I've got a Remington short action opened to .295 that I'm thinking of re-barreling to 6.5CM but in the end I'd have over $400 in it. What's the cheapest 6.5CM 's available for just a truck gun? powdr
Look for a deal on a Ruger American Rifle. My LGS can't keep an RAR in 6.5 Creedmoor on the shelf, but if you roam the internet, you can see some at decent prices.
Another alternative would be the Weatherby Vanguard
Recently started shooting both an RAR Predator and Weatherby Vanguard in 6.5 Creedmoor for an upcoming article on reloading the round. The RAR shot much better during the initial range session, but I was testing both as-is and the Vanguard has that damn speed-bump at the tip of the forend. It shot OK but not nearly as well as the RAR--so I am going to retest it with the barrel temporarily free-floated, perhaps this morning.
Had a conversation with a guy from Weatherby about the forend pressure-point a few years ago. He said their tests indicated accuracy was a little better with the speed-bump, but I have owned a number of Vanguards and with every one of them accuracy improved with floating the barrel. I am betting this one does too.
One of the nice things about several newer "affordable" rifles like the RAR is they're bedded properly at the factory. I wish more companies would get with the program--though I also suspect a lot of rifle loonies actually prefer dinking with rifle bedding, since it makes them feel more at one with a rifle. Personally, anymore I'm happier when rifles start shooting right from the get-go.
Whittaker Guns has the Savage Axis in 6.5 Creedmoor for $289. If you want a Ruger, check out gun.deals - they list 4 suppliers of the Ruger Predator in that caliber for $389 - $399.
winchester XPR's can be found pretty cheap, as can Howa 1500's
M.D.,
I look forward to reading your review on the RAR and Weatherby Vanguard. Especially the results of free floating the Weatherby. I have a 6.5 creedmoor in the S2 and that gun has been an absolute b!tch to find an accurate reload recipe that it likes!! At first I thought the torque was off of the mounting screws. 35 inch/pounds on the trigger guard/floorplate, tighten the back one snug first then the front one, good to go-not. I honestly believe that the speed bump you speak of plays with the barrel harmonics or does something to mess with the groups.
Outside of that little rant, I do like the gun. It is a solid gun, one piece bolt, and the adjustable trigger is very nice. But how a gun looks in hand and how it prints on paper definitely are day and night with my vanguard.
Whittaker's had Howa 1500s for $330, which is the least expensive retail price for a NIB 6.5 Creedmoor that I've seen.
I have factory built 6.5 Creedmoors in the Howa 1500, Ruger 77 Hawkeye and RAR-P, and Weatherby Vanguard2s. I don't like the factory stocks on the Howa 1500 or RAR-P, so swapping them out added to the cost of the rifle before it was usable for me. If I was aiming for the lowest price for a usable 6.5 Creedmoor, I'd buy the Howa 1500 for $330 and if the Hogue stock doesn't work for you, you can usually find a variety of Vanguard take-off stocks on eBay for under $100 or for between $150 and $170 you can buy a new, old-stock, walnut stock for the S&W 1500s from GPC.
My first 6.5 Creedmoor was a Weatherby V2 that I bought in 02/14 and has been the most accurate out of the box CF rifle that I have yet to own. 6 of my 7 6.5 Creedmoors are capable of shooting groups MOA or better. The only one that isn't consistently shooting MOA or better is a parts gun that I put together by putting a Savage barrel on a Marlin XS7 action and it isn't that far from MOA. The Howa 1500s and RAR-Ps are less expensive that the V2 as issued, but if you end up swapping stocks on the Howa or Ruger the price gets closer to V2's OTD retail cost.
EDIT: The V2 is in its fourth and final (I hope) stock, a McM McM Hunter. I replaced the original stock with an older B&C style with a schnabled forearm, like the Mossberg and S&W 1700LS, and then with a Boyds laminated Prairie Hunter, and then with the McM that made a good rifle great, at least for me.
You wouldn't be too far off a Tikka at Whitakers price with a stock swap.
Whittaker has 10% off through tomorrow. Get 'em while they are hot.
Whittaker's had the Howa Lightning in 6.5CM for $299 about a month ago. I bought one. Great shooting rifle. A little on the heavy side, and the stock could be better. But, it's a good action, good trigger, and a better rifle than a Savage Axis or RAR in it's price range.
Look for a deal on a Ruger American Rifle. My LGS can't keep an RAR in 6.5 Creedmoor on the shelf, but if you roam the internet, you can see some at decent prices.
I agree with this one. The Ruger Americans shoot, and has 'truck gun' written all over it. I'd get the predator.