6.5/300 Weatherby: "Fresh Mag" or retreaded hype?

[roysclockgun]

Here we go again. A "new" cartridge being introduced with fanfare and false claims. The 6.5/300 Weatherby is touted in F&S, April 2017 issue as "having nothing marginal about it". MV over 3500 fps is claimed using a 127 gr. bullet. Minimal wind drift because of the high speed? Shooting nearly "flat" to 300 yards and then only 7" drop at 400 yards. Impressive, but in the article the effects of wind drift at those ranges is minimized and we all know that that cannot be done to any great degree.

The effects of that high MV on bore wear is only briefly mentioned. Most of us know that the 264Win. mag died an early death due to being known as a rapid bore burner!

I would imagine that to draw those new so called "long range game shooters", using their computerized scopes that do everything save for pulling the trigger. This whiz-bang "new" magnum will be bought by all those who buy anything touted as "new" and/or "improved".

Not too long ago hunters were crazy about the then new 30/378 monster cartridge. How many of them are seen today? The 6.5/300 will go just as quickly.

The entire draw that keep hunters going back to the woods in search of adventurous hunts, is based on meeting the game in his own territory and overcoming his superior scenting abilities, hearing abilities and speed. To glass an animal from the next county and kill him when he has no chance of even knowing that you are a threat, is not what hunting is about.

Steven L. Ashe

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

What is is it Lee Corso says; "not so fast, my friend."? That cartridge was setting records at Williamsport when "Ike" was President.

 

[dkhunt14]

Here we go again. A "new" cartridge being introduced with fanfare and false claims. The 6.5/300 Weatherby is touted in F&S, April 2017 issue as "having nothing marginal about it". MV over 3500 fps is claimed using a 127 gr. bullet. Minimal wind drift because of the high speed? Shooting nearly "flat" to 300 yards and then only 7" drop at 400 yards. Impressive, but in the article the effects of wind drift at those ranges is minimized and we all know that that cannot be done to any great degree.

The effects of that high MV on bore wear is only briefly mentioned. Most of us know that the 264Win. mag died an early death due to being known as a rapid bore burner!

I would imagine that to draw those new so called "long range game shooters", using their computerized scopes that do everything save for pulling the trigger. This whiz-bang "new" magnum will be bought by all those who buy anything touted as "new" and/or "improved".

Not too long ago hunters were crazy about the then new 30/378 monster cartridge. How many of them are seen today? The 6.5/300 will go just as quickly.

The entire draw that keep hunters going back to the woods in search of adventurous hunts, is based on meeting the game in his own territory and overcoming his superior scenting abilities, hearing abilities and speed. To glass an animal from the next county and kill him when he has no chance of even knowing that you are a threat, is not what hunting is about.

Steven L. Ashe

The 6.5x300 Weatherby has been around for over 50 years. It is nothing new. As far as your last paragraph goes, what is the difference of sitting in a treestand and shooting at 100 or shooting at 1000? Neither case they dont know you are there. Matt

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

 

[johnfred1965]

The effects of that high MV on bore wear is only briefly mentioned. Most of us know that the 264Win. mag died an early death due to being known as a rapid bore burner!

I thought the 264Win died after the 7mm Rem Mag was introduced? Not arguing the barrel burner rep it has though.

Not too long ago hunters were crazy about the then new 30/378 monster cartridge. How many of them are seen today? The 6.5/300 will go just as quickly.

The 30/378 will knock your block off. With the more manageable recoil of the 6.5/300, it may last a little longer.

If I had the use for one of these lasers, I would love to have one, but the woods I hunt in barely give me a shot over 100 yards. I"ve shot a few there with a pistol.

 

[SWRichmond]

God willing we'll all be back on Spaceballs 2,

"The search for more money."

Capiche?

 

[Joe Salt]

And don't forget the 7mm-300 Weatherby I still own one from back in 1970!

Joe Salt

 

[MagnumManiac]

The effects of that high MV on bore wear is only briefly mentioned. Most of us know that the 264Win. mag died an early death due to being known as a rapid bore burner!

Having owned this cartrdige and using it for several years, I can assure you that it doesn't "burn" a barrel any faster than any other magnum round.
Have one barrel here with 3080 rounds down and still holds MoA, the one thing you CANNOT do with ANY magnum is shoot them hard and fast, this will kill a barrel very fast.
All of my comp barrels will hold accuracy past 2000 rounds with 3 set-backs and re-chambers, even at 3500 rounds down they are good enough for hunting small game like foxes.

Cheers.

 

[roysclockgun]

The title of the F&S article was "Fresh Magnum". I did put "new" in quotes. Obviously Weatherby is making an attempt to add this cartridge to their current line.

My point was that when something comes along "new" to many of us, the gun rag writers jump on it and tout it to the heavens.
I did not say that with proper care the "hot" cartridges will burn up barrels. I said; "the 264Win. mag died an early death due to being known as a rapid bore burner!"

In 1948 my uncle had returned from WWII and had waited a long time to take delivery on a Model 70 in 220Swift. He slayed countless groundhogs over 25 years of shooting that rifle and we did not see the accuracy drop off. As MagnumMania wrote: "the one thing you CANNOT do with ANY magnum is shoot them hard and fast". My uncle did no rapid firing with the Swift and he knew how to treat the bore.

A part of the bad rap that 220Swift got was due to gunsmiths using 22cal long rifle barrels to create rifles firing 220Swift. Those 22cal barrels were never designed to handle the MV that can be created firing the Swift.

My contention is that most shooters will not be kind to any barrel and the 6.5/300 is less forgiving, as are most other small bore, centerfire cartridges, packing a lot of propellant in order to crank up MV.

In comparing rifle shooting to many other sports, even if one has to replace a barrel every couple years, it is a relatively small price to pay. Teams running drag racers go thru hundreds of dollars worth of tires in one weekend!

Steven

 

[johnfred1965]

I see this caliber as big game rifle, more than a target shooter. As an example, My brother bought another barrel burner, the 243 win. He sighted it in with 3 rounds. He has shot 15 deer. He still has two rounds in the first box of ammo he bought. At this rate, the barrel will last until it is replaced with a phaser. For a hunting rifle, overbore powder capacity doesn't really matter IMO. If you put this caliber in a target rifle, if you don't mind replacing barrels, go for it.

 

[cowboybart]

My 264's barrel has lasted so long that I am having a 6.5 RUM made. Both of these rifles will sit next to my 6-284 and 6.5x68, in the safe.
I don't care about burning out a barrel - they will make more barrels!!!
The 6.5 Wby is marketing at its finest. If you want one, buy or build it. If not, let the 50 years of cartridge history stand for itself.

 

[ballpowder]

Depends on the gun. I own a Rifles Inc Strata to my body measurements in 6.5 STW and it is amazing. I live in Southeast Alaska where we must have the best hunting in both American continents. Within 60 miles of my house we have Trophy Blacktail, black bear, mt goat. Also within 60 miles we have brown bear, Roosevelt elk, moose and archipelago gray wolf, and wolverines and this rifle allows me to hunt all of it minus brown bear in the mountain alpine to clear cuts to salt water estuaries. This is a special situation but it's a special cartridge.

Try it out!

Tim

 

[1K6BRA]

Build it and they will come! But I am not sure whether the general public will fully ever appreciate the 6.5

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Cowboybart,

congratulations on your good taste in 6,5's. I have both the 6,5 and 8mm X 68's in Mauser action hunting rifles.

 

[cowboybart]

Oddly I'm having an 8mm Hetzenaurer built as we speak. It is an improved version of the 8x68S. Named after the German sniper in WWII that Ed Harris portrayed in "Enemy at the Gates". When the 'smith gets done with mine the chamber reamer and FL die reamer will be up for sale (I don't see me needing 2 of these in my life). And yes, it is on a swatstika stamped 98 Mauser.

 

[Zero333]

Weatherby just wanted some of the 26 Nosler market share. And like others said, the 6.5-300 Weatherby has been around for a hell of a long time. Weatherby is pissed they didn't legitimize it and market it before the 26 Nosler came out.

This much is obvious to me.

 

[ebb]

Why do they change car styles every few years? They need some thing new to sell. Weatherby pulled this one up and didn't even have to develop it. The wildcatters have already done all the work. Is this any better than a 6.5 WSM? I have a friend that had a 7-300 Weatherby. He complained about crappy brass all the time as I remember.

 

[Ggmac]

Come on Ebb , crappy brass , Weatherby used Norma brass , I was getting 8-12 reloads . That was 1979-80 , just yesterday wasn't it ?
We need to start shooting that rifle again , I saw we cause of my mending collar bone and ribs !

 

[dkhunt14]

Come on Ebb , crappy brass , Weatherby used Norma brass , I was getting 8-12 reloads . That was 1979-80 , just yesterday wasn't it ?
We need to start shooting that rifle again , I saw we cause of my mending collar bone and ribs !

I don't believe any of the brass is good of quality as it was a few years ago. Not even Lapua. I have seen some horrible brass the last couple of years. Maybe it's because they are so busy trying to keep up. Matt

 

[Ggmac]

I don't believe any of the brass is good of quality as it was a few years ago. Not even Lapua. I have seen some horrible brass the last couple of years. Maybe it's because they are so busy trying to keep up. Matt

Your correct , however I'm still using my brass from 1979-80