6.5 Creedmore

[MED]

MED, it sounds like you have shot a lot of 6.5.

I heard an old guy at the range say he burned out a 6.5 barrel in 800 rounds. This seems like a very low number and what little research I have done tends to agree.

I just heard it in passing and didn't ask any questions.

How many rounds through a 6.5 before the barrel starts to wear out?

Unfortunately, I can't give you any first hand knowledge regarding 6.5CM barrel life. I did all the load development with my chassis rifle and Aero M5 and was just starting to have fun with them before the pandemic, but didn't have a chance to build up my ammunition supply before the pandemic wiped everything out; I only have about 600 through each. I spent most of that time shooting 308 and 223 because I have piles of that. The stated round count is out of bounds of anything I've read; 6.5 Sherman Shorts and 264 Win Magnums don't burn out a barrel that fast and they are the most abusive 6.5 cartridges on barrels. If it is in fact a true statement, then I would want to know the barrel type, ammunition used, and the strings being put through it. 6.5CM is hardly a speed demon of a cartridge with typical speeds in the 2700-2800 range with 140gr bullets; higher velocities can be achieved into the 3000s with the lighter low BC 6.5 bullets, but I don't understand the point of doing that. A lot of guys are using the land jump for short seated 140-150gr bullets and packing the case with RL26 to make creed mags with near magnum velocities; that will abuse the barrel. 6.5CM barrels are not going to last as long as a 308 but they aren't going to destroy them like 22-250s either. Any barrel can be burnt out quickly if abused; I burnt out a 308 target contour barrel prematurely because I was really hard on it. From everything I've read, I'm expecting 2500 rounds before changing barrels on my 6.5CM give or take a few hundred rounds. I'll know more in a couple years as I take them to the range more hopefully coupled with a move to the western slope in the spring and many days spent at Cameo.

[djbar2]

Thank you for this thread. Great Information.
I have been hunting Elk with a 300WM (Savage 111) but have limited my shot distance to 200yrds. I have developed bad habits anticipating the recoil on the 300 at the range and my shot grouping is horrible and I am constantly sending off flyers. With my 6.5cm (Savage 110), I am constant with 3" grouping at 300yrds. I have taken several deer with the 6.5 (using ELDX 147gr ammo), but was always reluctant to use it for Elk. I didn't feel I could ethically take and Elk with the 6.5. I was going to buy a 308 at end of season and MED's breakdown of the BCs of 308 v 6.5cm has me rethinking.