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6.5 Creedmoor Barrel Life
- Thread starter deputy599
- Start date
6.5 creed will probably get you about 3k rounds of life. Currently that’s about $6k of factory Ammo. If you can afford to do that, you can likely afford the $4-800 to put a new barrel on it
Yeah that's BS and not even true for the 6 Creed unless you shoot it at 3200fps in matches.
Hi guys - so what do you think is a common life for a 6.5 cm barrel with factory ammo type speed?
I ask because I’m at 2,100 rounds on this barrel and am starting to look for a speed drop and loss of precision as I approach 2,500 rounds which I have often seen as a general figure.
So far, I have observed neither so I’m happily shooting it.
Haha…I ask because I can sort of see myself dragging the chrono to the range for the next 1,000 rounds mumbling “dang, still hasn’t slowed up!” Lol.
If looking for a general range, is 2,500 about right?
LOL Yeah you can do that with the chrono but I wouldn't. I have had barrels go out around 2300 rounds and some go in the 3000 range. The barrel I have now that I am selling with the 6 Creed barrels on the GAP Templar has a little over 2600 rounds. I put 3 Tubb TMS rounds, which work great to smooth the throat, through it at about 2200 rounds and shot mostly factory ammo through it in matches and when I put the tuner on it to test it shot that lot of factory ammo like the 5 shots at 100 below. Did up until I took the tuner off and placed it for sale with the others. I would bet that barrel will easily make 3000 rounds if not 3500 with factory ammo.
So to answer the question, it's tough to say but I would plan on replacing it around 2500 and have a barrel ready to go but wouldn;t pull the barrel that's on there until you see it go south. A lot of the answer though depends on what people consider "precision". Someone happy with 1 MOA can probably get close to 4000 rounds. Someone wanting sub half moa would be lower in the 2500-3000.
I ran my 6.5 creed at 2830-2850 with 140’s and H4350. It didn’t make it past 2500 rounds lol.
Still shot good but was getting crunchy trying to get 2800 FPS.
Still shot good but was getting crunchy trying to get 2800 FPS.
Depends on the level of accuracy you want to put up with. I pulled my last one at 3200 rounds. But redid the load around 2500ish round to get it to shoot again. A little bit slower but within half MOA. Right around 3k it was throwing shots and tested at 3200ish round where it will barely keep it under 1 MOA. Your firing schedule and how hard you are pushing the bullets will have a lot to do with it too.
Don’t forget one of the biggest factors / variables in barrel life is rate of fire.
Would there be a big barrel life advantage to a reduced load?
My current load is 147 eldm, 41.4gr H4350, MV 2810 out of a 26" Benchmark. I appear to have another node around 39.7 - 40.0 at 2675ish. Would the reduced load extend the barrel life significantly? As for the expected rate of fire, my intention is to shoot PRS style matches, and maybe a local 600 yd F-class match.
I have 800 yds where I shoot, so I'm sure the lighter charge can get me that far consistently, so I'm not worried about a hot load to go longer. But if there is not a significant barrel life advantage, why give up the speed?
My current load is 147 eldm, 41.4gr H4350, MV 2810 out of a 26" Benchmark. I appear to have another node around 39.7 - 40.0 at 2675ish. Would the reduced load extend the barrel life significantly? As for the expected rate of fire, my intention is to shoot PRS style matches, and maybe a local 600 yd F-class match.
I have 800 yds where I shoot, so I'm sure the lighter charge can get me that far consistently, so I'm not worried about a hot load to go longer. But if there is not a significant barrel life advantage, why give up the speed?
It would be hard to quantify but the general rule/consensus seems to be less heat=longer barrel life. There are multiple ways to lower barrel heat, one is to lower the speed of your load (within reason) but rate of fire may be even more important. Shooting matches in hot weather makes a difference and so do 20 round stages or long strings of fire in practice sessions. So it really depends on what you value as far as performance vs barrel life. If I had to guess I would say the rate of fire would change barrel life more than 100 FPS or so.
for 500 yards, there is NO discernible advantage for 6.5CM
go .308 for longer barrel life, cheaper ammo
EDIT: okay there is at least one advantage, less recoil & not be caught shooting an old guy round
go .308 for longer barrel life, cheaper ammo
EDIT: okay there is at least one advantage, less recoil & not be caught shooting an old guy round
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2500-3000 rounds.
In the past I would proactively pull my 6.5 Creedmoor barrels around the 2,500 mark, so that it wouldn't go out on me in the middle of a match.
In the past I would proactively pull my 6.5 Creedmoor barrels around the 2,500 mark, so that it wouldn't go out on me in the middle of a match.
I debated 6.5 Creed vs. .308 for my new range gun. Barrel life was indeed a consideration as was my club’s long term goal of range expansion to 1K. Decided on a Tikka Super Varmint in 6.5. Do agree that the 6.5 Creed is “ wasted “ at 500 yards. With the right scope dope and me not screwing up the shot, placing factory rounds (to include more “ budget friendly “ AAC and Hornady American Gunner ) inside 4 and 5” gongs at 500 is not difficult. Love shooting the rifle, though, and can recommend highly.
I just shot out a 6.5CM barrel. I was getting just over 2800fps. Got almost 3,000 rounds out of it. I am cheap so I had a 260 rem custom shop barrel that I don't even remember where I got it....so I took about an inch or so off and made it into a CM. Wife just had spinal surgery so I haven't been able to shoot it yet but I wonder what it will do......no idea of round count and it may already be toast but will be interesting to see.
But as others have said, generally 2500-3000
But as others have said, generally 2500-3000
