The 10 Best Upper Options for 6.5 Creedmoor

By swapping a.308 for a Creedmoor 6.5 upper, you can increase your effective range and make distance shots easier. You will also reduce the amount of punishment your shoulder receives. The upper can be attached to an existing.308-caliber lower, or you can purchase one for the rifle. You now have a 6.5mm Creedmoor. The AR platform is great for smaller calibers, whether you’re using a.308/AR-10 or AR-15. Which 6.5 Creedmoor upper is best? What should you look out for when buying one? Why bother? We’ll answer all of these questions in this guide. Why bother building or assembling a rifle? It’s cheaper than buying a new rifle, and you can customize it to your exact specifications. Lightweight and streamlined hunting rifle? A benchrest/precision rifle? A benchrest/precision rifle? All of it is possible. It’s up to you. A 6.5mm Creedmoor lower can be dropped onto a.308 upper. The cartridges are nearly identical in size, so there’s no need to change your bolt. The rim diameter of both cartridges (0.473 inches), is the same. You do need to ensure that you have the correct type of.308 Lower Receiver. This is not only a matter of uppers that are compatible, but also the type of magazine that must be used. There are two general patterns. Bottom: Palmetto State Armory DPSM pattern lower with elliptical cut. Bottom: Palmetto State Armory DPSM Pattern Lower with elliptical Cut. First is the Armalite pattern. This was the original AR-10 lower receiver design. Only a few companies today make Armalite pattern receivers. Only the modern Armalite, Knight’s Armament, and Noveske (among other brands that anyone has heard of) make Armalite-pattern receivers. The DPMS.308 design has been copied by dozens, if not hundreds, of companies including Aero Precision. Palmetto State Armory. Fulton Armory. Remington. CMMG. If you own a.308 AR, it is likely a DPMS-pattern rifle. DPMS lowers require DPMS magazines, while Armalite lowers require Armalite magazines. DPMS lowers must be paired with DPMS uppers. Armalite pattern lowers can only be used with Armalite pattern uppers. It is important to know the pattern of your lower before choosing a 6.5mm Creedmoor Upper. What is the best length of barrel for shooting 6.5mm Creedmoor at 1,000 yards? In general, 24 to 26 inch barrels are ideal. Since the ballistic coefficient of a rifle is affected by velocity and more barrels are better, it is best to have a longer barrel. If you plan to hunt at long distances, a 24 inch barrel is ideal. However, a 20 or 22-inch barrel will be more convenient for most hunters. 16-inch and even 18-inch barrels can be purchased if you want a compact rifle. The 6.5mm Creedmoor round is still effective with shorter barrels. Military rifles like the SR-25/MK110A3, FN SCAR, and others have barrels between 16 and 20 inch. If you’re going to hold a precision or benchrest rifle offhand, then you should get the heaviest barrel profile you can. Hunting rifles traditionally had sporter or a pencil profile, as thin as they could be to save weight. A pencil barrel can be a good option for this purpose, but a varmint-style barrel with fluting will give you the best of both worlds. Also, the twist rate is important to consider. The slower the twist rate, the better if you plan to shoot heavier bullets for hunting or competition. Most 6.5 Creedmoor barrels and upper assemblies have a 1:8 twist rate (perfect for most applications, including match shooting and hunts), but you might want to consider 1;7 or 1;9 depending on the application and load. Gas system length is a consideration for barrels up to 20 inches. Extended rifle gas systems and rifle gas systems are more common on barrels longer than that. 16 and 18 inch barrels usually have mid-length gas. As a rule, the larger the barrel, longer the gas system. A gas system that is called an extended rifle, or Rifle+ (or Rifle XL), would be ideal for a 22-inch or 24-inch barrel. Knight’s Armament SR-25 upper with Knight’s URX4 M-LOK handguard. 22-inch match barrel, 1:8 twist. Rifle-length gas system. KAC flash hider with three prongs (capable of suppressor). A lower in the SR-25 or Armalite pattern is required. Knight’s Armament, one of the best rifle makers in the industry, has made this upper for serious use. It’s not cheap, with a street price of close to $4500. But it’s the best 6.5 Creedmoor Upper you can buy. Site: knightarmco.comTrue Bear Creek Arsenal is not duty grade…but they ARE great to get a person started at an affordable price point.BCA’s BC-10 uppers can be used with the DPMS Gen 1 Low-Profile Lower. You can choose from 18-, 20-22- and 24-inch barrels in a variety of finishes and profiles. The upper is equipped with an MLOK handguard, flat-top receiver, and a Bear Creek Bolt Carrier Group. MSRP starts around $300. These are for the casual shooter that wants to plink and learn about 6.5 CM. Site: bearcreekarsenal.comThe Roam R-10 is arguably the best choice for a lightweight field rifle. Roam uses magnesium in place of aluminum to reduce weight. The result is an upper receiver that weighs less than 5 pounds, and is compatible with SR-25 and DPMS lower receivers. It comes with an 18-inch heavy profile fluted barrel, JP Enterprises’ BCG, Radian charging handle, and a 17″ split-top handguard. You can choose from a slick side or forward assist upper and a black FDE or tungsten finishing. Roam rifles were designed with the backcountry hunter’s needs in mind, but they are expensive due to the quality of the components. MSRP is $1749. Aero Precision also offers an excellent 6.5 Creedmoor 6.5 upper for a general purpose rifle build at a price that is affordable. The M5 upper receiver can be used with lowers that follow the DPMS pattern. It is available with stainless steel heavy-profile barrels in 16-, 18-20-, 22-24-inch sizes. You can choose between an Aero ATLAS S-ONE M-LOK handguard or an Aero ATLAS S-ONE R-ONE rail-top. MSRPs vary from $600 to $820, depending on the features. However, some models are available online for less than $600. The bolt carrier group and charging handle are not included. Site: aeroprecisionusa.comThe DD5 V4 6.5 Creedmoor upper is another great choice for a general-purpose rifle and features the build quality that Daniel Defense is known for. The upper features an 18-inch cold-hammer-forged nitride bar with a rifle length gas system, 1:8 twist and an adjustable gas block. It also includes a suppressor ready flash hider. The upper also comes with a Daniel Defense MLOK handguard, a Daniel Defense Bolt Carrier Group and a Daniel Defense four-bolt mounting bracket. The only problem is that it’s not compatible with DPMS. You will need to use a Daniel Defense DD5 (which is hard to find) or Armalite pattern lower. Street prices are about $1,900. Site: danieldefense.comThe CMMG Endavor Mk3 upper-receiver group includes a slick side upper receiver, a split-top railed MLOK handguard and a slick side upper receiver. The 416 stainless barrel has a medium contour with a nitrided finish and a twist of 1:8. The package comes with a 20 or 24 inch barrel, but both styles include a rifle-length muzzle brake and a CMMG zeroed gas system. Both versions are compatible with DPMS Generation 1 lowers. The package includes a CMMG bolt group, an ambidextrous charge handle, and your choice of Cerakote. The 20-inch model has an MSRP of $1,250 and the 24-inch model is $1,300. Site: cmmg.comAnother great entry-level 6.5 Creedmoor Upper is PSA’s Gen3PA65 20-inch upper. It features a 20″ 416R stainless steel heavy profile barrel with a twist of 1:8, a rifle-length Gas System, and a Birdcage Flash Hider. Also included are a Toolcraft bolt-carrier group, a charging handle, and a 15-inch MLOK handguard. Palmetto uses the DPMS pattern, but it’s recommended that you pair the upper with a PSA Gen2 PA-10 Lower. The MSRP is $940 but it’s often on sale for less that $600. Site: palmettostatearmory.comThe PWS MK218 MOD 1-M is a piston-driven 6.5 Creedmoor upper that uses a long-stroke gas piston with a 3-position adjustable gas block. This gas system will make your build much more enjoyable to shoot if you plan on suppressing it. The PWS MK218 Mod 1-M comes with a 18-inch match bar with a 1/8 twist, a PWS Muzzle brake, a fully-railed M-LOK Handguard, and a Radian Charging Handle. It is compatible with DPMS lowers and magazines. Street prices are usually lower than the MSRP of $1,599.95. Site: primaryweapons.comSome prefer a carbine to a rifle, and Ballistic Advantage offers their BA-10 upper with either a 16- or 18-inch Hanson-profile (mid-weight profile, slightly heavier than pencil-profile) barrel with a mid-length gas system. Aero Precision Atlas R-One M-LOK 15-inch railed handguards and a low-profile Gas Block are also included. The upper fits lowers with DPMS pattern. The MSRP is $729 without a bolt control group, muzzle device or charging handle. You can add these for an extra charge. Site: ballisticadvantage.comODIN Works’ 6.5 Creedmoor upper features a threaded 22-inch stainless steel barrel with a Rifle XL gas system for a more pleasant shooting experience. It also features a 17.5 inch fully railed MLOK handguard, and a thread protection cap. The rifle comes with a nitrided Bolt Carrier Group and is compatible with DPMS pattern lowers. It is designed as a match upper and comes with ODIN Works’ 1-MOA warranty. This upper is for precision shooters who want to build a long range rifle setup. 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