Finally popped my CM cherry and bought a Fieldcraft off a gent on here
With a 14x Leupold at 100 yards I wasn’t thoroughly impressed with the accuracy.
Shot the following...
Hornady 143 ELDX, Hornady 140/147 ELDM and Nosler Trophy 142 ABLR.

Groups were floating around 1”, 2” with the Nosler.

Wondering if even with the twist rate the Fieldcraft likes the lighter 120-129’s.

I figured with the twist, it would like the heavier bullets.

Thoughts on the Hornady Outfitter 120 GMX or Hornady Superformance 129 SST’s (in a Fieldcraft if you have one)

Thanks

Twist rates don't make guns "like" a bullet. Either the twist is sufficient to stabilize the bullet, or it's not. If it is, you're good.

Throat geometry has a much bigger effect.

What animals are you shooting? The ELD-X and ABLR have very questionable terminal performance. The regular Accubond, Partition, Scirocco, A-Frame and Weldcore are generally much better behaved.

Should shoot better than that!

Mainly coyotes, hogs and deer. I know those are well constructed bullets, but this is my first go at the CM, so trying to see if other Fieldcraft owners saw similar results.

My 260 Kimber way outshoots this one so far.

Perhaps that’s why it got sold.

Wondering that myself...

Heck my Ruger American shoots better than that. 😬

Don’t laugh, but get some cheap Hornady whitetail 129s and try, just for giggles.

I’ve not had as much luck with factory heavies. Small sample, but so far.

You need to shoot a variety of ammo and maybe handload. Both my Tikkas shoot outstanding with handloads but couldn't get factory 147's to shoot worth a chittt....... One tikka loves 120's and I shoot 140's in the other. One Tikka will shoot factory 143's ok but the other will shoot them in tiny little groups.
Good luck.

Try the Remington HTP copper loaded with the 120 TSX. My Kimber classic shoots them 1/2 “- 3/4” but it hasn’t shot any of the heavier loads good.

I really like the 125 grain Winchester/Olin Deer Season XP. This factory load has shot MOA or better in a variety of rifles, including a $200 Savage Axis. The only rifle that I've shot it in and didn't get it to shoot MOA or better is a Mossberg Patriot and that economy grade rifle shoots them into groups between 1 and 1.5 MOA at 100 and 200 yards. My local W-M sells this ammo for around $18.50, the least expensive factory ammo that I know of.

The 129 grain Hornady American Whitetail load shoots MOA or better in my RAR-P and very close to MOA in my Marlin XS7 parts gun with a Savage 11 barrel.

The only factory ammo that I never got to shoot good groups was a 140 grain American Eagle HP load. It might have been the production lot that I had, but it was so inconsistent that I didn't buy more of it.

I agree the results you're describing are unimpressive. One possibility is bench shooting technique for light rifles, especially if the big dimension of your groups is vertical. Have you gotten consistent sub-MOA groups out of any 5lb rifles in the past?

Damn, that's too bad. And I thought those new fieldcraps were supposed to be good shooters?? All of my creeds shoot lights out, even with el-cheapo sellior and bellot $14.00/box ammo....

I'm in the "Try a variety of factory ammo until you find something your rifle really likes" camp. Then buy a case (or two) of it... I feed three different .270's that all like the factory Nosler Trophy Grade 130gr AB load. So, I poke around until Nosler or SPS runs a deal on that load, and then buy a case of it. I have a life time supply of .270 reloading components to tinker with. But, it helps to have one "go to load" if you don't happen to have home grown loads ready to shoot...

There are sufficient goodly number of factory 6.5 CM offerings these days that you should be able to find something that works acceptably in your rifle.

I've heard several guys who's rifles like the Hornady 129 Interlock (American Whitetail 129). I have a few and I'd like to load some to try in my Tikka.

Would one of you guys mind measuring the OAL of a factory loaded Hornady 129 SP and 129 SST for me?
Picture of side view of the cannelure crimp on the 129 SP?

Norma 130

Kimber 260 shoots between 1/4”-1/2”
Kimber 308 shoots 1/2”
Rem Ti 270 5/8”
Rem Ti 30-06 smidge under 3/4”
Fieldcraft 308 5/8”
Browning Ti 270 WSM 5/8”
Weatherby UL 30-06 5/8”

Thanks fellas,

I already picked up some 120 GMX and Superformance 129 SST’s yesterday, I’ll grab a box of Whitetail 129’s too

129 sst shot very well out of my PVA 6.5

My Tikka likes Hornady Superformance 129 Interbonds

For punching paper cheap this is hard to beat

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020605499?pid=865833


I watched my nieces husband use this $13/box ammo in a $350 Ruger rifle with a $200 scope put 3 rounds under 4" at 600 yards last month.

If it doesn't shoot this well. Something is more likely wrong with your scope/mounting/rifle.

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/hor...hpbt-200-rds-ammo-can-81483-p-82621.aspx

My Criterion Creed barrel likes the 129 seated to a 2.752 coal. It is just a bit below the crimp ring. Last three shots were .383. I have always liked Interlocks. I have never yet found a rifle that did not shoot them extremely well, and they hammer deer/antelope just fine. They are my go-to in my .260s.

I just traded for a .270 that shoots the White Tail ammo into nearly one hole. No reason to reload that one!

My 6.5 CM shoots everything fairly well, and a few factory load extremely well.

The first three shots fired after the scope was on paper fell into 3/4” at 100 yards with the aforementioned 125gr Winchester Deer Season XP. I’ve done a bit better with that load since, as well as 0.42” with the 129gr Browning BXR and 0.39” with the 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip.

My best grouping of my entire life was fired with this rifle and the 142gr ABLR as loaded by Winchester. It measured 0.21” with two of the bullets essentially going through the same hole. I’ve done sub-1/2” with the 143 ELD-X, 140 & 147ELD-M and 127 Barnes LRX factory loads.

I’ve found no reason to hand-load for this rifle.

BTW, taken game with the 125 Deer Season XP, 129 BXR and 142 ABLR loads, all with stellar results.

Brand new Leupold VX3i 30mm 4.5-14x40 CDS mounted in Talleys.

Went back to the range and shot the 3 new boxes I mentioned above, plus some Barnes Vortex 127 LRX.

Still can’t get it to stay under an inch.

Being in the Houston area I have to let the barrel cool after two shots from a standard round, 1 after shooting a pencil barreled magnum.
I’m sure there’s a few times I’m not waiting long enough, but I was at the range for over 3 hours this morning.

Somethings not right. I’d try scope, rings, then a call to Barrett. Did it come from the previous seller with the rings mounted?

I mounted the rings/scope. I torque them all the same/even magnum set-ups. So it’s either the scope or the rifle.

Thank you sir.

SSTs are my factory go to load to check out of box accuracy. If it doesn't shoot those less than inch...I would definitely send it back to Barrett. Trying 5 different factory loads and still over inch is all you should need to tell them.

And 129 SSTs are all you need for deer, yotes and hogs.

Potential problem right there.

I much prefer to test all new to me rifles with a proven scope.

try resting your hand or draping your wrist,left one provided you are a righty,over the front scope ring next time. those lighter rifles tend to jump a bit off the front rest throwing your groups off sometimes. it helps with my tikka superlites so now i do it with all my rifles.it sux to expect more and a rifle just won't produce.also, you have verified correct action screw torque right?
good luck,
Big Ed

“Rifle was sent back to Barrett to address the occasional ejection problem. They had it for several weeks and reworked the action/ ejector and just sent it back with a clean bill of health and a hat for my troubles... They also test fired it before shipping and told me it shot a 1/2" group using 140gr Hornady ELD-M.”

Same rifle, correct?

Have any proven scopes you can try?