6.5 Creedmoor experience and barrel life

[veteran1981]

Bought a Bergara barreled action in 6.5 creedmoor for some hunting and long range shooting.
Anybody have any good suggests what bullet for hunting and what are you getting as far as round count before having to do a barrel swap?

[QuietM4]

Competitors will swap a barrel every 2000-3000 rounds. That is for shooters who expect/need the highest degree of accuracy. If you are only hunting, you will most likely never need to swap the barrel.

I load Hornady 143gr ELD bullets, but I am not hunting.

[Jack Dupp]

My crappy Savage factory barrel has over 1,000 rounds through it and still shoots awesome. Like ALWAYS under 1MOA. With most of my groups being 1/2-2/3 MOA with the occasional 1/4MOA group. Using 140gr Berger VLDs. Target and Hunting, they both shoot the same. The barrel fouls like the dickens though.

[mark T]

Good post. I just bought a 6.5 on a ar platform for my sons first bull hunt "my 7mag" has way to much kick for him. I was wondering the same thing.

[veteran1981]

Good to know
I was going to buy a .308 for hunts and occasionally shoot some distance, a hybrid rifle of sorts to do both. There’s just too many good calibers nowadays that vastly out perform .308.
The creedmoor is about the same cost as .308, so thought I’d give a go at it

[arizcowboy]

I'm going to pick up a Tikka T3X Tac A1. Cabela's has them on sale. My first rifle chambered in 6.5. Any recommendations on which commercial ammo to start off with?

[Delfuego]

Any recommendations on which commercial ammo to start off with?

Buy one box each of what is in stock and see what it prefers. Never know what it's gonna prefer.

[Delfuego]

Bought a Bergara barreled action in 6.5 creedmoor for some hunting and long range shooting.
Anybody have any good suggests what bullet for hunting and what are you getting as far as round count before having to do a barrel swap?

You should get at least 3k before you burn out a 6.5 barrel, unless you're shooting really fast.