While we’ve been gearing up for the 2026 season, we’ve been following along with our friend and partner, Tom, as he’s been in the shop putting together a new 6.5 Creedmoor. This project has been a fun one to watch because the goal was pretty specific: build a rifle that could actually make the 12lb Factory Lightweight division in NRL Hunter without giving up the stability of a dedicated match rig.

For the base, Tom started with one of our Short Actions. He wasn't looking for a "drop-in" assembly on this one; he wanted to do the machine work himself. He picked up a Heller EV-5 blank—which uses a hybrid 5-land rifling—and spent some time on the manual lathe. He dialed the barrel in specifically off the bore and handled all the threading and chamber cutting himself. It’s a slow, technical process, but it’s the only way to be 100% sure the barrel and action are perfectly concentric.

Tom noted that the integral recoil lug was a factor in choosing this action for the build. He also added that the weight of the action was another deciding factor for his build. When you're building for a specific weight class, every ounce matters. Tom pointed out that for this build, a heavier action would've forced compromises elsewhere in the build—like thinner barrels or lighter optics. At this weight, the action allowed him to stay on target with the overall balance of the rifle without sacrificing the features he needed.

For the stock, Tom wanted something rigid enough for serious work, so he went with a Stocky’s Carbon Fiber. He spent the time epoxy-bedding the barreled action to create a stress-free interface. Even with high-end components, bedding is one of those steps that just makes sense for a competition rifle. It removes the variables—like receiver stress or shifts from temperature changes—and makes sure the rifle returns to the same zero every time it comes out of the bag.

The proof, as always, is in the data. Tom just got the rifle out for load development, and even this early in the process, the results are looking great. He’s seeing 5-shot groups that prove the machining and the Canadian-made foundation were spot on:

• 130gr Hornady ELD-M: 0.194”
• 140gr Sierra TGK: 0.196”
• 143gr Norma Golden Target: 0.517” (0.494 MOA)

This combination is shaping up to be a really effective setup for the season—light enough to carry all day, but stable enough to stretch out on long-range stages. We’re looking forward to seeing how Tom and this 6.5 Creedmoor perform at the upcoming NRL Hunter matches. Sometimes a build just comes together exactly how you planned it.