The 6.5 Creedmoor has a slightly larger bullet than the 6mm ARC, and that extra size makes a big difference in terminal performance. the idea of a 6ARC bolt platform is always lurking in the back of my mind.which intrigues me as I always preferred semis based on a MIL issue platform. ELD (l.) makes for an excellent long-range target round, while the 103-gr. Ruger and Hornady decided to capitalize on growing demand in the United States and began selling factory 6mm Creedmoor ammunition and rifles for the cartridge during 2017. Its accuracy and power make it more than capable of taking down even the most elusive prey. What the 6mm Creedmoor absolutely excels at though, is those same small to medium CXP2 type animals, but at long range, with consistently expanding high-BC match bullets like the Hornady 108gr ELD-M or the Berger 105gr Hybrid Target. Before we get started, I have an administrative note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. As a result, the NRA is forced to restrict the sending of certain materials and information into California. Now if one pushed the 6mm ARC to say 58k psi then who knows. Hornady introduced 6mm Creedmoor factory ammo loaded with match and hunting bullets in early 2017. The Lapua cartridges are for handloaders only, but Hornady offers match-grade 6mm and 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition. Ammo and rifles arent impossible to find, but theyre much harder to find than 6mm Creedmoor rifles and ammo right now. It features reinforced construction and stronger materials throughout, which should help it withstand the rigors of tournament play. The 6mm ARC was designed to match specific DOD requirements while fitting in the AR15 platform. Ill also provide some information on how it stacks up next to the .243 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor cartridges so you can decide if it fits your needs as a hunter. out of 25 shooters9 picked the 6 creed as the least recoiling round.8 picked the 6XC6 6mm GT2 6mm ARCThe 6mm ARC was built in a Howa action and the 6mm Creed was in a Howa action. This shows that HORI is confident in the longevity of the new ARC, and it should give players some peace of mind as well. If youre looking for a round that can do it all, then the ARC is the one you want. Barrel life variable depend on your rifle, barrel, load, velocity and bullet. With Howa releasing the ARC as predicted it will have a decent following and should easily over take the Grendel in popularity. The table below compares compares the 3 cartridges using Hornady Precision Hunter ammo along with 2 max handloads for the 243 and 6mm Creedmoor using a 100gr InterLock taken from the Hornady reloading handbook. As their names imply the biggest difference between the 6mm Creedmoor and the 6.5 Creedmoor is the bullet class. Copyright 2023 Big Game Hunting Adventures LLC | All Rights Reserved. Read More . Or does it have the staying power necessary to compete with more established 6mm hunting cartridges like the .243 Winchester? Shooters also cannot use bullets larger than .308 or with a velocity higher than 3,200 feet per second. A 6.5 Creedmoor barrel typically lasts between 2,000 and 3,000 rounds, while the 6mm Creedmoor experiences serious velocity drops starting between 1,500 and 1,800 rounds. The 6mm Creedmoor can use the same lighter weight bullets as the .243 Winchester and fire them a bit faster (around 200fps with typical factory loads). The 6mm Creedmoor or 6Creed as some call it, was a natural evolution as with almost any other 6.5mm Creedmoor that was eventually necked down to 6mm for faster muzzle velocities and lower recoil for PRS style racegun competitions. The difference is even bigger with the InterLock bullets though and the 243 has almost 6 more bullet drop than the 6mm Creedmoor at 500 yards. I had always been told you need a certain length barrel for certain calibers. You can push a 6mm arc a little harder than the factory offerings in a bolt gun, and in fact, the hornady reloading manual has two separate sections for loading the 6mm arc, (gas gun/bolt gun) based on maximum pressures of 55k, and 63k, (if my memory serves), but even at the 63k, it lags well behind the 6mm creedmoor. The only place where it was always claimed that the .243 Winchester won the 6mm Creedmoor, was with ammo availability. Hornadys Precision Hunter line of ammunition is specifically designed for long range hunting. This particular .243 Winchester load drops below the speed of sound around 1,150 yards, but the 6mm Creedmoor stays supersonic out until around 1,375 yards and the 6.5 Creedmoor doesnt cross the sound barrier until around 1,450 yards. Because a real avid shooter loads his own ammo for various reasons. These high velocity, rapidly expanding bullets arent really suitable for big game hunting, but theyre absolutely devastating on varmints and predators. So where do we stand overall with the .243 Winchester, 6mm Creedmoor, and 6.5mm Creedmoor? 224 Valkyrie. case, being based on the .257 Roberts hull, has slightly more powder capacity than the .243 Win., and it's therefore capable of imparting a bit more velocity. 6mm CM is over 200fps faster even pushing the ARC with a more compressed load. The most critical difference is that in bolt-action rifles (from which the 6 mm PPC is typically fired) according to the "Western Powders Handloading Guide," the 6 mm PPC is loaded to pressures. Since those rifles also typically have a relatively fast rifling twist, theyll accurately shoot heavier bullets with a high ballistic coefficient. It is also about the same size as a BB pellet. Like the .243 Winchester, the 6mm Creedmoor is also a really good varmint as well as big game hunting cartridge. I shoot 105 Berger hybrids from mr 6br but dont hunt with it to know what damage they do. It and the 6mm Remington have the horsepower to best the 6mm Creedmoor, but the Creed has the rifling twist, so let's use its ballistics to compare against its parent, the 6.5 Creedmoor. 223/5.56. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between these two rifle calibers and help you decide which one is right for you! All in MPA BA chassis.To my knowledge, no one has conducted a study like this. It also has a relatively low muzzle velocity, so it is not as effective at long range as some other calibers. I have a rifle being built for me right now, a Badrock but it is going to be late summer before I see it. In this article, Im going to discuss the pros and cons of the 6mm Creedmoor cartridge in detail. This is reflected in the prices, availability, and variety of factory ammunition and hunting rifles currently in production for each cartridge. Its also offers match grade accuracy. But what does that mean for terminal ballistics? Find the perfect load for your rifle and shoot accurately. Once it reaches 500 yards, it has slowed but it's still maintaining . As far as I know I the 6 CM has much more case capacity and higher operating pressures so I'd expect more velocity especially with longer barrels. Available components is why the 6mm ARC makes sense, well that was the theory prior to Covid. For example,when fired from a Ruger American Predator rifle, a .243 Winchester load firing an 90gr Nosler partition has slightly less recoil than a 103gr Hornady ELD-X from a 6mm Creedmoor. In a bolt action The 6 Creedmoor rifle is easier to come by in good rifles. However, the cartridge began turning heads in the hunting community. I'm not disputing his numbers, because no 2 guns are the same, and he may be using his own loads where I'm shooting factory ammo. I can't find the weight but I bet it's the one they mention that is only 4lbs 5oz. The competition is timed, so first round hits are ideal, but theres more to these competitions than small shot groups. Your buddy has no idea what he's talking about. The 6mm Creedmoor has a trajectory thats virtually the same as the .243 Winchester and significantly flatter than the 6.5 Creedmoor inside of 500 yards. It also has a relatively low muzzle velocity, so it is not as effective at long range as some other calibers. I've gone back and forth on the 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 260 Rem, 6mm Dasher, and the 6XC so many time my head is spinning! That's borne out by current factory ammo specs showing the 6mm Rem. Im a Reloader and I have a 6 ARC, though its a gas gun. Wind drift is a different story. I just dont think you could fit a 6 creed in an ar15 platform. Mossberg 500 vs 590: Which Shotgun Is Right for You? Who knows how long that will last, but its definitely something to keep in mind during the short term. The 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge (638mm), or 6mm ARC for short, is a 6 mm (.243) caliber intermediate rifle cartridge introduced by Hornady in 2020, as a low- recoil, high- accuracy long-range cartridge, designed for use in the AR-15 platform at request of a specialized group within the U.S. DoD for its multipurpose combat rifle program. The 6mm Creedmoorin the same fashion of its larger counterpartfits those bullets very well. bullets. The Big Game Hunting Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com.au, and other Amazon stores worldwide. All three cartridges have the same rim .473 diameter and they are all close enough in overall size that they are used in short-action rifles. This law also restricts communications that promote an organization such as ours. Make sure you subscribe toThe Big Game Hunting Podcastand follow The Big Game Hunting Blog onFacebook,Instagram,Twitter, andYouTube. Regardless of how well a given person handles recoil, all other things being equal, they will absolutely shoot better with a milder recoil. Even though the two InterLock loads use the exact same bullet, the 6mm Creedmoor does still have an advantage in wind drift over the 243 since it fires that bullet at a faster initial velocity. The oldest actual mention of the idea for a 6mm Creedmoor that is laid down in historical record, is this post on Snipershide by user skeetlee, known in real life as Greggory Lee Gardner of Lee Gardner Precision. The 6mm Creedmoor can be seen as the replacement for the .243 Winchester, so all the animals that was generally considered fine to be hunter with it, the 6mm Creedmoor can be used to hunt with just as well. Like the Nosler Ballistic Tip ammo, their 6mm Creedmoor Trophy Grade ammo is also best suited for deer sized game. Scopes, guns, boots and other tactical stuff in-between. The cartridge is also well suited for handloaders and since it uses the same .243 bullets as 6mm cartridges like the .243 Winchester, the 6x47mm Lapua, the 6XC, and the .240 Weatherby Magnum, there are a variety of great .243 bullets currently available. The 6.5 Creedmoor is slightly larger and more powerful than the other two cartridges. The 6mm Creedmoor is a very well designed cartridge that offers some marginal advantages over similar cartridges. Many 6mm-caliber cartridges are used for various shooting purposes because they provide excellent accuracy and light recoil. Makes for a crazy lightweight 6.5 grendel in their Howa carbon stalker Dec 8, 2021 #8 A Anschutz 0 Joined Mar 19, 2017 Messages 137 Location Fairbanks, AK Just playing in GRT, 6ARC would get 2400ish and the 6CM would get 2700ish. You can expect the barrel life of the 6 ARC to last 5,000 rounds (similar to a 7.62 NATO), in part because it's burning less powder. For 75gr and lighter competition and varmint bullets, a 1-10 twist rate would be fine. Hornady's new 6mm ARC was designed for a specific military requirement; the 108-gr. Why would a guy opt for the ARC over the Creedmoor in a bolt action? Thanks for your support. The 6mm Creedmoor and it's smaller siblings like the 6mm Dasher, BR, and BRX offer all kinds of options to shooters. The story of the 6mm Creedmoor began in 2007 when Outdoor Life columnist John Snow decided to write an article about how to develop a wildcat cartridge. The general rule of thumb for caliber to animal size, is 6mm, 243 Win, 270 Win and up for any smaller CXP2 type antelope, and 30-06 Spingfield or larger for CXP3 medium to large game. (This post was last modified: 05-14-2022, 09:29 AM by, (This post was last modified: 05-14-2022, 09:54 PM by. Well yes, about 7% less velocity means a little bit less recoil. So, the Creedmoor has about 17% more energy at the muzzle than the 6mm ARC. Top Precision Rifle Shooter Bryan Zolnikov Talks With LoadDevelopment.com. California recently rushed through legislation making it unlawful to communicate to those under 18 about broad categories of firearms, parts, and accessories. Both cartridges have a much flatter trajectory than the 6.5mm Creedmoor. 6 ARC vs 6 CREEDMOOR | Ballistics Comparison The 6mm arc was developed by Hornady for use in an AR-15 but can be used for hunting or benchrest shooting mini action bolt rifle. In a 10-mph crosswind the 6mm ARC 108-grain bullet drifts 10.9 inches at 400 yards. If we look at the debate of the 6mm Creedmoor vs 6.5 Creedmoor for PRS shooting and competitions, both have their own merits. It was identical to the .244 but had a different label. There are several other factors that contribute to a bullets stopping power. We do deal with a lot of different cartridges and firearms so either he or I could be getting the numbers mixed up. I just need to get smarter on the bolt world before I make any commitment. How does this new 6mm improve on the performance of the 6mm Creedmoor or the 243 ? Deviating from Soviet design, the ARC takes on a 30-degree shoulder angle; this is common with . Cartridge - Powder Fill % Charge Vel. Find Reply Dino11 Member Posts: 350 Threads: 33 Joined: Jul 2020 #2 In this video. Among others, this list includes the 103 grain ELD-X from Hornady, the 95 grain Barnes LRX BT, the 87 grain Hornady V-Max, and the 100gr Sierra GameKing. bullets. John Snows article for Outdoor Life was used as a reference for the history of the 6mm Creedmoor. My take on this is, why opt for 1 when you can have both? This means an average of 100 to 200 fps higher muzzle velocities from the better BC bullets out of the 6mm Creedmoor, so it beats the 243 Winchester in the energy, drop, windage and ballistics departments. Update July 2021: Ammo supplies finally look like theyre starting to recover. Create and promote branded videos, host live events and webinars, and more. Cal September 2, 2019 Ammo & Handloading, Brass, Bullets, Load Development, Powder, Primers, What The Pros Use 45. If you dont see something you like below, dont fret too much. That's why they chose the 6mm bullet. So, take all that for what you will. This helps us keep this site going, and does not affect the price you would pay usually in any way whatsoever. The 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge (ARC) is a new cartridge by Hornady in 2020. The statistics shown above demonstrate the advanced speed capabilities of the 6mm ARC. But for some odd reason I would still like to build a 6 ARC from a rebarreled 6.5 gendel ruger american. The other 2 was Remington actions ALL with a full bull Bench-Mark barrels 1in 7.5 twist. Currently 6mm ARC ammo is harder to come by than 6mm Creedmoor. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content thats useful to hunters like yourself. A large volume of slow burning powder takes more barrel to burn. 6ARC will be cool if Howa ever sells it as a barreled action on their mini action. The biggest advantage of the 6mm ARC is its extremely high ballistic coefficient (BC). The case volume of the 6mm Creedmoor is on average 51.7gr H2O, with a case length of 48.77mm, and for the 243 Winchester of 53.6gr H2O with a case length of 51.94mm. It also has a relatively low muzzle velocity, so it is not as effective at long range as some other calibers. In simple terms, it's essentially a "6mm Grendel" with the "Creedmoor" treatment, alterations to the shoulder and casing for better feeding, more consistency, and ease of mass production. TheHornady 10th Edition(p231-237 and p317-322) reloading manual was also used as a reference for the history of the cartridges and provided data to compare their size and recoil. While the 6mm Creedmoor was very popular among PRS competitors, thats a relatively small market compared to the American shooting population as a whole. All in all building a 6mm ARC would save me around 3 pounds (1 pound being on the very front end). The differences in trajectory are of course smaller at shorter ranges, but that 200fps advantage in muzzle velocity the 6mm Creedmoor has does result in a noticeable improvement in performance. Comparing 6mm ARC to 6mm CR is is apples and oranges again. It's not even worth a discussion, even in a 16in barrel the 6CM is hundreds of fps faster than the 6ARC. and 240 Wby. Minors should not handle firearms without parental supervision. The 6mm Creedmoor was also intended for use from the start in semi-automatic rifles like the AR-10 as well as bolt action rifles. Posted: 3/17/2020 1:36:19 PM EST [#2] Quote History . This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. If that sounds like you, then strongly consider using this ammunition for deer, feral hog, and pronghorn hunting. Of the three cartridges though, the 6.5 Creedmoor is likely the most popular of the three cartridges, followed by the .243 Winchester. On the other hand, 6mm Creedmoor rifles usually have a faster rifling twist (1:7.7 in the case of the Ruger Precision Rifle), so the cartridge is commonly available with 103 grain, 105 grain, 107 grain, 108 grain, and 112 grain bullets. 224 Valkyrie and 6mm ARC have an identical overall length The case length of the 224 Valkyrie is slightly longer than the case of the 6mm ARC The case capacity of the 224 Valkyrie is one-half grain more than 6mm ARC The maximum loading pressure, according to SAAMI, is 3,000 psi higher for 224 Valkyrie than 6mm ARC 6ARC will be cool if Howa ever sells it as a barreled action on their mini action. I know there is detachable mags designed for better feeding the short case. You can boost the performance of the 6mm ARC in a bolt action quite easily. Apple|Google|iHeart|Spotify|Stitcher. All of these cartridges have a very mild recoil that most shooters and hunters should be able to handle. An excellent choice of6mm Creedmoor ammo for hunting deer and pronghorn, the LRX BT still offers effective terminal performance and the deep penetration on larger game thats essential when elk and red stag hunting. The 6mm Creedmoor has been out a while. For instance, most .243 Winchester loads top out at 100 grains and few .243 rifles have a fast enough twist rate (1:9 and 1:10 are very common) to stabilize bullets heavier than that. On the other hand, the .243 Winchester has a longer case length, but a shorter overall length than the other two cartridges. Why would a guy opt for the ARC over the Creedmoor in a bolt action? Proprietary parts other than the float tube so you'll have to have one built if you go this route. So while we cant say for sure how long the new ARC will last, we think it has a good chance of becoming a staple in the world of competitive gaming. Demand for the new cartridge rapidly grew during the ensuing years. Both loads recoil a whole lot less than a 143gr Hornady ELD-X from a 6.5 Creedmoor. If youre just getting started in long-range shooting, then either of these calibers would be a great choice. But when it comes to long range, and standard short actions, the 6mm Creedmoor beats the 6mm ARC quite far. For that reason, Hornady offers the 6mm Creedmoor as part of their Varmint Express line of ammo. But it's a coyote hammer! If youre looking for a round that can do it all, then the ARC is the one you want. The question of whether or not the new ARC will last has been on everyones mind since it was first announced. However, if you are looking for a round that is specifically designed for self-defense, you may want to consider something else. Gardner realized that the 6mm Creedmoor fit the bill perfectly for PRS use, so he modified an AR-10 to use the new cartridge. Both of these calibers have their pros and cons, but in the end, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a better choice for most shooters. Heres why: First and foremost, the new ARC is designed to be more durable than its predecessor. Yes, the ARC is an incredibly powerful round that can take down even the largest animals with ease. F-1 Proof Stag Custom Lightweight AR in 6mm ARC, 6mm Creedmoor rifle for sale - Short Action Customs. The 6.5 Creedmoor has a similar advantage over the 6mm Creedmoor in kinetic energy. [], What is a 7mm PRC? With similar advantages for precision rifle competition shooting as the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 6mm Creedmoor is also a superb competition cartridge, especially for small caliber long range shooting and PRS competition shooting. For this reason, the 6mm Creedmoor has less recoil and a generally flatter trajectory, but the heavier and larger diameter 6.5 Creedmoor bullets have more frontal surface area, more resistance to wind drift, and carry more energy down range. THANK YOU.. Recoil vs cartridge study over the. DONATE TO THE CHANNELPayPal: bullets4bucks@gmail.comFOLLOW USFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bullets4bucksTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/bullets4bucksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bullets4bucksBullets4Bucks is a product of Pure Wyoming Productions LLC, an Wyoming Limited Liability Company#onxhunt #truproducts #proforsho #hunting #deerhunting #elkhunting #howa1500 #athlonoptics #bearhunting #antelopehunting #huntingvideos #hunt #vortexoptics #bullets4bucks #publiclandowner 6mm Dasher Load Data - What The Pros Use. You must log in or register to reply here. Lastly, I am . A loaded round's overall length is 2.26 inches; this fits nicely within a STANAG AR-15 magazine and runs flawlessly with a 6.5 Grendel follower installed. Using the 6mm AR as the closest matching cartridge to the 6mm ARC (.441 base diameter, 30 grains H2O case capacity) in QuickLOAD, when limited to 52,000 PSI, the highest 108 grain ELD-M muzzle velocity from a 24" barrel is from 29.6 grains Hodgdon CFE223, yielding 2680 fps (it makes 2820 fps from 31.2 grains at 62,000 PSI). My 6 creedmoor is a 22 inch barrel. I'd say that for peak performance they do. Actors are trained firearms professionals. The average muzzle energy of the 6mm ARC is about 2300 ft-lbs, while the average muzzle energy of the 6.5 Creedmoor is around 2700 ft-lbs. The 6mm Creed is anout .030 longer than the 6XC. It can be used for everything from target shooting to hunting, and its also relatively inexpensive to reload. Many factors determine the number of shots a barrel can take before the throat and rifling of the barrel become worn to a point where the accuracy wanes, usually evident through inconsistent groups or sudden slower muzzle velocities. The 6mm ARC also performs better in wind. The 6mm, refers to the bore diameter of the barrel, more specifically actually a .243 or 6mm bullet diameter. The 6mm ARC uses less powder at lower pressure, so less recoil. Makes for a crazy lightweight 6.5 grendel in their Howa carbon stalker. Note: while the powder capacity figures listed below do give a good indication of the differences between the two cartridges, exact case capacities vary slightly according to the brand of brass used. Most 243 Win. Heres a quick rundown of the pros and cons of each caliber: A six millimeter ARC is the size of a pencil eraser. If youd rather listen than read, click the appropriate link below to listen to this episode on your preferred podcasting service. The 6.5 Creedmoor shoots 6.5mm/.264 class projectiles while the 6mm Creedmoor is necked down to shoot 6mm/.243. The 6mm Creedmoor 108-grain ELD Match is 2,960 fps. 243 vs 308 vs 7mm-08: Which Is Right For You? The Perfect 6.5 mm Cartridge The 6.5 mm Super LR is a 6.5 mm wildcat cartridge with a powder capacity of 55.5 gr of water weight (i.e. The average muzzle energy of the 6mm ARC is about 2300 ft-lbs, while the average muzzle energy of the 6.5 Creedmoor is around 2700 ft-lbs. If you can not see the tyranny of having a gun ban enforced by men with guns Then you fail to understand why the second amendment was written in the first place. I personally would choose a lighter bullets for coyotes. Some of the greats are (from left) 6mm BR Norma, 24 Nosler, .243 Winchester, 6mm Remington, and .240 Weatherby Magnum. The 6mm cartridge shoots a 6mm (or .243-inch) bullet while the 6.5 Creedmoor uses a larger 6.5mm (or .264-inch) projectile. If youre looking for a round that can do it all, then the ARC is the one you want. As you can see, the .243 Winchester and 6mm Creedmoor have a very similar trajectory with less than a half inch of difference in their point of impact at 500 yards when using the ELD-X bullets. Image shows 6.5 Grendel cartridge, parent case of the 6mm ARC. For these reasons, long, heavy for caliber bullets will fit in the magazine and chamber in 6mm and 6.5mm Creedmoor rifles. It offers the same stability factor as the industry-leading 105gr Hybrid Target and is a direct replacement for 1:8" twist barrels. Only a few metric calibers have been really popular in the United . Loaded with an 87 grain V-Max bullet at 3,210 feet per second, this is a very accurate and extremely flat shooting varmint hunting load at all practical ranges. Depending on how much shorter he actually made it, this could be the case as the rare wildcat 244 Mashburn cartridge also had the same rim, also very little tape in the case body, and also featured a 30 degree shoulder, but this again could not be verified other than that claim. The 6mm ARC delivers comparable performance from a wider assortment of bullets, making it a more versatile choice. Felt recoil will vary from shooter to shooter and rifle to rifle, but free recoil energy is still a useful way to compare cartridges. When it comes to hunting, the most important factor is terminal ballistics, or how well the bullet performs once it hits the target. The ability to make rapid follow up shots and quickly correct for misses is also extremely important. While the Precision Hunter ammo uses the same type of bullet for all 3 cartridges, the 243 and 6mm Creedmoor use different weight bullets with that line of ammo. So although John Snow from Outdoor Life magazine and website has claimed that it was his idea as early as 2007 but that they only made such a rifle later in 2009 for an article that appeared in the magazine in 2010 (earliest mention I can find of an Outdoor Life magazine that contains an article of a 6mm Creedmoor is of the Aug 2011 issue), that cannot be verified, so we will officially going with Mr Lee Gardner as the first documented person to think of the idea of the 6mm Creedmoor. In this video we compare the 6mm ARC to the 6mm Creedmoor using ELD-X ammunition. Second, I am fully set up with all components to shoot the 6.5 CM. Thats understandable because, while the new cartridge has performed very well during practical shooting competitions since its introduction, the 6mm Creedmoor only started making the transition into the hunting community in the last couple of years. I went with the 6 Creed for mine. Chuck Hawks(here,here, and here) provided the case capacity for each cartridge. Review: Hornady 6mm ARC. I am mainly talking to felt recoil. Barrel life, according to most precision shooters is basically the number of rounds expected before the rifle shows inaccuracy of more than one MOA.