Grand Island, NE — A specialized group from the U.S. Department of Defense has purchased an undisclosed amount of 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition from Hornady for its long-range sniper platform.
The 6.5 Creedmoor was tested and selected for engagements from 0 to 1,200 yards.
The purchase agreement coincides with a Department of Defense decision to replace the MK13 bolt-action 300 Win Mag with a 20-inch semiautomatic AR-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor.
With less recoil, the change will provide enhanced accuracy and performance, as well as reduced ammunition and rifle weight, compared to the MK13 300 Win Mag.
The 6.5 Creedmoor from Hornady provides world-class performance in a factory-loaded cartridge. The high-performance, match-accurate round features an excellent cartridge-to-chamber relationship and shoots well in all guns.
The 6.5 Creedmoor features proven Hornady bullets, specially selected cases, carefully matched powder and stringent quality control.
So this is for the SOCOM M110K1s? NSW and MRGG-S are proceeding with 140 Bergers? Hard to keep track.
No, that is just DoD big army. Socom has purchased the rounds you mentioned already. Just hadn’t been delivered to units yet… Grrrrr.
Didn’t realize big army was fielding 6.5 at all. Clearly I’m having trouble keeping up
Big Army isn’t.
“The purchase agreement coincides with a Department of Defense decision to replace the MK13 bolt-action 300 Win Mag with a 20-inch semiautomatic AR-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor.
With less recoil, the change will provide enhanced accuracy and performance, as well as reduced ammunition and rifle weight, compared to the MK13 300 Win Mag.”
Well that’s a pretty succinct evaluation, I had thought the new 6.5 CM guns were shorter then 20in but I guess not.
KAC has offered LE the option to buy guns off the SOCOM run once it’s complete and they were 14.5” guns which surprised me. This is something else.
KAC has offered LE guns off the SOCOM run once the order is complete and those were 14.5” guns which surprised me. This is something else.
Exactly!! Why does DoD get all wet for a 20” barrel?? What is the gain with two inches? 18” plus FHA, more maneuverable. Even a 16” barrel but no shorter for precision work, would be sufficient!
Muzzle velocity = better wound ballistics at distance
10” bbl vs 14.7 vs longer (in 5.56], when that round goes below ~2200-2500 fps, you just start punching ice pick holes in people…the rounds don’t tumble.
MV 10bbl ~2600 FPS
MV 18bbl ~ 2900 FPS
More MV = less drop in FPS over distance
When shooters want performance past 1200m cutting the barrel down derails the logic train.
Read the article below and the data IRT the marginal difference in 20” barrels compared to 18” and 16” barrels in both 6.5CM and 7.62 NATO. Operators need a rifle that is above average for mid-range engagements 400-600yds, ability to reach out past 1000yd yet be maneuverable in an urban house-to-house clearing.
What do you think the ideal barrel length is for a 6.5 Creedmoor?
That is a question you have to answer for yourself. Selecting an appropriate barrel length depends on the rifle’s intended application. The needs of a hunter and competitive shooter differ greatly. While there are velocity, path, and drift benefits to the longer tubes with the lighter bullets at longer ranges, as bullet weight increases these benefits become less apparent. A 24? tube seems to be a good compromise on the longer end, however, a 22? gun doesn’t leave you wanting for much. If the majority of your shooting is inside 600 yards and you like short barrels, serious consideration should be given to a 16-18? barrel length (especially in suppressed applications).
308 Winchester/ 7.62x51mm NATO Comparison of velocity data
Rifleshooter.com
Shot 28? barrel ft/sec AVG 28? barrel ft/sec 16.5? barrel ft/sec AVG 16.5? barrel ft/sec AVG change ft/sec AVG change ft/sec per inch
1 2835 2835 2581 2581 254 22.1
2 2814 2825 2533 2557 268 23.3
3 2821 2823 2541 2552 272 23.6
4 2823 2823 2551 2552 272 23.6
5 2824 2823 2601 2561 262 22.8
6 2834 2825 2572 2563 262 22.8
7 2811 2823 2587 2570 252 21.9
8 2816 2822 2546 2564 258 22.5
9 2821 2822 2545 2562 26
https://rifleshooter.com/2016/02/6-5-creedmoor-effect-of-barrel-length-on-velocity-cutting-up-a-creedmoor/
Only 20? I’ll take 22 or 24 please. This is for a gas gun that sits on a tripod or some hole you find. For 6.5 and especially that 147gr bullet I want more barrel then less.
I guess they compromised for silencer use on a shorter barrel. Although a 20″ barrel plus a silencer still makes for a pretty long stick.
Here is some barrellength to velocity testing with the chosen Hornady load and a few others: https://rifleshooter.com/2019/03/6-5-creedmoor-effects-of-barrel-length-on-velocity-2019/
Matt, YMMV. I used 4 different variations of SR25s both in urban and rural environments in multiple theaters and though my gun did definitely ride on a tripod often, that certainly wasn’t it’s primary use. Mostly it was a midrange precision rifle one could fight with, even in close combat and work to a point of dominance and effect targets to mid range. Most shots were hasty or barricaded. MV is great… but it’s also why we have things like Mk13s or the Mk22s. As with all things there’s tradeoffs. Clearing houses and making hides in Fallujah with a plate carrier and pack straps an SR25 with a 20″ barrel, can, and M16 buttstock doesn’t make such a useful primary. But a 14.5″ or 16″ 6.5CM that can effect targets at 800m more efficiently than a 20″ .308 and still act as a primary… that’s a killer. For ELR we have existing tools like magnums or miniaturized precision guided munitions in the inventory. Iv’e repeatedly seen this approach to precision gas guns as if they only get used in the prone, and we constantly wind up with heavy cumbersome weapons that have capability overlap with our bolt guns. Meanwhile a couple units have been issuing carbine and long range uppers with their SR25s since the late 90’s, IDK why it’s taking so long for the rest of us to figure out what they’ve known for over 20 years.
Know what bullet it is? Pic looks like ELDM?
Image shows 6.5 Creedmoor 147 gr ELD MATCH TAP PRECISION boxes, so I’m guessing that loading which does look to be a bog standard 147 ELD-M.
Are these rounds available on the commercial market, or was this the DoD solicited/requested load for our SOCOM units?