I bought this rifle because it look well made and interesting. At a price of $550, I could not resist. It would make an excellent big game hunting rifle, with ballistics close to the 6.5x55 – but I have not hunted for a number of years. But if I do, this rifle with a smaller scope would be my choice of rifles.
I examined the inside of the stock and did not see any issues. The trigger was excellent. So all I had to do was break it in and get some idea of how to load for it.
On my shelf I have several thousand Sierra 142 g MatchKings and 1000 Lapua 139 gr match bullets, and a few thousand 120 g Sierra HP bullets, usually used to load for 260 Ackley and 6.5-284 target rifles. The powders used for these are a bit slow for the Creed. 4350 would be perfect, but I don’t have much of that on hand.
What I do have is lots of N150, which is cheap and slightly faster than 4350. So I decided to use N150 to load some Amax 140s and Sierra 120s to break in the barrel. I loaded 5 rounds each in 1 gr increments so that after the break in I would have an idea of what powder charge is about right.
My experience with the 6.5 caliber has been that the long bullets and long bearing surfaces can let pressure get wild. It only takes a slightly tighter throat or bore to blow primers – or worse. I once shot a rifle that could not handle the book “Start” load.
So I started each survey with a mild charge of N150. As it turned out, there was no pressure problem and the mild charges shot big groups and the hottest charge I used with each bullet shot an excellent group – so the next survey will explore the heavier charges.
I found a scope to install – a Vortex 6-24. A set of low rings gave me just enough clearance from the barrel, and it felt comfortable to shoot.
I installed the rings and set the rings just finger tight on the rifle, so I could boresight it. This worked, First shot with the scope at 50 yards was only 4” off POA.
I did not install the scope, because the rifle has iron sights. Just in case I ever hunt with the rifle, and just in case I have a scope issue, it would be nice to have zeroed irons sights as a Plan B.
At the range I started with a box of 20 rounds of ammo I loaded with brass I had earlier found in the range brass bucket. This was intended to be the initial break in ammo. I start with a regime of 1 shot and clean – x3. As I did this, I zeroed the iron sights.
The first shot at 50 yards was about 4” high right. The front sight adjusts with an allen key. I gave it one full rev counter clockwise, and the next shot was about perfect for elevation. This translates to about 1 ½ minutes of adjustment per ¼ turn of the screw. I fired another shot (after cleaning) and it went in the same hole.
I did not have a screwdriver the right size to adjust the rear sight for left-right. It has a witness mark, and I will move it if and when a hunting scope is installed.
Then I installed the scope (which had already been bore-sighted at home) and fired a pair of 3 shot groups (cleaning after each 3) to zero the scope at 50.
This finished off the break-in ammo, so I posted a target at 100 yards and proceeded to shoot up all the survey loads with the 120 gr and 140 gr bullets.
When I shoot groups, I keep notes on a diagram of my target, so that when I get home, I will know what ammo shot each group.
I cleaned after the first 20 shots and then cleaned after each subsequent 30 shots. Each time I cleaned I could see that the fouling was less each time, even though more rounds had been fired.
The 120 gr bullets were loaded to about 20 thou off the lands 2.790” This is much shorter OAL than the max length for the magazine, which is nice. But the 140 Amax were loaded to the max length for the mag – 2.850” – and were well off the rifling. When I load for accuracy development, I will choose a 140 gr bullet that is 20 thou off the rifling that will fit the mag. I am sure the Sierra 140 will fit. Maybe the 142, too.
For each bullet, the hottest round I loaded for each was the smallest group. This tells me where to explore the next time. There was no sign of pressure. The primers had nice round edges.
I have not yet chronied any loads. It is only a 22” barrel, so I expect a max velocity of around 2,600 to 2,700 fps. My 260 Ackley rifles have 32” barrels for around 2,950 fps.
When I got home I checked the bore with a borescope. Very light metal fouling that the Wipe Out made quick work of. The 3 locking lugs show uneven wear. One fully engaged, one half and one not touching. I will lap those in.
My next loading session will repeat the two hottest charges I just shot, and then more in 0.3 gr increments.
I don't consider 5 shot groups to be very conclusive of accuracy, but a 2" 5 shot group won't get any better by shooting 10 shots. 5 shot group are good for finding out what does not work. When I get some groups that look promising, i will test them with 10 shot groups.
RJ
