6.5 Credmore ammunition

[geek]

Having purchased a new Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5CM I am unable to find anywhere locally with stocks of factory ammunition.

 

I will eventually reload (ordered dies and cases etc.), however I would like to purchase a quantity of factory ammunition, does anyone know who has any in stock?

 

Thank you.

[jcampbellsmith]

Perhaps googling creedmoor would be a start?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=creedmoor%20ammunition%20uk

 

Regards

 

JCS

[geek]

Perhaps googling creedmoor would be a start?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=creedmoor%20ammunition%20uk

 

Regards

 

JCS

 

Thanks, I have tried Fox Firearms and Simply Firearms (where I bought the rifle).

 

Following your link (http://www.dauntseyguns.co.uk/downloads/AmmoPriceList.pdf) £42.95 / 20 WOW - looks like I will have to wait for the reloading gear to arrive!

[jcampbellsmith]

Geek

 

That's the problem with the 6.5's. I've paid £50 a box for 260 Rem ammunition in the past. I did meet someone at the range recently who was in exactly the same boat as you. I really like my two 260 Rems, but it is a pain not being able to buy match ammunition for them at an affordable price. I suspect in time I will turn one of them into a .308 Win to address the ammunition availability issue. At present I can easily obtain factory soft point, factory copper and factory match ammo for the 308.

 

Regards

 

JCS

[phaedra1106uk]

I reload for both my 6.5s (Creedmoor and 260) using 140gr Noslers I can easily get sub 1MOA (probably a lot better but that's down to my shooting!) for around £45-£50/100.

[mitch308]

why not try re forming 243 cases, Its a trim and one pass on the die operation, I know someone who does this and he gets accurate results

[1967spud]

i have dies and brass in stock if thats any help in fact 1000'#s of cases

[geek]

i have dies and brass in stock if thats any help in fact 1000'#s of cases

 

I ordered the other day, 100 cases+ dies (also the bore guide) if you recall

[1967spud]

i do in deed many thanks

[phaedra1106uk]

why not try re forming 243 cases, Its a trim and one pass on the die operation, I know someone who does this and he gets accurate results

Not quite, 243 & 308 usually need neck turning as they have a tendency to end up making donuts due to the thicker brass around the neck/shoulder..

[The Gun Pimp]

why not try re forming 243 cases, Its a trim and one pass on the die operation, I know someone who does this and he gets accurate results

 

Come on guys - Geek's not even reloading yet!

[phaedra1106uk]

Time he started

 

Come on man, get your finger out !!!

[geek]

 

Come on guys - Geek's not even reloading yet!

 

I am reloading for my .308, but I am a beginner (lots to learn), also I have ordered cases and dies from Spud for the 6.5CM (I probably need a lesson from The Gun Pimp on reloading )

[Laurie]

If you handload 308, you'll have no trouble with the 6.5 Creedmoor - a very easy cartridge to work with that likes lots of powders. Try a few 123 and 140gn bullets to see what the barrel likes and you'll be enjoying yourself with the rifle in no time at all.

[lee_enfield223]

I use winchester 308 once fired cases and just full length size them in my forster 260rem die , it's CHEAP brass and all you get is a small bump in the shoulder that blows out after the first firing, plus most factory chambers have a .298" neck diameter and winchester brass has a .292" neck where as norma brass in 260rem has a .289" neck so winchester brass is better.

[Brillo]

Geek, as Laurie says, reloading Creedmoor cartridges is as easy as loading .308.

I own a Creedmoor built by Baldie and it's a joy to shoot. In my own experience you don't need to push them too fast and I've found the sweet spot is around 2850 fps.

The powder of choice seems to be H4350 and RS 62 is getting popular too.

I've settled on the SMK 142 grain bullet pushed by H4350 at 2860 fps and at 900 yards the bullet drop is 4 MOA less than my .308!

 

When you're ready to start reloading there's no shortage of experienced help on this forum.

[tackb]

I get it , this is the whole reason I changed from 260 to creedmoor , factory match ammo availability

 

There has recently been a big delivery of hornady ammo so all I can suggest is phoning gun shops in ever increasing circles from your location till you find some ammo

 

The 140 Amax match factory is so good I may not bother reloading !

[Laurie]

Hornady's early monopoly on its cartridge is fast going which should improve the ammunition situation in due course. There are now no fewer than six companies making Creedmoor brass or having announced production is starting soon.

 

In addition to Hornady and Norma, there are four newcomers for 2017:

 

Lapua

Peterson Cartridge Co. (Viking Arms has it on order for British dealers)

Kinetic Industries

Alpha Munitions

 

Not all of these will ultimately produce ammunition, but they're already announcing deals with smaller American producers. Alpha Munitions' brass will replace Hornady's in the Copper Creek Cartridge Company's 6.5 Creedmoor match ammo range for instance. With Lapua now owning Berger Bullets and the Applied Ballistics Munitions tie-up, I'm sure there will be ABM Creedmoor ammo soon with the new Lapua brass and Berger bullets to supplement ABM's existing 260 Rem range. Norma already loads and supplies Creedmoor ammo to the USA through its RUAG owners under contract to Prime Ammunition, a US law enforcement / military sniper / specialist match ammunition supplier.

 

Little or none of this will come here anytime soon, but it should start to take up some American demand as well as incite others to join a good paying commercial bandwagon. The Creedmoor should join the group of 'second tier' cartridges in the next few years - like 7mm-08, 260 Rem, 6.5X55mm and suchlike, available but not as widely as 223 and 308.

 

Yet again though with a few exceptions we see European manufacturers blind to developments and trends in the world's largest recreational gun and ammunition market. if Sako / Tikka for instance intends to add the Creedmoor to its rifle chambering options, it's being remarkably coy about it.

[Rabbitter]

Yet again though with a few exceptions we see European manufacturers blind to developments and trends in the world's largest recreational gun and ammunition market. if Sako / Tikka for instance intends to add the Creedmoor to its rifle chambering options, it's being remarkably coy about it.

 

 

I plan to add a Creedmoor to my collection in the next year or so. Is there a consensus on optimal barrel length? I'm a Sako/Tikka fan, but they tend to offer 20inch or 24 inch in most calibers. GMK are then generally unimaginative when they select their general import stock.

[Laurie]

The point I was making Rabbitter was that Sako and Tikka don't appear to be intending to offer any of their rifles in this chambering anytime soon, so you might have a rather long wait.

 

In more general terms, the mid-size 6.5s with high BC match bullets or tipped sporting types are very long-range capable with 26-inch barrels making them easily 1,000 yard target shooting capable.

 

A 24-incher wouldn't be quite as good, but will do the business with the 6.5mm Creedmoor to 1,000 with the better 139-143gn bullets, something that 308 Win finds very hard going. I shot an 8-inch 1,000 yard 5-shot group with a factory Savage 12 LRP and a Nosler 140gn Custom Competition bullet handload in a UK BR Association match earlier this year. This is a model that is well down on the more recent Berger models or even the old 139gn Scenar in BC terms. Although the LRP has a 26-inch barrel, it was a very mild 2,710 fps MV loading, a speed which will be easily attainable from 24 inch barrel rifles especially once the very strong Lapua brass arrives and is in use.

[Scotch_egg]

The point I was making Rabbitter was that Sako and Tikka don't appear to be intending to offer any of their rifles in this chambering anytime soon, so you might have a rather long wait.

 

In more general terms, the mid-size 6.5s with high BC match bullets or tipped sporting types are very long-range capable with 26-inch barrels making them easily 1,000 yard target shooting capable.

 

A 24-incher wouldn't be quite as good, but will do the business with the 6.5mm Creedmoor to 1,000 with the better 139-143gn bullets, something that 308 Win finds very hard going. I shot an 8-inch 1,000 yard 5-shot group with a factory Savage 12 LRP and a Nosler 140gn Custom Competition bullet handload in a UK BR Association match earlier this year. This is a model that is well down on the more recent Berger models or even the old 139gn Scenar in BC terms. Although the LRP has a 26-inch barrel, it was a very mild 2,710 fps MV loading, a speed which will be easily attainable from 24 inch barrel rifles especially once the very strong Lapua brass arrives and is in use.

Laurie, Tikka have already got rifles on the market in the USA in 6.5 creedmoor. Just when they will make it here is anyone's guess.

[The Badger]

Hi Laurie

 

I hope not to confuse the issue But is the 6mm Creedmoor a viable alternative for a 1000m calibre. It seems to be making lots of noise in the US

 

I know there will be all kinds of difficulties brass, powders, heads, but I believe 6.5 brass is easy to convert to 6mm.

 

I welcome your comment

 

[Laurie]

Laurie, Tikka have already got rifles on the market in the USA in 6.5 creedmoor. Just when they will make it here is anyone's guess.

 

That was reported on Snipers Hide a while back as a large American supplier advertised Tikka T3X-CTRs in the chambering. But then it turned out that there weren't any, no explanation given or available and when Tikka was asked via its US distributor, the official line (only a few months ago) was that the company did not intend to adopt it 'for the foreseeable' future.

 

My good friend Chris Parkin who works for WMS and also reviews rifles and optics for several publications as a contributing independent gun writer has just written up a tactical Tikka (or Sako - can't remember exactly what now) in 260 Rem and told me last Thursday that his review takes the company to task for this blindness to the hottest new cartridge for a generation in the world's largest market. He asked the same question and apparently received the same reply.

 

It seems the original Snipers Hide and some other forum and online reports apparently set a hare running and as is often the case with some stories, it can be remarkably difficult to ascertain what is fact and what is misinformation for a long time afterwards. At the time I researched every European rifle manufacturer to see which if any had adopted the Creedmoor and Tikka / Sako neither showed it anywhere nor mentioned it in any press release. As a former marketing and Press/PR manager, if they have actually done so, then I can only say their press relations and marketing activities 'suck' to use an American expression.

 

I wait in hope and expectation that there really are factory T3Xs out there, but am not holding my breath to be honest. It may be that Beretta / Tikka wish to keep their powder dry for the long promised launch and apparently rather drawn out introduction of the T3X TAC-A1.

 

Here is a link to a report on the rifle and again mention of rumours of 6.5HCM chambering

 

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/06/15/new-tikka-unveiled-t3x-tac-a1/

[Laurie]

 

 

Hi Laurie

 

I hope not to confuse the issue But is the 6mm Creedmoor a viable alternative for a 1000m calibre. It seems to be making lots of noise in the US

 

I know there will be all kinds of difficulties brass, powders, heads, but I believe 6.5 brass is easy to convert to 6mm.

 

I welcome your comment

 

 

Yes it would be. The 6mm Creedmoor wildcat will give very similar performance to the Tubb 6XC which is a fine cartridge and easily 1,000 yard capable. With a one in 7.5" twist barrel it will give 115gn match bullets very useful MVs and Sierra has just launched a new 110gn high-BC 6mm MatchKing which would be suitable.

 

However, why adopt a 'wildcat' when the XC is already here and although using a large primer case, is a strong and effective high-pressure number? (308 Palma brass can be re-formed to 6XC too if the small primer is a must-have.)

 

The downside of the 6XC and presumably 6 Creedmoor too presumably is that it is very easy to shoot a barrel out in just over 1,000 rounds if loaded up too much, especially with RS60 which matches the cartridge superbly.

 

I don't know much about the US PRS scene, but assume it is like our CSR in many requirements. The 6.5 CM morphed into the 6mm version for these competitors as it is 1) very flat shooting mitigating ranging errors on unknown distance targets, 2) has light recoil, and 3) had much cheaper and more widely available brass than the 6XC as it's a simple run a 6.5 case through the 6mm version's sizer die. if like our CSR people mostly shoot at short to mid ranges, loadings can be kept down enough to give a 2,000 round or so barrel life ......... but won't come anywhere near that of the parent 6.5 CM's or 260 Rem with moderate loadings. However, the PRS circuit is restricted to the cream of US tactical shooters, so competitiveness presumably overrides barrel life issues.

[baldie]

I have a brand new shiny 6CM reamer sat here.

 

I just need an excuse.........