6.5-06 or .280

[Deep6]

I know it is splitting hairs but I would like some opinions, on a 6.5-06 or .280.

I will be building one on a long action savage for some long range shooting ventures in the future.

For some reason unknown to me; I have a desire for something smaller than a .30 caliber. It almost feels as if I am betraying some part of my heritage, is that normal?

Happy Memorial Day.

 

[bheadboy]

Deep6, i have had 6.5-06, 270, 280 and 280AI as well as 30-06 and 300wm.

of all the long range use, deer, elk,moose, carabo, bear, i takethe 300wm for moose, bear, and all else,
the 280AI is head and shoulder above the other sub 30's mentioned above.

accurcy, velocity, bullet selection, recoil, brass, easy load workup, many powders work

Bob

 

[su35]

I've run them all myself, have killed over 30 elk with the 280 Rem and Ackley.

The 26 caliber will do anything the 28 caliber will do with less recoil.


"the 280AI is head and shoulder above the other sub 30's mentioned above."

That's BS

 

[Laurie]

Deep6

what do you want to used the rifle for, at what ranges and with what sort of bullets? People can't give a reasoned answer without knowing the uses the rifle and cartridge will be put to.

Also, what sort of round-count ballpark are you likely to be in, or to put it another way, is barrel life an issue with the likely number of shots you'll take each year? Likewise, your shooting sport affects this depending on the rate of fire required - 2+20-round F Class matches 'string-shot' wear barrels out a lot quicker than 22 rounds through cold barrels shooting one round at a time at deer or similar. With a same (.30-06 size) case, the 6.5 has a much shorter life than the .280 at equivalent pressures, but that may not be an issue depending on use.

 

[WyleWD]

I cut my eye teeth using the 30-06 and have great respect for it and the 280. However, since I got the 6-5-06 I've almost forsaken the 30-06, and you couldn't gimme a 300winny.

I use mine for hunting applications and find that it is far more accurate at distance and has more retained speed and energy beyond 300yds. when it is shooting the 140gr Gamekings. Depending upon what you want to do with it.... it is a formidable round. WD

 

[Nodak7mm]

Deep6

what do you want to used the rifle for, at what ranges and with what sort of bullets? People can't give a reasoned answer without knowing the uses the rifle and cartridge will be put to.



Laurie, as usual is spot on....


Deep6: Please define what kinda of Long Range Shooting venture you aim to pursue....


Targets, Game, Mountain, Plains, or Blind Hunting? Carrying or Ferrying in with a truck.... What do you consider long range?


Thanks..


Rod

 

[bheadboy]

Laurie has good questions, if "long range hunting" the BC of Nosler .284 BT 140 is .485 and you can drive them 3125+ from a 26" bbl in the 280AI which give about 1500ft pounds at 600yd - reasonable pressure

There are more 7mm bullets to sellect from by weight and design

The 6.5 bc 140 is about the same but you have a hard time driving it beyone 3000 in a 26" tube without pushing the pressure very hard. This limits your 600 yd ft Pounds energy to about 1350. 10% less than the 280AI

factory 6.5-06 is not readily available, 280 is - as a back up -

For Target, the 6.5 is a bbl eater vs the 280

Bob

 

[WyleWD]

The 6.5 bc 140 is about the same but you have a hard time driving it beyone 3000 in a 26" tube without pushing the pressure very hard.

With the 6.5-06 and a 26" barrel 3100+fps IS very attainable with a 140gr Gameking bullet with responsible load development...... which one should use in any caliber for that matter. WD

 

[Flouncer]

With the 6.5-06 and a 26" barrel 3100+fps IS very attainable with a 140gr Gameking bullet with responsible load development...... which one should use in any caliber for that matter. WD

I'll go out on a limb and say that is probably an optimistic statement. Maybe maybe with real careful load development, but the simple math and experience and literature all say no. Not saying it can't be done but I'll put my faith in the Sierra Manual and my own experience. Sierra tops out at 2950 fps and I have reached 2850 with no pressure signs. In theirs and my own experience, the max V load IS NOT THE ACCURACY LOAD. A-Square which loads commercial ammo and I would wager has some major deep pocket liability has a max vel of 2800 fps also. My loads appear to be limited by the soft (?) federal Match primers. They are at the limit with my loads and go from radius edge to flattened out at 2,8000 fps. Again, a lot of variables.

But advertising 3100 fps with 140 Game Kings out of a 6.5-06 is misleading, in my opinion. Which is worth $0.02. Also worthy of change is my opinion that a hundred or few hundred FPS is absolutely meaningless in any discussion above. Who cares ?

WD, which powder and primer did/do you use ?

I can say this as fact. Given the .280 and .264 use a similar case and near same capacity, the .264 will confine the same flame and waste products in a smaller area, contributing to fouling and wear faster.

 

[bheadboy]

Flouncer, I agree with you, i and a number of friends have and have had 6.5-06, none were able to exceed 3000 with 140's, without sticking cases, blown primers etc.

my load wos 4350, and or 4831 each shot very well but neither accurate above 2925fps for target but ok for deer size game out to 500-600 yds.

The 2 280AI i have will both shoot in the .3's, pushing the gameking or Nosler bt at 3150 with 4350 or 4831 and not the first sign of pressure as the pressure did not show up unitil 3225 and accurcy fell off to mid .4's. these have 26" Hart bbls. on 700 trued actions in Highteck stocks. The higher BC of the bt and its effect on game make it my choice with the game king next if ranges are to be below 400. at which point the BC of the bt takes over.

Bob

 

[Deep6]

Thanks for all of your replies.

Laurie,

The round count for the rifle really is dependent on competitions.

I prefer tactical matches with a lot of cold bore shots, no sighters, unknown distance etc. However, there are not all of those matches in my area so I end up shooting F-Class from time to time for trigger time and practice.

 

[mikegaiz]

If cold bore shots, no sighters, unknown distance is your game, go with a 6.5/06 AI. I have been shooting them for several years at 1000yds comp. and further for varmints with good luck. However go with 120 to 130 gr bullets. you will have less vertical to deal with. You can easily get 3200 to 3400 with the lighter bullet and H3831sc or H or IMR 4350. Barrel ware will be around 1200 rounds. Coated bullets will extend barrel life.

 

[johntree]

i seen this thread and had to jump in , i loved my 280 till i got a 6.5-06 i now have three 6.5-06 rifles, and yes there is a reason why

the first one is a hart 8 twist i have shot more animals with it than anything else since i had it built, i tried the 4350's 4831's rl22 and was also having pressure issues and not the velocity so i tried the h1000 7828 and ended with the rl25 ,

with the nosler 140's i was spitting them out at 3100 and they shot very well but, under 100 yards on elk they would not hold together then comes the barnes 130 tsx , same powder and a bit more of it and i get clover leafs at 100 yards and 3290-3295 fps and they hold together, and yes i used a chronograph .....why fix what aint broke

i did not see a need to AI a 6.5-06 and use barrel life to fireform cases until i could see what the standard case would do , hope this helps

have a good day all, john