6,5 Creedmoor, choice of barrel length?

[Vesterhoff]

So I finally decided to retire 'The Oldy War-horse' AKA. the 30.06, and I decided to go the 6,5 Creedmoor way.

I've got myself quite a good offer on the Tikka T3x Tac A1, and I'm trying to decide between the 20" barrel option, or the 24" barrel option.

I'm planning on using the rifle mainly for medium and long range hunting.

Due to local laws, I'm required to use and expanding bullet. I'm planning on using the Hornady Eld-X 143 grains, due to its characteristics, and its availability over here.

I'm also required by law, to deliver 2700 joules of impact-force at a range of 100 meters, in order to legally hunting for large game animals. I've crunched the numbers, and what I end up with, is a required minimum muzzle-velocity of 815 meters pr. second, (that will be 2674 feet pr. second) when using the Hornady Eld-X 143 grain.

I'm planning on running the platform suppressed, with a rather large Stalon suppressor.


So to my question: Is the required velocity realistic with a 20" barrel?

 

[wbm]

24"

 

[Doom2]

You lose about 25 feet per second per inch of barrel. For that bullet you need the 24" barrel.

 

[25WSM]

I personally shoot the Creed for long range target shooting and it's a great cartridge. The 24 inch would be preferable to me but since your going to put a muffler on it I would do the 20. If you load rl26 powder you can really up the speed. 2850 from the 20 inch would be no problem and easily reach your required energy. Factory loads are going to be a tough one with the 20 inch barrel. Berger makes a factory load 140 hybrid that is 150 fps faster than the Hornady loads. Plus you get all that fine brass to reload with. The Berger load does 2840 from my 22 inch barrel. Should be close to 2800 from the 20. Enjoy the cool-aid it's good.
Shep

 

[Vesterhoff]

I personally shoot the Creed for long range target shooting and it's a great cartridge. The 24 inch would be preferable to me but since your going to put a muffler on it I would do the 20. If you load rl26 powder you can really up the speed. 2850 from the 20 inch would be no problem and easily reach your required energy. Factory loads are going to be a tough one with the 20 inch barrel. Berger makes a factory load 140 hybrid that is 150 fps faster than the Hornady loads. Plus you get all that fine brass to reload with. The Berger load does 2840 from my 22 inch barrel. Should be close to 2800 from the 20. Enjoy the cool-aid it's good.
Shep

Thank you for your reply!

I intend to use hand-loads, so the factory-ammo-issue is irrelevant.

Reloader 26 is not really available at my side of the 'pond', so I need an alternative. The go-to brands over here is Vihtavuori or Norma. Any idea of which of their products, is equivalent to RL26?

 

[25WSM]

I don't think any powder gives the speed of rl26 in the Creed. My target rifle likes h4350 and will do 2900 with it but I shoot it at 2865 because it's a really big node. Someone else might be able to steer you to a vv powder that gives good speed in it. One of the 5s should work.
Shep

 

[25WSM]

Just remember the Hornady factory loads are way conservative.
Shep

 

[Vesterhoff]

Just remember the Hornady factory loads are way conservative.
Shep

So I've heard, guess I can up the ante a bit, when running Lapua brass :-D

 

[just_jon]

If I may be so bold as to ask,, how exactly does the government determine whether your hand loads meet those requirement? Just curious.

 

[TRG65]

Several years ago I did some work with VV550, but didn't save any of it, because of how well H4350 and RL16 do and they aren't as sensitive to temp fluctuations. But if I was restricted to norma and VV, my starting point would be VV550.

Also, unless google is leading me wrong 2700 joules is about 1992ftlbs. A Nosler 140 accubond at 2720fps will make 2000ftlbs using standard pressure and temp according to my Ballistic AE. I think you could get there with a 20" unless you get a slow barrel or see pressure quickly but you will add a bit with the can. Most 24" bolt guns are running 2800 give or take a bit with the 140-147 class bullets and handloads. Or if my ballistic program is correct a norma 156 oryx at 2660 starting velocity will make the 2000ftlbs

 

[Quintus]

Do you have reliable smith that could cut and re-crown the 24 inch?

 

[Vesterhoff]

If I may be so bold as to ask,, how exactly does the government determine whether your hand loads meet those requirement? Just curious.

I've have absolutely no idea!

But I'm a law-bidding citizen, even when the sense of the law is questionable. So what are you going to do


Here one more for you, that really will mess with your head.

You need a bullet-weight of at least 9 grams for large game animals, and you must have an impact-force of 2700 Joules at 100 meters.

But, if you use a 10 gram bullet or more, you only need to deliver 2000 joules of impact-force at 100 meters.

And since impact-force basically is speed times mass……. I don't now…. guess there is just something, I'm not mend to understand….

Alternately, these laws are past by the same people, who used to outlaw suppressors, based on their extensive knowledge from watching 1980' action-movies….


That was the rant for tonight!

 

[Vesterhoff]

Several years ago I did some work with VV550, but didn't save any of it, because of how well H4350 and RL16 do and they aren't as sensitive to temp fluctuations. But if I was restricted to norma and VV, my starting point would be VV550.

Also, unless google is leading me wrong 2700 joules is about 1992ftlbs. A Nosler 140 accubond at 2720fps will make 2000ftlbs using standard pressure and temp according to my Ballistic AE. I think you could get there with a 20" unless you get a slow barrel or see pressure quickly but you will add a bit with the can. Most 24" bolt guns are running 2800 give or take a bit with the 140-147 class bullets and handloads. Or if my ballistic program is correct a norma 156 oryx at 2660 starting velocity will make the 2000ftlbs

Nothing like a wonderful mess of metric and imperial measurements but i think you're right, 2700 joules is roughly around 2000ftlbs.

But i need to deliver 2700 joules at 100 meters (roughly 110 yards)

VV555 or VV560 is my guess, after spending the evening reading

 

[25WSM]

I believe your 10 gram bullet has more penatration potential so that why less energy needed. Tell them to start using grains to weigh bullets like the rest of us. Do your loading scales only weigh in grams too. I can see it now the 10-10 gram scale. Or the M5 gram scale.
Shep