Sources for 6.5 Creedmoor gas gun barrels?

[michael1778]

For better or worse, I have decided on 6.5 Creedmoor as my longer-range/precision rifle round. I've begun the reloading equipment purchase with a die set and new brass from two makers. I'll be doing a bolt gun in this caliber that I will share with my son. As a compliment to the bolt gun, I am exploring a semi-auto with a barrel about 20". Everything goes sideways when I pick this length. I see mostly large profile (.8"+ at gas block) 22" or 24" tubes.

Lilja makes a 20" barrel that is expensive but it looked like it fit the bill. That is until I saw the spiral fluting! Wouldn't that reduce the flexural stiffness of the barrel more than flutes along the barrel long axis (e.g., discontinuities along the outer edges from spiral cuts)? I'm hesitant. Even if not a stiffness problem, it's an awfully expensive all-metal barrel.

So, the question is: Would you please share recommended barrel makers for a 6.5 Creedmoor large frame AR (DPMS pattern)?

I'm familiar with Rainier, Fulton, Proof, Black Hole (good price but worried about residual stress from hammer forging process), JP, and Lilja. I don't want a boat anchor and I don't need something hellishly long; the bolt gun would have a form factor more like that, you know? (ha ha) What part of the market am I missing?

For this gun design, I'd be trying to maintain a modest amount of maneuverability compared to the 24-26" bolt gun. (I'd consider the 18"-22" range)

Thanks, as always for your thoughts. :-)

Edited September 19, 2015 by michael1778

[Dan Sierpina]

Why do you think Black Hole barrels are hammer forged?

[P.E. Kelley]

Black Hole barrels are NOT hammer forged.

I have a 20" BW in 6.5CM...You can too! Just call!

Tell them I sent ya.

[michael1778]

Why do you think Black Hole barrels are hammer forged?

I mistakenly thought that was the only way to get polygonal rifling. Thanks for the correction.

Black Hole barrels are NOT hammer forged.

I have a 20" BW in 6.5CM...You can too! Just call!

Tell them I sent ya.

Thank you, Pat. I appreciate the education and correction.

I'll have to do more research into how they make their barrels and rifling.

If I make an order from them, I'll be sure to call and tell them that you sent me.

[drglock]

I know GA Precision use's Bartlien barrels in their gassers .

[MarkCO]

I really like my BHW made barrel. 6.5 bore, but not a CM.

[lwink]

Maybe McGowan or CBI. They'll build;d anything to your specs if you're willing to wait a handful of months. I have one of each in different calibers and they both shoot.

[mic2377]

I have used both McGowen and Criterion (CBI). No complaints. The wait will probably be 2-4 months, but they are both very reasonably priced or the quality. My 6.5 CM barrel is a 24" length, rifle gas, medium heavy profile. If I were you I would get a 20-22" medium profile.

No matter what you do - large frame AR's are chunky, and it will be tough to match the weight of a bolt action.

[SCAR]

I have the JP 22" with the enhanced JP bolt. Runs like a champ, semi light and accurate with Hornady 6.5 Creed ammo. I only had to wait 3 days for it to ship.

[jrb06]

Contact Norm at Brux Barrels

www.Bruxbarrels.com

[72stick]

I have a similar conundrum, but my situation is with an R700PSS in .308 and an Armalite AR10 in .308. I've only shot one precision rifle series match and know my bolt gun isn’t ideal for the PRS 1000 yard + competition. Its .308 case capacity is limited and does hold enough powder to keep the bullet fully supersonic out past about 800 to may be 900 yards with reasonable pressures. Somewhere at those distances it starts going transonic depending on altitude, temperature, humidity and other factors.

The AR10 gas gun gives up too much muzzle velocity to go as long as my.308 bolt gun. So, I’ve been kicking around the idea of re-barreling my AR10 with a 6.5 CM 24” barrel. I don’t want to use a 20” barrel. I’d give up a couple hundred ft/s in velocity with the shorter barrel and then I'd start having the same issues down range as the .308. Gas guns just don’t produce enough muzzle velocity to match bolt guns when you start reaching out to 1000 yards.

At first re-barreling the AR10 to 6.5 CM looked pretty straight forward. All I needed was a barrel chambered in 6.5 CM and a barrel extension. The DPMS bolts and AR10 bolts are close enough they will work with either pattern barrel extension. Unless your unlucky enough to get an extension or bolt that’s on the far end of the tolerance limit and they aren’t compatible. Then all you’d need to do is get a new DMPS BCG to convert to DPMS pattern, right? The answer is gray. The big issue is the AR10 platform is not Milspec like the AR15 and you’re kinda doing your own R & D.

This is where the story begins to get complicated. The available factory 6.5 CM ammo generates some high chamber pressures. JP has about as much info as there is on the big AR in 6.5 CM. They use an enhanced high pressure bolt to reduce pressure issues while tuning the gas gun. They use an improved ejector pin hole with modified ejector to mitigate case head extrusion and frequent brass shavings and a reduced diameter firing pin orifice that prevents primer material flow back. I’ve experienced some of these issues with an early DPMS upper in .308 that was way over gassed with factory ammo.

Please keep us updated on your progress. I’m really interested in your project to see what the big AR style gas gun in 6.5 CM can do out to 1000 yards and beyond.

Edited September 22, 2015 by 72stick

[cactusbrew]

Contact precisionfirearms.com and get a bartlien barrel. Top shelf from start to finish.

[michael1778]

Thank you everyone. I'll update the thread in the weeks ahead when I make progress.

[Birddog6424]

Old thread, I know. But it hasn't been updated, so I thought I would contribute.

Ballistic Advantage also makes a very nice AR10 barrel for the 6.5 CM in 18", 20", and 22" lengths. They offer the barrel in. "Hansen" profile. Which is like a straight taper bolt gun barrel. It's essentially made like most of the other barrels out there in 416R stainless steel and button rifling. They offer a 1" MoA guarantee as well. So they have some confidence in their quality.

It's worth taking a look.

http://ballisticadvantage.com/22-inch-6-5-rifle-ss-premium-barrel.html

[michael1778]

Old thread, I know. But it hasn't been updated, so I thought I would contribute.

Ballistic Advantage also makes a very nice AR10 barrel for the 6.5 CM in 18", 20", and 22" lengths. They offer the barrel in. "Hansen" profile. Which is like a straight taper bolt gun barrel. It's essentially made like most of the other barrels out there in 416R stainless steel and button rifling. They offer a 1" MoA guarantee as well. So they have some confidence in their quality.

It's worth taking a look.

http://ballisticadvantage.com/22-inch-6-5-rifle-ss-premium-barrel.html

Thanks for the information and the prompt. I'll go check out that option shortly. Since my last update, I was leaning heavily toward a 22" Criterion from Creedmoor Sports with a .875" gas block. It looks like a very straight/constant barrel profile.

[ShooterSteve]

Michael, 1moa is not going to be good enough. I read a pretty long article by Brian Litz, and with a lot of scientific evidence that I'm sure you would enjoy, his number for PRS is .7". Anything under that is awesome, but that is what you need. I wish I could remember where the article was, it has been several months since I read it. I'm also trying to pull info out of a brain that is heavily influenced by oxycodone. It's like trying to swim through pea soup.

Also just read a review on one of his 223 barrels. Several groups fired, .75 was the best, the average was around 1.3". The writer was very pleased as he was hoping to get at least 2moa. wow.

Edited December 3, 2015 by shooter steve

[Doug H.]

JP, they have the experience the quality and some of the best customer service in the industry. Have a question, just give them a call and talk to a tech who is an actual shooter and knows what you are talking about. I just bought one of their 6mm Creedmoor barrels and look forward to 1000+ yard shooting pleasure.

Doug

[michael1778]

Michael, 1moa is not going to be good enough. I read a pretty long article by Brian Litz, and with a lot of scientific evidence that I'm sure you would enjoy, his number for PRS is .7". Anything under that is awesome, but that is what you need. I wish I could remember where the article was, it has been several months since I read it. I'm also trying to pull info out of a brain that is heavily influenced by oxycodone. It's like trying to swim through pea soup.

Also just read a review on one of his 223 barrels. Several groups fired, .75 was the best, the average was around 1.3". The writer was very pleased as he was hoping to get at least 2moa. wow.

I'm in complete agreement that sub-MOA will be the requirement. I hope the recovery goes well.

JP, they have the experience the quality and some of the best customer service in the industry. Have a question, just give them a call and talk to a tech who is an actual shooter and knows what you are talking about. I just bought one of their 6mm Creedmoor barrels and look forward to 1000+ yard shooting pleasure.

Doug

Certainly they have the reputation and I have always been impressed with their products that I own or have seen in use. If I had my way, I'd just have them build an LRP-07 for me in 6.5 and be done with it. But that is too costly for me. I have had it on my To Do list to call in and talk to somebody about their barrel profiles. I really don't understand what hey are going for with the skinny profile under the handguard. I'll try to have them explain it to me. It was exciting to see them offer the 6mm option as a basic factory option. :-) I think I'll stick with 6.5mm but it shows the gains these calibers are making in the marketplace.

[Doug H.]

Michael, 1moa is not going to be good enough. I read a pretty long article by Brian Litz, and with a lot of scientific evidence that I'm sure you would enjoy, his number for PRS is .7". Anything under that is awesome, but that is what you need. I wish I could remember where the article was, it has been several months since I read it. I'm also trying to pull info out of a brain that is heavily influenced by oxycodone. It's like trying to swim through pea soup.

Also just read a review on one of his 223 barrels. Several groups fired, .75 was the best, the average was around 1.3". The writer was very pleased as he was hoping to get at least 2moa. wow.

I'm in complete agreement that sub-MOA will be the requirement. I hope the recovery goes well.

JP, they have the experience the quality and some of the best customer service in the industry. Have a question, just give them a call and talk to a tech who is an actual shooter and knows what you are talking about. I just bought one of their 6mm Creedmoor barrels and look forward to 1000+ yard shooting pleasure.

Doug

Certainly they have the reputation and I have always been impressed with their products that I own or have seen in use. If I had my way, I'd just have them build an LRP-07 for me in 6.5 and be done with it. But that is too costly for me. I have had it on my To Do list to call in and talk to somebody about their barrel profiles. I really don't understand what hey are going for with the skinny profile under the handguard. I'll try to have them explain it to me. It was exciting to see them offer the 6mm option as a basic factory option. :-) I think I'll stick with 6.5mm but it shows the gains these calibers are making in the marketplace.

I have an LRP-07 and it is really nice but if you already have a AR-10, just swap the barrel with the JP 6.5 Creedmoor. The price includes a new JP high pressure bolt!

Doug

[michael1778]

Net new rifle is what this would be. I want two uppers: one for 6.5 Creedmoor and the other for Heavy Metal 3-gun (308 16"-18" barrel)

[LSnSC]

Krieger makes a gas gun barrel in 6.5 CM. There is an awesome rifle builder, Apache Machine, close to you that will profile/ shorten and chamber it. If he does the work, I guarantee it will be a shooter. He built my PRS rifle.

I have and Armalite AR10 that does double duty. 20" 308 barrel for HM and a Kreiger barreled 6.5 upper in the works for DM and local precision matches. Krieger and Bartlein are the only two blanks I would even consider. Every one I've had shot lights out. I've had Shilen, Lilja, and BHWs that where hit or miss. Some shot great. Some were average, some less than average.

[mumzer]

Net new rifle is what this would be. I want two uppers: one for 6.5 Creedmoor and the other for Heavy Metal 3-gun (308 16"-18" barrel)

I have a Hansen barrel from b.a. on my m4. It's very accurate and very very light. I'm puzzled by the extreme weight of the b.a. creedmoor barrel...it's nearly 5 lbs at 24 inches...that's an awful lot of mass.

My bhw creedmoor maten goes about 7/10 on a standard silhouette at 1400 yds at my local range with factory hornady ammo. It cost a whoppingredients 329 bucks. I wouldn't hesitate to use one again. It's a standard hbar profile and remains manageable for field use.

[DustinU]

Bird Dog, What length barrel are you running? How is this set up working for the long range applications?? What size groups are you able to obtain?

Dustin U

[ShooterSteve]

Dustin, you really need to do your research on those barrels. The articles I read were not that impressive, as in a gun writer who is happy that he got 1.3" groups, because he was hoping for 2". WHAT? 1.3" groups at 100 yds in a precision gun equals "run like hell". I have a 16" Delton with a 4power scope that will do that.

[ccoker]

A bolt action better be able to cut one ragged hole!

A precision oriented semi should do at least a 1/2" group

I have a few BA barrels, the match stainless wylde chambers shoot .5 to .7 with decent ammo.

I would consider one of their 6.5 barrels.

Have you looked into White Oak Armory?