Yesterday I received the Ruger American Rifle® – Predator model chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. The Predator is also offered in 223 Rem,22-250 Rem.,204 Ruger, 243 Win., and 308 Win.

I chose this rifle to test because I already have a Ruger American in 243 Winchester and it is a tack driver shooting sub MOA out of the Box and the retail price is just fantastic at around $430 or so dollars.

I chose the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge primarily because I believe this round to be superbly accurate and excellent for hunting deer and elk and have lots of new brass from testing another rifle. It is in the same energy and velocity league as the 7mm-08 and .270 Winchester for velocities and bullet weights such as 120, 130, and 140 grain heads.

To begin, I test fired some 143 grain ELD-X Hornady® Precision Hunter™  rounds yesterday as well as Sierra 142 grain HPBT Match bullets. My test bed scope is the Leupold VX-6 3-18 x 44mm. I had the scope already mounted on a Leupold Integral Mounting System for Picatinny rails but it would not fit the Ruger picatinny slot distances so I had to rummage to find a 30mm set of rings that would attach, and I did.

I ran a brush through the barrel at the range and sent some bullets at 25, 50, and 100 yards. Below is the target at 100 yards. The precision trigger is set at 5 pounds and too heavy for my taste but was able to provide these groups. I will adjust to 3 pounds and retest. The Sierra match ammo was sub MOA and if you take out the flyer at low left it looks to be a 5/8 inch group. Of course we will chrono these loads and do lots more with this rifle.

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