Tikka T3x CTR, 20 VS 24"

[Brighthighlight]

Hi everyone!
I'm wondering what you guys believe would be the velocity difference between these two barrels.
It's a 6.5 Creedmoor and it's the factory barrels I have in mind, at least to begin with.

I'm new to the 6.5 CM and don't have QL anymore so I don't have any theoretical data to go on.

Appreciate the help

 

[MarinePMI]

24. The longer barrel allows greater velocity. Part of long range shooting is getting to that sweet spot in velocity (2800'ish).

 

[Brighthighlight]

Thank you, sir! But do you think that the velocity is something I would be able to reach with a 20"? Or would that be too close to the maximum cartridge pressure?

 

[MarinePMI]

I think you'd be hard pressed to reach those velocities with a 20" bbl and 140's. Just not enough case capacity/bore capacity.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I had the 20" CTR and was able to get about 2780fps out of it slinging the 130g Berger Hybrids. I could have gotten more, but this was the sweet spot.

 

[Brighthighlight]

Thanks for the help! I'll go with a 24" in that case ?
Have a merry Christmas ?

 

[260284]

Factory Prime is going 2746 fps at 61 degrees out of my 20" CTR barrel. Less than 100 rounds out of it so far.

My 140 ELDM load for my 23.5" Bartlein is running 2659 fps out of the 20" and 2835 out of the Bartlein.

I would go 24" over the 20". All of the above were shot suppressed.

 

[Brighthighlight]

I was thinking about going with the 143gr eld-x , so I'm guessing that I'll go with the 24" just to be sure.
Thanks for the help, appreciate it
Merry Christmas

 

[Brighthighlight]

Yeah, felt as I should go with a 24 but I wanted to check with you guys. I've never had a 6.5 CM so I didn't have any knowledge how much difference the length does. Truly appreciate the help
Merry Christmas

 

[260284]

I was thinking about going with the 143gr eld-x , so I'm guessing that I'll go with the 24" just to be sure.
Thanks for the help, appreciate it
Merry Christmas

I shot 3 deer last year with the 143 ELDX running a little over 2800 out of my Bartlein. Didn't recover any bullets. I put a take off 20" on for a lighter hunting rifle this year and used Prime. Shot a big bodied Kansas buck the last day of the season at 234 yards. The Prime bullet worked jsut as good as the ELDX, double lung pass thru.

 

[Brighthighlight]

That's precisely why I was interested of a 20" The trouble is that there's so many people writing about that the factory barrels keep a bit too low velocities and to be honest I didn't want to invest that much time and effort to swap out the barrel ? So basically I'm trying to find something acceptable ?

 

[260284]

That's precisely why I was interested of a 20" The trouble is that there's so many people writing about that the factory barrels keep a bit too low velocities and to be honest I didn't want to invest that much time and effort to swap out the barrel ? So basically I'm trying to find something acceptable ?

My Bartelin is medium palma and the factory CTR barrels are closer to light palma. Not much weight penalty for 4" on a factory barrel. I shoot some local matches so when I rebarreled (it was a 260 20" CTR) I went for more weight. I was at 12.5 lbs without a magazine with the suppressor with the medium palma on it. It feels about 2 lbs lighted with the factory barrel.

I was able to get 2715 fps with 140 grain bullets out of my 260 and up to 2800 with 130s. The 2800 loads were very hard on brass and the barrel. At the end of my barrel life on the 260 I was pushing the 140s at 2640 fps.

A friend is getting 2800 fps with Prime out of his 24"CTR.

 

[918v]

You don’t need to reach 2800 FPS for your rifle to be accurate or suitable for long range. You need to tune your load to your 20” barrel and be happy with 2700- something FPS which is plenty given the high BC of your bullets.

 

[260284]

I made hits out to 1400 yards with my 20" 260. Made hits in matches out past 1200 with the 2640 fps load. Just use a bullet that is stable when it goes transonic.

 

[steve123]

130 hybrids at 2800 fps in my friends 20" 260R shoot fantastic. Amazing also is how little rifle upset there is with a Area 419 brake. It sure is a handy rifle.

 

[Brighthighlight]

Thanks guys!
I'm still not used to the 6.5 CM. I've been loading and shooting 300 win mag for a lot of years and feel confident around it. All of the sudden I get a idea to buy something new and here I am holding a brass that feels so tiny and I lose all of the reloading confidence HAHAHA ?
Hopefully I'll manage to find a sweet load and also I'm truly grateful for all of the response I've got from you guys

And if anyone is curious - I took the 24"