Is a 6.5 magnum worth it?

[long40shot]

Then by all means go for it. Take a look at the 6.5 Creedmoor. I don't have one but the report on it are very promising.

 

[shoot4fun]

But with that much why stay 6.5? 6.5wby I didn't run numbers but I bet at over 700 yards a 7stw with 180s or even a 300 win with 210s retains as much energy at those distance.
I love my 264 for shorter range fast flat hammer but even its to big to stay 6.5 imho.

The best I ever got with the 7STW was right under 3400 FPS with the 140 grain bullets and that was pushing hard; 180's can't even come close. The 300WM I shoot regularly with 230 Hybrids. Getting 2900 from a 26" barrel is tough on brass and it takes 28 MOA to get to 1,000 yards.
The 143 ELD-X in the 6.5 WBY factory ammo will make 3,400 FPS inside SAAMI pressure limits and needs 18 MOA to hit that same 1,000 yard target.

 

[perry42]

6.5x55AI

perry42

 

[dragman]

The best I ever got with the 7STW was right under 3400 FPS with the 140 grain bullets and that was pushing hard; 180's can't even come close. The 300WM I shoot regularly with 230 Hybrids. Getting 2900 from a 26" barrel is tough on brass and it takes 28 MOA to get to 1,000 yards.
The 143 ELD-X in the 6.5 WBY factory ammo will make 3,400 FPS inside SAAMI pressure limits and needs 18 MOA to hit that same 1,000 yard target.

I'm not talking speed but retained energy and momentum for killing power. And the 6.5wby is going to have as much or more kick as the other cartridges stated. I like 6.5s just don't see the need for really big ones unless it's just for the want to play with something different. And nothing wrong with that.

 

[hogpatrol]

Never be under gunned , my if I have to rifle is a 375 rem ultra mag Ackley improved . But dinosaur isn't on the hunt list ! Yes I've shot it from prone but not since I broke my collarbone and a few ribs . I don't think the dinosaurs will be coming back too soon , I hope .

No dinosaurs but I see quite a few guys getting ready for the Zombie Apocalypse. Not sure about the .375RUMAI but I think they'll take just about any slug and keep coming.

 

[Liven The Dream]

I love my 6.5X55 with the right twist and barrel 140gr bullets at 2850 to 2900

 

[shoot4fun]

I'm not talking speed but retained energy and momentum for killing power. And the 6.5wby is going to have as much or more kick as the other cartridges stated. I like 6.5s just don't see the need for really big ones unless it's just for the want to play with something different. And nothing wrong with that.

While I wouldn't pretend that I would hunt Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Lion or Elephant (especially a charging one) with any 6.5 we really should keep the OP's thread in context. He is talking about Mule Deer size animals and I've never seen one sneer and say "your bullet doesn't have enough energy to take me." Even when shots may be less than reasonable.

 

[dragman]

While I wouldn't pretend that I would hunt Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Lion or Elephant (especially a charging one) with any 6.5 we really should keep the OP's thread in context. He is talking about Mule Deer size animals and I've never seen one sneer and say "your bullet doesn't have enough energy to take me." Even when shots may be less than reasonable.

I didn't bring up all the crazy large game.
I guess his comment on LONG range is just where we differ. My only point was by the time you go big enough in a 6.5 to have good killing power over 800 yards on Mule deer you are going to be up into a 6.5WBY or 26 Nosler, and for "ME" I wouldn't want that kind of 6.5 because barrel life is going to be bad and recoil just as bad. In that case I would be happier with a 30 cal of some kind that will have more energy at those distances post 800 yards and have 2 or 3 times the barrel life with equal recoil. I love my 6.5's but for a long range hunting gun just not for me.

 

[Shrek]

I'm hunting with a 6.5 saum. 150gr Matrix VLDs @3027fps with an OAL of 2.95" . I can't think of a better all around loading. Mine is in a Winchester M70 WSM action but it would work in any Rem clone using an extended magazine box.

 

[Clavius-Walker]

All the 6.5 magnum talk and no mention of the 264 Win Mag, a fine round that if you want to take some time with you can use some of the best brass made with it, RWS.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

800-1000 yards on a mule deer is absolutely no issue for a 6.5 Rem Mag or 6.5 SAUM.

My father-in-law shoots a 6.5-300 WSM which gives around 3200 fps with the 140gr Berger VLDs as well. He has taken 2 bull elk at 600 yards and dropped them in their tracks with one shot. Also took a really nice whitetail buck at 785 yards with one shot and dropped him like a rock. With a well placed shot and a GOOD bullet, the bigger 6.5s (Rem Mag, SAUM, WSM, Win Mag) retain plenty of energy to knock down big game at long ranges.

 

[dragman]

800-1000 yards on a mule deer is absolutely no issue for a 6.5 Rem Mag or 6.5 SAUM.

My father-in-law shoots a 6.5-300 WSM which gives around 3200 fps with the 140gr Berger VLDs as well. He has taken 2 bull elk at 600 yards and dropped them in their tracks with one shot. Also took a really nice whitetail buck at 785 yards with one shot and dropped him like a rock. With a well placed shot and a GOOD bullet, the bigger 6.5s (Rem Mag, SAUM, WSM, Win Mag) retain plenty of energy to knock down big game at long ranges.

Ww need the OPs definition of long. What if that mule deer is standing at 1400 yards? If he isn't going to shoot over 1000 no matter what that's different than what I have been saying

 

[Larryh128]

The only thing that I would seriously look at is what the brass supply will be in the future, some calibers are here to stay & some will fade away. Anything from a 6.5x47 on up will kill anything at 500 yds +. The issue always will be , how much muzzle blast & recoil do you want.

 

[Titandriver]

The only thing that I would seriously look at is what the brass supply will be in the future, some calibers are here to stay & some will fade away. Anything from a 6.5x47 on up will kill anything at 500 yds +. The issue always will be , how much muzzle blast & recoil do you want.

A set of case forming dies from RCBS will solve the brass supply issue unless a guy is deadset on only using factory brass.

 

[WyleWD]

Here's some data on this very subject.... FWIW. WD

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Here's some data on this very subject.... FWIW. WD


View attachment 1006468 View attachment 1006467

Nice attempt at showboating the 300 win mag using a 'generic' chart but that's not really true. Does not even state the chamberings for 6.5 or 338. None of that data applies to my 6.5 or my 338. My 6.5 Rem Mag pushes 140gr Berger Hunting VLDs at 3209 fps with a G1 BC of .600 and my 338-375 Ruger pushes 250gr Berger Elite Hunting bullets at 2930 fps with a G1 BC of .685

So my velocities and energy would be MUCH higher than what your charts state. With my rifles where I hunt in Montana, my 6.5 Remington still maintains about 1600 ft lbs of energy at 700 yards and my 338-375 Ruger retains about 2500 ft lbs at 700 yards.

That's a huge difference when compared to the chart you posted and my 338-375R energy stomps the 300 win mag in the dirt

 

[WyleWD]

Nice attempt at showboating the 300 win mag using a 'generic' chart but that's not really true. Does not even state the chamberings for 6.5 or 338. None of that data applies to my 6.5 or my 338. My 6.5 Rem Mag pushes 140gr Berger Hunting VLDs at 3209 fps with a G1 BC of .600 and my 338-375 Ruger pushes 250gr Berger Elite Hunting bullets at 2930 fps with a G1 BC of .685

So my velocities and energy would be MUCH higher than what your charts state. With my rifles where I hunt in Montana, my 6.5 Remington still maintains about 1600 ft lbs of energy at 700 yards and my 338-375 Ruger retains about 2500 ft lbs at 700 yards.

That's a huge difference when compared to the chart you posted and my 338-375R energy stomps the 300 win mag in the dirt

It wasn't my intent to attack or diminish any of the calibers listed. All this data was taken from a ballistics program then tabled and charted. As a side note I'm not a 300 win fan.

In the end, as with most of these threads where opinions differ on caliber selection, everyone will leave with their own take on it.

Again, it wasn't my intent to ruffle anyone's feathers, and I apologise if you took it that way.WD

 

[Ledd Slinger]

It wasn't my intent to attack or diminish any of the calibers listed. All this data was taken from a ballistics program then tabled and charted. As a side note I'm not a 300 win fan.

In the end, as with most of these threads where opinions differ on caliber selection, everyone will leave with their own take on it.

Again, it wasn't my intent to ruffle anyone's feathers, and I apologise if you took it that way.WD

Not ruffled at all. Just pointing out that it was a generic chart geared to compliment the 300 win mag. I personally love the 300 wm. I used one to hunt for 10 years of my life and took a ton of animals with it. It is a very powerful and capable hunting round. I just think that if data is going to be posted, it should be a tailored to 'Magnum' 6.5mm rounds using the same type of bullet as the round it is being compared with, ie: 6.5 140gr Beger VLD at 3200 fps vs 308 210gr Berger VLD at 2950 fps. But even that is kind of pointless because we all know that the 6.5's cannot generate the same energy as a larger caliber using bullets 70 grains heavier and with a higher BC.

 

[WyleWD]

Not ruffled at all. Just pointing out that it was a generic chart geared to compliment the 300 win mag. I personally love the 300 wm. I used one to hunt for 10 years of my life and took a ton of animals with it. It is a very powerful and capable hunting round. I just think that if data is going to be posted, it should be a tailored to 'Magnum' 6.5mm rounds using the same type of bullet as the round it is being compared with, ie: 6.5 140gr Beger VLD at 3200 fps vs 308 210gr Berger VLD at 2950 fps. But even that is kind of pointless because we all know that the 6.5's cannot generate the same energy as a larger caliber using bullets 70 grains heavier and with a higher BC.

And that is one of the attractive features of the 6.5, it retains 64% of it's muzzle energy at 700yds in this chart. Your results would be much higher. The point of the table and chart was to take each caliber with a similar bullet at approx 3000 fps and see how each held or lost velocity and energy over distance. WD

Edit: The point of my posting the data was to the Original Poster that a 6.5 should have adequate energy to make a clean harvest of the game he listed at "long" distance. WD

 

[Webster]

I've been kicking the tires on doing a rifle in a 6.5 chambering in a hunting gun. A 260, 6.5cm and a 260ai comes to mind. Would it be worth going to a 6.5 saum? The thing is, i want to have enough zip left in the bullet on a long shot if one presents it self. Whitetail, Mule deer, antelope and such would be the main use.

Matt

Is the 30-06 forgotten?