Thread: Hardy Custom Rifle Review

6.5 creedmoor . Its running factory ammo at the moment. it has only shot one box of one ammo. It was also having the barrel broken in, cleaned etc when that box was going through. The chamber was designed to run the 143gr eldx precision hunter ammo. I have also bought a box of 129gr to try. At a later stage when I have stopped travelling around the country every week for work i will buy some dies for it and get into loading.

Originally Posted by mcche171

So i have just got the rifle back. Finish looks good. Ian put in the targets from his range session when he sighted it in and did the drop chart. Now he said is range was flooded so he shot from sand bags off the truck. in saying that the targets were not impressive at all. The best group was 1" with the other 3 groups being 1.4". Would expect better from a rifle that has had a chamber specifically made for that bullet. I hope with more shooting it settles down and shoots better. Attachment 69919

It looks sexy enough. If you don't kill em with accuracy, you'll kill em with looks!

I am doing load development for a mates creedmoor when I get home.
He just had a suppressor fitted and bought a heap of components and asked me to go for it. He reckons he shoots it close to an inch with factory ammo now but admits he has not done much shooting after a long stint overseas.
I am looking forward to mucking around with it.


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A mate from work had Hardy build him a 260, it's shooting mint. Luck of the draw I guess.

Originally Posted by R93

I am doing load development for a mates creedmoor when I get home.
He just had a suppressor fitted and bought a heap of components and asked me to go for it. He reckons he shoots it close to an inch with factory ammo now but admits he has not done much shooting after a long stint overseas.
I am looking forward to mucking around with it.


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I found Hodgdon Superproformance works great in the Creedmoor with the 143 ELD X .

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Why do you only do 2 shot groups.😆

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Originally Posted by 25/08IMP

I found Hodgdon Superproformance works great in the Creedmoor with the 143 ELD X .

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Was on my list of powders to try.


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There are several gunsmiths who have been putting together quality rifles since Adam was a boy ie the Collings family (trained by Din) and also barnard etc

Originally Posted by mcche171

6.5 creedmoor . Its running factory ammo at the moment. it has only shot one box of one ammo. It was also having the barrel broken in, cleaned etc when that box was going through. The chamber was designed to run the 143gr eldx precision hunter ammo. I have also bought a box of 129gr to try. At a later stage when I have stopped travelling around the country every week for work i will buy some dies for it and get into loading.

With handloading and good load development you will likely improve the grouping dramatically.

Originally Posted by GWH

With handloading and good load development you will likely improve the grouping dramatically.

But you should not have to

When you pay good money for a "top" barrel then it should shoot period, with every thing you feed it.There should be no excuses.

Load development should make it better but it should be well under MOA from the get go given factory rifles do this "out of the box".

I have personally seen good custom rifles shoot well under with no load development. Recently a 30Nosler springs to mind. Load development should only make them better but should shoot well to start with

I hope your groups improve with load development in fact I sure they will but why should you have to wear the barrel out to find a good load after all they have a finite life

It's a given that 99% of the time a tuned handload will out perform factory ammo.

We are also assuming in this case, the test groups were shot as good as they could have been.
The fella doing the shooting could have had a less than ideal day. Still managed 1-1.5 inch groups which I would find encouraging if it were my rifle.

A rifle that shoots 1" with factory ammo will nearly always improve with a handload.

Saying it should shoot one brand of factory ammo straight from the rebarrel into tiny groups because other factory rifles do it is a bit of a stretch in my experience seeing it is carbon wrapped.

Carbon wrapped barrels are generally stiffer so in turn have different harmonics which can make them fickle when developing a load.




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Originally Posted by mcche171

Haha yes i did indeed. ill put another box or two through it and get back to you.

Well what's the latest cobba, how'd she shoot? Have you taken it to the range lately?

Originally Posted by .300 RUM Guy

Well what's the latest cobba, how'd she shoot? Have you taken it to the range lately?

No not yet. Don't have access to a range in Chch at the moment. Does anyone around Chch have a paddock or something I could use? I normally shoot at the farm at peel forest but haven't made it down this weekend. Heading back to Hamilton on Monday so can't make hand loaders Tuesday night.

Originally Posted by R93

It's a given that 99% of the time a tuned handload will out perform factory ammo.

We are also assuming in this case, the test groups were shot as good as they could have been.
The fella doing the shooting could have had a less than ideal day. Still managed 1-1.5 inch groups which I would find encouraging if it were my rifle.

A rifle that shoots 1" with factory ammo will nearly always improve with a handload.

Saying it should shoot one brand of factory ammo straight from the rebarrel into tiny groups because other factory rifles do it is a bit of a stretch in my experience seeing it is carbon wrapped.

Carbon wrapped barrels are generally stiffer so in turn have different harmonics which can make them fickle when developing a load.


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Considering they have a " Reamer specifically made for the 6.5 CM with 143 ELDX" & have built many rifles the same, getting it to shoot sub moa should be easy.

To get a Tikka 7RM, to shoot sub moa with 162s mag length for instance is "easy"

A custom or semi-custom rifle should not go to the client until it is shooting sub moa.

After all the Tikka's & a few others now have sub moa guarantees with factory ammo

They are just mass produced rifles, not a custom rifle from a manufacturer who assures me "Our tolerance for the chamber no matter where you measure is runout no greater than 0.005mm centric to the bore"

Pretty bold statement that

Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

Considering they have a " Reamer specifically made for the 6.5 CM with 143 ELDX" & have built many rifles the same, getting it to shoot sub moa should be easy.

To get a Tikka 7RM, to shoot sub moa with 162s mag length for instance is "easy"

A custom or semi-custom rifle should not go to the client until it is shooting sub moa.

After all the Tikka's & a few others now have sub moa guarantees with factory ammo

They are just mass produced rifles, not a custom rifle from a manufacturer who assures me "Our tolerance for the chamber no matter where you measure is runout no greater than 0.005mm centric to the bore"

Pretty bold statement that

Didn't know about the specific reamer, so fair enough. I agree maybe it should not have gone out shooting the way it does. I would be interested to know how many wrapped barrels they have done in the caliber and if they shot to expectations.


I will look forward to seeing how the owner shoots it.😆





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