6.5 300wsm

[wboggs]

Would appreciate some data on the 300WSM case necked to 6.5mm. I have a lot of 300WSM brass and a long Rem. 700 action I am thinking about converting to a fairly lightweight hunting rifle with a fluted 24" barrel. The other options are a 6.5- 06 or 6.5-284. All loads will be held to a max. of 63,000psi

 

[1000yardstare]

I would be inclined to go with the 6.5-06 for one reason, ease of feeding from a magazine in a hunting rifle.

I had a 6.5-06 built on a Win M70 action and it was a very smooth feeder.

The short fat cases tend to have feeding problems in an action whose magazine rails were originally designed for standard diameter cases and then had to be opened up for short magnums, at least from what I have seen at shooting ranges.

My .270 WSM feeds smoothly in a Rem 700 SPS short action. But the magazine rails were originally designed at the factory for the fat case.

A buddy of mine had a Win M100 semi-auto in .284 Win back in the 1970`s. He called it his one shot auto. Bang, Jam was the order of the day. But maybe he just had a bad or damaged magazine.

 

[Chuckw]

i think i would go with the 6.5x284 on a long action if limited to your choices. it is well proven, has the best brass, and can be pushed much harder than most target loads you see listed. i personally would rather a 6.5x55AI. you will get equal performance and MUCH cheaper lapua brass. i have a .260AI that i rechambered from a 6.5x50 wildcat on a short action. it has never been able to match the smaller case for velocity or accuracy. something else to keep in mind is that the cases you are talking about are capable of pushing most bullets much faster than they may prefer to be shot. anymore, i like to do most of my builds around common brass that is not limited to a single supplier. the 6.5-06 advice is sound and would do anything the 6.5 caliber is capable of with room to spare. i didnt make your decision any easier did i?

chuck

 

[beartrack]

I guess it kind of depends on what you're looking for. I am in agreement that I wouldn't mess with a standard long action trying to tweek it to the WSM. If you have to have this round, sell your long action and get one that is already set up for the WSM.

The 6.5 Swd, Imp. is going to be very sweet, and would work it your long action (though the sweede head is a bit larger than the standard .473 bolt face). If you want as little fuss as possible, the 6.5x284 is going to be the way to go with that action. Factory brass and set up the throat to seat the bullets long since that won't be an issue in the long 700. Yet, the most you're going to get on that action with miminal fuss is going to be the 6.5 Gibbs. It's going to push 140 match bullets near the 3100 range and 130 swift sirocco (w/ a BC of .570) at close to 3200.