Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 CM Impressions

Darrik at Whittaker took care of me on a trade for a 21" Fieldcraft in 6.5 Creedmoore and I have gotten to shoot a few rounds through it. I loaded up a fairly arbitrary load of RL-17 and 140 VLDs in Hornady brass with CCI-200s and it shot well, so I bumped the charge a bit and settled on the load I'm shooting now. It's incredibly easy to shoot and carry; trigger is excellent, the stock is one of the better ones I've handled, the action is well thought out, and I very much appreciate the 3" magazine box. My only gripe so far is that after the trigger is pulled, the bolt is a bit stiff to lift (even when dry firing, not a pressure issue). It carries and balances very well with my current optic and mount setup (SWFA 10x42 in SWFA chunky ass rings on a Talley 0MOA rail).

Overall, I would say these rifles render custom hunting rifles pretty much out of the question for me and I will be buying another in the future. Should be a very solid backpack hunting rifle.

7 rounds at 570 yards with the 140 VLD load are marked with red on a 12" steel plate. The other splatters are from another rifle.

Tanner,
I just tried 42.0 gr RE-17 today for the first time and got 2687fps with 140 Acc's out of a Tikka CM and 2717fps from a Kimber CM. What was your load and do you have a chrony?

Looking good man...

Does this mean you're gonna send me the Lapooey?

Similar setup here with IMR4451 and the 147 ELD at 2700 fps. Shoots about like yours. Agree about the bolt lift weight, but it's a pretty minor annoyance, IMO. Not a super heavy bolt lift, but a bit heavier than the 84m in 7-08 I've been comparing it to.

Nice.I keep hearing how “custom rifles are now useless”. That’s cool. Gunsmiths beware!!! Haha

They absolutely still have their place, but for $1600 it would be tough to put together a rifle that equals this one.

Ya I like custom just for that. I like different schitt how I want it, ergos, calibers, stock designs, colors, lop etc. well, custom. Grin

It’s good to have otc options like this, I see what your sayin for sure, but I still like dumb calibers and such... haha

Nice Tanner..... should be interesting as you run this rifle through its paces....

Thanks for sharing

Dibs.

Thanks for the report brother....

I have been really watching the Barrett rifles and grasping for a reason to move away from the Tikka.

Is there any benefit in going to a standard caliber (30-06 or 308) Barrett over the Tikka of same caliber?

Thanks for the review...

Tanner,
How does the grip feel on the Barrett vs. the Montana? Others posted pics that made it appear quite a bit more closed. Does it feel that way?

It is definitely more closed, which I prefer. It's not vertical like a Gamescout or EH-1 but definitely steep throughout the finger area. Very comfortable for prone and sitting shooting positions.

Tanner

I wouldn't buy a 30/06 in either rifle as I don't enjoy that much recoil, but I don't think you can lump the Fieldcraft and a Tikka into the same category.

Tanner

After witnessing and seeing photo reports of all the animals that have fallen to the 143 ELDX launched from a 21" Fieldcraft, I also cannot go for anything with more recoil. That combination has done a few safaris now, and the large and tough plains game that have been taken cleanly was all I needed to see.

I'm still undecided on the 143. I'll shoot a few does in the next week for further testing.

I shot a buck last week at about 85 yards. The hole in the hide was bullet diameter, but the inside of the entrance was golf ball sized. The off side meat was exited, but not the hide. I searched for the bullet, jacket and/or core. Didn't find anything...

The deer died within 30 yards though! I can't complain too much.

I want to try the 140 Partition. Just need to find a cooperative deer.

Nice rifle and nice shooting. I'm hearing good things about the Barrett.

Tanner can we expect to see it laying across a deer or elk in the near future, or are you just "guiding" for Starsky this fall?

Fall is pretty much over here. Starsky killed a buck without me this year, and I killed one with my 6.5x47 Lapua. The Barrett will get to go along next season though.

Tanner