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Christensen Arms MPR 6.5 Creedmoor

Product review, Shooting hardware, , , ,

Introduction

I am not new to Christensen Arms rifles, I’ve been lucky to play with several of them over the last couple years. But today we are looking at a new to me rifle; the Christensen Arms MPR 6.5 Creedmoor.

The Modern Precision Rifle (MPR) is Christensen’s version of a light-weight sharp-shooting rifle. Whether it’s used for competition shooting or as a sniper rifle, the MPR brings some very modern touches to the precision rifle market. But are those features worthy of praise?

The MPR

Christensen’s MPR is based around their stainless steel action, a two-lug action very similar to the very popular Remington 700 like many other modern actions. The rifle tested here is chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, using a short action bolt. Like most Christensen rifles, the MPR is heavily reliant on carbon fiber.

Its carbon-wrapped match-grade barrel is largely responsible for the rifle’s lightweight, as are other parts of the chassis. At the end of the barrel it is threaded 5/8-24 and is fit with a matching muzzle brake for additional recoil reduction.

At the heart of the chassis is an aluminum block where the action is mounted. And the handguard is bolted on to the front and is made from a carbon fiber shaped tube. The MPR uses the very popular AICS pattern magazines and they feed nicely into the magwell of the rifle. Inspecting the grip looks to be a basic AR-15 type pistol grip, this is a nice feature as you can install whichever one suits your fancy.

The folding stock hinges just behind the tang of the action, I really like the way they designed the hinge mechanism. It’s quite tight and locks up as if there was no hinge at all. Just be careful to keep skin away from the area while folding or you may bleed a bit.

Fortunately the butt stock of the MPR is completely adjustable, which makes it very nice to adapt to each individual shooter. The whole thing is pretty handsome and put together very nicely.

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Rifle Setup

Surely I was going to need a good scope and at least a bipod to shoot this rifle well. I installed a Primary Arms ACSS Apollo 6-30X56 riflescope in a ZRO Delta Mount .  To simplify I went with  a Harris 6-9 bipod attached to the pic-rail on the bottom of the MPR handguard. For ammunition I brought along a few boxes of Hornady 140 grain match ammo. With everything put together, leveled and balanced I adjusted the rifle to fit me, and headed out for the range.

First Impressions

The Christensen Arms MPR 6.5 Creedmoor was plenty comfortable to shoot. It weighed so little compared to other similar rifles I have. As I sat behind it on a bench I ran the bolt a few times and felt the break of the trigger just to familiarize myself with it. Its bolt was easy to lift and snap shut, and the Trigger Tech trigger as usual felt outstanding.

I loaded the magazine and closed the bolt. As I broke the trigger everything felt right, the recoil was quite modest and running the bolt for round two sent the empty case flying. The M16 style extractor of the MPR does a great job getting brass out of the way for the next round.

I fired a few more shots and adjusted my scope to get a proper zero. At that point I tried to settle down as best I could and shoot a few good groups using both the Hornady and some Federal 130 grain match.  I felt quite good about my shooting but I was not super excited about the grouping downrange, the first three groups of five-shots measured right around an inch. I tried again with my other ammo selection and got very similar results, my only hope is that perhaps this rifle doesn’t like what I feed it. And maybe there is something out there it will shoot better.

Into the snow

We decided to take the rifle for a hiking trip into the snow-covered Rocky Mountains, and I brought another type of Hornady ammunition to see if perhaps it faired better. With all my gear stowed on my back, my son and I headed into the cold.

The open country where we live makes an excellent place to hunt and shoot. Here in these breezy canyons I wanted to see how the MPR shot. Mainly to see how it would perform at longer distances and real-world shooting scenarios.

Normally this time of year I shoot at tiny snow patches in the dirt. But due to winter part 2, I was instead shooting at little dirt patches in the snow. The first target was about a three-inch muddy spot surrounded by white snow. I figured it would be easy to spot the impact and judge the shot.

After loading the rifle I steadied it and focused on my point of aim nearly four hundred yards away. I pressed the trigger and the suppressed gust of pressure echoed across the canyon. I’d added my Yankee Hill Machine R9 suppressor just to see if it helped the performance of the rifle.

The contrast of dark splattered dirt across the snow, and my hit was close enough to call it good in my opinion. So I continued my search for additional targets. We repeated the process until I had exhausted my curiosity and ammunition supply.

christensen arms MPR 6.5 Creedmoor
We also shot the MPR suppressed with the YHM R9 suppressor

Pros and Cons

I’ll be honest up front, I wasn’t exactly sold on the aesthetics of this rifle when I first saw it. I couldn’t exactly say what I didn’t like about it. But it has certainly grown on me a bit over the last few weeks. Everybody else thought it looked great so I’ll assume its just my weird taste.

I was really hoping this rifle would shoot better than it did. To be fair it is not a new rifle so its possible that it has been rode hard and put away wet too many times. But a rifle like this should shoot half-MOA groups all day.  I just couldn’t get it to reliably do that.

On the plus side, I really appreciated many of the rifles other qualities. The light weight is always appreciated. And its comfortable and adjustable chassis made shooting it very pleasant. Little features like the folding mechanism, great trigger, awesome cycling and threaded barrel made adapting the rifle to my purposes easy. And of course improved my shooting experience.

Click here to see more about the MPR

christensen arms MPR 6.5 Creedmoor
Shooting the Christensen Arms MPR 6.5 Creedmoor

Conclusion

I must say that I liked this rifle more than I expected to. And yet I’m torn because I am simply uninterested in rifles that won’t shoot reliably sub MOA. I’m lucky to have rifles ranging from discount economy models under four hundred dollars up to production sniper rifles that cost seven thousand dollars. And even the cheap ones I can typically get to shoot consistently sub MOA and often 1/2 MOA.

The Christensen Arms MPR 6.5 Creedmoor surely could be an outstanding rifle, I’ve heard of others that shoot outstanding and accurately. If this one did, I think I’d be hard pressed to let it go. But with a street price just under twenty-four hundred dollars, I’d need more convincing.

christensen arms MPR 6.5 Creedmoor

If you like this carbon fiber rifle, check out this custom one the 257 Blackjack

Savage Elite Precision 110 6.5 Creedmoor

Product review, Shooting hardware, , , ,

Introduction

One of the fastest growing sectors in the sport of shooting is that of precision rifle, organizations like the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and the National Rifle League (NRL) has rapidly grown the sport worldwide.  Today I present to you one example of the rifles that are driving this craze; the rifle is a Savage Elite Precision 110 chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, married to a Modular Driven Technologies ACC chassis.

I say one example because there are so many great examples it would be daunting to list them all. Today’s subject is a great example to start with, precision shooting and long-range were once a rich man’s game using only custom built rifles. This rifle however is every bit as competitive, and is much easier to obtain for mainstream shooters looking for entry to the precision shooting circuit.

The Savage Model 110

Savage has been in the bolt-action rifle business for a long time, and in my opinion they have done a pretty good job of offering an affordable rifle that punches above its weight. Back when it was all custom rifles, Savage model 10’s and 110’s were often the choice for an effective donor action that wouldn’t break the bank.

The model we’re testing today utilizes Savages popular Accu-trigger, floating bolt-head, and tang-mounted safety. These are common and popular features for the Savage, and well tested over the past decade. On top of the tubular action is a 20 MOA scope mounting rail, also very common on long-range rifles. The base gives a canted starting point for your scope, which allows the internal movement of your reticle a wider range of travel, and helps keep it further from the extreme ends of its travel.

A twenty-six inch stainless barrel is mounted in the action, and it features a heavy profile and a one-in-eight-twist. The threaded muzzle carries a dual ported muzzle brake to help reduce recoil. Before the Fudd’s chime in about 6.5 Creedmoor’s being weak and not in need of recoil reduction, let’s make it clear: Recoil reduction in competitive shooting isn’t about weakness, it’s about spotting your own hits and misses. Muzzle brakes keep you on target so you can hopefully see your impact.

The MDT ACC Chassis

MDT has been building precision rifle chassis for quite some time, and their ACC rifle chassis is one of their more popular competition models. The chassis is compatible with many of the more popular rifle actions, allowing users an upgrade.

The chassis is built from aluminum, and features a skelotonized buttstock with completely adjustable positions. An adjustable pistol grip also allows customization for the user, making the rifle as comfortable as possible. MDT’s chassis is also compatible with the standard Accuracy International pattern magazines, which is a must have nowadays. The foregrip of the rifle is M-Lok compatible to allow adding accessories like weights and barricade stops. Or any other ad-on that PRS type shooting utilizes. There is also a built in ARCA rail on the bottom of the foregrip, this allows the rapid attachment of other support accessories and mounting the rifle atop a tripod.

But how comfortable is it?

I wasted no time prepping the rifle to be range-ready, I added a Harris bipod mounted to an ARCA clamp for easy adjustment on the ACC ARCA rail. And for a scope, I wanted something that would match the rifle’s needs, so I mounted my Kahles 318i in a set of Vortex rings. Once everything was together, I laid behind the rifle to adjust everything to my taste and prepared for the range.

Ready for the range with Hornady Match ammunition

In the field

As I lay on the firing line, looking through my little Kahles. I couldn’t help but think; this rifle is quite comfortable. And in no time I would produce some great results because of it.

I loaded a magazine with my Hornady Match ammo, closed the bolt and focused on the target. Tightening up my grip against the trigger, I pressed till it broke. It felt great, the recoil was linear and even, I ran the bolt fast and fired another. And continued till the mag went empty.

The TiN coated bolt of the Savage 110 action was smooth as could be. But I did notice there was a slight hitch in the feed as the cartridges went forward. Every so often I would have to pause my push of the bolt and start again to get it to feed right. I think perhap it didn’t like that particular magazine. Because it seemed to go away when I tried it with a polymer magazine from Magpul.

The rifle shot great besides that. It was easy to keep shots on target though the best I could get the rifle to group was around 1/2 MOA but average was more like .75 MOA. Not bad but also not what competitors would look for. Competition rifles often shoot sub .5 MOA and even as small as .4 or .3 MOA.

I ran the rifle through an afternoon of shooting, burning up my ammunition. It was very enjoyable and ended up teaching me a few things. I also added a Accuracy Solutions Bipod extender to see how it affected the rifle and its shooting, the results were steadier.

The MDT chassis played a big part in the comfort and ability to shoot the rifle well. I was quite pleased with how it felt in my shoulder, and adjusted properly it was a perfect fit for me.

Pros & Cons

I guess there are few things I wish were better, first and foremost would be accuracy. The rifle is apparently not new so I have no idea how many rounds it has downrange. It wouldn’t surprise me if it was excessive.

The magazine hiccup was also a little disheartening. Though I don’t think it’d be hard to correct with a little lip adjustment. But other than that I think the rifle is an outstanding piece of work, chassis and rifle both fit very well together.

The chassis is easily and quickly adjusted to fit any shooter. Its forend is easily adapted to accept accessories with its M-Lok slots and ARCA rail at the bottom. The feel of the chassis was excellent with a naturally occuring “gas-pedal” for the thumb (if you don’t know you gotta look that one up).

The Savage action is like every other savage action I’ve ever shot, not exactly tight but still runs like a sewing machine. All these years later I still don’t particularly care for the Accu-trigger. I usually take them off on personal rifles, but I must admit it is not bad. The muzzle brake was very effective at reducing recoil, and keeping the rifle on target.

In Closure

Despite being a little bit let down by this particular rifle’s accuracy, I still overall liked this setup. With a drop in barrel replacement it could be back in sub-half MOA accuracy if needed. Making everything about it helpful to any shooter in a competitive shooting scenario.

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Howa 1500 Kratos 6.5 Creedmoor

Product review, Shooting hardware, , ,

Introduction

Howa has long been a trusted brand for affordable performance. In today’s article we will be discussing another model from Howa, a variant of the model 1500. The Kratos 6.5 Creedmoor is sold as a hunting rifle and introductory precision rifle, built on the durable 1500 action and placed in a synthetic stock ready for whatever activity you choose.

The Kratos

The God of war seems a bit off for the name of a hunting or match rifle, but here we are. The features that set he Kratos apart give it some excellent handling and performance. The synthetic stock feature bedded pillars in its composite structure to keep the action firmly stabilized. The model I received came with both a hinged floorplate and a detachable box magazine system that holds five rounds. The exterior of the stock features a very nice texturing that allows excellent handling, and the whole thing is finished off with an attractive camouflaged paint pattern.
The 1500 action and barrel are also Cerakoted in a tan color, which makes the whole thing quite handsome. Controls on the action include a right side safety near the bolt-shroud, and opposite that is a petite bolt-release lever. The bolt is a ninety-degree two lug type, it uses an M16 type claw extractor and a traditional plunger ejector.
The barrel itself is a twenty-two inch eight twist barrel of a fairly light profile. Nothing wrong with that for a hunting rifle, but it did seem a little light for even an entry level match rifle. This was of little concern to me, as the only plans I had for the rifle was as a hunting tool.
The muzzle of the rifle features a very slender muzzle brake with radial ports to reduce recoil. Underneath the brake were a clean set of 1/2-28 threads, perfect for mounting a suppressor. The rifle I received also came with a one-piece scope base, which would reduce the time needed to get a scope mounted and on the range.


Range Preparation

The first thing I wanted to add to the rifle was a good scope, I had a Crimson Trace Hardline 3-12 scope handy, and already in a mount. This made installing it a breeze, leaving me needing only to zero the gun and get shooting. But before that, I installed a Harris bipod and I also grabbed my Yankee Hill Machine R9 suppressor which would make a nice addition to the ensemble.

With several hunts coming in the next few weeks, I wanted to make sure the rifle was ready for anything. Both my wife and son would also be hunting this year, and I was going to see if either of them wanted to try the new Howa as their main gun. That being the case I grabbed a couple different selections of ammunition, a Hornady 120 grain Match Load, as well as my own custom hunting load featuring the Patriot Valley arms Cayuga bullets. I’ve used these bullets many times in the past to take deer and elk, and these 122 grain bullets loaded in the 6.5 Creedmoor have dropped elk with outstanding performance.

After packing up all my gear and accessories, I took the Howa to my shooting spot. With a target hung at one hundred yards, I laid down behind the Kratos and bore-sighted the scope. I zeroed the rifle using the Hornady ammo, and also tried some 130 grain Federal Gold Medal ammunition. They all shot equally, so I tried my Cayuga hunting load as well. They averaged right at one MOA with a five shot group.

With a little refinement I figured I could tighten that up before hunting season. I would prefer the rifle shoot half MOA groups, this better consistency is very handy when shots get longer.
One thing I noticed while shooting the rifle at one hundred yards was how much I liked the two-stage trigger. You could tell it wasn’t a seven thousand dollar sniper rifle trigger, but it still was a great little trigger and better than average for a hunting rifle. I also noticed just the slightest bind on the bolt when running it, but it was also dry. I added a touch of lube to the contact points and it ran as smooth as could be.

Check out this and other Howa rifles, you’d be a fool not to.

Now that I had the rifle zeroed, I figured I would do some real world shooting. My favorite part of shooting here in the mountains is that it allows me to practice in the same scenarios that I would during a hunt. I picked out a rock about the size of a deer’s vitals, I picked it because it had the right shape, and lay surrounded by nothing but dry dirt. I ranged it with my LRF, and the range came back at four-hundred-twenty yards. It was a steep canyon and my target lay deep below me, so I dialed the elevation correction, subtracting for the incline of course. I favored into the wind which was coming down the canyon, and took up the first stage of the trigger. When my hold was just right, I pressed harder and sent the shot crushing the thin rock into the dirt.
With a fresh sense of confidence, I decided to try another shot. This one was straight across the canyon, with a good wind blowing at full-value. The laser came back with six-hundred and fifteen yards, so I again corrected my scope elevation for the distance and evaluated the wind as I lay there. A full MIL into the wind seemed a bit much, but I’ve certainly misjudged the wind before so I held the full MIL. After breaking the trigger again, I watched my bullet impact a few inches downwind of where I wanted it too. Shoulda probably held 1.1 or 1.2 MIL, but that is exactly why I like doing this, to get more experience doping the wind. Continue Reading Here…

PROS AND CONS

 

Having taken the Howa Kratos into the field several times now, I have been able to form an opinion worth sharing. First let’s talk about shootability, the stock feels great in the hands and its handsome to boot. I already mentioned the great trigger, and I love a good two-stage. The detachable magazine did seem a bit janky, in that I would occasionally get a failure to feed from a nose-down cartridge. The magazine itself felt pretty thin, which didn’t fill me with confidence either. I will likely just run the hinged floorplate for hunting purposes.

The muzzle brake was surprisingly petite, but it did reduce some felt recoil. Though with a Creedmoor I’m not sure if its needed. I much preferred shooting with my suppressor, additionally I don’t care for radially ported brakes due to the dirt they kick up when shooting.

There were a couple issues feeding from the magazine but that could have just been our test mag. When we swapped out to the floorplate it ran much smoother

As far as accuracy is concerned, I found it to be plenty accurate for a general-purpose hunting rifle. For an entry level match rifle, I think it could shoot better, either purpose would benefit from better accuracy in my opinion. Before hunting season starts, I will be refining my loads to see how good the little Howa can shoot.One last point is that even for an entry level match gun, the Kratos could benefit from a heavier barrel. Thinner barrels seem to wander as shot strings get longer. Hopefully for hunting, we’ll only need to shoot it once.

Pros:

  • Handsome rifle
  • Very accurate for entry level rifle
  • Hogue pillar bedded overmolded stock keeps action firmly stabilized
  • Excellent two stage trigger

Cons:

  • Could be more accurate, especially for a match rifle
  • Would benefit from heavier barrel
  • Some issues feeding from the magazine
  • Not a huge fan of radial muzzle brakes

CONCLUSION

With an MSRP of $650 I think the Kratos is a safe buy. Its handsome looks and suitable performance coming from a reputable company like Howa is likely all you need to make a choice. In my opinion this is a great little rifle, I think if my son ends up using it next month he may fall in love and have to hold onto it. And that would be just fine with me.

Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor

Product review, Shooting hardware, , ,

Background

Over the years I have had quite a few Ruger firearms and for the most part my experience with the company has been a good one. My first real rifle was a Ruger, and both family and friends have also used a bunch of different Ruger models over the years.

My opinion has been that Ruger produced a good firearm for the price. Today we will be taking my first look at the Ruger American line of rifles. I’m curious to see if they match up to my decades of experience with Ruger. Today we will be reviewing the Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor.

Go Wild, The Ruger American

There are many different Ruger American models, but the one I will be looking at today is the Go Wild model. This model comes with custom Cerakote and camouflage, and it’s chambered in the very popular 6.5 Creedmoor. As I opened the box I thought it had a handsome look to it, but looks don’t go very far in these mountains so I wanted to see how it performed more than anything.
Lifting the gun from the box, the first thing I thought was it seemed lighter than it looked if that makes sense. It was noticeably lighter than I expected it to be, and other comparable rifles nearby. This is obviously a good thing in my estimation, as I had planned on having my wife use the rifle during our hunting season. She is quite petite, so smaller and lighter is better.

With the gun shouldered, I ran the bolt a few times which felt better than I expected. The three-lug bolt of the American needs less lift to unlock from the breech, sixty-degrees of lift instead of the standard ninety-degrees. The smooth raceway had the bolt sliding very clean, and with the short lift it made it quick to reload.

Shifting my attention to the synthetic stock, it came as no surprise that the stock felt a bit cheap. Its unfortunate that many gun manufacturers are using these very flexible polymer stocks, but it is also very predictable. And to be fair, if the gun shoots well I probably wont be complaining about the flexible stock too much.

Burnt Bronze Cerakote protects the barreled action, that goes well with the camo pattern on the stock. At the muzzle of the twenty-two inch barrel its threaded 5/8-24 and comes with a radially ported brake to aid in recoil reduction. One in eight barrel twist is a pretty standard one and used here.

Feeding the rifle is done through a detachable box magazine compatible with AICS type magazines. This came as a pleasant surprise as I have an assortment of magazines I’d like to try in the rifle.
At the rear a tang mounted safety was easy to reach and manipulate. As was the bolt release on the left rear side of the action. With a simple design it was easily understood and in no time I was ready to outfit it. Ruger saw fit to include a scope rail already mounted which made mounting a scope much easier. To that I mounted one of my scopes in a pair of Warne low rings, the US Optics TS25X fit perfectly on top of the rifle. Though I think I will also add a stock-pack to get a better cheekweld.

Range time with the Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor

After getting the rifle setup with a scope, bipod and some ammo, it was time to get it hot. I arrived at one of my shooting spots with an assortment of ammunition. Some Hornady Match 120 grain, as well as some Federal 130 grain Gold Medal ammunition. I had also brought some handloads of my favorite hunting load, which consisted of Cayuga solid copper bullets. I’ve used them several times in the past on both deer and elk, and if my better half was to use this rifle for hunting I wanted to see how it shot these bullets.
With a target set up at one hundred yards, I laid on my shooting mat to zero the little Ruger. Using the Hornady ammunition I zeroed the rifle, and fired a quick three-shot group.

After correcting the point of impact to correlate with my point of aim, and then it was time to have some fun. Followed by my other ammo selections, and all of them shot very comparable which is always nice. Then I turned my attention to the hill beyond my target, surely there was an opportunity to test this rifle at some longer ranges.

With my binoculars I picked out a couple targets that were about ten inches in diameter. One of them I ranged at four-hundred and sixty yards. Not too far but definitely something realistic for a deer in these mountains. After zeroing the turrets on my scope, I adjusted 2.1 MRAD of elevation to correct for the distance. The wind was dead calm, so I held center on the target, and pressed the trigger.

Since I hadn’t mentioned the trigger yet, it was better than I expected it to be. I’m not a big fan of blade safeties on bolt action rifles. But this certainly hasn’t prevented a clean and easy break on this rifle. The trigger had no discernable friction, the only movement I noticed was when it broke.

Long-Range Shooting

Observing the bullet impact my target a little high of center, I need to chronograph these bullets from this rifle. As I think they are flying a little faster than I expected. After firing another shot to confirm, I began a search for another even further target. One was found that measured eight-hundred yards away according to my rangefinder. This was a shot I was confident the little Ruger and I could make. With 5.2 MRAD dialed into the riflescope, I leveled up the rifle on my rear bag. Adjusting the parallax on my scope made a clear image of the target, all that was left was a clean release.

Shop Ruger firearms, because the ATF doesn’t want you armed…

I could do this all day. This Ruger American was just a hoot to shoot, I was impressed with how much I liked it. I made this and several other shots at similar distances, until I was quite sure that the rifle would be suitable for a spot on our hunting team. The fun factor doubled when I installed my Yankee Hill Machine Nitro N20.  The titanium suppressor added mere ounces to the rifle, and took away the need for hearing protection in this wide open country. Watching and hearing bullets impact at these great distances was very satisfying.

PROS & CONS

Ruger American Go Wild Rifle
The action is nice, but I do wish the gun had a more solid stock.

There was much to like about this rifle – the weight, reliable function, perfectly reliable detachable box magazine. A reliable accuracy on par with the price point, and a great trigger. It is just a handsome little rifle as well.

The strikes I might score against the American would definitely be the flimsy stock. While it wasn’t obvious that it reduced the shooting performance, I can’t help but think it would shoot better in a more rigid stock or chassis. I think this would be an excellent choice for a rifle with a very short barrel. It was tempting to cut it off at 16 inches to make it even lighter and more maneuverable. But obviously, that is my selfish purposes showing through.

FINAL WORDS

I was optimistic that this rifle wouldn’t let me down. After spending a good deal of time shooting it, I feel it has lived up to my expectations from Ruger rifles. The only thing I wasn’t able to test was the rifle’s durability over a few seasons of hard hunting.

For sure, the rifle will get at least one chance to go on a hunt, and I am really looking forward to it. I know I wouldn’t feel under-gunned with this rifle, so if the $769.00 MSRP is within your budget, give this handsome little Ruger a try.

-CBM

Continue Reading Here…

2022 Update

We used the Ruger for a deer hunt this season, and managed to take these two little bucks with it. One shot was all it took for both of them.

Top Five Cartridges For Long-Range Shooting

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Top five you say? What kind of maniac could narrow it down to just five of the best cartridges? I mean the world is littered with spent casings from countless different cartridges that offered something that another didn’t. So to avoid being labeled as that guy, I am instead going to go over the process by which anyone can select their top performers as it applies to their shooting. And how I did it for myself. Today we will discuss my top five cartridges for long-range shooting.

The first step in this process would be to know and set your limits. Unless you’re Elon Musk you probably can’t afford or build a rail gun for your weekend shooting exchanges, so obviously there is a budget to keep. And if you live in flat country where the furthest you can see on a clear day is five-hundred yards. You will have very different needs than someone who lives in mountains ranges where one-thousand yards is just to the next turn in the trail. Another important consideration is the target. Hitting paper or steel is much different than meat and bone. So it’s very important to define your needs properly, both ballistically and financially.

Extremist Need Apply

If your goal is extreme distance competitions like King of 2 Miles, then you are going to want something big. My experience here is minimal. However there are many marksman shooting these distances with a cartridge I am quite fond of and my choice for extreme distance. The 375 Chey-tac, or something similar to it. The cartridge is perhaps the most common in big-bore ELR shooting, as the ammunition and components are plentiful. Not only that, it is an outstanding performer.
With high performance bullets like the Cutting Edge MTAC or the Warner Tool Flat-line, you can shoot distances that most people have never considered possible. Of course all this comes with significant cost. And perhaps an above average level of dedication, but how else could you call yourself an extreme shooter?

Okay, Maybe not that extreme

If your goals are perhaps a little more mainstream, and you don’t feel like spending $10-$20 every time you pull the trigger. Let’s talk about a better fit for you. Shooting a mile or less is much more common than it was even ten years ago. One of the reasons it has become so commonplace is the proliferation of the venerable 338 Lapua to so many affordable rifle platforms. But that’s not the cartridge I was about to recommend, I was about to say the 300 Norma Magnum. Why the 300 over the 338 you might ask? I’ll explain.

Click here to see the 300 Norma in elk hunting action

300 Norma ballistics when using high ballistic coefficient like those available today, will rival those of the 338 Lapua. There are pros and cons either way between the two, as far as barrel life, recoil, and even suppressors if that’s your thing. High quality bullets loaded in the 300 Norma make it a devastating long-range performer. Whether you are shooting targets, big-game hunting, or anything else. I prefer the more slender and faster fired bullets in the thirty-caliber as compared to the heavier and a bit slower thirty-three caliber bullets of the 338LM.

The 300 Norma will easily shoot to a mile and beyond, handily take down any North American animal. Additionally it has a huge selection of bullets and ammunition selections of the highest quality.

A Poor-Man’s 338 Lapua

Many years ago, before I had experienced both the 338 LM and 300 NM, I found myself in quite a quagmire. I wanted a new barrel for my Desert Tech SRS that would allow me to shoot comparable ranges to those cartridges (1700-2000 yards) , but I was but a common man.

I had nowhere near the money to feed a Lapua or a Norma, which is no small cost. Buying a barrel is one thing. But coming up with all the ammunition components needed to become proficient and shoot as frequently as I do is another entirely.  So I began a study to find a suitable replacement, a champaign cartridge on a beer cartridge budget so to speak. 

What precipitated from my numbers evaluation, was this; a very high BC bullet in the 7mm (.284) caliber is comparable to the BC of the bullets commonly loaded in the 338LM. So if I could get them up to comparable or better speeds, I would find myself shooting Lapua distances on  Remington resources. 

The 7mm SAUM

After some careful market evaluation, I was quoted a build for a 24″ 1-8 twist barrel chambered in the mighty 7mm Short Action Ultra Magnum (7SAUM). And before I knew it, my poor-man’s Lapua was in my hands.  I had done all my prep work before-hand, and I had loading components ready to go.

I ended up shooting the Sierra Bullets 183 Match King, which has a very high BC. My new barrel would launch them at a magnificent 3050 feet per second (FPS).  After spending a few seasons hunting with the 7SAUM, I was completely convinced I had made a good choice for the times. My SAUM shooting the 183’s actually shot flatter than the mighty 338 out to around a mile. The energy on impact wasn’t as high obviously but I wasn’t planning on hitting anything besides steel at those ranges. Even so, the SAUM retained more than enough energy to take down an animal as far away as 1000 yards, so I was certainly in good company.

Two elk taken down by a single shot from the 7SAUM, at 900 and 500 yards respectively

Lets get common

Nothing I’ve mentioned above is particularly common, or very cost effective for your average shooter. Sharp marksmen have been shooting significant distances for a very long time with everyday cartridges like the .308 and 30 06. And with proper bullet selection and load development, you could certainly continue on that fine tradition. Or you could embrace something more contemporary.

Go ahead and light your torches, sharpen the pitchforks, and prepare your best effeminate insults because we’re about to use the “C” word. Just prior to the current ammo crisis, the 6.5 Creedmoor has infiltrated nearly every little ammo shelf across the country. And for good reason.

The 6.5 Creedmoor

The 6.5 CM offers 300WM ballistics with recoil and cost subordinate to even the 308 Winchester. There is an extremely high-quality components and ammunition selection for the 6.5, and its easy to load and shoot. There is so much to like about the cartridge, it begs the question why it is the subject of every sophomoric and unsophisticated insult the internet has to offer.

Personally I believe it to be its own worst enemy, unfledged shooters are easily tired of hearing how great the Creedmoor is. Especially since what they choose to shoot is obviously better because they chose it, at least thats how they feel.
Do not discount the Creedmoor, it is what it was built to be; a great shooting cartridge for those first thousand yards. A great deer hunting cartridge, and anything similar to those two disciplines. It can be found nearly anywhere ammunition is sold, making it a strong contender on this list.

Out of left field

My tastes have changed, and my budgets matured, so I’d be remiss to omit my latest favorite. I wasn’t sure whether to put it in my list or not, due to the obscurity, but this is my list so I’ll do it my way.

Wildcats are a little different, like fingerless gloves at the range, or guys who wear fedoras. Wildcats if you didn’t know, are illegitimate children of the cartridge world, derived from other cartridges. They are either “necked up” or “necked down” and usually “blown out” to create a whole new cartridge. Many of our best cartridges were born this way, and to that list I add this one of my personal favorites.

The 257 Blackjack

The 257 Blackjack is a cartridge formed by shortening the SAUM case. Changing the shoulder geometry, and necking it down to twenty-five caliber. Simple enough, but the crown jewel of the cartridge is another very high BC bullet built by Blackjack Bullets (designer of the cartridge). The 131 grain bullet has a .340 BC, which is nearly untouchable by anything comparable in size and price. Nearly none of the 6.5 and 6mm bullets that would give the Blackjack a run for the money can. Especially when shot from the 257 Blackjack cartridge.

From my 24” barrel the muzzle velocity is 3270 FPS, and with that impressive .340 BC you can imagine the extremely flat trajectory. There are also other high BC bullets available from Berger and Hornady that have a predictably outstanding performance.

This little short action cartridge will reach a thousand yards with less than 5 MRAD of elevation. And when it gets there it will still be packing well over a thousand pounds of energy and more than 2200 fps. It doesn’t go subsonic till well beyond two-thousand yards. Making it very competitive in the same ranges as the 338LM and 300 NM mentioned above.

Would I recommend the 257 Blackjack for long-range shooting? Not at the moment. The tediousness and dedication it takes to run a wildcat cartridge like this is probably more than most would care for. But should factory made brass become available, this would be a shoo-in for anyone interested. It is truly an amazing little cartridge.

Conclusion

So there you have it, my list of my top five long range shooting cartridges. You may take them or leave them, and you wont get any argument from me. Every shooter can decide what works best for his/her needs, and create their own top five.
The good news is that there are so many great choices. Despite my little list of cartridges, I could probably make due for the rest of my life with just a plain jane 308.

-CBM

Let us know in the comment section what your top five cartridges are

Savage 110 6.5 Creedmoor

Product review, Shooting hardware, , ,

Introduction

One of my first loves was an old Savage 10FP in 308. It had all the simplicity a guy could want, and it just plain shot. I have had a bunch of Savages over the years, and I have typically had a pretty good experience with them. So when the opportunity to shoot a newer version of the model 10/110 I was eager to see how it compared to the old FP I loved so much. Today we are looking at a more modern and similar rifle, the Savage 110 6.5 Creedmoor.

My old Savage 10FP from almost twenty years ago

Savage has been around for a long time, and they have made quite a few guns in that time. One of my initial concerns with this rifle in particular was if it stood up to the classic Savages that I’ve shot over the years, I would find out soon enough.

The Model 110

The 110 action has changed through several different generations over the decades, but this current 6.5 Creedmoor model is not too different from those of the past. Like most Savage actions, is is machined from round stock with a front and rear ring. A two-lug bolt rotates the floating head into the front ring of the action, and the twenty-four inch eight-twist barrel is threaded into the front of the action. A recoil lug is sandwiched there, and the whole assembly held together with a barrel nut.

At the rear of the action the safety and Accu-Trigger are attached, and the whole thing is set into the polymer stock. I’ve never been a big fan of the cheap plastic stocks on economy priced rifles, but some of the few that were despicable in my eyes have been Savages such as this one. On the bottom of the polymer stock, there is a detachable box magazine that holds three cartridges.
This model is obviously marketed as a hunting rifle, it’s weight and profile features are optimized for a hunter. That being the case I wasn’t surprised by some of the features, or a lack of others. I guess you could say that in my estimation this was a basic no-frills hunting rifle.

Outfitting

Being a hunting rifle, I wanted to setup the rifle the way I would use it. The open Rocky Mountains where I hunt are full of big spaces, and shots can be had from archery range to as far as you’d dare pull a trigger. I decided to mount my Gen 1 Vortex PST 4-16, perhaps a little old school for today’s market, but these older scopes always worked great for me. Way back in the day,I actually got one of the very first ones that came out, serial number four. I mounted the scope in a pair of Warne rings, and bore-sighted it on my kitchen counter. After attaching a bipod for convenience and accuracy testing, I lubed up the action before heading out to shoot.

Shop all Savage firearms, the founding fathers would want you to.

I wanted to give the Savage a few different ammunition options to see how it performed. Some rifles are pretty picky when it comes to shooting accurately with any given ammo. So I wanted to have as many options for success as possible. The current situation at the ammo isle is pretty sad still, I have managed to find a bunch of stuff lately but the 6.5CM is still not as common as it once was. That being the case I decide to shoot a few of the factory options I had available, as well as some of my most common handloads that have done well in my other 6.5’s. Continue Reading Here…

OPENING SHOTS IN THE FIELD

Savage 10/110 Rifle
I put a few different loads through the rifle. 

After a vigorous hike that took me up to 5,000 feet, I paced off 100 yards and checked it with my rangefinder. I spent a few shots getting the rifle zeroed. Once I felt it had a good zero, I set to trying the hodgepodge selection of ammo I had brought. First off, I tried the Hornady match 143-grain ammo. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t exactly impress me either. I also tried some Desert Tech 140-grain Match, which also shot kind of ho-hum. I was really hoping my handloads did better. Otherwise, this was going to be a very quick review.

The next up was my 120-grain handloads. These are a boat-tail hollow-point round that I have used in several rifles for many years now. My son used them to take his very first mule deer as well as his first elk. Having used them quite a bit over the years, I was optimistic that they would do well in this little Savage.

The best I could get this 110 to group was just barely over one MOA with this ammunition. Which turned out to provide the most consistent groups of all the rounds that I shot. I picked out a few targets at some modest distances across the little draw, hitting 6 to 10-inch sized targets was pretty easy. I would feel more than comfortable using this rifle for deer hunting at ranges inside 400 yards.

PROS

Savage 10/110 Rifle

This Savage has some great things going for it as a hunting rifle. It’s not particularly heavy. But at just shy of 8 pounds, it fits squarely in the average hunting rifle size. It’s 24-inch barrel is a fairly light profile and easily pointed, and I’m glad it’s not a 26-incher.

The Accu-Trigger never was a big selling point for me, but this one feels fine, and it’s perfectly suitable for a hunting rifle. While the magazine functioned flawlessly and fed smooth, it did feel a little cheap and somewhat finicky to remove from the rifle.

Savage 10/110 Rifle
I would like to see better accuracy, but the gun does perform at most practical hunting ranges. 

CONS

It’s hard to screw up a classic, so I wasn’t surprised with how well the 110 functioned. That said, I was left feeling a bit let down with the accuracy of this rifle. The one thing I really wanted this rifle to be was an excellent shooter, as I’ve become accustomed to that.

While I certainly feel like I could use this rifle for hunting, I would probably pick one of my other rifles over this one. Sub-MOA accuracy is a minimum “must have” for my hunting rifles, and this one just didn’t want to do it consistently. With more time and different ammo choices, perhaps I could’ve found a combo that it really liked.

CONCLUSION

The price point of this rifle seems to put it above entry level in the production market. At an MSRP of $849, it’s not exactly a slam dunk. But to be fair, with rifles in this price range, I have seen some disparity in performance. While the performance on this particular model didn’t blow me away, it wouldn’t surprise me to see better results from another example.

The reliability and function of the rifle did stand up with all the other good Savages I’ve shot over the years, so perhaps this one just needed a little coaxing.

-CBM

Bergara BMP 6.5 Creedmoor

Product review, Shooting hardware, , ,

Precision Rifles

The Remington 700 rifle has been for many years a prominent stalwart in the precision rifle world. The strong aftermarket support that has accompanied the 700’s time in the sunshine has also made it a very desirable platform for custom rifle building, and the 700 footprint has been copied and cloned by many in order to take advantage of that aftermarket.
One of the many companies that has done exactly that is Bergara, and today we are talking about one of the rifles they manufacture.


The Bergara BMP 6.5 Creedmoor

The Bergara Match Precision (BMP) is a short action rifle designed and built for competition. There are all kinds of accessories and features that make a good match gun, and Bergara certainly included many of them here.
At the core of the rifle is Bergara’s B-14 two lug action, it uses a sliding front extractor and a traditional plunger ejector. The bolt nose and breech is tapered, and the assembly slides very smoothly in the action. The front of the action has a very cunning cutout to capture the recoil lug, and keep it centered. In front of that is a twenty-four inch match grade barrel made by Bergara, and threaded 5/8-24 at the muzzle. The model I tested here came with a very nice user indexable muzzle brake, which works very well to reduce recoil. The B-14 utilizes Remington 700 accessories like scope-base rails, which made mounting my scope easy.

Details: Captured recoil lug, bolt catch, trigger adjustments, chassis detail

The second half of the rifle is the BMP chassis. We live in a chassis world now, almost every manufacturer has their own version of a chassis gun. I think Bergara did pretty good with theirs, it incorporates most of the important features a shooter would want.
Built from aluminum, the BMP chassis is not particularly light at 10.4 pounds, but most match guns aren’t light so that’s fine by me. Let’s start at the butt of the chassis and move forward.
The recoil pad is made of hard rubber, and is quickly indexed by loosening a thumbscrew just in front of it. There is very rough rubber like surface between the butt-pad and the rear face of the stock, this allows the butt-pad to be easily fit to the shooter and maintain solid lockup with minimal torque. Just in front of that is the length of pull adjustment, which is easily done by loosening a wingnut on the butt-stock to adjust to your liking. Then it is easily snugged back up for a solid feel. The adjustable cheek-piece is adjusted the same way using an identical wingnut to release the cheek-piece to be adjusted to your scope height. The whole process of fitting the chassis to my taste took only a few moments and zero trips to the owners manual.

Moving forward on the chassis is the pistol-grip, the model I have came with a vertical MDT adjustable grip. Many people don’t care for the vertical grip, but they are wrong in my opinion. The precise adjustability of the MDT allows for perfect trigger finger placement and pull.
The adjustable trigger of the BMP felt perfect just the way it came, I felt no need to adjust it any lighter, even though that is what I usually do. At the front of the trigger guard is the wide magazine release for dropping free the AICS type magazines, the rifle came with the Magpul version which I quite like. The slippery polymer seems to allow smoother feeding than some metal magazines. The fit of the magazines seemed just a bit looser than I would expect, but at no time during my testing did they malfunction or fall out, so I guess they are perfectly fine.

Need a Bergara rifle? Shop here

The forearm of the chassis features MLok slots on all the right spots, which allows users to add and adjust any accessories they feel necessary. There are also steel insert flush cups to quickly install and remove your sling, there are correlating flush cups on the rear of the butt-stock as well. The top of the forearm seems to be drilled and tapped for a night vision optics bridge, which I was unfortunately unable to use.

Like a Glove

There were few things I felt needed to add to the BMP, but I did have to install one of my favorite accessories which is the Area419 ARCALock rail on the bottom of the forearm. On top of the rifle I mounted up one of my nicer scopes, deserving of a ride on the BMP was the Kahles 3-18X56. It was a perfect fit for the rifle, and after sliding on my Atlas Bipod I grabbed some ammo and headed for the hills.

Continue Reading Here…

I also grabbed a wrench to remove the muzzle brake because I was dang sure going to shoot this rifle suppressed. I grabbed my Yankee Hill Machine Nitro N20 suppressor to go along for a ride on the BMP.

ON THE FIRING LINE

 



Bergara B-14 BMP Bolt-Action Rifle
With just a few rounds, I was reaching out and connecting with long-range targets.

 

I was expecting good accuracy from this rifle as I frequently hear good reports from owners. After boresighting the rifle and zeroing the turrets on my scope, I started pounding things with the BMP. In no time, I was running the Bergara bolt on targets all across the canyon. Sub-MOA accuracy was easily obtained shooting 140 grain match ammunition. Before my first box of ammo was expended, I was hitting my 950-yard target. The Bergara BMP provided very predictable shooting, and the 6.5 Creedmoor was shooting very well in the Rocky Mountain breeze.

The BMP felt like a perfect interface between me and my targets. The chassis, bolt, and trigger all felt like a familiar and flawless old friend. Shooting the rifle from prone off the bipod and from elevated positions such as rocks, tripods, and other things came very easy with the well-balanced rifle. I really liked the pistol grip, and the reloading of mags went quick and smooth using my trigger finger to push the release. The smooth-running bolt fed cartridges flawlessly from the magazines and extracted spent cases like an expensive custom action. This rifle ran just like a match gun should, and it felt like a well-oiled machine.

Bergara B-14 BMP Bolt-Action Rifle
I attached my Kahles 3-18×56 scope, which was a great fit for this rifle. 
Bergara B-14 BMP Bolt-Action Rifle
Sub-MOA groups came easy as well

 

Match guns obviously must perform in both function and accuracy, and the BMP certainly did both. Shooting half-MOA groups with the BMP was not a challenge, if you shot the ammunition it liked. I shot a small variety of Federal 120 grain, Desert Tech 140 Grain match, and a couple different handloads.

WHAT ABOUT THE GRIPES

I honestly thought it wouldn’t be too difficult to find something about this rifle that I didn’t like. But in fairness, the only thing I wish I could change about it is perhaps how long it is. I do have an affinity for shorter rifles so don’t let that hinder your choice. I also would have loved to see the ARCA rail built into the chassis, but it’s not a big deal for sure.

Bergara B-14 BMP Bolt-Action Rifle

CONCLUSION

I was happily impressed with the Bergara BMP, even more so than I expected to be. I love to be proven wrong about my preconceptions when it comes to rifles. I would love to shoot a match using this rifle, and I would feel very comfortable with it in my stable.

The BMP is a great performing competition-ready precision rifle at a steal of a price for what it can do. Based on my experience, the Bergara Match Precision rifle gets all thumbs up. Buy with confidence and burn the barrel out of it chasing the podium!

-CBM

6.5 Creedmoor Against the World

blog, hunting, ,

Division

Few things can be more divisive than deeply-held differences of opinion, particularly when these differences are constantly manifest and even poked at like a festering wound. You might think that I’m about to discuss Evangelicals and Satanists, but instead, as you may gathered from the title that today’s subject is the famous six-point-five Creedmoor. But how can something so simple as a slightly different and new cartridge drive such gnashing and bitterness between marksmen? Is the Creedmoor so despicable?

Big H

When Hornady released the Creedmoor over a decade ago, it showed great promise with claims of flat trajectory, superior wind deflection, low recoil and many other positive attributes. All this as compared to the extremely common and widely used 308 Winchester.

I won’t spend much time comparing the Creedmoor or evaluating its virtues other than how it relates to our topic. But before we move on I will say that the mighty machine of the Hornady marketing department is likely responsible for a great deal of the Creedmoor’s popularity and adoption.

The Crux of the Argument

I think I might be able to pin down the finer points of this argument after spending a great deal of time immersed in it. On any given day, in any random forum or facebook group, there are people fiercely defending the virtue of the little Creedmoor. And pounding out their often angry or insulting responses is the opposing group in this discussion.

The Creedmoor seems to be both the object of adoration and despise, at the beginning I myself felt some similar distaste for the venerable red-tipped cartridge. The reason myself and others were likely soured against it, was due to the constant and unrelenting talk about it. You couldn’t open a magazine without seeing an ad or article about it, you couldn’t sit down on a bench without some guy offering you information about how great his Creedmoor shoots. It often felt like that meme about the guy who chooses the urinal next to you just to chat.

Obviously however, no amount of marketing dollars from Hornady could prop up a product that doesn’t at minimum, closely match its desired performance. The shooting public can quickly sift through bullshit when it stinks, unless you’re one of those who bought one of those cat-skins at the Boy Scout trading post believing it was a “rabbit pelt”.

The Creedmoor’s excellent performance was hard to deny, and as it continued to flourish, its qualities became more and more desirable. Even creating much of the movement that drove competitors to the faster and flatter little cartridges used in precision rifle matches today. And undoubtedly its popularity was bound to spill over into the hunting market, where it continued to spread like wildfire. And typically that is where so much of the controversy seems to be seen.

Pure Fuddery

The hunting community is a traditional one for the most part. Hunters are very methodical and some reach near superstition when it comes to their practices. So it should come as no surprise that something new would take some serious consideration to be esteemed good enough to replace or stand next to gran-dad’s ol’ 06 Springfield hunting rifle.

Perhaps the defining feature of “a Fudd” is the inability to recognize technological advances, and a willing indifference to learn why such advances were made. Way back in the eighteenth century there was probably a similar rejection when some ol’ boy showed up with smokeless powder, and the eyebrow-less crowd laughed at him.

A healthy Creedmoor dropped this elk in her tracks

Math and science are empirical (unless it doesn’t suit your leftist ideology), and even if you show him on paper and again on the range, a true Fudd will dismiss it and say; well my [enter traditional cartridge] has more ass behind it and hits harder. Sometimes they aren’t wrong, but they often are. The possibility that a smaller bullet could somehow carry the same or more energy downrange seems like crazy talk until you understand the math.

Apples to Apples

The tediousness of ballistic comparisons can get extremely long-winded and boring, so I’ll spare you that. But these arguments often stem from exaggerated generalizations.
Somebody made a good shot once upon a time with a Creedmoor so now everybody that was there believes it to be the right hand of God. And at the exact same time on the other side of the mountain, somebody yanked the trigger sending a 143 into the guts of a distant animal that went unrecovered. And everybody there swore off the Creedmoor forever because Yankee McTriggerton was their hero.


There is surely no shortage of shooters who love their Creedmoor so much, that they can hit anything; they once got a first round hit at a mile on a ten inch steel plate in a 17 mile crosswind. And everybody clapped… (Sarcasm added for that one guy that cant tell)

But the anti-Creedmoor crowd seems just as silly at times, happily swilling memes about man-buns and making general insults to the Creedmoor and their owners skinny jeans. Some of whom even pretend their 6.5X55 Swede is somehow superior to the Creedmoor despite being nearly ballistic twins.

This ol’ Swede shoots almost identical to the Creedmoor

A proper comparison is only fair, the Creedmoor is neither the hand of God nor is it a weakling. It’s not hard to do a proper comparison if you’re unafraid of the results. Depending on bullets and velocity your Creedmoor might be ballisticly superior to O’Connors .270 or it might not. What matters is you understand and become proficient with whatever you choose to shoot.

These two elk each fell to a single 6.5 bullet at 520 Yards

You can’t kill an Elk…

“You’d be better off with a 300WM” comes the completely anticipated answer when someone mentions hunting with a 6.5 Creedmoor. Maybe you would be, maybe not. Depends on if you are a better shot with the 6.5 or with the 300.
People have been killing moose in their thousands for over a hundred years in Scandinavia using the 6.5X55 Swedish Mauser cartridge, which as I mentioned already is nearly a ballistic twin to the Creedmoor. All those moose steaks stand in direct opposition to the idea that 6.5’s are inadequate for killing large members of the deer family. And yet here in North America there seems to be a disconnect, the majority of the general hunting public seem to be convinced that larger magnums and thirty-caliber cartridges are the only ideal ones for deer and larger animals.
I could speculate but I believe it may have been years of advertising efforts trying to sell bigger and better magnums (28 Nosler anyone?) that continues today, trying to convince hunters they were under-gunned without the latest super-cartridge.

Another 6.5 victim taken at 500 yards

It may come as a surprise to some, but you can easily and confidently take down a Rocky Mountain Elk with a 6.5 Creedmoor. I know because I have done it over and over for several years, as a matter of fact the last five or six elk we’ve dropped were shot with a 6.5 or an even smaller cartridge like the 25 Creedmoor. What’s more, many of these elk were four and five-hundred yards out when they dropped to the ground.

Just like most cartridges and bullets, the 6.5 Creedmoor will take a deer or elk right off its feet. The problems usually start when perhaps an inexperienced or over-zealous hunter takes a shot he shouldn’t have, perhaps having drank too much of Hornady’s red Kool-Aid.

Good shot placement with sufficient impact velocity is a must regardless of the cartridge you are shooting. The “magic” of the Creedmoor wont save you from loosing animals if you don’t make a good shot, the same thing can and does happen with any other cartridge. Read this article about shot placement and cartridge selection if you’d like to go deeper into that subject.


Need some 6.5 Creedmoor ammo?

Shop 6.5 Creedmoor at Gun Mag Warehouse
Shop 6.5 Creedmoor at Firearms Depot
Shop 6.5 Creedmoor at Mile High Shooting 

Built better?

The incredibly popular Creedmoor has a couple legs up on older cartridges like the swede and my old favorite 260 Remington. Perhaps the best one of them is brass, there are so many great options from all the very best manufacturers such as Lapua and Alpha Munitions. Both large and small rifle primer brass can be had, allowing shooters to run higher pressure loads and using different and more modern components. Everything from handloading tools to your favorite rifle can be had in 6.5 Creedmoor, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If anything the Creedmoor has helped drive innovation and mainstreaming many practices that were once very niche.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is the result of applying good designs in cartridge cases and bullet construction, whatever negative reputation precedes the Creedmoor is likely a result of overconfident or negligent hunters who believed the hype. The Creedmoor is a great performer in various applications, and to dismiss it as “a fine target round” or only a “paper puncher” would be ignorant.

Final Thoughts

The sophomoric hatred for the Creedmoor is downright embarrassing, and a quick way to show your ignorance among anyone with objectivity. It is a fine cartridge like hundreds of others, and when used properly it can be very useful for both hunting and any other shooting enterprise. If pride prevents you from joining the Creedmoor cult, you do you, there are plenty of other great options out there as well. But don’t let your pride make you look a fool.

-CBM