6.5 mm LR/ELR Cartridge Advise

[Wildcats]

Lets consider the facts. Some require fire forming, so a hundred rounds down the barrel, and then you can start loading.

Or, the 6,5x284 which lets you start loading with round one. Which works with the best factory brass available, the LAPUA.

Any of the smaller capacity cases WILL require a lot more pressure, can you say shorter route to blown primer pockets, and fewer reloads on a case?

I would opine that using the '06 case, which has the same powder capacity as the 6,5x284 can achieve higher velocities ONLY with higher pressure. And, it has nearly 4/10ths longer case, burn time is longer.

6,5x284 will work in a short action.

Elementary my dear Watson...

I kinda agree with you on the 6.5-284
However i still like the 6.5-06AI.their is something about that cartridge that is bad ass
Little off topic,but i've also been looking at the 280AI ballistics .
Going to run some numbers with a 162 ELD match bullet and see how it compares to the 6.5-06AI given the same barrel length.probably with a 28" barrel for either cartridge.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Nothing at all, wrong with the 6.5-06.

However, benchresters have proven that "Short & Fat is Where it's at..." with regard to accuracy designs.

 

[Kiwi Greg]

Dang! She's holding that rifle as though it were a rimfire.

Thanks, the T2 is really a little small for the 338 Edge especially at that weight, but as you can see it works just great

 

[T-shooter]

Well, after 40 years of turning wrenches and 20 of shooting large magnums,my rt shoulder has
finally started to call it quits.2 surgeries inside of 8 years and the most resent one last week with
a rotator cuff repair,bone spur and torn ligament,it's time to hang up the (big Magnums) for awhile or suffer
the consequences in my later years according to my orthopedic surgeon.

That being said....
I've been looking closely at the 6.5 mm cartridge lineup for LR/ELR shooting.mostly 1k-1.5k

My choices so-far based on std bolt face LA and SA actions,don't want magnums
Taking under consideration,ease of reloading,premium brass choices and availability ,(Lapua/Norma/Nosler)for the particular caliber.

Also considered ,barrel life... who cares.

6.5/06 AI. easy,just necking up 25/06 brass and fire forming
6.5 wsm..to much work
6.5/284 win.. known favorite Lapua brass
260AI Lapua brass,easy no guessing.fire forming
6.5 Creedmore well not sure how it will stand up to any of the above with heavy bullets,but very popular.

Anyway,6.5 Gurus chime in please.

2 things that will help with your shoulder if you don't already use them. A good muzzle brake can take about 50% of the recoil out. Also a good recoil pad. I use a Limbsaver pad on a 3" 12 gauge shotgun and it takes about half the felt recoil out. A push instead of a slap.

 

[nakneker]

Kiwi,
i will give your brakes a try, in the meantime and see how they do on my shoulder.
looking for one for my 300 win and another for my STW Lr gun.
Right now i'm running the Badger FTE on both of them.
Also my 300RUM only has a Vais on it.
Thanks for the info.

I have a Terminator T3 on my 338 Lapua. I have three daughters and a wife who love shooting it, they equate the recoil to being like their .243s. It is a very effective muzzle brake.

 

[fredo]

A creedmore Ackley improved with Lapua brass and small primer sounds about perfect.

Not much to be gained on taper, but blowing the shoulder (35-40 degrees) should give more capacity and better burn.

Might be getting to the point where a SRP won't spark that volume powder, reliably.

Look back at wildcats like Jim Carmichael's .22Cheetah. One of the shortfalls of doing a wildcat off the (small primer pocket) .308BR case was "inconsistent ignition". A 6.5Creed AI would be more capacious than the .22Cheetah, so it stands to reason that potential ignition problems might factor into the decision for going that route?

On a .473boltface, I'd do a 6.5-06AI.
I have a 6.5 SAUM 4s

 

[r bose]

Lets consider the facts. Some require fire forming, so a hundred rounds down the barrel, and then you can start loading.

Or, the 6,5x284 which lets you start loading with round one. Which works with the best factory brass available, the LAPUA.

Any of the smaller capacity cases WILL require a lot more pressure, can you say shorter route to blown primer pockets, and fewer reloads on a case?

I would opine that using the '06 case, which has the same powder capacity as the 6,5x284 can achieve higher velocities ONLY with higher pressure. And, it has nearly 4/10ths longer case, burn time is longer.

6,5x284 will work in a short action.

Elementary my dear Watson...

This is where I was going when I recommended the 6.5x55. Quality brass, no fire forming, load and shoot, but with considerably better barrel life than a 6.5x284.

And since the 6's were mentioned, a 6xc, with all the benefits as above, using a 115 DTAC (rebated new ones) Going 3000 FPS (very doable) is a very sensible option with extremely manageable recoil.

Easy to tell I'm not into "making brass" or using up precious barrel life doing so. I'd would rather buy quality components, load, and go shoot.

 

[riflelooney]

I like easy and simple.... .260 AI outta .260 Lapua Brass, Wolf LR primer, Re 22 and a 147 ELD X Moly Coat ..30" tube 1-8 twist.....I get 3k MV. Run the numbers BC of .697...1550 yards bullet velocity degrades to Mach 1.2 then does not transition to subsonic till 1925 yards... data @ 1000 ft elev. 70 degree temp. THATs a lot of performance with decent barrel life