Going Short 6.5CM

My questions was:
"How is muzzle blast between short 6.5 CM and 308 "

I did not get that information.
The 6.5 will use slower burning powder. It will have a higher pressure behind the bullet due to slower burning powder and a smaller bore area so more than likely the blast from a short 6.5 will be worse than a 308. Ever shot a 4" 357? Most piercing blast from any firearm I have ever shot and probably the reason I can't hear shit now.
 
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I want to get a 16 or 18" barreled 308 or 6.5CM to use tracking wounded deer in brush, so short and light and handy. The shots will be quick and close. 100 yards might be an exceptional long shot. Would the 308 be more effective at stopping a deer compared to the smaller 6.5? and would the 308 muzzle blast be significantly less than the 6.5? I am waffling between a Remington model 7 308 with an 18" barrel, or a T/C compass 6.5CM with a 16" barrel. The T/C also comes in 308 . all comments appreciated.
 
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I have seen 14", but as you said, why bother SBR'ing a bolt gun seems silly, but I know guys do it.

I would do 16" as the shortest, but personally I would never build one without a real reason like I was doing a covert project for someone.

If it was me, I would not go shorter than 18" with a bolt gun unless there was a valid reason, or I had more money than sense

I happen to be looking to do exactly that...a "covert"
My TL3 has 4 barrels already, all for various uses...but I just grabbed a JTAC chassis and am looking at an SBR caliber to do a covert build. Probably 9-10 inches. Standard .308 bolt face. I'm thinking a 6.5 creed with a light bullet for coyotes and heavys for random plinking. Suppressed of course.
...or even .223 bolt face in 9-10". Again, suppressed of course.
 
I have a MPA 6.5 with the Spencer barrel. It's always been pretty quick. Cut it to 16', Suppressed Omega. I get 2741 fps with factory
Hornady 140s. I can't even count the number of pigs in Texas that have been exterminated by it.
I don't regret it at all. Everyone that has handled it , shot it. Thinks it's the tits.....
 
I want to get a 16 or 18" barreled 308 or 6.5CM to use tracking wounded deer in brush, so short and light and handy. The shots will be quick and close. 100 yards might be an exceptional long shot. Would the 308 be more effective at stopping a deer compared to the smaller 6.5? and would the 308 muzzle blast be significantly less than the 6.5? I am waffling between a Remington model 7 308 with an 18" barrel, or a T/C compass 6.5CM with a 16" barrel. The T/C also comes in 308 . all comments appreciated.
450bm if you’re looking to absolutely knock the hooves off em. If I was dedicated rig to tracking deer in thick brush. I’d want some heavy grain to power through. I use 450bm because I hunt a lot in southern MI, but it really is a fabulous whitetail cartridge (we can’t use rifle cartridges in zone 3 here in MI, gotta be straight wall or shotgun)... I’ve shot over 11 deer now with 450bm ranging from 80-200yds... every single one has dropped instantly and not moved a muscle.
 
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450bm if you’re looking to absolutely knock the hooves off em. If I was dedicated rig to tracking deer in thick brush. I’d want some heavy grain to power through. I use 450bm because I hunt a lot in southern MI, but it really is a fabulous whitetail cartridge (we can’t use rifle cartridges in zone 3 here in MI, gotta be straight wall or shotgun)... I’ve shot over 11 deer now with 450bm ranging from 80-200yds... every single one has dropped instantly and not moved a muscle.

350 legend would be a good fit for your zone too...and you can actually find ammo for it! 😂
 
My first semi-custom build was in 6.5X47 with a 28" Bartlein. I asked the gunsmith for a 24" barrel but he thought better and left it long. The gun shot fantastic but he messed up the chamber and it left lines in the brass when fired.

I ended up taking it to another smith and he cleaned up the chamber, and cut the barrel to 22" as requested. The first time I took it out I shot from 500 to 1100 with 130 Berger VLD hunting bullets and RL17 without an issue. The recoil isn't as smooth as the longer barrel but I like how the rifle handles.
 
There's zero reason to build a 308 shorty instead of a 6.5 Creedmoor shorty.

I own a 18" 6.5 Creedmoor in Medium Palma, and love it...2550ish with Berger 135 Classic Hunter and 140gr ELD-M factory ammo.
How does it shoot at that speed? I have been trying to do load development on my 18 " 6.5 creedmoor. Been trying to get it to 2700ish but is not consistent. What is ur charge? Looking for more consistency.
 
How does it shoot at that speed?
Better than I can shoot, most times. I was shooting factory ammo with both the 135 CH and 140 ELD-M.

2700 with any 140-class bullet from a 18" 6.5 Creedmoor would be pretty warm IMO, but one could get there with 130s.

I ran the 130gr Hybrid over 39.5gr Varget (cuz I have a bunch of it) and got 2650...H4350 would probably do 2700 with ease.
 
How does it shoot at that speed? I have been trying to do load development on my 18 " 6.5 creedmoor. Been trying to get it to 2700ish but is not consistent. What is ur charge? Looking for more consistency.
I believe he’s speaking to factory offerings. I have a 18.5” creedmoor that I’ve been shooting the 130 eldm with h4350 at 2830fps with great results to 550 yards so far
 
How does it shoot at that speed? I have been trying to do load development on my 18 " 6.5 creedmoor. Been trying to get it to 2700ish but is not consistent. What is ur charge? Looking for more consistency.
16.5in barrel speed on first page of this thread
 
Better than I can shoot, most times. I was shooting factory ammo with both the 135 CH and 140 ELD-M.

2700 with any 140-class bullet from a 18" 6.5 Creedmoor would be pretty warm IMO, but one could get there with 130s.

I ran the 130gr Hybrid over 39.5gr Varget (cuz I have a bunch of it) and got 2650...H4350 would probably do 2700 with ease.
I am going to try any slow down the 135 ch. I am using 4350 and 43 gr gets to about 2720fps.
 
How's your suppressed level with 18"? I realize not exact same with powder burn/gas gun v bolt etc, but I have heard a few 16" 308AR's suppressed and damn they were still insanely loud to me.

I have an old pre-fit comp contour sitting around that still shoots .75" after 3,300-ish rounds.....had thought about having a local lob off a lot of barrel and using it in GA a couple of times a year....max 150 yard deer shots where I'd be hunting at friend's place. Since I shoot with can 100% had wondered about 16" since they are close in shots. Thanks for any insight. Figured I'd push some Berger 130vld or 135 classic hunters with my trusty Stab-All
My 18in Bergara comes I’m at 9.4lb with scope and can. Great hunting setup. #5 contour I believe.
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My 16” 6.5 creed is my favorite rifle.

Terminus Zeus QC
Proof CF sendero 1:8
HTN 226 chassis

With my thunderbeast ultra 9 is about same length as a 22” unsuppressed rifle and is a dream to carry

Basically same dope as my 22” out to 600 yds
Kills deer and pigs just the same and I don’t bang the can on the roof of my side by side as much…lol
 
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My 16” 6.5 creed is my favorite rifle.

Terminus Zeus QC
Proof CF sendero 1:8
HTN 226 chassis

With my thunderbeast ultra 9 is about same length as a 22” unsuppressed rifle and is a dream to carry

Basically same dope as my 22” out to 600 yds
Kills deer and pigs just the same and I don’t bang the can on the roof of my side by side as much…lol
16 + 9 = 22
Less barrel and speed = same dope
It’s physics.
😜
 
My 16” 6.5 creed is my favorite rifle.

Terminus Zeus QC
Proof CF sendero 1:8
HTN 226 chassis

With my thunderbeast ultra 9 is about same length as a 22” unsuppressed rifle and is a dream to carry

Basically same dope as my 22” out to 600 yds
Kills deer and pigs just the same and I don’t bang the can on the roof of my side by side as much…lol
Very nice thanks. How's the suppressed noise perception to you at 16"? I was punching up some dope trying to WAG what I might get after chopping down to 16". At 26" it's 2832 with 44.1 of staball pushing a 140. Read a few of the articles on effect of barrel length, but they were using 4350 and 142SMKs....I'll be 130-135g. Thanks for chiming in.
 
I had to take 2 semesters of physics many years ago guess I forgot it all…😳

they are within 2.5 moa at 500 and 3 at 600
Guess I should have said in the same turret rotation out to 600. Point was you don’t lose much but I guess this is very subjective here.

both rifles have brakes…the brake sits inside the suppressor with the can on and does not add to the oal….with the can off it adds a bit to the OAL. So there is that…within a couple of inches.

My point was it is a handy length with the can on as I feel 22 is a handy length with the can off.
 
I never shoot unsuppressed so o cannot comment on blast with the can off.

between the 22 and the 16 suppressed I can tell a difference but didn’t seem louder….seems to have a “sharper tone” to me but again this is very subjective. Does not annoy me at all and has the same effect on game…

I don’t reload or have a chrono but my buddy does and worked up a deer hunting load for me with 143 ELDX. Said it is 2580 FPS. I’m trusting his word on this but it shoots wonderful. I mostly use the 16” rifle for thermal hunting and shoot 110 v max factory loads. 99% of all my night hunting shots are within 150 yds… I’m just looking for head/neck shot devastation not dope or distance.
 
I had to take 2 semesters of physics many years ago guess I forgot it all…😳

they are within 2.5 moa at 500 and 3 at 600
Guess I should have said in the same turret rotation out to 600. Point was you don’t lose much but I guess this is very subjective here.

both rifles have brakes…the brake sits inside the suppressor with the can on and does not add to the oal….with the can off it adds a bit to the OAL. So there is that…within a couple of inches.

My point was it is a handy length with the can on as I feel 22 is a handy length with the can off.
I knew what you meant. Just poking fun. 😂
 
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I never shoot unsuppressed so o cannot comment on blast with the can off.

between the 22 and the 16 suppressed I can tell a difference but didn’t seem louder….seems to have a “sharper tone” to me but again this is very subjective. Does not annoy me at all and has the same effect on game…

I don’t reload or have a chrono but my buddy does and worked up a deer hunting load for me with 143 ELDX. Said it is 2580 FPS. I’m trusting his word on this but it shoots wonderful. I mostly use the 16” rifle for thermal hunting and shoot 110 v max factory loads. 99% of all my night hunting shots are within 150 yds… I’m just looking for head/neck shot devastation not dope or distance.
Thanks appreciate it. I used my 7.62x39 for thermal hog/yote b/f we lost the lease. I'm not fast enough on the bolt to sort through a sounder.....I gotta go full duhhhh with a 20 round to chop maximum pork. I would say our average distance on a sounder was inside 100 yards....that's half the fun seeing how close you can get b/f someone sticks their nose up for a whiff. Going to check with the local guy to see what the cost would be to chop n thread. Thanks again
 
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I built this rifle for my son years ago, he still hammers with it. Granted its a 260, but I would have done the same with a 6.5CM

Hey thanks that was great to read. SEnt that on to @lash he has an old high volume 260 barrel sitting around who is also considering a 16". This will be fun appreciate it. I'm stepping into this hoping a slower burning StaBall will give me all I need, but really I'd be shocked if it didn't given that 200 would be well beyond anything I'm going to shoot with it.
 
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Hey thanks that was great to read. SEnt that on to @lash he has an old high volume 260 barrel sitting around who is also considering a 16". This will be fun appreciate it. I'm stepping into this hoping a slower burning StaBall will give me all I need, but really I'd be shocked if it didn't given that 200 would be well beyond anything I'm going to shoot with it.
Ive shot this little rifle to 1400, its a sweet little rifle.
 
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Ive shot this little rifle to 1400, its a sweet little rifle.
That's wild a 16" to that distance, but shouldn't be surprised. I remember reading all manner of internet wisdom telling me shooting 6.5 at a mile was a waste of time etc etc. Have had so much fun with this caliber looks like more to be had even in it's 2nd life. Appreciate the info all.
 
A little visual stimulation for you….

IMG_8863.jpeg
 
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20" proof zermatt 65cm prefit, TBAC ultra7, 45.7gr rl26 in lapua brass, 140hyb at 2760, 44.3gr rl26 with 156 Bergers at 2620fps
Appreciate the info. I'm going to wing the slower burning StaBall and if I get a 1" group and 2,450 with the 130 VLD in a 16" that'll be way more than I need to smoke whatever comes out for the ranges I'll be hunting of 150 yards. If not I'll venture into a faster burning powder.
 
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Hey thanks that was great to read. SEnt that on to @lash he has an old high volume 260 barrel sitting around who is also considering a 16". This will be fun appreciate it. I'm stepping into this hoping a slower burning StaBall will give me all I need, but really I'd be shocked if it didn't given that 200 would be well beyond anything I'm going to shoot with it.
It’s not fair that you put that thought in my mind! I’m not even finished with my current project.

1693057508909.gif
 
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It’s not fair that you put that thought in my mind! I’m not even finished with my current project.

View attachment 8213083
Hey I'm just glad I helped break some cabbage loose outta that wallet. My work here is done!:geek:. I'm perdy excited to get my barrel down to GCP.....hey maybe I wait and if we can link up during Thanksgiving-Christmas we just drive down and get it done? Just a thought it's quick pop down to Venice from Bradenton.
 
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I just had my factory 6.5cm christensen mpr cut down to just under 18". They advertise the handguard at 17", but it requires about 17.75" of barrel to clear it easily for the can. I haven't chrono'd it yet, just loaded some 100gr blitz kings for it. It's been too hot to do anything here for a couple weeks. I'll carry it in the morning for coyotes, and will get time to true it to 800y sometime this week. I'll load 127gr ttsx for deer and bear.
 

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Nice thanks for chiming in. I'll keep my eyes peeled for the right pill and powder.....i've been lulled into the laziest reloading practices with staball/140's it's literal caveman reloading. Hope the staball let's me keep being lazy!
 
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Appreciate the info. I'm going to wing the slower burning StaBall and if I get a 1" group and 2,450 with the 130 VLD in a 16" that'll be way more than I need to smoke whatever comes out for the ranges I'll be hunting of 150 yards. If not I'll venture into a faster burning powder.
Staball 65 is a lil slow for 130vld? I found stabal burned pretty dirty until the psi got up there, with that light a bullet you may not get up above 55k psi, this will foul your suppressor fair bit quicker than normal. I'd suggest something lil faster, 4350ish. Even varget or rl15.5
 
Staball 65 is a lil slow for 130vld? I found stabal burned pretty dirty until the psi got up there, with that light a bullet you may not get up above 55k psi, this will foul your suppressor fair bit quicker than normal. I'd suggest something lil faster, 4350ish. Even varget or rl15.5
You may be right it may not do squat for the 130 performance wise all true, but I'll wait and find out first. Killing deer at 150 max is it's highest bar to clear so not too difficult. Meters like heaven I refuse to trickle!

Trust me Staball runs dirty at max 44.1 with 140's. Ask me how I know! My Q was just a smidge over 26ounces about 15 months ago....courtesy of staball. Think it was in the 13k round area, but it never got heavy til Staball and it's been fired at max 44.1 that Barnes published. Factory is 14.75. It took me 35 days to clean it back to factory it was INSANE. So I do CLR soaks every month to keep it around factory weight. I had an ongoing thread here somewhere detailing all kinds of comical attempts to speed up the process. My core group of hooligans were entertained daily with my failures on text updates.
 
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You may be right it may not do squat for the 130 performance wise all true, but I'll wait and find out first. Killing deer at 150 max is it's highest bar to clear so not too difficult. Meters like heaven I refuse to trickle!

Trust me Staball runs dirty at max 44.1 with 140's. Ask me how I know! My Q was just a smidge over 26ounces about 15 months ago....courtesy of staball. Think it was in the 13k round area, but it never got heavy til Staball and it's been fired at max 44.1 that Barnes published. Factory is 14.75. It took me 35 days to clean it back to factory it was INSANE. So I do CLR soaks every month to keep it around factory weight. I had an ongoing thread here somewhere detailing all kinds of comical attempts to speed up the process. My core group of hooligans were entertained daily with my failures on text updates.
I've found the extreme hogdons to be the best for suppressor use, varget, H4350, H4831sc, H1000 to be very clean, Retumbo can be dirty till you turn the psi up. CLR is king to kill carbon buildup.
 
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I've found the extreme hogdons to be the best for suppressor use, varget, H4350, H4831sc, H1000 to be very clean, Retumbo can be dirty till you turn the psi up. CLR is king to kill carbon buildup.
Thanks appreciate it....all a new learning process going shorty. No question CLR is my go to....come home and drop it in a bike bottle of CLR and 24 hours later blast it and i'm usually within 1/2 oz of factory. IN the end I don't care about the fouling b/c I stay on it every few weeks and it's super easy so if the staball works I'm staying stubborn kermudgeon!
 
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Thanks appreciate it....all a new learning process going shorty. No question CLR is my go to....come home and drop it in a bike bottle of CLR and 24 hours later blast it and i'm usually within 1/2 oz of factory. IN the end I don't care about the fouling b/c I stay on it every few weeks and it's super easy so if the staball works I'm staying stubborn kermudgeon!
I don't think many shooters realize a constant continual increase in suppressor weight changes it's harmonic affect on the barrel, changing the accuracy and precision of a load over time. You're process of keeping weight consistent is a good idea.
 
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I don't think many shooters realize a constant continual increase in suppressor weight changes it's harmonic affect on the barrel, changing the accuracy and precision of a load over time. You're process of keeping weight consistent is a good idea.
I didn't arrive at the clean slate weight doing anything fun...that 35 days was hilariously bad. Not going through that again.
 
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This has been a cool little project to mess with. Originally a Christensen 6.5 creed 12.5” MPP turned SBR. Mostly varmit hunt and wanted some thing light and short for a night rig. Put a Q fix stock on it and Jewell trigger and developed a load. Currently running 90g Nosler’s at 2885fps with single digit ES’s. It’s not a bug hole shooter but it’s good enough to kill critters.
 

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This has been a cool little project to mess with. Originally a Christensen 6.5 creed 12.5” MPP turned SBR. Mostly varmit hunt and wanted some thing light and short for a night rig. Put a Q fix stock on it and Jewell trigger and developed a load. Currently running 90g Nosler’s at 2885fps with single digit ES’s. It’s not a bug hole shooter but it’s good enough to kill critters.
2 things. 1. Q cyborg 6.5 is awesome I wasn't even aware you could get the fix chassis by itself. Did you get from another build? 2. Your critter rig is sick! Elevated shooting tables in a truck bed? You are my hero. When I was on a hunting lease b/f it was turned into homes...sigh....buddy and I thta I hunted with would talk about a rig setup like yours more or less while we'd be out thermal hog/yote hunting. Where are you in TX? Have a buddy in McKinney boy does he roll a ton of pigs.
 
2 things. 1. Q cyborg 6.5 is awesome I wasn't even aware you could get the fix chassis by itself. Did you get from another build? 2. Your critter rig is sick! Elevated shooting tables in a truck bed? You are my hero. When I was on a hunting lease b/f it was turned into homes...sigh....buddy and I thta I hunted with would talk about a rig setup like yours more or less while we'd be out thermal hog/yote hunting. Where are you in TX? Have a buddy in McKinney boy does he roll a ton of pigs.
Thanks man! Rifle is a Christensen MPP with a Q fix stock only. Just have to buy their 1913 pic adapter and that’s it. Yes sir you are correct on high rack in a truck bed. This is our current setup with two shooters, acra ball heads etc. We’re pretty serious about kill shit here in Texas lol. Had some updates since this pic but you get the idea.
 

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Thanks man! Rifle is a Christensen MPP with a Q fix stock only. Just have to buy their 1913 pic adapter and that’s it. Yes sir you are correct on high rack in a truck bed. This is our current setup with two shooters, acra ball heads etc. We’re pretty serious about kill shit here in Texas lol. Had some updates since this pic but you get the idea.
Damn Sam! That’s sweet.