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1000yds 6.5×55
Hi All
Been experimenting with my 6.5×55 Varmint T3 20″ barrel and can't seem to get any decent results out to 1000yds. I know a re barrel would be the obvious solution but just wondering if anyone's got some good recipes!
Thanks dudes -
5 Replies
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Hi bits, the 6.5×55 will perform similarly to a 260 rem or 6.5 creedmore (it will actually outperform them with handloads) which are both popular in PRS competitions.
The factory barrel in 1:8″ twist is well suited to the 140 grain, high bc bullets, that many long range 6.5 shooters prefer.
There are a lot of variables we should identify that might be making 1 k-yd shots problematic for a shooter and his/her rifle.
To address your barrel concern, the 20″ barrel should be able to generate velocities that will keep a 140 gr VLD type bullet supersonic to well past 1000 yds. Before you rebarrel (perhaps $500-$700) I would invest in a chronograph for load development. Knowing your velocity is the easiest way to figure your dope (elevation and windage) and is the practical way to see if your load is consistent enough to keep vertical dispersion manageable.
I don't have any personal experience with 1k shots (hopefully will change this summer) but there are lots of good resources out there to get you started on that path – Brian Litz's book “Applied Ballistics for Long Range Shooting” is a great aid to understanding the complexities of this part of the sport!
Good luck,
-Eric -
Hi for the long shots in my Creedmoor I use ether Hornady A max .123 or Lapua.123 not the L ones
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Hi Eric and Larkin
Thanks for the replies. Good to know I don't need to rebarrel. Didn't think of a chrono but will add this in to the equation. I was shooting with 139gr SMK 42 gr VIT 160 and there wasn't enough velocity. I've never thought of 123gr, didn't think they would do 1k yds. I ll give them a try; Lapua scenars right? I'm relatively new to this so all info welcome! Good shooting guys
Bitsi -
Yes Lapua scenars, I also have the ballistic ae app set up on my phone, gives me a starting point for the scope, and it's useful to have a spotter has the wind a 1000 yards away can be very different to where your shooting from .
Also when your finding your load don't get too hung up on group size 1 moa @ 100 meters is fine , there's lots of more important things to get sorted first , like you body position, how much you are loading the bipod , the pressure other parts of your body are putting on the rifle, all of these can have dramatic effect on your shot and need to be there same time after time , also get someone to watch you shoot , you might have something going wrong that you don't know about like flinching . You could try getting some professional ' lessons, over here in England I use WMS firearms training, they teach you how to self assess your shooting, by the end of a day's lessons I knew straight after I'd pulled the trigger that it was going to miss the target because I'd realised I'd got something wrong before the bullet had even reached the target , But the most important thing is to enjoy the proses and don't get down beet because it's not going to plan , the bad shots/days make it even better on a good day , I can still remember the feeling when I hit a target the size of a foxes head at 800 meter , it took a number of shots to get the scope sorted and using a good spotter to call the shots -
Hi Larkin.Some good points about position, a far more experienced shooter has already made me take the score back a bit and get behind the rifle instead of to the side of it. Must confess that I'm in the UK as well. I've seen the WMS advert in gunmart. I take it that it's strelok you're talking about? I've got a Sightron scope on it so the reticle would be on the app. Just been to see my RFD (Myles Robertson-MBR SPORTING) and he's examined my brass and case prep. Pulled me up on quite a few points. Beginning to see that long range shooting requires so much more focus on every detail than punching holes at 100/200m. Thanks for your input
Bitsi
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