6.5 mm Decisions

[muley]

Hi All, Hope everyone is enjoying the Memorial Day REMEMBER. Question looking and trying to make a decision on which 6.5mm cartridge to chamber the 6.5mm barrel I just received from Krieger. I thought I decided on 6.5mm Creedmoor. I would like to setup the rifle on long action and be able to use for both hunting rifle for the wife and F-Class / precision rifle for me. I keep going back and forth from gren. to 6.5mm WSM, 26 nosler. Looking for true velocities 140 gr. 1:8 twist finish 26" between 2900 - 3100 fps. anyone with experience/ advice?

 

[Grimstod]

6.5-284 has a proven track record but has short barrel life. I would not bother with a Creedmoor. It does not seam to Agg well enough as it has yet to set any records and i have yet to see it ever even place in competition even though a lot of guys are shooting it.

The 26N and 6.5WSM are just neck burners. You will only get half a season out of those.

 

[swd]

I confused, you want a hunting rifle for your wife and want to also use it for F Class or are you building 2 rifles, 1 hunter and 1 F?

 

[6MMsteve]

260AI

 

[Shrek]

6.5 saum. Dead on the velocity you want and decent barrel life. Also known as the GAP 4S. I'm running 150gr matrix vlds at 3050fps with no pressure signs at all. The 140s at run 3100 -3250 depending on barrel and how hard you want to push.

 

[jdh47]

Is your wife recoil shy? That would be a consideration as well as the stock.

The Creedmoor will never be able to agg. for Grim but it can be pushed to your target of 140/2800 though it will have to be pushed hard to do it. Mine does well with 123gr. Lapua Secnar bullets.

Other choices are the 6.5 Remington Mag., 260AI, 6.5 SAUM, 6.5-284 or the 264WM.

More speed plus heavier ejecta equals greater recoil. I'm with swd. I think you may be needing two rifles.

Joe

 

[Phil]

At least 2 barrels, with different chambering's, but using the same bolt face.....

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Have you purchased the action? If so, what is your bolt face?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

20 plus short strings in f-class limit you to something like a 6.5x47 IMO, for hunting a 6.5x284 or 6.5 saum is plenty.

 

[muley]

Hey guys She is not recoil shy however she likes a brake. Stock? Maybe a Manners or something that would function in both hunting & comp. both bolt faces are currently 7 mm Rem Mag. I can change that to what I need. I have both a rem LA and a Win. LA Older push feed to build on. Hmmmm screw on barrels. Repeat on the load tuning with switch barrels?

 

[NickB1075]

You stated you have two action available for the build. I would personally just do two rifles. One for comp the other for hunting. Building one rifle for two completely different things is going to leave you compromising and leave you with a rifle less then ideal for either. Just an opinion.

I would look into the 6.5 saum/6.5 gap4s since you actions are magnum. Remember some competitions don't allow brakes.

Nick

 

[RonAKA]

both bolt faces are currently 7 mm Rem Mag. I can change that to what I need. I have both a rem LA and a Win. LA Older push feed to build on. Hmmmm screw on barrels.

Have just converted a 264WM to a 6.5 Remington Magnum (same bolt face). Getting about 3150 fps with 140 grain Berger in a 28" barrel. A long barrel and a long action is the ticket to get 264WM performance from the much shorter 6.5RM. A longer throat helps too.

The barrel life calculator at this site gives a barrel life with the 140 grain bullet and 60.5 grains of H1000 to be 1,374 rounds.

My barrel is on a Remington 700 and uses the REMAGE barrel nut system so quick barrel changes are possible.