Pathfinder is that a Ruger American predator? I just won one in a nra raffle also in 6.5 cm and I was thinking about switching my 13 year old son to it this year from his 243 that he has got his first three deer with. What scope did you go with? The barrel is threaded but did you see any need to add a muzzle break or was the recoil pretty comparable to his 308?
Yes, it's the Ruger Am Predator. I had a Leupold VXIII that has a turret for 7mm mag, so I disregarded the turret markings and started making notes. We've got DOPE out to 400 yards so far. Yes, the barrel is threaded. My son is small for his age, but says the kick doesn't bother him at all, so I am not getting a brake for it. We shot reduced recoil Hornandy loads from his .308 and he says the regular loads out of the CM kick less.
I bought this gun because 5 people I know have one and ALL of them say it shoots WAY better than a $400 rifle should shoot. CoryTDF got one for his daughter (who is 10) and he put a brake and a youth stock on it. I know she pops gallon milk jugs at 500 yards with it pretty much every shot. He topped his with a Sig Whiskey 5 (which I was considering - I have a W5 on my 7mm now- but the Leupy seems to work just fine so I'm leaving it).