6.5 Creedmoor build 2K budget

VLD Pilot summed it up nicely. When looking at top elk cartridges (what this started as) the 6.5 Creed is far from the first thing that comes to mind.

If I asked a forum full of carpenters how to build a bird house with nothing but a screw driver and chisel, I'd expect them to tell me to get better tools for the job. You can do all sorts of things the wrong way or "make due" with the minimum. Doesn't mean you should ignore better options.

CRaTxn said:

Can't you guys read-for-comprehension...he said for a deer, DEER hunt NOT an elk hunt. Go back and reread the #1 post.

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I suggest that you read reply #27 , which shows a quote from the original #1 post in which he did write ELK .

Original post before the edit... I also believe the phrase "Or recommend something else " was in that paragraph. When questions like these are asked of forum members, be prepared for all and every thing in a hunter/shooters mind.

VLD Pilot said:

Original post before the edit... I also believe the phrase "Or recommend something else " was in that paragraph. When questions like these are asked of forum members, be prepared for all and every thing in a hunter/shooters mind.

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Ha ha.. I would say I stand corrected.. but..... my assumption when he said recommend something else.. he was talking components to build a 6.5 Creedmoor instead of using a factory rifle. That he did not mean a different caliber cartridge rifle.... And I must confess my assumption of his intent are no better than yours. Because we don't know his background and what his learning and experiences are.

I like to expect the best of my fellow hunters/shooters. That they are knowledgeable about the limitations of the various cartridges and bullet construction as are you and I. That he wouldn't be building a 6.5 Creed for elk without knowing how to use it in that application. It's all good and it's not going to change. I like low recoil, enough cartridge to get the job done and I have been successful without issue with smaller (6mm remington, .25-06, .270 and .30-06) cartridges. I realize that doesn't give me the right to push my idea's anymore than the next guy. If one were to take a survey, I suspect that 85 to 90% of the members on here would espouse the .300 win mag/.338 Laupa for Elk. My experience growing up amongst them, would say it's not necessary; but then I don't shoot elk much past 500 yards.. and most are shot at 250 to 350 yards.

I agree to respect your's and other's opinions though they differ from mine.

I'm not a big fan of the word "Overkill". Too each, their own. Killing an Elk is a simple task when a well placed bullet is achieved. I've seen a .243 kill and elk at 620 yards using a 105 hvld. I've also seen an elk hit by a 338 win mag that wasn't recovered till the next day after being hit the morning before. Many hunters using magnum cartridges often times compensate for their lack of range time and time at the bench doing load and drop data. I've said it many times and I'll say it here. With today's bullets, magnums are all but not needed today in most cases in North America game hunts. That said, there is a desire for them by many and justifiably so. Range being one and game size being the other. Looking at the extreme on both counts. I would feel as comfortable on an Elk hunt with a 6.5 as I would with a 7 mag. My cartridge choice of course would dictate my range and shot placement. No worries, the OP asked a vague question basically and changed game choice mid field. Again today's bullets make it so nice going down even into .224 bullets for deer at much longer ranges than most would or could even fathom.

I have built my daughter a 6.5 creedmoor . I used a savage axis ss. $300 then a Timney trigger. $ 105. Then a Boyd stock $ 180. Zeiss conquest hd 5. $800. For a total of 1385. Shoots under 1 moa.

6.5nutPA said:

I love a 6.5 in just about any rifle but I built a .280AI, Tikka T3 and put it in a Bell & Carlson stock...lightweight, easy to carry and packs enough punch to do the job...put a good scope on it and your ready to go. JMO

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I'll second this, but put a twist to it, Tikka long action mag donor rifle 500$ or less, 7mm or 6.5 saum prefit barrel from PVA 475$, Mesa Precision altitude stock 600$, Elay Precision trigger spring 10$, Hawkins precision hybrid scope mounts 100$. You're at 1700$ with a rifle capable of pushing heavy high bc bullets around 3k fps, has the same or better performance as a 280ai, very close to 7mag. The Tikka action is short lift angle, very accurate, great factory trigger. This rifle can be built heavy or light, long or short barrel, the cartridge is efficient, 22-26" barrel might lose 80fps. You can kill antelope to elk, and it'll be stable for long range or nible for hiking steep timber. I'm building one in 6.5 saum right now!

This is why I build for my intended purpose without anybody else's blessing but mine.

I agree . I Will say this also i would rather have my daughter shooting a 6.5 Creedmoor that she feels comfortable and shoots well with tough constructed bullets shooting at Elk at 200 yards. Over a 300 Mag that is too much recoil to shoot without flinching

gilkison said:

If this is a hunting scope only, do not buy FFP, unless it's illuminated. The reticle is too fine to see on low magnification in low light conditions.

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A budget build probably does not include funds for a nice FFP scope?

hesse said:

I agree . I Will say this also i would rather have my daughter shooting a 6.5 Creedmoor that she feels comfortable and shoots well with tough constructed bullets shooting at Elk at 200 yards. Over a 300 Mag that is too much recoil to shoot without flinching

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Agreed!

For what it is worth ...