Long barreled 6.5 CM guys-Chime in here!

Hey guys, I've got a 20'' Tikka CTR in 6.5 CM that is an absolute tack driver. I can push pretty decent velocity with RL-26 (2725 fps with a 143 ELD-X.) I'm jonesing for a faster, flatter 6.5 like the 6.5 SAUM or 6.5 PRC because speed equals accuracy at distance, at least for me in hunting scenarios. We've all seen the barrel length test that was performed with SMK's and H4350, and if i recall correctly, speeds didn't really increase after 22'' of barrel.

With the slower burning RL-26, I would imagine you could continue to pick up velocity at barrel lengths much longer than 22''. For those of you with longer barrels, 24-26'', can you chime in with your velocity numbers with heavy bullets? I'm a little torn because the gun shoots so well, but I would carry it more often if it was faster and flatter. If all I needed to do was switch barrels and pick up speed into the 2,900 fps + range, that would be fantastic to me. To be able to keep all of my current components instead of having to start new with another caliber, great brass life, availability, and more barrel life, and less recoil than the larger 6.5's.

Thoughts?

Creedmore is a great cartridge, but if you don't get what you want, let me know. I can get you 3200+ with a 26" barrel in the Sherman Short with head stamped brass and with the same coal!

I've creeped on the Shermans and I will have one of those one day too! For now, I'm trying to find a useful purpose for a gun that I already own brass and dies for. Slow rifles just don't turn my crank, however the accuracy and limited recoil of the CM makes for a fun shooting rifle and a good option for my wife as well.

In a factory savage 24" I was running 2800-2855 depending on which load was in the gun. I started @ 2.855 coal when the gun was new and ran it pretty hard for 2855fps with very low es/sd numbers. Once I was on the 2nd and 3rd reload especially I shortened up to 2.840 for 2830fps. I found out the hard way when I bought some fat necked brass and turned them for .013 I dropped to 2800fps with higher es/sd numbers. My rifle would run either right around 2750 or 2830 and up for good es/sd and very good precision.
It's not a 6.5/284 or 260 ai. Running them that hard isn't a good idea. If you like speed neck them down to 6mm or 22. If you want speed in a 6.5 there are far better options Elkaholic's ss being a great option that way.

I wanted to experiment with a SA 6.5/284 & light bullets (before it was a SAAMI cartridge) so I had my smith get a "short chambered .260" from Midway ( A&B =$99!) it was 24" and before he could chamber it to the .284 case I had a hunt invitation for exotics come up. So I had him finish ream it to the .260, worked up a quick load with the Hornady 129sp ( I forget the speed but it was top end) and killed a big Axis buck and Mouflon ram. I then had it finished out to the 6.5/284 (that reamer made a shorter throat than the SAAMI reamer) and never used anything but the Nosler 125PT/120NBT. It "seemed to me" to be a much quicker killer than the .260/129 combo. If you want more speed, put a 27-30 inch barrel on that Creedmoor ( assuming the chamber is cut as it should be for the Creed specs) and you should get what you want 'with the lighter bullets for sure". I have no experience with 140 other than loading some to 3000fps in a friends .264WM for little Texas deer. Its a Jim Dandy killer so the 140 in a really long barrel Creedmoor should get you more mojo! I had a 24" Creedmoor Shilen barreled Mod 7 that was a great shooter with the one and only box of 123SST factory ammo I shot init. My mom was in the nursing home then and I needed quick money for a crisis. I had to sell it. Bummer.

I have a 26" 6.5cm, using h4350 and 143eldx I'm at 2739fps verifies to 1200yds. It's an excellent load in terms of accuracy though.
I helped a buddy build a load for his 22" 6.5 and we found a solid load just 20fps slower with the 140eldm. I wouldn't worry about a longer barrel, drop to a 130 if ur wanting to pick up some speed

26" criterion with a 140 eld and rl-26 topped out at 3014 in hornady brass. Accuracy was actually very good but I knew my pressures had to be high even though there wasnt any signs. Dropped back a grain and ran a good accuracy node at 2945 fps dropped confirmed at 1000 yards. This is in hornady brass. I havent played with rl-26 with adg or Peterson soni cant really say how much velocity ill lose when indo finally find some more rl-26. With rl-17 I lost about 60fps switching to adg. I've started development with the 150 smk and I'm thinking I'll get 2900ish in hornady brass and 2850 in adg.

The difference between my 143 ELD-X at 2727 vs 2900 is 39" at 1,000 yards. To me that seems like a big change, and worth it!

if it works with a .308 win, there's no reason why you can't push higher velocity with the creedmoor

28" 1:8" Bartlein
6.5 SLR
43.0 H4350
Fed GM210M
140 HVLD
2940fps

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/reloader-26-in-6-5-creedmoor.191114/page-18

This thread will give you a lot of the info you want to read through it. I found pressure at 3092 with a 26 inch barrel with Hornady brass. I found my best accuracy at 3027 and the primer looked good and the bolt lift was normal. This is on a Mcgowan varmint barrel so not stock.
48 grains of RL-26 was 3027
140 hybrid
hornady brass
wlr primer
seated long, don't have the measurement with me.
If anyone chooses to try this start at 44 grains and work up please, be safe.
There is more speed to be had with other 6.5 cartridges. I do love my creed though.