLUS Competition Rifle - 22" 6.5 Creedmoor, Sendero and more at AeroPrecisionUSA.com!
www.aeroprecisionusa.com www.aeroprecisionusa.com

Mine is impressing me for a factory rifle... And this is with minimal load development with only 50 rounds down the barrel.

IMG_2888.jpeg
IMG_2896.jpegimage_cropper_E63E8D2E-E491-48B7-95AE-32A770A9E241-9319-00000841E4E46FEA.jpegimage_cropper_A6CED177-0686-49D6-A413-D0666AE7A4B7-9319-00000842E8D9FB06.jpegimage_cropper_CEF2CC21-7313-4FFF-9DAD-07ABFE8F7722-9319-000008442B708E88.jpegimage_cropper_A41811B1-BC45-4AA4-AC25-75897FFB39EA-9319-00000845227E743B.jpegimage_cropper_1161E4DE-0874-4CE5-8B0C-1DFF4BB95D26-9319-0000084607102E13.jpeg
 
#4
6.5 would probably be fine to start but if I were you I’d shoot a couple more matches with what you have, check out some rifles other guys are shooting, and make sure the CTR’s what you really want. You might decide you want something you can add a little more weight to without changing out stocks
 
#5
The guys that I was squaded with were running a Ruger rpr and a similarly setup barrett in 6.5 creed. The guys who put it on run 6 dashers and the guys who won were running 6x47. My plan was to flip the ctr stock and most likely bottom metal as soon as I picked it up for a bravo or other chassis. I’ve looked for used tikkas or bare actions but they hold value so well it doesn’t make sense over buying new it seems
 
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#6
6.5 CM was the round back in the day. It will serve you well.

This was before the present trend of 25+LBS rifles and the smallest cartridge you can find.
 
#8
Remington92 said:
I’m sure this has been asked a million times but I’m going at the question from a different angle. I just competed in my first prs match this weekend and it was a blast and now I got the itch for a specific use rifle. The rifle I used is my main hunting rifle which is a 6.5prc tikka chopped to 22”, silencerco scythe, 3-12 lrhs , and a stockys vg stock. I shot middle of the pack which I was fairly proud of have never done anything like this but I could definitely tell the recoil was not helping me.
I also don’t want to roast the barrel out of my hunting rifle.

Seems like the default recommendation most make is to get a 6.5 creedmoor when beginning PRS and I’ve got a tikka 24” ctr sitting in my shopping cart ready to check out. My question is will 6.5 creedmoor be enough of a step down in recoil to justify a whole other rifle or should I just got full out and have a 6 dasher or gt spun up?

I should also add I’m in northwestern Montana so the rifle most likely will have to fight decent amount of wind and the shoot I went to this weekend ranged for 200yds to 1430yds.
Click to expand...
The CTR weighs about 7.5 lbs, I believe. If you want a Tikka with a bit more heft, take a look at the Super Varmint at 9.0 lbs. With the Arken scope, I’m pretty sure mine is up over 10 lbs. Still getting acquainted with mine at 200 rounds, but when I get the scope dialed in and don’t screw up the shots, it’ll stack 6.5 Creed rounds inside a 5” gong at 500 yards easily.
 
#9
Turkeytider said:
The CTR weighs about 7.5 lbs, I believe. If you want a Tikka with a bit more heft, take a look at the Super Varmint at 9.0 lbs. With the Arken scope, I’m pretty sure mine is up over 10 lbs. Still getting acquainted with mine at 200 rounds, but when I get the scope dialed in and don’t screw up the shots, it’ll stack 6.5 Creed rounds inside a 5” gong at 500 yards easily.
Click to expand...

IMO,

If you really want to turn a Tikka into a PRS rig, you are going to have to go aftermarket with a chassis to do so.

KRG, MDT, Spuhr, Vision, and others make chassis' for Tikka rifles.

And from here, the argument evolves into one of whether the Tikka is even a good value proposition in the first place, if you have to modify it that much to play the game...
 
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#10
Also Tikka barrels are known to be slower as well. The 6.5 Creedmoor is a good cartridge for matches but I am not sure I would stick with a Tikka but if that;s the way you want to go OP it's up to you. I'd take a look in the PX and see what pops up. There are usually some 6.5s in there. I took a quick look and saw this one but not sure what you want to spend.

www.snipershide.com

Firearms - Bighorn TL3 6.5 Creedmoor $2300 shipped

6.5 Creedmoor Bighorn TL3 Action w/ Std Bolt Face & Dmd Bolt Knob 20 MOA Rail Shilen MG Pre-Fit Barrel 26" / 6.5 Creedmoor 1:8 (NSS) Cerakoted by Battleborn Cerakote Mcmillan A5 Adjustable / Glass Pillar Bedded on the action and DBM Timney Calvin Elite 520CE trigger ZeroDelta Muzzle Brake 6.5...
www.snipershide.com www.snipershide.com
 
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#13
Turkeytider said:
25 lbs! Whew! I would think some gym work would be necessary as preparation!
Click to expand...
That’s why I laughed when you were talking about your heavy 223 awhile back, I’ve got a barrels that weighs that much

Sure is a pleasure to shoot though.

The more beer I drink and the longer I go without working out (I doubt age alone is the issue) the heavier it gets but once you learn how to leverage it with your body weight one handed maneuverability is generally possible unless you have to extend to put it down.
 
#15
Remington92 said:
I understand tikkas aren’t as liked here as other places. I still don’t really understand why, but Ill just say I’m not really interested in 700 style actions anymore.
Click to expand...

It’s your money. Just trying to help you out from the beginning but get the Tikka and run it. Keep track of how much you spend to be match ready.
 
#16
Rob01 said:
It’s your money. Just trying to help you out from the beginning but get the Tikka and run it. Keep track of how much you spend to be match ready.
Click to expand...

Sorry I hope I didn’t come across as snarky or dismissive. Could you point me in a direction of beginner/ low middle of the road? I saw the option you mentioned earlier but I was thing I could get into a solid build a fair bit lower with a tikka.

I should add I spend most my time on rockslide where tikka is the only viable option and I’ve been very happy with my prc so far. My rem 700 experience is also with oem 700s, Christensen, and Bergeras which have been hit and miss
 
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#17
Remington92 said:
Sorry I hope I didn’t come across as snarky or dismissive. Could you point me in a direction of beginner/ low middle of the road? I saw the option you mentioned earlier but I was thing I could get into a solid build a fair bit lower with a tikka.

I should add I spend most my time on rockslide where tikka is the only viable option and I’ve been very happy with my prc so far. My rem 700 experience is also with oem 700s, Christensen, and Bergeras which have been hit and miss
Click to expand...

Might be a good exercise to price stuff out.

Price out a Tikka after you mod it with chassis and aftermarket barrel.

Compare to options on the market like Zermatt Origin, Kelbly Atlas, BAT Igniter, ARC CDG, etc with similar options (chassis, barrel).

Tikkas are great rifles, but once you spend the money to get it PRS ready, you are competing with a lot of different customs.
 
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#19
spife7980 said:
That’s why I laughed when you were talking about your heavy 223 awhile back, I’ve got a barrels that weighs that much

Sure is a pleasure to shoot though.

The more beer I drink and the longer I go without working out (I doubt age alone is the issue) the heavier it gets but once you learn how to leverage it with your body weight one handed maneuverability is generally possible unless you have to extend to put it down.
Click to expand...
LOL, yeah, I can see why you found that humorous for sure! Compared to yours, my LRPV is a light weight!
 
#20
Remington92 said:
I understand tikkas aren’t as liked here as other places. I still don’t really understand why, but Ill just say I’m not really interested in 700 style actions anymore.
Click to expand...
There's a huge difference between a "700 footprint" and a "700 style" action... You WANT a 700 footprint based action for the convenience of finding parts, stocks, triggers, etc... But I fully agree on the 700 style (2-lug, 90º bolt, etc...) being outdated, and is something I never thought I'd shy away from as a huge 700 guy, but as time goes on, I'm considering dumping more and more of my 700's to build customs. Even the cheapest aftermarket 700 footprint actions like the Aero Solus and ARC CDG are lightyears ahead of a stock 700 action, but still have access to all the amazing plethora of accessories and parts out there. Plus, the fact you can buy reliable precision prefit barrels for them and swap them at home with just a vise and action wrench, makes it a no-brainer over a 700 or a Tikka, IMO.
 
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#21
The 6.5 CM is getting it done for now, so why not continue until you seriously decide if this endevor is really for you.
If I were building a seious rifle for competition, it'd be the 6 Dasher.
It's very easy to shoot and very accurate.
 
#22
FuhQ said:
There's a huge difference between a "700 footprint" and a "700 style" action... You WANT a 700 footprint based action for the convenience of finding parts, stocks, triggers, etc... But I fully agree on the 700 style (2-lug, 90º bolt, etc...) being outdated, and is something I never thought I'd shy away from as a huge 700 guy, but as time goes on, I'm considering dumping more and more of my 700's to build customs. Even the cheapest aftermarket 700 footprint actions like the Aero Solus and ARC CDG are lightyears ahead of a stock 700 action, but still have access to all the amazing plethora of accessories and parts out there. Plus, the fact you can buy reliable precision prefit barrels for them and swap them at home with just a vise and action wrench, makes it a no-brainer over a 700 or a Tikka, IMO.
Click to expand...

In all fairness to the Tikka, there's a decent level of aftermarket support for the platform, and it's growing every day.

If you like the Tikka, there's a lot of great options for stocks and chassis. There's trigger options. There's even pre-fits for Tikkas.

And I wouldn't say 90° bolt throw and 2 lugs is necessarily "outdated". That's more a matter of preference.
 
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#23
Don’t buy a rifle with the idea of stripping it down and building it back up with different parts. Buy the rifle you want the first time. 6.5 creedmoor is a great cartridge. Competitive PRS guns are HEAVY.
 
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#24
kthomas said:
And I wouldn't say 90° bolt throw and 2 lugs is necessarily "outdated". That's more a matter of preference.
Click to expand...
It's pretty outdated, and that's coming from a lifelong 700 fan, who still owns a bunch of 700's. I first started noticing this 20 years ago when I got my first Browning A-Bolt II rifle. The 3 lug and 60º bolt throw was so fast and smooth and seemed to feed smoother and quieter. This is why they have always been my main hunting rifles since. And why I had my smith rebarrel my current one when the tube went south. A custom A-Bolt II is a hell of a shooter, even in the factory stock. And 3-lug tech has been marching along since.
 
#27
First, let the Tikka waiting to be purchased be purchased by someone else. If you’re serious, build a custom using one of the many actions. BUT

Don’t buy or build ANYTHING right now.

Get yourself signed up for a good Precision Rifle Class. ESPECIALLY one that has LOANER Rifles. Shoot some, see what you really like. There you will learn the sport in a way it would take years and cost you a BUNDLE in Stuff you can’t use. This unneeded stuff that will collect dust and take up space and will be a Total WASTE of Money that you could have used to purchase equipment that you really need and will use.

We have several good instructors right here on Snipershide including @RobertB and of course our own @Lowlight. A class will save you hundreds if not thousands over the course of the your precision shooting career.

As far as rifles and actions….Yep there are customs that offer CRF and customs that offer 3-lug 60 degree bolt throws so it’s not all 700 exact copies.

Shoot what you got for a few more matches. Take a class see if this is really your cup of tea. If so, build a nice custom that will do what you need it to do and not have excess rifles and junk collecting dust and wasting your hard earned $$$
 
#28
Dead Eye Dick said:
Shoot what you got for a few more matches. Take a class see if this is really your cup of tea. If so, build a nice custom that will do what you need it to do and not have excess rifles and junk collecting dust and wasting your hard earned $$$
Click to expand...

The issue with advising OP to shoot what he has is it's currently a 6.5PRC. Depending on his loads, match cadence and round count that may burn up a lot of barrel life. OP mentioned that as a concern in his post and, in my opinion, it's a valid one.
 
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#29
Remington92 said:
Are we talking after the factory barrel is shot out? Or out of the gate the tikka would need to be swapped?
Click to expand...

This depends.

Tikka barrels are usually pretty accurate, but on the slower side. Depending on which model of Tikka you get, the contour may be pretty light and thus not optimal for PRS.

But hey, if that's what you can start with, don't let that stop you. Shoot it until you burn it out and get an aftermarket barrel. You can burn out a 6.5 cm barrel within a season if you hit it hard.

You seem to like Tikkas and are familiar with that ecosystem - there's nothing wrong with those actions and building up a PRS rifle around a Tikka. Most people will push back as with a Tikka you are spending a decent amount on parts that are ultimately sub-optimal for PRS, and that money could go towards a build from the ground up that's more fit-for-purpose.

You can spend ~$1000 on a Tikka in which you will be replacing all the components around the action, or put that $1000 towards a custom action. But formula also makes the assumption that you won't use the OEM barrel, which maybe you will and that helps drive it more in Tikkas favor.

There's not really any wrong answers here, just different trade-offs.
 
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#30
AirgunnerPCP said:
The issue with advising OP to shoot what he has is it's currently a 6.5PRC. Depending on his loads, match cadence and round count that may burn up a lot of barrel life. OP mentioned that as a concern in his post and, in my opinion, it's a valid one.
Click to expand...
Thanks ya id prefer not to have to rebarrel my hunting rifle as set up a competition rifle at the same time. I was too slow on the draw for a deviant rifle build in the exchange but I guess I’ll keep an eye out if something else comes up. Not opposed to spending some money if it’s worth it but also $2500 or more isn’t in the cards either.
 
#31
You shot middle of the pack your first time competing with a PRC cartridge and a scope with a maximum magnification of 12.

I think you are probably going to do well no matter what cartridge you select.

Northwest Montana is beautiful. Where can you shoot 1430 yards there? Are there PRS competitions near you?
 
#32
Malum Prohibitum said:
You shot middle of the pack your first time competing with a PRC cartridge and a scope with a maximum magnification of 12.

I think you are probably going to do well no matter what cartridge you select.

Northwest Montana is beautiful. Where can you shoot 1430 yards there? Are there PRS competitions near you?
Click to expand...
Low middle of the pack but ya I didn’t completely embarrass myself haha. This was also more of a club match and not anything too fancy. We’re bout an hour north of great falls.
 
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#33
I see mentions of europtic having discounts for prs members. Do they still do this? And what level of membership does it require to get these? I’m eyeing either a Burris pro or zeiss s3 to go with this rifle.
 
#34
Remington92 said:
I see mentions of europtic having discounts for prs members. Do they still do this? And what level of membership does it require to get these? I’m eyeing either a Burris pro or zeiss s3 to go with this rifle.
Click to expand...
www.precisionrifleseries.com

Precision Rifle Series| Memberships Page

The Precision Rifle Series is the preeminent rifle organization in the world, structuring a yearly points race for both the PRS Pro Bolt Gun Series and the PRS Regional Series. The PRS Championship Shooting Series is synonymous with precision rifle shooting.
www.precisionrifleseries.com
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Id assume it varies
 
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