Description
The Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor is a 6.5 Creedmoor bolt action rifle with a 22-inch barrel, a brown Hogue OverMolded stock and 4-round capacity. A Nikko Stirling GamePro 3.5-10x44mm scope comes with it. It’s priced at $676 and in stock now. If you want one rifle for deer, black bear and long-range targets, this is a good place to start.
Inside the Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor
The Gamepro 2 is a ready-to-hunt package. It’s a Howa 1500 in a Hogue OverMolded stock with a Nikko Stirling GamePro scope already mounted, so you’re not shopping for glass and rings separately.
Howa Machinery has built the 1500 action in Japan since 1979. It uses a one-piece bolt with two locking lugs and a 90-degree lift, plus a three-position safety. The middle position lets you cycle the bolt and unload with the safety on.
The HACT (Howa Actuator Controlled Trigger) is a two-stage trigger. There’s a light take-up stage, then a crisp break, which makes it easier to shoot well from field positions.
Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor specifications
- Model: Howa Gamepro 2
- Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
- Barrel length: 22 inches
- Twist rate: 1:8
- Stock: Brown Hogue OverMolded stock
- Magazine capacity: 4 rounds
- Overall length: 42.25 inches
- Trigger: HACT two-stage
- Safety: three-position
- Optic: Nikko Stirling GamePro 3.5-10x44mm scope included
- Scope mounted on the factory base
- Price: $676
The included scope
This rifle comes with a Nikko Stirling GamePro 3.5-10x44mm scope. 3.5 to 10 power is about right for deer hunting: wide enough at the bottom for close shots and enough magnification for longer ones. Before the first hunt, check the ring screws, then zero at 100 yards with the ammo you plan to hunt with.
What the 6.5 Creedmoor is good for
Hornady introduced the 6.5 Creedmoor in 2007 as a match cartridge. It caught on with hunters too, and it’s now one of the best-selling rifle rounds in the US. It fires long, high-BC bullets that hold their speed and resist wind, so it’s popular for target shooting from 300 to 1,000 yards. With the right bullet it’s a proven deer and black bear round, and recoil is noticeably lighter than a .308.
Factory loads usually run 120 to 147 grains. The standard 1:8 twist stabilizes the long 140 and 147 grain match bullets as well as lighter hunting bullets. If you want the technical side, the SAAMI centerfire rifle standard covers chamber dimensions and pressure. Here’s the history of the 6.5 Creedmoor too.
Is this the right rifle for you?
It’s for the hunter who’d rather buy one box and head to the range than piece a setup together.
Choosing 6.5 Creedmoor ammo
Start with a couple of quality factory loads and see which groups tighter. Once you find it, buy enough of the same lot to get through the season. For game, choose a bonded or controlled-expansion bullet. Practice ammo is fine for paper but not for animals.
Seasons, legal calibers and hunter education rules vary by state. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hunting page links to state wildlife agencies and public land where you can hunt.
Getting it zeroed
Plan a full session for the first trip. Get on paper at 25 yards, then zero at 100 and shoot a few groups so you know what the rifle and load can do. The 6.5 Creedmoor really shines past 300 yards, so once you’re zeroed, it’s worth getting time at longer distances and writing down your drops.
Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor vs similar Howa rifles
Not sure this is the exact setup you want? These are the closest matches in our Howa lineup:
- Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor Threaded: a green stock and a threaded muzzle, $676
- Howa Gamepro 2 243 Win: chambered in .243 Winchester and a black stock, $676
- Howa Gamepro 2 22-250: chambered in .22-250 Remington and a black stock, $676
- Howa Gamepro 2 22-250 Green: chambered in .22-250 Remington and a green stock, $676
You can also browse all Howa Gamepro 2 Rifle Packages, Howa Rifles With Scope and Howa 6.5 Creedmoor Rifles, or see every Howa bolt action rifle we stock.
Setting up your Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor
Before you shoot it, run a patch through the bore to clear out any shipping oil and check that the action screws are snug. The scope is already mounted, so check the ring screws with a torque driver before you zero. Zero at 100 yards, then check where your load lands at the distances you actually shoot.
How buying a rifle online works
Rifles can’t ship straight to your door. When you order the Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor, we ship it to a federally licensed (FFL) dealer near you. You fill out ATF Form 4473 there, pass the background check and take it home. The ATF questions and answers page covers federal transfer rules. Some states and cities add waiting periods or other limits.
Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor questions
What caliber is the Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor?
It’s chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor with a 1:8 twist.
How many rounds does it hold?
It holds 4 rounds in the magazine, plus one in the chamber.
Does it come with a scope?
Yes. It ships with a Nikko Stirling GamePro 3.5-10x44mm scope.
Is the barrel threaded?
Not on this model. Several of our other Howa rifles in this caliber come threaded.
Order your Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor
Add the Howa Gamepro 2 6.5 Creedmoor to your cart now for $676. If you’d like a second opinion first, get in touch.
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