Thread: Short barrel 6.5 creedmoor - who's done it / how does it go?

Hey team,

considering shortening my Ruger American Predator to 16.5"... Have been looking around online and it doesn't seem like i'll be giving up a lot - maybe 150-200 fps.
Factory barrel is 22" and it shoots exceptionally well especially for the price point these come in at.
Where it gets tricky is in thick bush its long especially with the DPT suppressor on the end of it, plus a shorter barrel will obviously be lighter to cart around.

My current track record of finding deer is not very good however I won't have access to big open country shots - if I did I do also have an RPR I could take (heavy).

So if I went with a 16.5" cut down barrel (DPT priced it at $85 to do it) shooting 143 eld-x does anyone have feedback / experience with it?
I know its effectively a bushpig build however I don't think creedmoor's are a common bushpig option and factory barrels the shortest i've seen is 20"

I have a T3 cut down to 18" in 6.5credmore with factory 143 eldx is spitting them out at 2530 ive shot gongs to 800y shot 2 deer under 300y and they both died with out a complaint

It will go like a 22" Creedmoor would, only it'll be shorter and about 150-200fps slower?????

143's will still expand above 1600-1800fps and do what they do well. Might be less emphatic with average shot placement though.

308 will make for a better bushpig.

not suggested to go below 18 mines 20 goes really nice

If you are going to 18" or shorter probably best to go for a 260 with the bolt stop changed to a long action if changing rifles is an option.

I run a 16" 6.5 CM in combination with a DPT and a 2.5-10x Bushnell on top. Load the 129gr ABLR with some 2209 and get 2500fps out of it. Shot plenty of goats out to 400m with it, a stag from 30m, a fallow spiker from 100m and a dozen pigs from 0m to 200m. None of them complained with good exit wounds under 250m. Like the combination very much...

I just saw you are in the Waikato. Happy to let you have a crack with the rifle on a mates farm on some goats if you want and Level restrictions allow.

Nil issues with going to 16.5” I was getting 2435fps from my 16.5” 6.5 Creedmoor with 140gr ELD-M’s, it will be the best $85.00 you spend on the rifle, but in saying that I have just gone to 12.5” on the 6.5 Creedmoor and load with light projectiles and fast speeds that replicates the 6.5 Grendel, granted its not the most efficient use of the 6.5 Creedmoor by the opinion of some, but I’m all out of fucks to give.

Originally Posted by 308mate

If you are going to 18" or shorter probably best to go for a 260 with the bolt stop changed to a long action if changing rifles is an option.

Why? The creed being less overbore is actually more efficient in a smaller case. Thats the same logic as going oh if you want a to cut down your 7mm08 to under 18 inch the just cut down a 7mm Mag? Yeh the 260 will be faster but it will be less efficient.

A 16 inch Creedmoor will be fine and you can likely get near full length barrel with factory ammo performance if you reload. Generally the less overbore a case is the better it copes with short barrels but pretty much any 308 based case could be cut down to 16 inchs and still do 4-500 yards with the right reloads.

Also typically heavier bullets are more efficient in short barrels obviously dont want to go too far but id still be running 140+ projectiles out of a 16.5 creed. Or if your only shooting at short ranges then maybe something lighter and copper like the barnes (however these need speed to work)

Originally Posted by S.E.G

Nil issues with going to 16.5” I was getting 2435fps from my 16.5” 6.5 Creedmoor with 140gr ELD-M’s, it will be the best $85.00 you spend on the rifle, but in saying that I have just gone to 12.5” on the 6.5 Creedmoor and load with light projectiles and fast speeds that replicates the 6.5 Grendel, granted its not the most efficient use of the 6.5 Creedmoor by the opinion of some, but I’m all out of fucks to give.

fuck thats slow for a 6.5
way better off with a 160 ish grain from a 308 if your only going to be doing 24-2500 and i hate 308

Just meant if you change the bolt stop you can seat the pills further out in the 260 so you get more case capacity, meaning more MV for the same length barrel.

Originally Posted by Stocky

Why? The creed being less overbore is actually more efficient in a smaller case. Thats the same logic as going oh if you want a to cut down your 7mm08 to under 18 inch the just cut down a 7mm Mag? Yeh the 260 will be faster but it will be less efficient.

A 16 inch Creedmoor will be fine and you can likely get near full length barrel with factory ammo performance if you reload. Generally the less overbore a case is the better it copes with short barrels but pretty much any 308 based case could be cut down to 16 inchs and still do 4-500 yards with the right reloads.

Also typically heavier bullets are more efficient in short barrels obviously dont want to go too far but id still be running 140+ projectiles out of a 16.5 creed. Or if your only shooting at short ranges then maybe something lighter and copper like the barnes (however these need speed to work)

Originally Posted by 308mate

If you change the bolt stop you can seat the pills further out in the 260 so you get more case capacity, meaning more MV for the same length barrel.

He doesn't have a Tikka. That only works on generic actions such as the tikka that just use one action for short and long action.

I agree that if you have a tikka then it makes sense to use a long action but thats got nothing to do with cutting it down. If its all about case capacity then why not do a 6.5-06 or 6.5x55 or 6.5prc all of which have more case capacity again and will produce a faster result than the 260 (probably more gain than going 6.5 creed to 260) plus you can buy factory ammo for 2 of them readily.

Originally Posted by rambo-6mmrem

fuck thats slow for a 6.5
way better off with a 160 ish grain from a 308 if your only going to be doing 24-2500 and i hate 308

Slow compared to what? Excess speed is overrated, drop is easy to calculate. The 30-30 has killed thousands of animals at that velocity. Using a soft high BC projectile that expands at low impact velocitys will give you more range than most should shoot.

I had one in in 16.5". Loaded 123gr ELD M with 2209 and was doing 2650fps. I thought of it as a super Grendel.

@nickD runs a short one and really rates it

Originally Posted by Beavis

I had one in in 16.5". Loaded 123gr ELD M with 2209 and was doing 2650fps. I thought of it as a super Grendel.

@Beavis how many grains of 2209?