6.5-06' experiences.

[dogdude]

If you want to know anything-to everything about the 6.5-06 get in touch with Bob Pastor, I think his handle on here is ''The Viper'' dogdude

 

[RW]

I would like to get your load data for the 6.5-06ai velocitys and powders as I am just waiting for the weather to improve and I am loading up to go to the range!!! Can't wait to test this new rifle build I melonited it cant wait to see if I made it into a tomato or if it will group! would like to hear your loads with different powders and bullets and barrel lenghths, I am going to do up my 6.5x55ai just want to see how the first one does melonited so I can do the other!! Ron

 

[Flouncer]

Just another nod to H4831 and SMK 142. Mine was a Mauser with a 27-inch Douglas barrel. It did an easy lazy 2880 fps with a tough of splash on my allegedly soft Federal Match primers. I used Remington 25-06 brass, simply ran it through a Custom Lee Neck size die. Fired and trimmed to the Sierra manual spec.

 

[seymour fish]

Do the AI.

 

[jr600yd]

25/06 Winchester brass necked up to .264, moly 142 SMK's, 53 grs of H-4831sc, Wolf LR primer = 2950 in my rifle. Don't get any better than this all the way out to 1K.

 

[seymour fish]

256 Newton, circa 1913 or so, 129 gr bullet at "3100 fps". case powder capacity nearly that of an -06. Thus 1) almost identical to the 6.5-06 2) nothing new under the sun. Many good insightful posts here re: 260, 260 AI, 6.5-284, etc giving virtually identical ballistics to the 6.5-06, some obviously using factory brass for ease of loading. So why bother with the 6.5-06 ??? and the case stretch, etc. And the ho-hum ballistics. Are you ready for it......? JUST DO THE ACKLEY. Seymour

 

[ebb]

I don't know how fast a 6.5-06 can get but 25-06 brass and 6.5 -284 have the same case cap so a 6.5-06 must be close. I have had lots more velocity with VV165 than H4831 and I love H 4831. I never could find any but there is a triple based VV powder that has the right burn rate for a 6.5-06 or 6.5-284. Its a 500 series powder and I hear it will add even more speed to 6.5 crowd.

 

[Rtheurer]

N500 series in anything but a hunting rifle.... No thanks. Good way for a barrel to last all of 900 rounds. Its very very hot and the better option would be the much cooler N160, N165. If its a Match rifle that is....

RT

 

[wapiti25]

I'm thinking of a 6.5 X 270 30* improved. I have shot out two 6.5 X 06's, I love them. This will be for a long range hunting rifle and may be using the 130 VLD. My first 6.5-06 won me a silver medal at the State Rifle Match years ago, I shot 120 Sierra's then. The winner of my class beat me by 1 "X" for the gold.

 

[Catfixer]

Your new member checks in, the miscreant named by Fatboy and Ebb: jhuskey, Bill to those who knew me 40 + years ago.
Good Morning Chris, Ebb, and Blake. I have missed two of you a lot. Blake, I am learning on another board.

I have about 20 years with the 6.5-06. I am not a gunsmith but I can build my own if the urge strikes, and these days, it rarely strikes... I'd rather pay a professional who does it every day. I have built them on winchester, Remington, mauser, 1903 and savage long actions. I have used Douglas stainless, chrome moly, Hart, Kreiger, Schneider, shilen, and benchmark barrels. I have used 8 and 9 twist. I've stayed with 8.
I've never done the a-square, it was too easy to run 06 brass in a die, trim, load, and fire.

There is absolutely no reason to get an inaccurate 6.5-06 in today's gunsmith world with the quality products out there today. The 6.5-06 was once a European factory cartridge that turned into an American wildcat. It's been around a long time. The only drawback to this cartridge is considered to be the shoulder angle that allows a lot of powder to be burned in the throat. The 6.5-284 shoulder allegedly "fixed" this problem. Jmho, it's never been a problem.

The most common brass is 3006. Just run it into a rcbs die with the right amount of lube and you have a ready case after you trim it to square the mouth. Load and shoot.
Second is 270, you just have to trim more. This is noted in the preceding posts. There is no bad information posted here, it is all excellent.
Then there is 2506. Those three brass selections work fine.

Are there issues with brass? Yes, depending on the reamer used. Back in the day, a .301" neck was the most common. 2506 brass was a little on the thin side and you could get split necks if you turned the necks too thin. I got the highest velocity out of turned 2506 cases. I never had any problems with 270 or 3006 brass with a 301 neck. I got velocity up to 3200 safely in 26" barrels with 142 sierra BTHP match bullets, but found in every rifle I built the nodes were 2850, 2950, 3050, and 3150. I found the best compromise at 2950 on long range performance, recoil, throat wear, and all around use. The easiest load I ever did was h4831 in either form. Barrel life shooting camp perry type competition has been 1800 to 2000 rounds. The hunting rifle has gone over 3500 rounds. Run and gun shoot then hot competition has eaten barrels at 1200, with the most common average being 1500.

I've never had a 6.5-06 that didn't shoot. This is a good choice caliber and cartridge.

Now, heresy, the 6.5-284 has advantages, the 260 Ackley is right in there, and the 6.5 Creedmoor is worth looking at, all with a 140 bullet running 2950. I have seen these run with a select powder and corresponding barrel lengths.

Shooting heresy in the foot, I've consistently gotten 2950 with 4831 in carry friendly barrel lengths that made this caliber a joy to own, carry daily, and shoot. The 4831 load range is 51-53 grains with any 140 bullet. All reloading safety practices apply on loading any internet posted loads.

I hope my first post here meets standards. Morning all.

I have owned a 6.5-06 now for a couple of years and have used three different barrels (Douglas, Bartlein, Hawk Hill)
and I find your post to be Spot On ........with a 140 ELD using 54.6 gr. R-26 powder I get 3150 fps, that will shoot a 3 inch group at 900 yds, and with 51.5 gr. of H4831 I get 2950 fps that will also shoot a 3 inch group at 900 yds. The 55gr. of H1000 will shoot in the 3050 fps range, all of my barrels are around 28 inch long with a 1-8 or 1-9 twist! Hope this helps....

 

[mikegaiz]

Ok where do I start. I love the 6.5/06 AI. I have been shooting this cartridge for over 40 years and have shout out 4 barrels. and have #5 ready to go. I have won IBS 1000 yd matches with it and hit varmints at over 1300 yds. It likes 130 gr. bullets and up. I use 30 in 1 - 8 twist barrels. And have hit over 3400 fps, however 2950 to 3150 seems to be the most accurate. I have also shot a lot of 6.5/284 (3 barrels), but the 06 is better in my estimation. H4831, H4350 seem to be the best Rl-22 will push it faster, but not as accurate. If you use 270 brass (which I think is best) resize it with a 6.5 die and leave a .10 false shoulder for forming so there will be no issues. if you use 06 brass step size to 7mm then to 6.5 and leave the .10 bump again. 270 will give you a better neck length when you are done. It is also an excellent long range deer and sheep cartridge. enjoy......

 

[Don_Parsons]

Tag, I can't wait to burn up some barrels for good times ahead...

Number III couture 24" SS pipe is soon to be fitted...

North of the 49th Don

 

[fyrewall]

6.5-06 - low volume shooting, rapid barrel wear but extremely effective. Read the stuff above - dead varmints @ 1000, long range matches won at about same range. I have had at least one for over 50 years. For long range targets 140 match bullets, for rodents 120 Hornady ELDM bullets, powder H1000 or Re23. Primers: CCI200 & CCI250. Brass whatever: 30-06 or .270. Process: neck down with .270 F/L die with expander ball & decap unit removed, size with 6.5-06 F/L, turn necks to .288. trim, chamfer, prime, & load. If I wanted super high quality brass I would use Lapua .30-06 but since I have a nice stash of PPU .270 I will use that. 8 twist, I have a box of the real pointy Nosler 130 RDF bullets that should work. 50 plus grains of H4350 & the 95 H Vmax for splat effect. Dies - a popular wildcat with available F/L dies. I use a generic 6.5 Hornady seat die. Have not done it but a .25-06 Redding F/L bushing die with a .288 bushing might work.

Never had a 6.5-.284 or wanted to have one. Should I need to, my 6.5-06 feeds rounds from the magazine quick & easy.

 

[Kurz]

And for those who want the advantage of excellent factory brass you can have 6.5x65 RWS to shoot. Yes, I know you can get '06 Lapua brass but this an excellent cartridge and not your run of the mill '06 wildcat. Then if you feel the need to step up your game you can also get the 6.5x68 from RWS. If these are a little too much then try the 6.5x57 or the 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser cartridges. Straight up factory or some 'improved' version might be just the ticket.

 

[mauser284]

It makes no sense to do a 280 and a 6.5-06 on the same rifle. I am surprised he did not toss in a straight .284 for a perfect trifecta of functionally identical cartridges. For the record I like all three but I would not build all three on one platform N+1 must be obeyed and followed or reality itself falls apart.

 

[Don_Parsons]

I have 400 30/06 Lapua brass,,, only half of it will be turned into 65,,, that gives me about 5 reloads before the barrel wears down from 1/2" MOA,,, then I'll finish it off with another 2000 rounds to the 1.5 MOA for hunting...

The one fellow in the USA is getting 2200 to 3000 + rounds out of the SS barrels,,, mind you he has 7 of these 6.5/06's...

Simple to load and fairly accurate since he shoot national match with 2 of his builds,,, I'll see if I can find the link... Another fellow in Australia has been pushing the 140/ 142gr booltiz out to 18 or 2200 meters hot...

Way past my shooting skills,,, our range only has one 12" gong at 1450 yards,,, that's good enough for my range stuff...

My friend in our area has all the load data sorted for this cartridge,,, I'll borrow his dies to get started,,, then get Hornady to make me a match grade sizer die with the inter change ball expander to get the neck tension I need...

A bit of work sorting the brass,,, then its good times from there on in...

 

[R.Morehouse]

Found some stuff on the shelf for the 6.5-06 I don't need. I will list it in the classifides......

Regards
Rick

 

[mike278]

I'm just starting on my journey down this rabbit hole. I'm using a Shilen 1:7 twist no turn neck, Savage 110 action, formed my brass from Winchester 30-06 using the COW method (6.5-06 AI 40 degree). Lesson learned here: use 270 brass and trim AFTER forming if you use this method or the neck will be too short. Shooting Moly 142 SMKs seated touching the lands and Federal GM magnum primers, I have burned through what appears to be the only pound of RL 26 in the Southeast. I started low because I couldn't find any load data. At 52.0 gr I got 2723, but ES and SD weren't impressive. It didn't settle down until 53.5 gr @2820. My best ES and SD were at 55 gr and 2884. Another good node was 56.5 and 2927. The next good node was near max between 59.6 gr and 59.8 at 3187. I only tried one round at 60 gr, where it started showing pressure signs. This was done at around 80 degrees in high humidity. Hope this gets a little more info out there.

 

[hunter67]

Look at 6.5 Sherman

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

Would any of you be interested in a Shultz & Larsen M54 action with an unfired and fluted Krieger barrel chambered in 6.5-06? I had Krieger install their barrel on the action in 2008 and have never fired a round through it. I have Redding or Forster dies, unfired Winchester 25-06 brass necked up to 6.5 mm, etc. I also have a thumbhole, left handed, laminated prone stock that goes with it. I have had the action for quite a long time and it is beautifully made but I probably should sell it to someone who will use it. Let me know if there is any interest.
Tom Alves

I assume this rifle is long gone, but one never knows. Sounds interesting.