6.5 Creedmoor Rifle
 

I am looking for a new rifle. I know the caliber I want which is a 6.5 Creedmoor. Now i need help with the choice of gun. What's a good accurate 6.5 rifle with shooting ranges of 100 yards to 1000 yards.

I would also like one that could achieve 1/2 MOA at 100 yards.(not including custom rifles) I would prefer a heavy barrel no longer than 24". Anyone have suggestions?

I have heard stuff about Savage Model 10TR, Christensen Arms Ridgeline, Ruger Predator, etc. (Pro's and Con's of everything much appericated!

Most will be used for deer hunting, long range varmint, and paper punching.

Thanks!

1/2 MOA @100 is going to be a coin flip with ANY factory built rifle. And not a very good coin flip either. 3/4 to 1 MOA is about your average from the upper end of the factory offerings. A good bedding job, trued action, top quality optics, top quality rings and bases, a trigger job on 99% of factory models, would be necessary on most any factory produced rifle to have the accuracy you are wanting. Not to mention you will more than likely need to learn how to reload your own ammo to tailor a load that your rifle will like to eat. By the time you do all that you may as well have shelled out the extra money for a custom build. But another question comes to mind. Are YOU capable of that kind of accuracy? I see a lot of folks blaming the rifles when in reality they aren't capable of holding minute of barn!

What is your shooting background?

I'm still finessing the the final load, but my Savage 10 FCP-sr 6.5 is 1/2-3/4MOA consistently. I like the rifle over all. 24" barrel 1-8 twist, Accustock, Accu-trigger, fluted barrel and oversized bolt handle. Those are the pros. The cons are the 10 round mag that comes with it doesn't seat very well and takes some getting used but the normal axis style mag functions great. The accustock is VERY light in the rear. I'm thinking of actually adding some weight to that back of end.

I topped mine the DNZ gamereaper mounts and a Vortex Viper 3.5-10x50. Added a bipod.

Nomercy448,
Whitetail/coyotes been able to reach out to 4 500 yards, with average rifles. Just looking to push that more.

thanks everyone for input, appreciate it!

I originally wrote a much longer reply than what I posted above, but retracted it to that simple question, rather than answering my standard boiler plate "worry about the shooter before you worry about the rifle."

Given you actually can deliver 1/2MOA consistently as the shooter, then the next question:

Are you a reloader?

If not, then I'd place my bets favoring none of the rifles you mentioned would deliver consistent 1/2MOA. Lots of guys post online with tiny little bug-hope groups, but not many can legitimately keep it up for group after group. Any rifle can shoot ONE 3 or 5 shot 1/2MOA group, but not many can deliver 5 in a row, or more. Especially with factory ammunition, even match quality stuff.

Keep in mind - you're comparing an $1,800 semi-custom rifle to a pair of budget-friendly, mass produced, $450-650 entry level factory rifles. The Christensen is the only one of the 3 I would expect would deliver consistent 1/2moa groups, with proper hand loads. I never like to bet against Savage, but if I picked 10 off of the shelf, I would expect only one, or maybe NONE, out of the 10 to consistently push 1/2moa or better groups with any factory load. The Ruger American Predator shouldn't even be on the list for 1/2MOA rifles.

The Savage TR's bedding block is a start, but still not a very rigid and consistent platform. It brings their Tupperware about up to even with their wood stocks once both are free floated, and frankly, a blocked and bedded rifle will tend to shoot better than the Accustock. The Predator's action V-block system is a good idea for a hunting rifle, but the good times end there. It's not well fit enough, in my book, nor are the forends stiff enough for real precision work, especially in varied field positions.

Change your expectation to 3/4-1MOA and you'd be happy with any of the 3. The Christensen is the only one I would expect to be able to come close to your desire.

You'll also need to be spending a good amount on your optics as well. Putting a $100 optic on top of a Christensen Ridgeline and expecting bug-holes at 100 and sub-MOA past 500 is just a dream.

All that said - if you really have $1,800-2,000 to drop on the Christensen, you have lots of options for building a custom rifle which will shoot lights out. A Stiller Predator or Defiance action for about $900-1000, or a ptg blueprinted Rem 700 action for $750, a Remage barrel for $400, an HS or B&C stock for $350-600, and an odd and end few hundred bucks for bottom metal and bedding will get you an incredibly accurate platform.

Completely agree with the above statement. I can't get my son's Ruger american .243 to shoot better then MOA with hand loads. My savage is 1/2-3/4 all day long, but as stated above that's with handloads and not guarenteed with a savage.

do you know the 6.5 creed is a 22-250 savage necked up to .264? not much snot behind it for a long range deer gun, look into a 260 rem. same bullet running faster,at 750 yards velocity makes ft/lbs
RR

Agreed.

I don't see the appeal to the Creedmore, it does nothing special at all.

I would do a 6.5-284 on a 3.1" short action if I wanted a non-mag 6.5mm.

not true the creed is based on the .30 tc case and has a 30dg shoulder, the 260 will add about 50 fps over the creed but the shorter creed case lets you use the longer bullets with out being seated to far into the case , not much difference in the two but i will bet the creed wins in the accuracy department