Getting the most out of the 6.5 round

[josey76]

for long range work with the 6.5g, what barrel would you guys run with, 20inch or 24inch?


iam thinking of going with heavy bullets, slow powder, 24inch barrel. ive never messed with the 6.5g round.


what glass do you guys like on these, iam wanting 1200 yards, but i guess 1000 will do.

[LRRPF52]

If you're really pushing the maximum range capability of this cartridge, go with a 24", higher-end barrel. Check out the thread on CFE223 powder, 130gr Norma Golden Target and 130gr Berger projectiles pushed at over 2700fps, and there is your 1000yd+ gun. Also look into getting the PRI 6.8 10rd mags that allow a 2.300" COAL, which will let you get more powder into the case with those VLD projectiles.

For glass, look into:

Vortex Viper and Viper PST (best bang for your money, no arguments there)
NightForce
Steiner
Bushnell HDMR

You'll want a scope with no less than 10x max, preferably 12-14x, and a 50-56mm objective lens.
Zero-stop is a must feature for me, as is 30mm tube, plenty of elevation, and clear glass that can resolve your intended targets at the distances and conditions you plan to shoot in.
You must also have plenty of elevation in the turrets for long-range, and positive click feel to the knobs.
You'll also want a 20 MOA base to keep your optic close to optical true at the farther distances, and not run out of usable elevation AND windage travel.

Stay away from the Chinese-made optics, and realize you're investing a lot of time, energy, gas money, and other resources into chasing the long-range accuracy skill set. Skimping on component selection is akin to flattening your tires before heading out to the range.

[Variable]

If you're really pushing the maximum range capability of this cartridge, go with a 24", higher-end barrel. Check out the thread on CFE223 powder, 130gr Norma Golden Target and 130gr Berger projectiles pushed at over 2700fps, and there is your 1000yd+ gun. Also look into getting the PRI 6.8 10rd mags that allow a 2.300" COAL, which will let you get more powder into the case with those VLD projectiles.

For glass, look into:

Vortex Viper and Viper PST (best bang for your money, no arguments there)
NightForce
Steiner
Bushnell HDMR

You'll want a scope with no less than 10x max, preferably 12-14x, and a 50-56mm objective lens.
Zero-stop is a must feature for me, as is 30mm tube, plenty of elevation, and clear glass that can resolve your intended targets at the distances and conditions you plan to shoot in.
You must also have plenty of elevation in the turrets for long-range, and positive click feel to the knobs.
You'll also want a 20 MOA base to keep your optic close to optical true at the farther distances, and not run out of usable elevation AND windage travel.

Stay away from the Chinese-made optics, and realize you're investing a lot of time, energy, gas money, and other resources into chasing the long-range accuracy skill set. Skimping on component selection is akin to flattening your tires before heading out to the range.

Can't top that. Sound advice all the way across the board!

[noone]

For max range, you will need the longest barrel you can deal with in order to generate as much velocity as possible. When I thought about this, I wondered exactly how much more range I needed. With my 19.5 inch barrel, my rounds don't go transonic until around 1300-1400 yards. I so seldom get to shoot much over 600 yards that I don't need to worry much about Grendel rounds going transonic. When I know I'm going somewhere to shoot over 800 yards, I take a rifle with much "longer legs".

I guess I would evaluate how much of your shooting is really 1200 yards and further. The 24 inch barrel will only get you another 100-200 feet per second. If you really want to do lots of shooting at 1200 yards and beyond, I would strongly recommend looking into a rifle built for longer distances. I would suggest the 260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x47 Lapua, or the 6mm varieties of those rounds.

[hrt4me]

If you're really pushing the maximum range capability of this cartridge, go with a 24", higher-end barrel. Check out the thread on CFE223 powder, 130gr Norma Golden Target and 130gr Berger projectiles pushed at over 2700fps, and there is your 1000yd+ gun. Also look into getting the PRI 6.8 10rd mags that allow a 2.300" COAL, which will let you get more powder into the case with those VLD projectiles.

thanks for the tips